The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-01-11
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION or THE GEoI
OLA AFRICANS,
A correspondent Of the Marion Commonwealth,
noticing the Africans that passed through Mont

A correspondent Of the Marion 6bmmon,rsaita,
noticing the Africans that passed through Mont
gomery recently, Gays:
carried through "Brown's specuiator
house" $50 called on Perry street In bouse 10
the back lot were hadded together tsigfs eohf ma.
tire (congH) V1eonsl Don't shadder aud ssy the
''mera sentiments of Chris'endem copdemu the
traffic" Bat it IL fact. have seen the Afrcabsi
And II is a fact--ihey were Africansl
i found them iabbering, 10 cultural sounds,
tomethirg-t could not c, nprehepd what. They
were nearly all apparently Ia good health; tat,
seek aud greasy. la the party were some Ave or
ak men, two or 'hree women, four or i've
girls, and the rest bays, or what might be called
youngsters" They were each clad 10 common
kersey psnta aud roundabout, over which they
wore heavy blanket. Women aud all were thus
dressed. None had shoes for the reason that they
could not walk IN them; In fsot they could scarcely
walk AZ all, having been conloed crowded 80 close
on shipbosrd.
Most Of them were very pert aud lively, laugh-
ing and talking 10 their native tongue, and pon
Tug at and jabberi0g about everything that par.
ticuiariy attracted their affection. Some of them
had vers sipgulsrly shaped cranums-they al.
most bs1e description. Que nesriy ssuare. ons
had a convex face, aud auother = sort of double
concave convex head but most Of them had good
heads. large fat noses, big mouths, front teeth
knocked out, rather small ears, AID quito sma u
hsuds and feet. Snme OF them we're good look ing
bat others shockinsiy ugly some were whal
| might be vu'gsriy called puff" or hog jswed. ]
noticed one, man. who bad very high cheek
bones aud several scars ON his face aud appeared
very Intelligent He was "big chief" no doubt, iu
his county. vas much surprised at one thing
they repeated precisely every word said to them
l asked one, "~hsrs did you come from Z" aud he
propouDded the same i0terrogatory TO me, bat o.
c urse without knowing the meaning; and in like
manner many other things
Not beng able to walk. they we're carried In q
wagon from the railroad depot to Browp's aDG
thence BY wagon to the st Nicholas. The pegroe,
were we'll skilled in pantomime, and some of them
gave uumis;akeable signs that they wautes
''somethiug to drink"-putting both hands K
| their mouths and throwing their heads back.
The thrty.eight Africans brought here we're thu
share. as I learned, ia the venture of a citizen o.
New Orleans, and that they cost him. delivered at
Savannah, fifty dollars esch-ouly nineteen hun.
dred dollars for thirty eight Africans, sound and
able bodied negroes. They we're in charge of 9
Mr.. Brodna1, who was carrying them to New Or.
leans.
For some time the Africans could not be induced
to % on board the b ,at, aud seemed much light.
epsd at the smoke, &C. Doubtless they had q Der
feet horror of travelling water again, after hav
| ing 80 recently endured q long aud crowded see
| voyage. The manner In which they were finally
| induced to go On is worthy Of notice. The mate
tried eve y means to get them on board, but to nc
effect. Finally be concerted q plan with big
| black Alabama negro. He tried to get him to gC
board, but he resolutely refused, when the mste
laid him down on the asng-way plank and hit hin
four or five substantial iicks with his poDderous
leather strap, when the said Alabama negro got
| mp. yelling aw!uly, and went straight on board
| reckoning to the Africans to follow. And they
| did follow, to the amusement and amid the cheers
| Of the crowd.