Travels Of Richard And John Lander Into The Interior Of Africa For The Discovery Of The Course And Termination Of The Niger By Robert Huish
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This Method Of Obtaining The Juice Of The Palm Tree Is Exactly
Similar To That Which Is Adopted By The Indians Of North America,
With Respect To The Maple Tree.
A hole is made in the same manner in
the trunk of the tree, and a piece of birch bark inserted into it as
a spout, which, from its peculiar nature, answers the purpose
remarkably well.
The juice of the maple instead of being preserved is
converted into sugar by evaporation. There are various sorts of
timber at Fernando Po, amongst which the African oak is very
plentiful, and particularly so in George's Bay, where it grows close
to the sea side; satin wood, ebony, lignum vitae, yellow cam wood, and
several sorts of mahogany, besides other wood of a very hard nature,
grow in profusion all over the island, and may probably hereafter
become valuable.
The Landers had the good fortune to arrive at the island during the
season of fine weather, but they had not enjoyed much of the sea
breeze, which about noon, sometimes set in from the north west
quarter, The harmattan is said to be experienced here, although it
extends not to the other islands of the gulf. This wind, which passes
over the sands of Africa, would be almost insupportable, were it not
for the sea breezes. While the harmattan lasts, the dryness in the
atmosphere produces an unpleasant feeling, although it is said not to
be injurious to health. The atmosphere is filled with a fine light
sand, which prevents objects from being distinctly seen; the sun
loses its brilliancy, and everything appears parched and suffering
from a want of moisture. The effect of the harmattan after the rainy
season is said to be most beneficial in drying up the vapours with
which the atmosphere is loaded, and it has been observed, that on the
return of this wind at the end of the rainy season, the recovery of
invalids commences. The harmattan has also the effect of drying up
the skin of the natives in a very extraordinary manner. After an
exposure to it, the skin peals off in white scales from their whole
body, which assumes an appearance as if it were covered over with
white dust.
The islands in the gulf of Guinea, with the exception of Fernando Po,
have each a capital town of some consequence, and although they
produce sufficient supplies for ships that visit them, and carry on a
small trade, it is much to be doubted, whether they are not more
indebted for their importance to the slave trade than any other
source. With respect to Prince's Island and St. Thomas, they are
known to be the receptacles for slaves from the coast, from whence
they are re-embarked and conveyed away as opportunities offer; and
the natives of the small island of Anna Bon, appear to be living in
constant fear of the same, from the effects of their former treatment
by the Spaniards.
The natives of Anna Bon, have a tradition that they once belonged to
the Portuguese, and exhibit proofs of their having been formerly
initiated in the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion. They are
said to be particularly careful, when any stranger visits their
settlement, to let them see their church, which is appropriately
situated for this purpose immediately opposite the landing place. At
present, by all accounts, they are living in a state of natural
simplicity and ignorance of the world. Some idea may be formed of the
condition of their minds, by a story that is currently related of
them, in which the effects of their former tuition are apparent. The
king once gravely told a visitor, with an idea of impressing him with
his importance, that a short time previously to his arrival, he had
held a conference with the supreme being, from whom he had learnt the
cause of a recent sickness which had visited them, and also that he
had approved of his being the king of the island. Other stories,
equally nonsensical, are told of them, such as might be expected from
people in this half-informed condition. But the old king's word was
sufficient for his subjects, and this assurance was quite enough to
satisfy the harmless, inoffensive creatures, that he was their
legitimate king. Although Anna Bon is a healthy island in comparison
with any other in the Gulf of Guinea; it is too far removed from the
coast to be of use in putting down the slave trade, unless it were
made a rendezvous for half a dozen steam vessels, which would do more
than any other class of vessels towards effecting this object.
Favourable as the situation of Clarence is for the purpose for which
it is intended, it is much to be regretted that it is so unhealthy
for Europeans. During the stay of the Landers on the island, four
deaths occurred; these persons were the sail maker, one of the
carpenters of the colony, a seaman of the Portia, a colonial
schooner, and one of the crew of the Susan, an English brig that they
found there, on their arrival. The Susan was in the Calebar, waiting
for a cargo, when her crew were attacked with fever, which quickly
carried off her captain, mates, and left only one person alive. The
vessel thus reduced, was without her crew to bring her out of the
river, much less to complete her cargo, and she might have remained
there till the last had died, but for the watchful attention of Mr.
Becroft, who brought her to Clarence with a party of men, and after
putting a new mast into her, and doing all in his power to set the
vessel in order, supplied her with provisions and fresh people, and
sent her to sea. The Landers were offered a passage in her to
England, but declined accepting it in consequence of the condition in
which she had been. She was afterwards obliged to stop at Cape Coast,
in consequence of the fever having broken out afresh on board of her.
The most melancholy account of the effects of the climate here, which
came within the knowledge of the Landers, was in the family of
Lieutenant Stockwell, the officer commanding the party of marines,
whose name has been already mentioned.
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