The Washington herald., 1914-06-27
HAD DSLAVESLONG
AFTER CIVIL war
Former Surgeon Of the Navy.
Lived Like King on
Tropic Isle.
HE GREW SUGAR CANE
Had Ice-makins Machine on His
Plantation and Served Visitors
with Juleps.

Augustus Hsmsnway was by no
means the only citizen in the United
States to hold slaves ss late as 1s7a
Indeed. a former surgeon In the United
States navy was an extensive slave
holder and the administrator Of . yas
slave-worked plantation some years after
Mr.. Hemenway's death. The story OF
the fashion IN which q United States
man-of-war visited the former officers
tropical retreat on a strange errand IL
one Of the most picturesque told by older
officers in the wardrooms today, says the
Boston Transcript
News reached the Navy Department
something more than thirty years ago
that an American schooner, seized by
mutineers, had been purchased by one
Wilson. Of the Comoro Islands. and was
employed by the African slave traders.
The Comoro, a group OF four considerable
and many small islands, lie In Aozam-
bIque channel, midway between the east
coast Of Africa and the island of NADIA
gascar, between latitudes II degrees ana
Is degrees south. and longitude 3 de-
grees and 5 degrees, IS minutes east
They have q perpetual summer climate
rich soil and a population partly Arab.
partly negro and partly mixed, with an
autocratic Sultan as ruler. Their total
area is about $50 square miles. and their
population something like $1,000 A range
OF mountains. rising at one point to a
peak 500 feet high, gives relief from the
extreme heat OF the region for those who
can leave the lowlands, though life in the
latter is far from intolerable for the
wealthy planters In 1S5 France ae-
quired one OF the group. and in 1885,
shortly after our expedition to the Como
ros, all came under her control, though
the native Sultan continued TO exercise
local Jurisdiction
Ordered Vessel seized.
Having reason to suppose that the
contraband vessel was At one OF the
smaller Of the Comoro group. where Will
son had a plantation, the Navy Depart
ment gave orders that q man-of-var
should call at the island. seize the ves-
sci. her tackle and apparel and bring
all away, using force II need be. There
must have been an intimAtion that VIII
son would resist and that he could make
q good show in a fight. for the man-of-
war proceeded with great caution. Hay
Ing reached the island she landed .
party to reconnoiter.
The party of reconnaissance saw
naught OF the missing vessel, but easily
discovered Wilson's plantation and VII
son himself. So far from being warlike,
he was most amiable and hospitable. AS
to the vessel, he declared that II had
not been engaged in the slave trade and
that II was no longer in his possession.
What the naval officers found at the
Wilson plantation was a sort OF tropical
paradise. Wilson had some thousands OF
acres. many slaves. a spscious and COM
Portable house and the luXuries Of all
climes- He was an extensive grower Of
sugar cane and his other crops OF vari-
Gus kinds were large and valuable. Un-
der the protection of his friend, the dark
Sultan OF Comoro. he exercised pretty
near absolute sway IN his own domain
On his table were American and English
magazines and newspapers. He sent
steam launch many miles across a bit of
sea once a month to fetch his mail. He
had baths and pleasure grounds and
horses and dogs Scores Of slaves work
ed the plantation, while others in scant
costume served the master in the great.
comfortable house. He had even an Ice
making machine, and he served his
guests with juleps and cocktails Will
sons hospitality is remembered with in
terest to this day by the officers who
were privileged to taste his food and
drink his wines
In spite OF the agreeable reception
given by the nabob OF this Oriental
domain. II became necessary for the
captain Of the man-of-war to carry out
instructions as far as he was able. He
could not take the vessel because 1t was
elsewhere and under the protection Of a
foreign nag. while those who had COM
mitted barratry in seizing her at sea were
out OF reach. She had been q whaler.
however. and Wilson owned that her try
ing-out kettles were in his possession; in
fact, were used on the plantation for
boiling sugar cane. II was an ungra-
cious task after drinking a mans cock
tails and eating his salt to despoil him
OF what he had bought with his own
money, but the captain informed him that
the kettles would be seized and carried
to the United States. Wilson made no
objection, and, accordingly, a landing
party was again sent ashore and the ket-
ties were loosed from their seats and car
ried aboard the man-of-war. Next day
the vessel sailed away, leaving the former
surgeon still lord of his plantation and
his slaves.
Wilson revisited the United States and
perhaps saw some OF those who had de-
spoiled him. Naturally. nobody asked
him how he reconciled It with his con-
science to own and work slaves in Africa
twenty years after Lincoln's emancipation
proclamation.