Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-07-18

that day everybody joined with languid ardol
in singing that part of the hymn about Green
lands Icy Mountains, but the most enthusias
tic missionary turned with disgust from the
consideration of Afric's sunny fountains OF
India's coral strands, with their horrible sug
gestiveness of hot weather, and seemed resig
ed to allow the heather of those countries tc
bow down to wood and stone all they wanted
to during the summer. Between decks itwas
terribly hot, but still some Of the emigrants
would remain there!
The Sunday.school did not flourish as had
been hoped for Even in the narrow precincts
of the steerage, denominational intolerance
manifested itself. The Baptists, who were
largely in the majority, refused to allow thei'
children to attend a school taught by Method
lists. Clement Irons, who showed throughout
as much good sense, conscience and genera
zeal, as the rest of the boat.lo put together
succeeded in organizing one tolerably good
meeting for religious exercises in the evening
I had expected to find the Azor's passengers
colored Pilgrim Fathers, straight.laced, pious
and continually at prayer. But this idea was
not realized. Some as vigorous swearing as
in the course of long and varied experience
I have ever heard, was done on the fore decks
by emigrants, and the public prayer meetings
were by no means universally attended. l dc
not mean to say that these were worse than
other emigrants. On the contrary the proper
ton of people trying'to be religious (Which is
about all that the best of US can do) is proba
bly, much larger than usual. But | merely
mention, as a fact that the Azor's passengers
were, by no means, all model Christians.
Monday, Nay 20.-I have written up the
account of this voyage, 80 far, in narrative
form. Intelligence received this morning
however, casts ageneral shadow of doubt over
the termination of the present picnic, and
shall, therefore, unfold the remainder. Of the
tale in journal FORM This day affairs assume
serious phase. The captain informs me tina,
ship fever is certainly aboard. Though in a
mild form, so far, it is liable to break out into
the virulent one at any time. One of its un
pleasant characteristics is, that it removes its
victim on short notice, and gives him little
time to complete unfinished letters in. We
are good four days from Monrovia, partial
ly becalmed. beneath tropical sun, living on
salt meat, beans and rice, provisions are get
ting bad, and ship fever and measles are
spreading. All of which is pleasant. This
morning we buried two persons who died du
ring the night, making total, thus far, of
TEN DEATHS.
They were Grant Williams, aged years
son of Bran Williams, of Burke county, Ga
and Simpson Matthews, aged is months, son
of Matthieson Matthews, of Edgefeld county
sc. Both of these deaths are attributed tc
the fever The measles has reached the cabin
one of ex-senator Gaillard's children being
down with it. On Sunday we made ~
and to this morning 7S miles. While con
versing with the missionary sent out to teach
the heather, to- day, he informed me as fact
that could remove an eruption from my
hand by binding on it piece of black bacon
skin, provided I stole the remedy and kept
the fact of its possession and use profound
secret.
1 do not wish to be understood as "running
down" these people or their project. will
say now, what I had intended leaving for the
summing up, for fear of accident. The emf.
grants have generally behaved themselves ex
cellently. They have been uniformly easily
managed, obedent and accommodating. They
have complained much, it is true, but when ii
is considered that they were suddenly brought
into unaccustomed surroundings, with mani
fold discomforts, insufficient, poor and gener,
ally novel food, and with no physician, this can
not be wondered at. They have showed them
selves as helpless as babes, but it must be re-
nembered that landsmen are generally so al
sea. The only real trouble has been their in
difference to their own comfort and cleanliness,
which proceeded probably from lack of ap-
probation of the Importance of those matters.
While all are lamentably, some grossly, igno-
rant, that is hardly their own fault. Alto
gether, despite the many reprehensible char
acteristics displayed by some, l have been
favorably impressed with the mass of these
emigrants. Most of them will make good
citizens; some will be invaluable acquisi-
tions to the new country. l don't think
there is a really bad or viciously disposed per-
son among their number. l cannot, how.
ever, find terms strong enough in which to de-.
nounce the conduct of the managers of the
expedition, in deliberately sending the Azor
to sea without competent physician. 1t
was a crime against the Almighty, statute
laws and humanity. The deaths of large
proportion of the deceased emigrants lie d.
rectly at their door, The stain of innocent
blood is as deep on their hands as on Gains.
If should never write another line, my last
earnest advice to the colored people interested
in this movement would be to rigidly investi.
gate this matter, and cast out every man, par
tcipant in or cognizant Of, this great iniquity.
May 21.-We are nearly becalmed, having
made but 70 miles during the past "a hours.
In the middle of the night great routing of
seamen from bed, pulling and hauling at
ropes, and stumbling of sailors over sleeping
emigrants, the latter being accompanied by
much profane language, reused everybody.
The turmoil was caused by the approach of a
squall, of which, however, we got only the
tail end.
The sick are generally progressing tolerably
we'll, no deaths having occurred to-day. Good
society has been engaged in delightful but un.
successful angling for fresh shark meat. Hot ?
Don't mention the word
Another development of George Curtis
medical skill was made to-day. He has been
bathing the sore eyes of "a passengers child
with warm salt water, reducing the little suf-
ferer's optics to distressing condition. Prac.
tice suspended.
May y22.-Becalmed. We have made twen-
ty.one miles during the pasttwenty. -four hours.
Distance from Monrovia computed to be 379
miles. So near, and yet so far. The fever
spread no more, but two sick men in the fore.
castle are expected to die. The water is be-
ginning to run short, and half rations are
being issued all around. Fearfully hot
The emigrants seem generally comparatively
happy and contented. They absolutely take
no thought whatever for the morrow. The
Methodists and Baptists are holding enthusi-