Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-12-09
The LAND OF LIBERIA.
THE EXPERIENCE OF AN eMloRANr.
An Alabama Coiored Man Gives Discour-
aging Account of the Country-Satis.
hed to Live and bo Buried In
So America.

Anderson Jones (colore6 returned to
this city few weeks ago from Liberia,
in Africa, where he went in the spring
Of 1885. He is now at home in Mont
gomery, and says he is here to stay. !
He is stopping at his fathers, out be-
yond the Women's Home, in the eastern /,
portion of the city. An Advertiser
reporter went out to see him yesterday, |
and from his own lips heard the story
Of the travels and trials and stay in the |
land that does not flow with milk and
honey.
81 left Montgomery on Feb. "a. 1885,
one year ago last February, for New
York, accompanied by my wife and
two children. We sailed from New
York for Liberia on the last day of
February. In our party there were
fifty emigrants, including men, women,
and children. We had a very pleasant
voyage, and landed at Monrovia,
Liberia, on April 4. We went to
Liberia under direction of the Coloni-
cation Society of Washington. The
society furnished us, according to
promise, with provisions to last us six
months. After we reached our desti-
nation we had our land surveyed, and
set about to build houses and settle.
AS for my part, I soon found that the
rainy season was too close at hand, and
| did not have time to settle on the
land set apart for me. then got two
acres from another man in the settle
ment, and built little house in which
| lived while there. 1 planted and
raised few potatoes, and we ate them
and enjoyed them. The house | built
was ten by fifteen feet. l built it with
small poles and covered it with bam-
boo. The rainy season set in about
May 1, and continued until along some
time in November. Sometimes the
rainfall would be steady for week or
two, and then it would slack up an
hour or two day and commence again.
But for six months we had no sunshine
or dry weather, and during all that
time we were confined indoors, and
could not do anything in the way of
outdoor work to earn a living. In the
fall the rainy spell ends, and then there
is nothing but drought and hot sun
shine for six months. We had no win
ter, and the only cool weather came
during the rainy SPELL in what we call
the summer months here"
There are many things that must
make an American feel very much out
of place in Africa Continuing the
tale of his bitter experience, Anderson
said
ain cultivating the soil, the settlers,
as well as the natives, have to do all
the work with hoes. There are no
horses or mules or cattle IN that
country. In some of the oldest settle
ments they have few cattle, but they
are very small and dwarfish. A full
grown COW in Africa is no larger than
year-old calf in this country. In the
settlement where we lived / never saw
but the one poor little calf, and not a
single horse or mule In the country. !
was sick about three months, and was
greatly troubled with bloodthirsty little
insects known as jiggers. They are
mailer than flea and far more
troublesome. They attack victim or
the feet while he sleeps and work theil
way into the flesh, forming bad sores
/ saw many people with several of theil
toes fairly eaten off by the little pests
In my sickness I had no medicine ant
no physician. There was no doctor il
the settlement, except herb doctors
who make their own medicine. Peopl,
in that country can't make money, ant
it takes hard digging to make littl
something to eat. Ihad little none.
when I went there, but everything wa
so high that 1t was soon gone. TIL,
man who is employed by the Coloniza
tion Society to issue provisions to tn
settlers swindled us out Of supplies TO
twenty days, and just at time whel
we needed help most.
The people over there don't mucl
| like for settlers to come away. Bu
they can't raise any objections, and tn
natives are all peaceable. When a MAJ
decides to leave he has to post writer
notice of his intentions in publi
place for ten days and get passpor
from the Government. / wrote letters
to my people here and received replies
The letters go and come around b.
English steamers. / Twas bent on com
ing back to Alabama, though had nj
money and no means of making 1t. M!
relatives here and in Texas sent III
500, and we sold our best clothes t,
raise S25. We did not have to pay far,
for our little girl and only S25 for th,
boy and $50 each for myself and wife
| NO tOOh PuoooSO VII thO btAh AtiolA
rovia, and sailed from Liberia on Jul,
7. landing in New York on Aug. 8. ant
in Montgomery on Sept. 5. l had NJ
cause to leave this country, and nov
since l am at home in Alabama ono
more, / will not bother about going OF
again to go anywhere"
Anderson Jones is thirty.six year!
old. Anderson is above the average o
his race in point Of intelligence. Hi
wife is light mulatto woman. The
have two children. They had one chill,
born in Africa, which died early an,
was buried there. Anderson says tina
Liberia is q mighty poor country +
live in, and there are many othe
American negroes there who woul,
come back IL they could. He think
this is Gods country and Is willing t
live his II fe out and be buried here. H
comes hjne sick with fever, and is get
! ting well slowly. Montgomery ,Adyer
tiser.
A.