Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-02
ON THE AFRICAN COAST
IN THE CAREER OF A
sUPERCARao YEARS AGO.
Odd Request Of a Native Priest-The
Novel Headgear Of
Potentate.


resident of lower Canada. who was recently
making a brief visit to friends in this city.
II had varied experienced, part OF
which made vivid and lasting impressions
upon my memory. At one time. just after
1 had reached full age. was employed by
a company engaged in trading along the
western coast of Africa. My office was
dual one, being that of supercargo and doc
tor of one of the company's ships, a fine
bark Of about $50 TONS
1--WE were after ivory, palm oil and al
most anything else of value that was lying
around loose, and In payment therefor we
gave the Africans iron, cotton goods quaint
ties of gunpowder, and, must say, no incon-
siderable supplies of rum. suppose it will
not surprise any one when / say we got the
best of the Africans in every deal. That's
what we went to their benighted territory
for
1.-The captain of the bark was hearty,
good natured individual. about fifty years
old He knew most of the kings of the
various tribes with whom we had dealings
and could make an effort at talking their
lingo. On the whole, he was rather short
sharp and decisive in his action, and plainly
let 1t be understood that he would put up
with no blamed nonsense.
THE kings and others in authority liked
ship, which they were once in a while per-
mitted to do-a few at a time. On one &C.
casion l recollect a king and a priest
came aboard to take dinner. 1t was sort
Of surprise party. they were not expect
ed. They were Hospitality welcomed, out
a damper happened when the guests We're
invited to dinner. The menu consisted OF
salt pork, with beans, and sort of soup
made of desiccated vegetables boiled with
the pork This was a gratifying repast iHr
the monarch, but. being a feast day, or
fast day, or something of that kind, his
chaplain couldn't eat hog. particularly in
the presence of his sovereign. and had to,
satisfy his cravings with hard tack and
molasseS. g
1.-The captain intimated that if there was
anything aboard he thought the priest
would relish he could have it. The rev.
erend gentleman Smacked his lips and cast
curious glances at a chubby little cabin
boy and boldly asserted that If any one
would take the trouble to kill the little
fellow and boil a thigh for him he would
be very happy. When this was explained
to the boy it was rather difficult to sup
press his eagerness to slaughter the holy
man with a carving knife
Great Pilferers.
1.-THE Africans were great pilferers and
anything they could pick up and conceal
about them they always carried away.
This was somewhat difficult job, as their
sparse clothing rendered concealment of
anything perplexing
Frequently, though, little articles would
be missed after one of these visits and the
circumstances were annoying. Among
them, / recollect, was a soup ladle-one of
plated ware with good long handle. This
article was useful as we'll as ornamental
and the captain "cussed with animation
when the loss was reported. About six
months after this. as we were about re-
turning to England, the ship went up one
of the rivers near the coast and a grand
delegation of black nabobs. headed by the
king as usual. came aboard to pay fare
well visit. They looked like little army
on dress parade. His royal highness was
in gorgeous array. He wore a little red
Bingham apron. about six inches long,
around his waist. On his angle joints he
sported a pair of bracelets made of human
finger bones and on his head the queerest
looking helmet had ever seen. =. g.
at was. metal arrangement fastened I'M
der his chin with a rusty chain and with
an appendage like the tail of comet. In
the way of ornamentation it cast every
thing else that the delegation wore in the
shade. and. by Jupiter Tonans upon in
spection 1t proved to be our soup ladle re-
constructed into an article of royal head
gear. One of the kings subjects had stolen
it and his majesty to show his displeasure
at the theft confiscated 1t. He was allowed
to keep 1t.
Il did nice little bit of trading on my
own account. The transaction occurred In
upper Guinea when purchased for an old
shotgun several yards of cotton, few
pounds of gunpowder and a quart of rum,
one of the handsomest pieces of handmade
jewelry I have ever seen.
This was a solid gold-Gunea gold, you
understand-which has a peculiar value
about tia solid gold imitation of butter
fly. It's eyes were of rarest rubies, and it's
wings were tipped with diamonds. I was
offered large amount of money for this
not only in London, but in Berlin and Paris
as well. But I said: No, will keep it:
some day I may get married and may be
blessed with daughter. and If my daugh-
ter grows up to womanhood and is married
1 will give it to her for a bridal present
"Now, my friends, all these things did
happen. and the golden butterfly is still in
the family. 1t descended to my grand
daughter on her sixteenth birthday