The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-12-03
RumOrs About Liberia.



ria is becoming more and more popular
among the southern negroes. So great,
indeed Is the exodus to he that new
shipping house has lately been establish
ed Tor the. purpose OF sendingo out negroes
TO Liberia. Recently there was rnmor
mat hundreds OF coIored persons who
had gone out to Liberia had returned to
inns country IN disgust, that rcmunera-
i've wages were not to be had, and that
the African fever was proving as fatal to
the colored race ms it always is to the
whites. AS result there has been great
CONSERVATION among the colored commu
mites throughout the country. and the
number OF inquiries addressed to the of
fcer. OF the Colonization Society and to
the Key, Highland Garnet have been in
Vulnerable
me latter SAID; These rumors have
no foundation whatever They are bas.
ed on absolutely nothing at all. | have
not heard ot any one who has come
back from Liberia dissatisfied except
some few ne ecr do wells
Last May three persons well known in
Liberia arrived in this city These were
the eX-l'resldent OF the republic, James
Payne, Bishop Pinny, and Mr.. II. w.
Johnson. The latter, a rich planter on
the St. lauIS River had come to pro
cure improved farming implements and
machinery. lie lodged in the house of
his friend, Mr. Peter Downing, proprie-
tor OF the restaurant in the Custom
House \ short titnn Ia, l,.I
ParkuIau. native boy whom Mr. John
son brought out with him, is still with
the friend OF his employer. Parkulau is
the son of the King OF the Pesses, ma
tive tribe, which, like the Golahs. the
kroos, the Ncys, and the Deys is under
the jurisdiction of the republic His
benetactor, Mr.. Downing, has passed
several years in Liberia, and returns on
account of the approaching death Of his
iather by means of Il series of inteli-
gent intewogatories addressed to him by
Nh Downing Parkulau described the
condition of the American blacks as row
existing. This is the substance:
wv hen the colored man and his family
arrive at Monroyia they are at once Ia
ken charge of by the Colonization Socie-
ty, Under the care of the latter they re-
main for slX months. BY this time they
have got safely through the 'acclmating'
fever which seems to be caused not by
the heat, but masmata, of the origin
and character of which little is known.
The first symptoms of the sickness are
headache. pains i'll the back, loss of ap
petite, and more or less gastric derange-
mrnt' rapidly developing into bilious in
termlttent fever II this yields to mild
medical treatment, the patient is prepar
ed to endure ordinary exposure to the
climate sometimes the disease assumes
the tertiary form OF intermittent fever
accompanied by bilious vomiting, dull
expression OF the eye, and IN the febrllc
paroNysms intense headache and de
llrlum.
AT the expiration OF SIX months the
colonlStS are given land to cultivate.
Here may be grown maize and rice, and
ON the highlands OF the interior wheat,
barley and oats. Cotton flourlsIes and
sugar cane and coffee are easily produ-
ced' lhe esculent and fhrlnaceous roots
chiefly cultivated are the potato, the
caSsaNa, the yam, the Notwithstanding
the po'ato-and the alrowroot, Nearly
al the vegetables grown IN America may
he proh'ahIy cultivated Although
American. English and French money
is to be had, the inhabitants, as rule,
conduct Their business on the principle OF
exchange Thus Il man may exchange a
quarter OF oats Tor ITS equivalent IN cot-
Tee, beans @c, There are no beggars.
W hen once a colortd man gets a good
ioothoId IN Liberia ne Is pretty sure to
get along all rlght. 1t Is Il rare thing to
find persons, after beng accllmated, show
a desire to return to America
The key, 1. j. Bowen, OF South Car
oIlna' a missionary sent to western Airi-
ca by the torcign Mission Board of the
southern baPtlst Convention, thus de
generally two stories high. The furni-
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