The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-29
THE LAST SLAVE CARGO.
STORY Of THE COLONY OF
AFRICANS NEAR +

'NNNN " %
che Expedition at Iast-The Survivors.
ATLANTA. March 23.-Among the United
states officers stationed Mt Mcpherson Bar-
rncks, near this city, is Major Henry Romeyn.
lie Is observing and %studious, and while on the
Gulf coast he investigated the history OF tho
last cargo OF Africans shipped from their native
land to the United States, tho story OF their
arrival. the secret burning of the vessel, the
ouorts OF the authorities to apprehcnd and
punish tho offenders against the law. which de.
clared the traffic in slaves to be piracy. punish.
able with death, and the present condition Of
tho surviving Africans in their little settlement
near Mobile. The story, as furnished to the
writer by Major Romcyn. is as follows:
Among the passengers of the Roger Il. fancy,
Can't. Timothy Mcaher. plying between Mobile
and Montgomery, Ala, in April, 1858. were n
number Of Northern gentlemen returning TO
their homes after u winter spent In the south.
The trip occupied several days. and as might
have been expected, the slavery question was II
fruitful theme of discussion. capt. Meaher,
though born ut Gardiner. Me, had removed
when u mere lad to tine Gulf States, and
accumulated quite n fortune FOR those days, II
large part Of which was invested in "chattels"
employed on his half dozen steamboats,. on cotton
plantations In the interior OF the state. and In
numbering among the pine and cypress lands
near the coast. OF course lie was a defender OF
the institution" and in reply to the expressed
belief OF one OF his passengers that with the
supply by importation from Africa cut of. and
any further spread in the Territories prohibited,
the thing was doomed, he declared that. despite
the stringent measures taken by most OF the
civilized powers to prevent the traffic across the
Dis,.iia, ha,r, o.n.assa, ~. HE, anann m
ogorod - a.n "a.ssa wv ~ ~
w,rlJ ,,nuor, - ,a,,a ~ ,ass ,h,n ,.,a
aud no pna In lonypI fpr IL
Uo was NOT = ~ -, ha ,au,, J.. ,,eo,,,..
81. aa,a.ua1 H.. -, ,I..tn. .nsI ~
-, -. H
oo"s' He prepare" ~ mhAe IL Hooi' anu pro-
ceeded to sound some OF his friends in whom he
thought he could rely upon the subject Of
"aiNe' " '"FE"' III iouiu o"t NUN 'ro'"Ie
IN engaging places ior one hundred slaves or
n,.. III
o"n use. NJ .n,nE u " su''no'e vessel
attract less attention he engaged the service.
Of a canadian shipwrirht, and I'll. keel Of the
schooner Clotilde. of 3!1 tons. was laid in the
She was bn,lt win a view ,n sne.d and w.sas.
ehe Wns ou''t "i.ha we" 10 epeeo' anu vase e-
clared by her builder to be the fastest vessel ever
h.r and in Eoyembsr sh. v,s r.adr rnr ~
ner. ana In -Nosemoer sue was ready ior .ea'
attention. When she cleared for st. Thomas
.nd a morLs, :" os,ensibIv With . oaran -, Imn,
ana a MARKET ostehsioiy Win u cargo OF iuih.
of filled water casks, topped with barrels OF
- -. -.
meal iariha. grits' ana SAT- meats with IA COW
ering of lumber sufficient to hide from casual
a.aLa .na no,,i,ion. ,ou s.a,tn. 81. a-roa,a
decks ana partitions Tor slowing the expected
use IN the A fr,can coast n ov.rbauled NV crris.
49, 49, -. -" 1900
the vessel at Loando. OH that shore.
For capital on which to trade, she carried
ninety casks OF rum, twenty cases OF cotton
cloths, and about sl9, 600 in gold. Her builder
went IN her as supercarso' and none OF her crew,
picked up at random N me city; knew or her
mem supposed they were on a legal trading
voyage; Gaught IN = seppino Storm winch came
forced 10 put ihto Porto nraya N the Azores TO-
repair damages, put was soon under way, ana II
Loando,, This port was too closely watched for
any nrn ers u !, 70 Y emee aone IN ,hrou,h viit1Eu s Ghah hRe
vessel sailed lot W hyda, on me Guinea coast
norm anu westo l une ni y u 81 "a SiRer;
Where ms sable Majesty. the hlng ol DahomeI.
Nc his n.iuhbors ms h. c1 uId iav handds m n for
what had become necessaries OF lifenrum, guns;
tottohs, anu spihl nrtleies U tne peIsohai
hold; It's anchorage was really an open road
s!eaq, exposed TO neavy %lnus ana seas, anu the
two miles from shore. and depend for communi-
Tha em,,reiy upon mn.iVe p"a.s an1 U ,ha Tn
merchandise of the dark potentate were built
about nvc miles lhlanu; 10 De saie from the hre
OF cruisers ana casuai observation.
scarcely had the vessel cropped her anchor
when she vas ooarueu oI parties eager o make
trade. Inc Darracools were VISITED ana the
STOCK lnspeSteu; me pehs were iull, some Oh
the wares having oeeh heiu LOT some Tune.
others having newly arrived. some were true
ana lOvlng supJects OF ms MAJESTY. VINO mao
tnrough no lauit y l their OWL ihcurrtu us uis.
pleasure. anu hhu IN cohSeluehce peeh swept
from Their MONIES, anu were leiu Haic' otners
were the visible iruits OF RAIDS Oh ms uhpre-
pared heighDors. mere b0th parties were
eager 10 trade lhere was I put lu.le cheapeh'ns
or Imagining over prices. me owner wished 70
dispose OF ms STOCK, which must 20 ieu,
even II put lshtiy, anu U get possessloh
OF tho equlvaieht. ana the American wished
TO procure ms load Win tue least possible
delay anu leave place where oanenr ,hakeu y
every passing breeze; not only from the dread
coast FEVER; out also IN inc shape on she armed
cruisers. ono hunureu ana seventyinVe slaves
were contracted Tor, all able-D0dled men. ana
women, IN the proportion OF apout Two OF the
former 70 one OF the latter, 10 DC urilNereu Tree
on board uf the language OF legitimate trade