The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-15
NO MOAB LIBasIA FOR BIN.
An Old Savannah Darky's Expert
encss in Africa,


A couple Of years ago the Liberian i'm
migration craze struck the colored people
Of Savannah and throughout the state, a:
it does every time it is preached to them by
some slick immigration agent who wants
to profit by their ignorance and their dol
lars.
One old darby, who went from here not
quite two years ago, has had enough OF
Liberia and thinks this country is
good enough for him. He landed in New
London, Conn, a couple Of weeks ago and
and is trying TO get back to Savannah.
Christopher Lance is his name. A World
reporter got this story out of him In New
York where he was trying to arrange q
passage south.
Where did you say you came from old
man! "he was asked.
Liberia, over in Africa repliedythe old
traveller, his eyes filling with tears and his
lips twitching nervously. Then the express
sion on his face changed to bitter anger aud
he Continued Liberal that hellish
and her children"
II came by the cars from New London,
l landed there three days ago from the
schooner The Handsome Jane. That vessel
stopped at Monrovia few months after my
Betsey and the children died. in search of a
cook. l was all alone, and the money had
taken with me to Africa was spent. There
was no work for me in that country to do,
and remaining there meant starving. So
took advantage of the opportunity to return
to America | was not the only one that
wanted TO get away. There were hundreds.
The greater number were up the St PauPs
river. Most of those who were in the city
went down with the fever. | was far from
we'll, but the captain of the schooner Sc
lected me as ing the most likely of those
who wanted the place"
The old man appeared to be about 60
years OF age. He was very thin. about
feet 9 inches in height, but bent under the
weight OF years. His color was a coppery
brown and his face, worn ana wrinkled,
bore upon it signs Of sorrow and suffering.
His eyes we're bloodshot one moment, dull
and spiritless; another, fierce and full of
anger. His dress was nondescript, made up
Of miscellaneous lot of cast-offs.
81 was strong and healthy, continued the
old man, when l left America. What you
see now is the result of the African fever.
When started on the schooner found the
work almost beyond my strength, but Capt.
Stains was very kind and somehow l man
aged to get along. The voyage built me up
lot and | am a giant in strength to what
was when | left Liberia.
II didn't want to 80 to Liberia myself, il
was my daughter Betsey's doiugs.
About three years ago a smooth-tongued
man visited Savannah and gave lot of
lectures on All About LIBERIA He
painted picture OF Liberia as q land of
promise, flowing with milk and honey, aud
filled with everything good. The yarns told
by this fellow made the strongest kind 81
an impression upon my daughter and she
was led to believe that it was a place where
her children could grow up rich and great
yhn,, tal oil =
| preached in favor of the colored people
going to Africa. she became decided and
gave ms no rest until agreed to accompany
her TO Liberia. l sold out my barber bust
uess and my little home for 5000, and with
ten other families, in all about fifty persons
sailed from Savannah about twenty months
ago. During the passage 60 MonroNia, the
Liberian capital, the weather was all that
could DO desired, and we all were happy
and when looked at my namesake, young
Chris, aud little Tute, my daughter Betsey''
children, felt glad.
after sailing thIrty-seven days we got
| to Monrovia. All were landed from the
ship by canoes manned by natives. except
| one young couple and their baby, who were
| drowned.
"a negro merchant named Gabriel Moore
sent us ali to the government house to stop
until the next day, where we were furnished
with meal of smoked fish and rice and
given number of blankets. We were hud'
| died together, men, women and children
in one large room called the court room
and there upon the floor and benches, bitten
! by ants and other singing things, we
we're compelled to pass the night
"The next morning after another meal Of
| fish and rice we were again taken to the
| store of Mr.. Moore. Here he served out tC
| each one of US quantity of salt pork, salt
beef candies, soap, sugar, salt, dried apples
| fish, molasses, meal and flour, these things
| being what our order upon him from the
colonization society for six months provis-
| ions called for. He then told US that the
society having nothing more to do with us
we in the future would have to provide for
| our wants ourselves.
"In nine months my money was all gone
| The Liberian currency that I received fol-
my work was only worth 25 cents on the
| dollar in American or English money. The
| little gold of these two countries that findl
| its way to Liberia is not allowed to get intc
! general circulation; few sharpers manip
ulate that little matter to their own in
terest.
II became afflicted with filthy skin dis
ease called the 'craw- craw.' Ny body be
! came one mass of running sores which
itched continually. This complaint is con
tsgious and naturally no one would permi
me TO live with them. For months thi
complaint remained with me. No one woulC
help me, not even the American consul.
my daughter and her children died
Day after day lived on dry rice until Tn,
Handsome Jane came along in need of
cook. l wish every black man in America
to hear of my experience. 1t might proven
some Of them from going to Liberia and en-
during similar suffering"