Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-05-12
Interesting Letter from the African sauad .
ren-rhe U. y. ship Marion, &c

~
March II, 1850
Dear STAY: The opportunity by the departure
of Brookhouse's packet for the United st,tes.
suggests sending for the Star a few items relative
to matters on this coast, assimilatinc somewhat
with the all-important question at h6me-tbe
negro. Bah If some of those northern fanatics
were subjected TO but half the experience Of our
two veaIs' cruiZe in connection with this IA, n,o,,
| establishment, 1t would effect a radical refoyma
ton in their sentiments at least, prove deserved
punishment
Notwithstanding the vigilance of the combined
squadrons, 1t is quite certain that an unusual
number OF slaves are still being run off, from
the coast.
has, since his fathers death, reopened the slave
| trade in the blight of Benin" which he iustifles
| as compliance with the exacted customs of his
people, the deviation from which nea,Iv cost
| GheZo's life, and did lose him considsrabIe
| share of his power. The young savage Is renre-
sented as possessing more than the ordinary cun-
| ming OF his race, which, by-the-by, is so fire.
quently, in the negro, mistaken for a HIGHER de-
velopment of sense. Perceiving that the Trade in
palm oil would not be injured by his occasioual
Investment in 'negro stock, he concluded To add
TO his exchequer the receipts Of each still further
| excnsinB his cupidity by accusing the English
Government of Withdrawing the sIbonus ;; 5aid
| by agreement, to the deceased monarch unon his
sIIPpfse ,,, The trade Be this as it may, the
| Blight has again become a slave mart and sew
eral cargoes are known TO have been taken there
from very lately, while Others in the attempt to
ltsb
Along Southern Guinea there is a decrease In
the number Of suspicious arrivals though n carqo
| OF several hundred were carried off from the
| Congo short time ago, by the brig VIM. Taylor
nan; mailing from Baltimore city. One Of the
chsf facilities 20 such results is the artifce per
mited to these traders by authorities en- te pprt.
from which the SLAYER sails, in entering their
InanfestS so as TO secure an llrOalIv-i nteDde Cd
| cargo under Legitimate pretexts So with the
'haIL 5. we boarded her-were snre as TO her
PURPOSES, Oul were constrained TO give her pass
Dy IN consequence of the correctness Of her papers,
our orders TO proceed elsewhere precluding a fur
| Their watch upon her movements
| am somewhat hOmeoDathist in regard to the
usathent OF this traffic, believing, past statistics
clearly demonstrate, that it would dwindle to an
Insignificant importation, in proportion to the
| present number, the sguadronS rsmored
They DO NOT, and cannot prevent its continuance.
Du', by creating difficulty in the Obtainment Of
negroes, raise their valuation to such tempting
profits as TO induce an immense increase of spec.
lators, both on and OFF this coast and thereby
increase the very evil they designed TO rem
edy. But, by such sentiments | will have the
thunder Of the Tribune reverberatinp about the
Star, and do, therefore, ask Father Greely,, to
acqult your innocent self of any participation with
my views on this subject
The natives at several points along the coast are
dangerously irritated by Portuguese policy, rem
derng the lives and property of factors of other
NATIONS Precarlous. When at our present anchor
age the latter part of February we in connection
with The British war steamer Falcon bad TO send
on shore, on two separate occasions armed boats
crews for the protection of an American Dutch
and two English factories The origin of the
disturbance was oCCasiOned by demand from
the Portuguese Government upOn the King of
Angola LOT the tract Of land which the Kim
40 factories are built, with an eye to taxing
Inc factors, who, unrestricted by such duties had
succeeded In monOpolising the trade of the i'm
terror from the Portuguese settlement of Ambriz
lew miles below. To said demand King CONGO
objected, threatening 10 burn the factories down
before the Portuguese should infringe upon his
rlShs over the country or factories Initiative re-
examinations continued, until the natives vented
sneif evaporation by Selling upon Prince Don
Nicholas, who at the time was visiting the Enc
