News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-27
A LOOK AT LAGOS.
Visit to An Island off the West Coast
of Africa.

After leaving the Gold Coast OF Africa
the next place of interest to stop is
Lagos, an island Oh the Slave Coast. Up
the river of the same name is situated
the port and city of Lagos on the left
bank, prosperous center of trade. Our
steamer was of too great draught to pass
the bar, so We were put ashore near the
Governors house, in the little tug
Echo, about five miles from the outer
anchorage. AS far rs commercial pros
perity goes Lagos has gained immense
ly by the transfer to Britain. The peo-
pie are freer and possess civil rights
| they knew noJ q prior to its occupation
by the British. Tia King receives
$1,000 per aunum and ives life of
ease. He has imported fine carriage,
in which he takes his ride, being Grawn
by fine team of dozen of his whllol14
subjects, who no doubt take care to be
we'll paid for the service. The King has
not adopted European costume, but re-
! clines in his comfortable carriage attlr-
ed in native flowing V, stments of gaudi-
ly colored cotton cloth W. tn silken UNI
brella hold over his head.
The population of the island is about
$1,000 of whom tho white men number
say 100, varying slightly as arrivals or
deaths occur. Padagry, to the west,
adjoins the territory of the dreaded d
wnrlike King of Dahomey, in whose
kingdom tie "custom" takes place, or
butchery of prisoners and others to fill a
pond with blood, large enough to float
canoe This disgusting and cruel ceIe-
mony seldom takes place except on the
death of a king.
Lagos is very we'll laid out and kept
clean by the civic authorities. Many OF
the officials are colored; the Treasurer,
also the Sheriff, among tho higher
grade. The merchants houses are
chiefly built on an esplanade facing the
river. Herr is a pleasant evening walk,
during which time the band of the
Honssa police plny III very creditable
manner selections from operas, dance
music, etc. The market is a large,
covered structure, and is well supplied
with articles of food. Animals thrive
better here than in other coast settle
mcnts. Small active horses are procur-
able hero from $50 upwards. Cattle
abound, of small size, but fat, and afford
excellent beef. They feed, among other
things, on the watercress, which grows
in large quantities here. Sheep are
raised further inland and brought here
for sale. Goats and kids roam the
streets and form food for many.
The fish here is Of excellent quality,
the barracuda, large fish of the pike
family, silver fish, bennett fish, with pur-
pie scales, arc all excellent eating. A
large kind of shrimp is caught IN vast
quantities and generally eaten rs cur
~. Fruits of all the tropical kinds and
vegetables abound. Vans grow here to
very large size. l have seen them
twenty inches in girth, and two to three
fe, t long The money in general native
use consists of shells called cowrles.
They are small and exported from n State
on the east coast, whose king has the
monopoly of them.
To show how far their peculiar money
goes, one may take two cents worth,
about 1873 cowries, and buy a portion OF
n good many articles in the market. As
follows: Some shrimps aud herbs for q
curry, shea or native butter, which has
the appearance of melted lard for frying
yam, corn grits, water cress, o fine native
snuff used for chewing, and tobacco.
doubt if the value of two cents would &C
rs far anywhere else Tho cowry vii
gradually disappear, as there is so much
money of all the nations of the world
current in Lagos, and as they gradually
become more civilized the people vii
charge more for their commodities.
The people are very industrious anG
manufacture cotton cloth dyed with III
digo and other native colors. These
cloths are very durable, lasting for years
They embroider their women's robes
also their best holiday clothing. Grass
cloths, with q web of cotting running
through, fine mating, bags, basket
work and furniture of bamboo are among
their industries. In the interior parts
they tan sheep skins to q dark yellow
= Color -ieathef-is-veFy good anel
; lasting and witlrst"nds wot. The hrr-rt
er finds ample sport with deer, antelope
gazelle, the latter sometimes the size o
cat, only with longer and slenderel
limbs, guinea fowls and ducks. The
hunter can bring down O dozen parrots
.. at shot out of flock flying near the
earth at rundown. The breasts of these
birds make capital soup, although the
flesh is black.
There is an insect beie and in some
, parts of the west coast called the bug-a-
bug. 1t is of an oblong shape, rather
pointed at the ends, and about q quarter
of on inch in length. This insect has
committed more n ury and damage than
any other 1 know of. 1t appears t. eat
at both ends, and voraciously devours all
articles composed of wool, paper, cotton,
leather and wood. 1t appears to relish
the cartridges in the ordnance stores,
which is possible, for the salute car
tridges for big guns are covered with
flannel. One ordnance officer in charge
is said to have reported to the home
authorities that several cannon balls had
disappeared, owing to the agency of this
conveniently destructive creature. -IGan
Francisco Chronicle.