The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-07-27
EASEMENT OF OTHER TIMES.
Sir Roger Described by Friend in
Happier Days.


is described by one who for some time
was his neighbor in Africa. He
writes:
''At the time of the Boer war
Roger Easement was consul for
Southwest Africa and had his head
quarters at San Paul de Loanda, the
capital of Portuguese Angola. Among
the few Englishmen there he was an
outstanding figure and was known
all up and down the coast. He was
an ideal consul. He had strong
and charming personality. Tall,
1.-the and outstanding with magnetic
eyes and a pointed beard, full of tire
less energy and generous enthusiasm,
he was one of the Sir Richard Gren-
vile type. Usually gentle and suave
he was capable of rage. He would
boil with indignation at the wrongs
of some poor servical whose tale of
misery and suffering under the cruel
system of indentured labor came to
his attention. He fought for them
and strove to relieve them whole
heartedly. All the world knows of
his later work in the Belgian Congo
and in Brazil His early work in
West Africa is less known, but it was
equally great, perhaps greater, be-
cause it was done quietly and out of
the hmelight. 1t was true pioneer
work. Public opinion had not then
been reused, and the existence of this
form of slavery was to most people
unknown.
''He had considerable experience
on the west coast of Africa. Before
joining the colonial service he was
for some time purser on the Elder
Dempster steamers. 1t was while
employed by the Niger coast protec-
torate that he climbed the Cameroons
mountain-a feat which he celebrat-
ed in an excellent sonnet written at
the summit. 1t appeared in The
Spectator. It is typical of the man
that he chose this method of express
sion. A sordid soul would have de-
scribed the adventure in prose ana
have made money.
"He gained much insight into the
native labor problem of West Africa
on these voyages, a knowledge which
he put to very good use in his con-
sular work afterwards.
Easement lived at Doanda in a
small bungalow, his sole companion
was a large Irish sheepdog called
Rags, and they were inseperable. The
consul was quite unconventional. He
would frequently 60 out for stroll
at sunrise with an old shooting jack
ct over his pajamas and Rags lurch-
ing at his heels, and return at sun
set, tired out and happy, having Jared
through the day upon few bananas.
He was much addicted to these lone
ly wanderings and was known to all
the country round. The native chill
dren especially were attracted to
him, sure that iR his capacious pock-
cts lurked biscuits and small copper
coins which were theirs for grin.
can excellent companion, witty,
good humored and virile, Easement
was full of Joy of life. He had many
eccentricities, but they were all harm
less and many of them lovable. He
had many pensioners. No beggar ap-
pealed to him in vain. His influence
was always for good. He was a keen
athlete, strong swimmer and good
cricketer. He was widely and we'll
read, an artist and poet of no mean
order. At that time much of his leis-
IRE was devoted to compiling book
of simple rhymes and delightful
sketches for some children in Ire
| land and it was rare privilege to
| watch this grow under his hand.
Easement was a home ruler be-
cause he was an Irishman, and upon
this subject he was iercely eloquent.
His usually soft voice would grow
strong and deep and his eyes would
flash on the rare occasions when he
allowed himself to be drawn into a
discussion upon the subject of his be-
| loved Ireland.
''It has been stated that he had
pro-Boer sympathies at that time.
This is the reverse of the truth. No
| people who tolerated oppression in
their dealings with native races had
any sympathy from Roger Easement.
"He was at this time true, a
| loyal and an honest gentleman. It is
impossible to connect with our Roger
Easement the lonely and bedraggled
figure spewed up on the coast of the
land he loved so we'll. Our Roger
| Easement is dead"