The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-26
A HISTORIC RESISTANCE
A Tale Of the Liberian Coast.

Towards the close of a sultry after
noon the little steamer Dunlin was
churning her way through the CLASSY
roll Of the Alantic. Away to the south
streaked with wreaths Of low-lying
mist; to the north lay the coast of At
RIGA. Clusters of feathery palms, yell
low beaches swept by eternal surf, and
rows of native huts nesting between
the cotton wood forest and the ocean,
rose to view and faded astern as the
steamer rolled along.
Captain Orme leaned over the bridge
rails, glancing at the approaching
coast-line Ind grumbling at the heat,
for it was the season of the rains and
the atmosphere was like that Of a hot
house.
Six fathoms, SIR" hailed a quarter
master, as he dipped the lead; and the
mate observed, It's shoaling fast, and
there are too many uncharted rocks
about to make this a nice neighborhood
to navigate in the dark"
Again Captain Orme looked at the
Dreaming breakers ahead; then he
stamped upon the bridge, for the eli
mate of Africa in the rainy season is
trying to both health and temper.
Hang those Krooboys for bringing us
into a climate like this!" he broke out.
II shall be glad to see the last Of them
thought they'd take charge Of the
ship once or twice. Go down and see
if any headmen can pilot us in. We
shall have to stay all night; l won't
risk going out in the dark
The mate descended to the deck,
where some 200 Krooboy laborers, re-
turning to their native country in the
Liberian bush after a labor contract
with the factors Of the oil rivers and
the Gold Coast, lay about in pictures
que simplicity Of attire. Broad-shoul-
dered, muscular fellows they We're,
with a blue stripe tattooed down the
centre of each ebony forehead, the
marked Of the KrOO nation. Some were
clad in crimson flannel Jackets and
battered silk hats, but the majority
were content with the simple waist
cloth-"a healthy and very economl-
cal garment" as the Scotch engineer
said. All about them lay cases of Ham
burg gin and sharp matchets, which
represented part of the fruit of their
labor wages in West Africa being
mostly paid in kind.
ANY of you Krooboys fit take tea
mer in?' asked the mate; and immedl-
ately there was a babel of voices and
a crowd of eager applicants. Nothing
delights a negro more than the assump-
ton of a little brief authority. The
choice was made. and a broad-shoul-
dered giant, rejoicing in the name OF
Old Man Trouble, stalked pOmpOusly
to and fro upon the bridge, his wolly
hair projectin through the place where
the crown Of his silk hat should have
been. Once he laid his and upon the
telegraph, but the mate was too quick
for him.
"No niger touches that: you're only
here to show the way, not to command;
savvy?" said Captain Orme.
mot niger, sah." answered the
man; "only low bushman and Liberia
man niger" Then his mouth expand
ed into the broad grin of the African,
and pointing to a white-walled building
among the palms, he added, New Gus
courthouse, sab; Krooboy burn him one
time"
The mate, who posed as an encyclo-
paedia in West Africa matters,
laughed. The old question-free trade
versus protection" he said. They
play it out vigorously here, sometimes
as a comedy and sometimes as a
tragedy. In any case it's rough of the
Krooboy, who dosen't want to be gov
erned at all, to be taxed eXtortionately
to pay for improvements in Monrovia
7 wonder how many custom-houses he
has burned"
Old Man Trouble. who understood the
speech. nodded approval. "Liberiar
man bushman,' he said. I'VE fit tc
fight him too much"
The KroOboys be hanged" broke ir
Captain Orme; I'm sick of them. Wei
have a Liherian officer aboard now tC
charge US five hundred dollars for land
irg this crowd. Of which he'll pocket
half. Blow the whistle for the canoes
Three times the deep boom of the
steam whistle rang out. and echoed
along the palm-clad bluff shore. unit
the sound died away and was lost II
the monOtOnOus song of the surf. Ther
the Dunlin's propeller turned SLOWLY
astern and her anchor ratified down
Presently a little launch steamed out
from behind a point of surf swept rocks
and. when she shot alongside, a sable
representative of the Liberian repub-
lie, covered with furnished gold lace
strutted towards the bridge with the
air Of an admiral OF the fleet. "Yor
are fined fifty dollars for anchorins
without permission, and if you desire
ito land those Kroomen you must pa
two and a half dollars a head" he an.
nounced. and proceeded to climb the
bridge-ladder.
stop where you are, daddy" sale
the Captain, laughing. mo one set!
foot on this bridge until he's asked
You'll get no fifty dollars from me, and
as to paying two and a half each fo1
the Krooboys, that's more than tn
best niger in Africa is worth even /
he is a custom officer. However, Their,
they are you can sail in and collect 1
yourself. Don't be too exactin,