Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1872-09-12
From Africa.
BLooMINGBURG, Sep. ID, 1872.

may be of interest to some of your
readers, and as he has but little time for
writing, and it has been several months
since be has been able to send letter
to the HERALD, / will give part of
this one Uerbattm.
GABooN, AFRICA, June 25th, ''72.
This has been examination day of
the advanced class, and of the boys
school. The latter is taught by ma
tive, and the former by AIR. Bushnell
and Miss Boughton. Mr.. Bushnell's
examinations reminded me of story
told by our old college Professor, DR..
Smith, when hearing a recitation in
Latin, the stammering, lazy student
translated the word nselos (black) as
e0hite. The Doctor replied, eyes, or
rather 6zacbI,' So to day. in the reci-
tation in the Pongwe Grammar, the
question was asked, sIs the Pougwe
language abundant in its use of adjec-
tives ?" The student said yes. DIR. B.
remarked, mot very considerably,
and in fact it is rather remarkable for
its scarcity of adjectives." There was
much more to the classes of boys, and
some of the little fellows of SIX or
eight years will read, spell, or recite
the multiplication or division tables
with the best of such boys at home
We have little boys who were brough:
into the school since we came, and
not knowing a letter or word Of
English, who are reading and speak
ing more English than any of US can
, the native language. I was up al
Newgenge last week, and brought
} down three native boys, Pongwes and
Cannibals. We have all been sur
prised at their intelligence. They
know many ingenious native acts, such
as make mats, fish nets, and how tc
tie on Bamboo, the native shingles
They are good marksmen, and have
great craving for flesh of any kind
eating dogs, rats, snakes, &c, JUS
like. the French. They know many
English words, and can say most o.
the alphabet already.
July 9Th. Il have been tc
Corisco and Belita since l wrote
the above. How the time anC
events whirl past like the rush of al
express train! l went down with Mr.
! Murphy to try our black captain, who
IT was sent out by the Board to sail th
Elfe. He's an imposition. He cam
I hear the roar of the waves on tn
, beach, or the loudest shouting, cx
cept close to his ear. He, is also fas
losing his voice, articulating very in
distinctly. His nautical skill is only
that ofa cook on a whaling ship, and h
knows nothing of navigation or com
manding a vessel. However, we ha
Hgaod voyage, but came near bein
shipwrecked on the rocks of Cape AS
tenas. The wind and tide drove us ir
and we threw out our cable anchor
= but the big land swells came rollin
7. in and twisted it off above the flangt
, "a solid bar of iron three inches and
," half thick, and let US adrift in tn
very teeth Of those monster waves
n that were sweeping upon tho-rock
- with wild, shuddering roar, like til
noises of many battles. Our deaf ma
oo,,1l-SE fhn 6anOor
was a moonless night, and dark, Low
ering clouds were hanging over L
of like vultures waiting for their prey
1t was time of wild excitement for
few minutes, but the great danger w'
past before our passengers were awal
of what the real danger wa
Our small anchor held US until tt
sails were set and the chain wour
up. Then the vessel turned the wror
On way, and came in the trough of hugl
wave that tried hard to take us dow
but the Elfe was little too quick f
it, and with one big lurch we we
on the top of it, right side up. T
res, wind catching our quickly shifted sal
we. were over on the next wave, al
climbing over them as we used to t
,s blackberry hills, and soon were 7
ioicing in our safe deliverance, as t
Daf at roar upon the rocks grew fainter.
We W ere happy to go out to the oce
on and wait for the turn of the tt
and land breeze, but yet the who
It'll trip only took two days-the quickC
re the Elfe has made coming South. \
as and Mrs. Hops, Mr.. Murphy AMI n
\. DR.. Herr, were on board. We l
- Bonita Tuesday m orning, and Coris
: 7 Wednesday p. m, and arrived at {
boon at noon on Thursday. We
all here for mission and Presbytt
meetings next week Mrs Murp
n. and Mrs. Hops are going home, a
the steamer is due to-day.
July 12.-The steamer is in and al
hurry and confusion to get the ladies
board, as it goes out this evening
II m. I am called to the nat
church at Evangasimba, Corisco,
ings nss go the first of September. The VIZ
p9y. B9w will be laborious and confning The
y gGf- Of are schools and native agents to
looked after. 1t is tt ere that NJ
te. Lush and Miss Jones are to tea
who are sent out to the girls scht
ENx7t th1T -