The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-11-23
THE FRIGATE NIAGARA AT ST. VINCENT.
Isl. Fincent (Oct. 23J correspondence of the London

THE FRIGATE NIAGARA AT ST. VINCENT.
Isl. Vincent (Oct 23J correspondence of the London
Times.
The United States steam frigate Niagara, Cap
tain Chauncey, arrived at this port yesterday en-
route for Monrova, with the Africans recently res
cued by the United States brig Dolphin from the
slave brig Echo. After coaling she proceeds at
once to her destination | have been kindly per-
mitted to private letter from DR.. Rainey who
is the special agent of the government of the
United States, to a friend in England, in which he
says:
awe have had difficult and somewhat unusual
service to perform with fine frigate in restor-
ing few unfortunate Africans to their own land
The Niagara proceeded to Charleston, where
joined her September Il. | had gone to Charles
ton by the direction of the government to sail for
Africa, there to receive these negroes and deliver
them officially to the American Colonization Socie-
ty, with which the President had contracted for
their protection, education and support for one
year. The yellow fever raging with great violence
in that city at the time, the negroes had been land
ed at Fort SUMTER few miles below the city,
where they necessarily greatly exposed and
badly fed. They ate freely the shellfsh which col
lected around the fort and died rapidly Their
condition leaving the brig Echo was painful and
disgusting in the extreme. They had been hud-
died together closer than cattle, and slept at night
IN as close contact as spoons when packed together
Privation of every kind, coupled with disease had
reduced all of them to the merest skeletons, and
such state of desuetude and debility that on en-
tering the fort they could not much as step over
small beam, one foot high in the doorway, but
compelled to sit on it and balance themselves
over. 1t is impossible for you to imagine their sad
and distressed condition. Even now, on board our
ship, after one month of kind treatment, good food
and pure air, they appear ghastly in the extreme.
The Echo took on board I55 at Kabeno. One
hundred and forty-tive died on the passage, eight
died after the capture, thirtyive died in Charles
ton, and fiftyseven have died board our frigate
and boys, forty three girls and women, ' and two in
fants. Consequently PA only remain, and many
of these, doubtless, will die before reach the
coast. But one woman has died of the whole lot
fact illustrative of the greater fortitude of the e
male sex. Yet, their number being smaller and
our nation being gallant in all cases, their treat
ment has been somewhat better than that of the
men. Thus, 24l, considerably more than half of
these poor creatures, have died.
They are extremely filthy, and much prefer nudi-
ty to dress. We have adopted the plan of having
a large hose turned on them twice per week with
strong men at the engine. They appear well
enough satisfied with the bath, but cannot even by
the lash, which We compelled to employ freely,
be made to observe any other sanitary or decent
habit. 1t requires a good large crew of men to
keep the spar deck, where they are located, clean
When clothing was put on them in Charleston, of
which the negro slaves in the city contributed seve-
raj dray loads they Immediately tore it off and rolled
in the sand and basked in the sun.
know but few cases in which they manifest
any sympathy for one another, except to help
scratch each others backs. They give no atten-
tion or sympathy whatsoever to the sick and dying.
them in immediate contact, yet unnoticed. But as
soon as the soul has fed they steal the blanket of
the deceased and most unceremoniousy proceed to
appropriate his bread, spoon and bag During the
process of burial they manifest the slightest
concern. more stod brutaized, ptable set of
beings never beheld.
All of them take medicine without word of OBJ
lection, yet whenever sickens he is almost GER
tain to die. We found them with scurvy diarrhua
and ophthalma, and relieved very much of the for
mer and latter They have also catarrh, influenza
scurvy and chronic diarrhea. 1t is wholly impos-
sibe to intelligenty diagnose their symptoms or to
provide for them one would wish. We have
given them all the aid that money literally expend-
ed and directed by intelligent Christian sympathes
could dictate. But they set of poor miserable
beings, who will probably soon relapse into their
old state. l satisfied that they would have been
much happier a. slaves in America.
As your system now operates, the British captors
have every inter- st in releasing the crew and land
ing them again at an eligible point on the coast
that they may the sooner have another vessel to be
taken as another profitable prize. This is an easy
and acertain means of furnishing prize money to
your cruisers, and an equally certain means of per
petuating the slave trade. 1t always appears sim
gular TO US that your confessedy great and noble
statesmen permit system so impotent except in
evil to exist and curse the world
The Post Office at Brooklandyille, Baltimore coun-
ty, has been re-established, and John c. Pierce ap-
pointed Postmaster.