ilsh factory, and murdered him. This negro
Prince was the son Of the dethroned monarch of
Congo, and had been literally educated at Lisbon
by the Portuguese Government He was susDected
by the natives OF designs, favorable to the Portu-
gueSe policy, upon his native country and was
moreover. thorn in the side of old King Congo
VINO mad usnrPed Don Nicholas fathers throne
You see by this that Africa has its diplomacy AS
Wen as 'le Zurich Powers"
wen, the Portuguese Governor General deter
ternlnlng TO punish the natives for this murder
marched several hundred troops with the crews
OF two sloops of war under bis command into tho
interior about six miles, and succeeded. with The
loss OF 10 men, and at the cost of sound drnbhinU
afterwards, in burning the matt We town of KinS
siinbo, before the natives had fully gathered In
tne meantime, war, rumors Of war and no war AZ
ALL had kept the agents at the factories
aPPtehensive, and we had already sent on shore,
al midnight, In answer to their false alarm armed
boats. On the 3D. Of March. about IL m the
hags at each factory were lowered with their
Chlon down. persons were observed running agi-
tatedly to and fro, and other indications with
dense volumes Of smoke rising from the woods
In the interior, apprized Of their fears and
actual danger: The launch, with its howitzer
ana TWO other boats were immed lately di
with their armed crews for the beaCb-tbe Hal
con boats soon following. Upon arriyinr both
forces numbering 100 tg hting mcnl ma re- he'd Ia
the apprehenslbie point, where they formed into |
line, The English on the right, and Americans to !
tue left, with the brass hOwitzer between them
This had been effected but Il few moments when
The Portuguese troops We're seen coming directly
towards our ranks with the matt YES following and
peppern% them from every bush and screen they
could dodge behind. At this iuncture the Gov
ernor General, with his staff, rode forward when
CaPt Brent informed his excellency that he must |
hot dtteHpt 10 cross the line his men formed or |
seek protection on the factory ground as IL yyouId
but incense the enraged natives 10 burn American
ana other property, under the belief that their
enemies were harbOred by the factors To this
the Governor damurred. but concluded not To FRY
Tue experiment of forcing his way; SO wheeled |
spout with his exhausted troops and proceeded on
70 hnnrlz, The natives following and fighting /
them the way down. The morning after cur
men came on board. The factors are deemed
safe, but The negroes are still attacking Ambriz,
and thus stopping trade
The policy Of the Portuguese Government nm
THIS coast has, unquestonably, retarded the de-
veloPment of trade; for its Inscriptions exac-
lions has alienated the natives confidence from
the white man, and prevented free communi
caton with the resources Of the interior by other
nations, at points where they retain possession,
which, unfortunately, are the most available
on the western coast for trade. Nevertheless
"Brother Jonathan is edging in gradually
The present disposition of the l. : squadron
is as follows:-The Constellation and Portsmouth
are on their way to Madeira the Mystic is cruising
In the Blghts of Benin and Biafffa as far south
as Mazumba; the Sumpter between the latter point
and Congo river, and the Marion Overhauls from
congo 10 ST Pants. The Mohican and San la
cinto, non est iHreHfRS
ihe health Of the squadron is good, believe
eAcsPt IN our own case, the African fever having
ihade us appearance In our ship putting. I'm two
DAYS, rwenty-seven white men on the "list II
IS ascrlbed to the expedition on shore but think
IL more properly the effect of our six msntbs
d"ecf cruising on the lower coast off and around
rivers, with the thermometer at 81 deg during
the day, and - deg. at night. Besides, from the |
prevalence OF rains during the mig ht the avn
lngs are housed combining the berth deck to a /
snhocatng temperature, where the men swelter |
during their hours of rest. However, we hav. a |
young crew, careful commander and a thor
oughIy accomplished surgeon and hone vet To |
see our homes in health and happiness We are
wen Wenty-seven months in commission, and expect |
10 De lone by Jpne next. Yours ZaIRE
0@ATTENTION, WASHINGTON Light |