Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-06-16


tured by the U. s. Steamer Crusader and was
an unknown vessle, sailing under French !
colors. A letter from on board the Crusader
states that the loatbsome odor Of crowded
slave ship was distinguished at intervals as the
steamer approached her, aud also by the boats
which boarded her, when at considerable dis
tauce. The colors and papers Of the SLAYER
were oil thrown overheard when her officers
found capture inevitable. She is said to have
Portuguese papers.
As soon as the steamers boats reached the
barque, the poor Africans with tremendous
shout forced off the matches and spraug on
deck by hundreds The letter says
"They climbed mp all along the rail
they hung on the shrouds they clustered
like swarming bees in the rigging, while
rose from sea to sky the widest acclama-
tion of delight they danced, they leaped
and waved their arms 10 the air. screamed
and yelled in discordant but pathetic con-
/ cert.
There was one thing, even more touching
| than all this outcry of barbaric rejoicing.
| Ny attention was attracted to a group COR
sistng of somewhat more than hundred
women withdrawn apart from the noisy
men. Their behavior was in strong con-
trast with that of the Others, and was char
acteristic of their sex. Entirely nude, but
iunocenty unabashed, they sat or knelt in
fearful and silent thankfnlness. Several Of
them held infants in their arms, and through
their tears, like sunshine from behind
| III, ,oI ,f fbn
gratitude and happiness. The men looked
as though they had just been raised from
despair to the most exultant gladness but
with the women il seemed as though res
ignation and patient suffering had been
changed into hope and gentlejoy.
could not help being reminded of Mungo
Parks simple and touching account Of the
kindness aud gentlness of the Aferican wo-
men as contrasted with the unfeeug cruel
ty of the men-a fact confirmed by my own
experience in different parts Of Guinea and
along the western coast of Africa.
Another striking thing about these women
was their submissive meekness-a trait of
character well described by Michelet. He
says the african woman is of gentle and
childlke huHilty-never sure of pleasing
always ready to do anything in order to dis
please less. No tyranny wearies her ODE
dience-she can only tremble and ask your
= pardon" OF course there are some excep.
: tions 10 this rule, as in the Amazon army oil
: the King Of Dahomey, which consists oI
J 1000 women trained to deeds of blood aud
+ rapine
e The first use the slaves made Of their lib
: erty was to satisfy their hunger and thirst,
which they did by breaking into the bread
barrels and water casks, and then running
about eating, drinking, dancing, and scream
ing all at once. 1t mattered little to then
: what sort of vessas they drank from-buck
e cts, boxes and troughslwere all broughtntC
requistion. even saw several fellows, hap
!. py and delighted, with q piece of bread il
q one hand and wooden spitton, full of mud
dy water, ia the other.
As soon as their appetites were satisfied
i the African fondness for fnery began t
o show ITSELF and all the loose article in th,
/ ship were employed as personal ornaments
d Some fastened Delaying pins to their wrists
Y some tied old rusty tin kettles around hei
$ waists, and some strutted proudly about
. with copper ladies hung around thei
necks. ...
By this time, however, detachment O
% marines arrived from the Crusader, an
i order was at cnce restored. The negroe
N were clothed with pieces of canvas, and th
o captain, supercargo and crew sent on boar
le the Crusader as prisoners. They state,
that the barque had no name, and that a
N her papers had been thrown oTerboard wit
y the colers. They seemed to bear their los
T with philosophic equanimity. Such a cot
Sc tingency had evidently been regarded b
pt them as part Of their risk and they weT
he not unprepared for it. The captain is
~ Frenchman, as is also the supereargo an
the crew are mostly Spaniards, with a fe
Frenchmen. The negroes were selecte
= from among three thousand prisoners of wa
recently taken by the King of DahomeI
Is They were brought from Whydah, larg
town on the slave coast, in the Blight {
e. Benin-the seaport of the renowned kinl
x. dom of Dahomey. They are much superiC
w to the "Congos," who usually compose ii
ID cargoes of slavers, not only in physique, bl
V, also in intelligence. Nearly all are in e!
IS. cellent health, which, no doubt, is owing
D. the careful arrangements made for the
r. comfort on board the barque. In numbe
m they amount to about four hundred and i
adj ty, and the slave-deck affords ample accon
rd modatons for them all During passag
lie of fortyfye days from the gulf of Guine
os. seven only have died, which is certainly