The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-10-23
The Cruise of the Ticonderoga.
[FRoM THE JAPAN aAzErrE.]

west coast of Africa and Commodore Shufeldt found
that it consisted of from twenty thousand to thirty
thousand inhabitants. The colony was first estab-
lished through the fundamentally of a negrophiEist
society in the United States, who sent emancipated
negro slaves there under the idea that through the
agency of a civilising element more akin to their
own, the people of that part of Africa would event.
ually become more civilised. The expedition found
that the hopes of the philanthropists were scarcely
realised, as the colored republic have but very little
civilising influence outside of their own community
They frequently quarrel with the aboriginal inha6i
tants (who number about &c. 000) and their rela-
tons with Europeans have not been so pleasant as
they might have been. owing principally to the AFRO
gance of the republicans. Nevertheless the officers
of the expedition found this negro colony indus
triOus, with a special liking, however, to political
Offices in preference to work in the fed), sober and
religious, the Sabbath being kept as rigidly there as
in any part of Scotland. The natives are compelled
to abstain from the slave trade and human sacrifice
within the territory of the republic but many con-
aicts arise in consequence of the imposition of taxes
upon trade, and this probably has had something TO
do with the decline of Liberia in prosperity during
the past fifteen or twenty years. which is an admit
ted fact. Education is highly valued, but mainly
lSlh " ooiOh vi WHIP " tuC Willie
ual financial embarrassment of the government.
chiefly attributable to the large number Of public
officers, the annual deficit of the revenue compared
with the expenditure being thirty thousan1 dollars,
the government are unable to do much towards
the development of agriculture. From this contin-
ual financial embarrassment and other causes. the
Liberian republic is not such a success as it might
be. and there is just a bare possibility that this state
Il II IN IL 4 II Azal f. -
of the present government and annexation to some
foreign rule, probably British.
The Ticonderoga spent some two months on the
Liberian and Sierra Leone coasts, endesyouring to
settle the boundary question between the two places
which has been in dispute since 1868. Commodore
Shufeldt had been appointed referee, before leaving
the States, by common consent, and entered upon
his difficult task on the 18th February, when a CON-
mission consisting of two E~nglshmen, two Liberians,
and the Commodore sat for the purpose of coming to
some definite settlement. In discussing the question
the English commissioners were short, sharp and
decisive, while the Liberians, fearful of losing the
territory, foundered about. yielding where they
might have been firm, and standing firm where they
should have yielded. The sittings we're most pro-
tracted and as unsatisfactory as they were tedious,
resulting only in the disputants agreeing to disagree.
Finding the task of bringing the parties to an ami
cable understanding, and a consequent peaceful solu-
ton of the difficulty, would entail a longer stay than
he thought compatible with the interest Of the ex-
petition on which he had been sent, Commodore
Shufeldt left the parties to settle the question in
their own way. 1t is thought. however, by members
of the expedition, that if the settlement should be
unfavorable to the Liberians, it will virtually dis
member the republic, or at least reduce it to insight
fcant proportions.
Leaving Liberia the Ticonderoga steered for Cape
Palmas where it was reported there were ONE dan
gerous rocks. There was no difficulty in finding these
impediments to navigation as the wrecks of a
steamer and a barque pointed them out plainly
enough. A safe passage having been buoyed out,
the Ticonderoga set sail for Fernando Pc, where she
replenished her coal bunkers and then proceeded to
the French settlement on the Gaboou river. Here O
very thriving American mission was found, working
under the temporary superintendent of the Rev. s.
II. Murphy. The expedition then proceeded to Ka-
benda, north of the mouth of the Congo, recently
famous for having been the resting place Of Stanley,
the explorer, after his journey through the Dark
Continent. Anchor was cast in Banana Creek,
within a short distance of the Dutch factories. but as
the African fever made its appearance a stay of only
five days was made, and the vessel then got up
steam and proceeded to ST. Paul de Loanda, the CAPT
tai of that portion of the province of Angola. Here
the fever attacked the officers and crew 80 badly that
as many rs one hundred and nine were on the sick
list at one time, and a departure was therefore
speedily made for the more salubrious climate Of st.
Helena, where o stay of one month was made TO re-
cuperate, after which the expedition set sail for the
Cape.
After staying at the Cape about O month the
Ticonderoga sailed for the west coast of Madagascar,
touching at st. Augustine Bay. Tulear Bay and
Morandava.
The existing belief that the whole of Madagascar is
under one government was proved by the expedition
to he a fallacy. The Hovas are a civilized race of
people with an approach TO constitutional govern
ment. Christianity is not only tolerated, but ia
made a state religion; and though the missionaries
formerly suffered great persecution, they are now
treated with every kindness and consideration. The
expedition, however, did not find such a happy state
of affairs among the powerful Sakalava tribes, in the
south west of the island, who are ruled by despots
whose word is law and who hold the power of life
and death in their own hands. On the slightest
provocation these chiefs do not hesitate to raise q
rife or assegai and put n sudden end TO the life of
the individual SO unfortunate as to offend. Mission
aries have penetrated into this inhospitable region,
but they may at any time be told to take up their
beds and walk or accept the consequences. The
Sakalavas are more stalwart than the Hovas, but not
so intelligent. In 1865 the latter made a treaty
with the British, by which religious liberty was
guaranteed; and in the same year the first English
church was built at Antananarivo, the capital. The
people advanced rapidly in civilization. At the pre-
sent time there are schools and churchs and a WELL
and well equipped army. The most bitter
animosity exists between the Hovas and Sakalavas,
and the former would not dare to put their feet
across the boundary line, for though the Hovas are
better armed than their neighbours, the Sakalavas
are wild and much more numerous, the former num-
bering about two millions and the latter six millions.
Lamarese is by far the most powerful chief among
the Sakalava tribes. Commodore Shufeldt made .
treaty with this chief, by which it was agreed that
4 Americans should be allowed the same privileges in
trading as other nations. The weapons of this people
are old flint guns and the assegai. They raise cattle
and grow corn and vegetables. exporting consider
able quantities of the Madagascar bean to Natal
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