The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-09-11
An African Paradise.

The Secretary of the Navy has re-
ceived from Commodore Shufeldt, on
q special service connected with an ex-
plof African continent in
the vicinity e& Liberia, an interesting
report of reconnaissance of the
Luguny and Mahfah Rivers and Fisher
mans Lake, by Lieut.. F. J. Drake.
The intercontinental trade of Africa is
receiving much attention in Europe,
and particularly in England and Ger
many. 1t will be remembered that
about year ago an expedition under
Commodore Shufeldt, of the United
States Navy, was fitted out. The Ticon-
deroga, which was assigned as flag
ship, was fitted out with special refer
ence to the service in view. The in
structions under which the expedition
was to be conducted embraced sur
vey of the coast of Liberia, the explor-
alton of the great rivers of the country
(seven in number) upon which the
traffic of that region is conducted, an
examination of the trade, productions,
climate, soil, tribes and political rela-
hons of the country, and q reconnois-
sance of the interior routes leading to
Soudan and the valley of the Niger.
While the report of Lieutenant Drake
lS lcukLuH. duO COAbotAo AuCh "a y
technical character suitable for the
pamphlets of the photographic Office
and to afford data for mariners charts,
it possesses sufficient information of
economic value to show that the region
is one of great fertility and Insurance
in all the products of the semi-tropical
zone. He says that Fisherman's Lake
is q beautiful expanse of water of one
hundred square miles, into which pour
the currents and the trade of the Lug
uny and the Mahfah. Upon the shores
of the lake q number of Liberian and
German traders have established them
selves. There are also several villages
on. its shores, the largest of which is
Bendee, ten miles from Cape Mount,
Liberia, and the point of transfer to the
WYE section, between Cape Mount and
Bassuro. That village stood at the
foot of high range and overlooked a
charming sweep of land. and water.
Lieutenant brakes party landed and
were entertained by the two chiefs, the
larger of whom, burly Ethiopian in
full dress and armed cGp-G-pte, as he
greeted the party, announcing himself
as Prince Manasson. The village was
q regular stockade, as q protection
against the ferocious animals which
abounded in the adjacent jungles and
the warlike demonstrations which were
constantly kept up between rival tribes.
In the early evening the Prince enter
tanned the party with dance of the
country, in which native instruments
Of music and women assuming the most
violent contortions were the chief feat
ures.
Lieutenant Drake says that the En-
glish post at Salyman had almost
monopoly of the trade on account of
the duties being less than were exacted
at the Liberian posts. On the Mahfah
he met the Congo trader from the in
terror, coming down to Cape Mount
with his slaves, and his canoes laden
with palm oil, kernel and palm wood.
The scenery on the river was very fine,
and on either side were vast rice-6elds.
The soil was rich loan, or q blacks
sandy muck, and the thermometer
stood 81 degrees in the shade. Efforts
were being made to raise coffee on the
hills, and with every prospect of sue
cess. The Mahfah drained all that
portion of Liberia back of Cape Mount.
The abundant pastures at its source
furnished the feeding haunts of the wild
elephant and supplied large quantities
of ivory to the world.