Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1877-05-31

diil. diuiOSe oil IuO eSonA
mon garden vegetables known in
America, thrive when planted in the
proper season. The fruits are nu-
merous and fine. Among them are
the mango. lemon, lime. orange, qua
va. tamar:nd. pomegranate, cocoanut,
plantsin, banana, rose apple, African
cherry, pineapple, avocado pear, and
the African peach. Wild animals are
becoming scarce in Liberia, and the
hippopotamus, leopard. oroc-
odile, boa constructor, and deer, for
merly abundant, are now rarely met
with. Monkeys, guanas, chameleons,
lizards, and ants in great variety,
abound in the forests. The driver
ants, which travel from place tolplace
in countless nultitudes, are welcomed
by the people, for when they enter 6
house they soon clear it of every 9th.
er species of insect and vermin:
The population of Liberia is COM
posed Of American negroes, emigrants
from the United States. and their de-
scendants, who are the ruling class,
and of uncivilized native tribes. The
American Africans number about TO-
900. The Rev. T. J. Bowen Of South
Carolina, a missionary sent to west
ern Africa in 1S49 by the foreign
mission board of the southern Bap-
tist convention, thus describes their
condition: "The houses in Monrovia
are generally two stories high, the
lower one designed for servants, store
rooms, &C., and the upper one, with
bedrooms, parlors, and piazzas, for
the family, built Of wood. The fur
niture is similar to that used by the
middle classes in America. I was
pleased to see good many. valuable
books and periodicals on the shelves
and tables. Most of the people in
short appear to live as comfortably
as people of means commonly do at
home. I have heard them accused OF
being too fond of dress and show ;
but if they were more so than other
people who live in towns, was not
able to perceive it. -. Liberia is
full of we'll attended churches and
schools. .She has a good government,
we'll administered under officers elect
ed by the people from among them
selves. She is steadily increasing in
prosperity and in everything that
pertains to civilization" A more re-
cent observer, the Rev. Charles W.
Thomas of Georgia, chaplain to the
U. S. African squadron in 1867,
says: "In looking into the industrial,
social, moral, aud intellectual charac-
ter of the Liberians, justice to our
selves and to them demands that we
should give due weight to the follow
ing considerations: l, the recentness
of the establishment; 2, the want of
capital in those who formed the gov
ernment, and those who, by immigra-
ton, continue to increase its popula-
ton; 8, most Of the emigrants were
from the slave States, and had never
learned to plan and provide for their
own maintenance; those from the
States called free were equally de-
pendent; and the difficult lesson Of
self-dependence had to be learned
under the disadvantages arising from
an unfavorable climate, new modes of
labor, new elements of subsistence.
new states of society, and entirely
new associations. -. The sum of
these considerations is, that in any Of
the departments of civilized society
we are not to look for much in Libe-
ria; yet as a people they are not with
put excellences which reflect credit
On the civilization of their adoption,
their virtue and intelligence. As yet
the Liberians have done but little in
the way of agriculture, and until
they become producing people they
cannot be wealthy, nor in any high
sense independent. They do nothing
in the way of manufactures, if We
except the little sugar that is pro-
luced on the farms of the st. Paul
river; their main business is t~afic,
and though this is carried on in
way, it furnishes employ
nent to the capital of the country
and to many of the people. Thepet-
y merchants buy palm oil, rice, cam
wood, skins, and few other unim-
oortant articles, in small quantities,
rom the natives; for which they give
powder, cheap cutlery, and
cotton cloths. The more wealthy
BUY from these. and sell
again to the English and American
merchant vessels, or ship directly to
he States. There are several men
If considerable wealth in Monrovia.
They keep large. we'll assorted stocks
If dry goods, and find ready purchas.
'rs among their own people.
Society in Liberia is as good as can
,e reasonably expected; indeed, we
ound a degree Of refinement and
aste for which we were not prepared.
The people desire to live in comforta-
lie and pretty houses, the ladies and
,eaux dress in the fashion, and an
of means and education
8 already set up"
The native population under the
Jurisdiction of the republic is esti-
mated at 25O,000, and comprises
ariety of tribes, of whom the prin.
ipal are the Kroos, the Calais, the
7eys, and the Deys. The Kroos are
lack and woolly-headed, and are
tout brawny race. very industrious,
nd peculiarly fond Of working on
oard ships. They are good seamen,
nd generally speak English. The
reatest ambition of a Krooman is to
larry many wives this is said to be
he chief reason why they wander
rom home, and labor on ships. When
ne Of them has earned money enough
. buy a wife, he returns TO his native
illage, marries, and remains while
t home. When he desires another
T:fe, he goes to sea again. As he
rows old he retires altogether from
he ocean, and lives in ease and