Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-13
Description of the Georgia Africans.


a correspondent of the Marion Common
wealth. noticing the Africans that passed
through Montgomery recently, says:
Il was carried through Brown, -pccula
tor house" 80 called on Perry street In
4 house in the back lot were huddlcdtogcthcr
Mirty eight Congo .l.tir""S. Don -hud
der and say the moral sentiments ot Chris
tendon condemn the traffic" But 1t Is
fact: | have seen the Africans And 1t L. :,
| fact-they We're Africans.
found them jabbcring, in gutt"r,l sounds,
somethng-l could not comprehend what.
They were ncary all apparently IN good
health; fat. sleek and greasy. In the party
were some five or six men, two or three wo-
men, four or five girls and the rest boys.
or what might be called youngsters
They were each clad in common kerSey
pants and roundabouts. over which they wore
Il heavy blanket. Women and all were thus
dressed None had shoes for the reason that
they could not walk in them; in fact they
could scarcely walk at all: having been con-
fined crowded so close on Shipboard.
Most of them were very pert and lively,
laughing and talking in their native tongue,
and pointing at and iahbering about every
thing that particularly attracted their attcn-
ton. Some of them had very singularl!y
shaped craniums-they almost battle descrip-
ton. One nearly square, one had convex
face. and another IL sort of double conravr
convex head, but most of them had good
heads, large flat noses big mouths, front
teeth Knocked out, rather small ears. and
quite small hands and feet Some of them
were good looking but others Shockingly ug-
ly; some what might be vulgarly called
puff or hog .iawcd. | noticed one, man,
who had very high cheek bones and several
sears on his face, and appeared very lntclli-
gent He was big chief no doubt i'll his
country. was much surprised at one thing
they repeated precisely every word said To
them. asked one where did YOU come
from" and he propounded the same intcrro-
gatorv to me, but of course without knowing
the meaning and in like manner many other
things.
Not being able to walk, they were carried
in a wagon from the railroad depot to
Browns. and thence by wagon to the 81.
Nicholas. The negroes were well skilled IN
pantominc. and some Of them gave unmi>-
takeabc signs that they wanted something
to drink"--putting both hands to their
mouths and throwing their heads back.
The thirty-eight Africans brought here
were the share. Us learned i'll the venture.
Of IL citizen of New Orleans, and that they
cost him delivered at Savannah, fifty dollars
cach-only nineteen hundred dollars for
thirty-eight Africans, sound and able bodied
negroes. They were in charge OF Mr..
Broadnax. who was carrying them to New
Orleans
For some time the Africans could not he
induced to 20 on board the boat and seemed
much frightened at the smoke, &c. Doubt
less they had perfect horror Of travelling
on water again, after having so recently en-
durcd long and crowded sea voyage. The
manner in which they were finally induced
t. 20 on is worthy of notice. The mate
tried every possible means to get them on
board but to no effect Finally he conccr-
ted a plan with big black Alabama negro.
lie tried to get him to go on board but he re-
solatclv refused, when the mate laid him
down on the gang-way plank and hit him
four or five substantial licks with his pom
dcrous leather strap, when the said Alabama
negro got up. yelling awfully, and went
straight on board, reckoning to the Africans
to follow. And they did follow To the anuse-
mcnt and amid the cheers of the crowd.