The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-03-22
Our Africa Letter.

MoNRovIA WEST AFRICA, Dec. 22d, 1859.
EDITOR CoURIER:-
In former letter, men
toned the difficulty of landing goods from
ships, on this coast but the treble is not over
when the goods are on shore. There is no
means of conveyance to be had here, except
by hand-there is not horse, mule, or OK
in the city. The Natives are the only beasts
IF burden. A barrel of beef or pork is a
load for four; -four, two, other freight in pro-
portion. There being no travel in the streets
except on foot, they are of course covered
with grass This is comfort in windy day
as there can be no dust to blow.
One of the principal articles ofexport from
Liberia is Camwood this does not grow on
the Coast, but is brought from the interior by
Natives, in canoes where there is water, and
on their backs where there is Mt. Palm
Oil is manufactured and sent away in large
quantities. This oil Is much used in this
country for cooking in place of lard, and |
believe the Natives eat it with their rice.
Last Sunday accompanied my friend, DIR.
Roberts, on professional visit pa miles up
the st. Panls river. Our propelling power
was five stout Kroomen, who rowed us up
the stream at the rate of five miles per hour.
To get from Monrovia into the river we went
up Stockton Creek distance of eight miles.
This creek runs through Mangrove swamp
the whole distance, and has the most dismal
appearance of anything ! ever saw. The
Mangrove tree sends down innumerable
shoots which take root and grow up, branch
of. send down new shoots. and so on until
the swamp is so filled up that it does not
seem possible for anything but snakes to
make way through it. In passing through
this swamp saw plenty of wild Monkeys
Jumping about in the trees, and they would
grin and chatter at US az we passed as saw
agely as you please.
The st. PauIs is q river about the size Of
the Des MONIES. It's banks are above high
water, and afford plenty of excellent farming
land, most Of which is in cultivation. There
are several towns along the river, the names
OF which indicate the State from which the
cmigrants Came who first settled them. We
passed Virginia, New Georgia. and Clay
Ashland. Attic latter named place heard
church bell ringing for the first time in
Africa. The churches in Monrova have
bells but have not been there on Sunday.
The farmers on the river are turning their
attention principally to the raising of sugar
and coffee. The average yield of sugar per
acre is about double what it is in Louisiana.
We took dinner with a farmer by the name
of Anderson from Delaware. Four years
ago his farm was wild land, yet this year he
will make about $4,000 pounds of sugar. He
has 900 coffee trees set out, some of which
are beginning to bear Mr.. A. has good
steam sugar mill which has been sent on,
from the States He manufactures the cane
of many of his neighbors on shares. = am
informed that the most coffee is raised a,
Bussu, which is our next landing point be-
low. The African coffee is fully equal to the
be It Mocha.
The principal part of the labor on the
farms is done by natives. They are hired
by the month, at about two dollars each, and
their chop.
Cotton grows finely here, but as vet is not
much cultivated. Reefs grown extensively
but not exported, as it is the principal arti-
Gle OF food here. Flour is not much used as
it all has to be imported. do not miss il
as there are so many first rate substitutes
here for bread which we do not have at home,
TOR instance the Cassiva, the Edoe or Coco,
the Bread Nut, &c. Sweet potatoes are
plenty and fine. The Irish potatoe does not
grow here. All kinds of tropical fruits grow
IN profusion. In the city many of the shade
trees ir the streets are orange, and are now
hanging full Of ripe, delicious fruit, free to all
Some of the best fruits, such as the Mango
and Quava are now out of season, but there
is plenty as it is. X