The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-03
UNIV ALA.
A Passenger of the Wanderers Last
Trip as a Slave Vessel.
Fronl "a Altq1sto CO. Chronicle.

Trip dS IL O1dNo v 0SSSl.
From. the AUGUSTA (Ga.) Chronicle.
Probably the most interesting character
hereabouts is negro man who was one of the
cargo of the "Wanderer," the last slave ship
to bring to this country load of captives
from Africa. Lucius Williams, as he was
christened by one of the young ladies Of the
family into which he was sold, or "Um~
walla,n as he was called in Africa, lives in
a small hue on the outskirts of Hamburg,
across the river from here. Since freedom
he has earned livelihood working gardens,
saving wood and whitewashing. He was
little surprised when asked about
his carly life, but talks we'll, once
he has begun, requiring to be questioned
frequently, however. AS Umwalla, he was
born in Guinea, according to his story, not
far from Liberia. One DAY, when he was
about 10 years of age, he was sent to his
aunt to carry her some pinders TO plant
When he was going through the woods two
strange black men seized him and bound
his hands. He cried terribly. and they soon
gagged him. They sold him to IA native
who took him to Liberia. There, for the
first time in his life, he saw white man,
and he was terribly frightened at him.
Among his people there were no Sundays.
Some of the men of his tribe had two wives
and some had three. 1t was death to any
neighbor.
Umwalla was then taken to the Wanderer.
where a large number OF captives had
already been stored away in the hold. The
passage over was fraught with untold
terrors to the young savage. A storm was
encountered, and fer days the hold was fast
ened up, and numbers of the negroes died
from sickness caused by the foul air There
were number of ferocious men among the
cargo who had to be kept in chains.
When the Wanderer approached the
South Carolina coast she was sighted by
government boat and given chase. During
the night she dropped anchor off Pocataligo,
and the cargo of negro men and women
was debarked.
Umwalla, or, as he was soon afterward
called, Lucius, was taken to Carolina
plantation near Beech island and put to
work there.
Lucius is very fond of the white folks"
as he styles t1e family of his old master
and mistress, and frequently calls to see
them-walking several miles to do so. The
style Of punishment followed among his
tribe was to break the culprits neck by
sudden wrench from forked stick.
Lucius tells in his quaint way, of the in
teresting features Of slavery. No negro
woman was permitted, however gorgeous
her toilet otherwise to wear veil or
gloves Negro men were neither permitted
10 carry n Walking cane nor smoke cigar
on the streets. They could not remain
away from their quarters after o'clock at
night without a permit from their master.
Lucius says he is glad he was brought to
this country, as he has learned the way to
save his soul. His ancestors took no &C.
count of Sundays. Lucius has suffered
greatly from the cold. He says many of
those who came over with MIN died of con-
sumption.
He is not lonesome here, for on neigh
boring plantation-on Capt. Ben Tillmans
place--are many negroes from his old home,
and they frequently meet and converse il
African. They do not attempt to impart
the language to their children, he says, and
of course all vestiges of it, save what they
have engrafted on the southern patois, must
soon die out.
: He was asked about the amusements of
his folks at home, and said the dancing here
was very much like in Africa, only there
they had war dances, which were marches
vita chanting. He says some Of the songs
sung 10y the field hands the air. are very
much like those Of his people, and when he
hears several voices singing together one Of
those wild, weird refrains, his thoughts are
carried across the ocean TO his home among
the primitive scenes of his youth.
Lucius was delighted with a picture OF
himself, ard opened his eyes in amazemelt
ct The crude execution OF the artist, who