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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They Are Very
Careful Of Them, And Have A Small Garden In The Front As Well As
Behind, In Which They Cultivate Indian Corn, Bananas, Peppers, &C.
These Huts Form Two Small Streets, But They Are Daily Receiving
Additions From New Comers.
The work of clearing the ground is constantly going forward and is
performed by the free negroes, the African
Troops, and the Kroomen.
The principal disease amongst these people, which arises from
accidents in cutting down the trees, is ulcerated legs, and sixteen
of them were in the hospital from this cause alone. The Kroomen are a
particular race of people, differing entirely from the other African
tribes. They inhabit a country called Sotta Krou, on the coast near
Cape Palmas; their principal employment being of a maritime nature.
Their language, as well as their general character, is also different
from that of their neighbours. A certain number of these men are
always employed on board of the ships of war on the African coast,
for the purpose of performing those duties where considerable fatigue
and exposure to the sun are experienced. In consequence of their
roving employment, they are to be found on all parts of the coast,
and are sufficiently acquainted with it to serve as pilots. It is
customary with them to establish themselves on various parts of the
coast for this purpose, and to leave the elders of their tribes in
their own country, unless their presence should be required by any
war that might take place. They are said to return to their country
after an absence of several years, when they have amassed by their
industry, sufficient to maintain themselves, and some among them are
intelligent and active, but they are not always to be trusted,
although they are a very superior class of people, in comparison with
other African tribes.
Besides a watering place at a short distance to the right of the
governor's house, two small streams, Hay brook and Horton brook, run
into Goderich Bay, affording plenty of excellent water, and capable
of admitting boats. The watering place, above-mentioned, is generally
frequented, from the convenience with which the water is obtained,
being connected to the sea side by a wooden aqueduct, under which
boats may lie and fill their casks very easily without removing them.
When the Landers arrived, Clarence establishment consisted of the
superintendent, or acting governor, Mr. Becroft, who was generally
known by the title of captain; Captain Beattie, the commander of the
Portia, colonial schooner; Mr. Crichton, a naval surgeon; Lieutenant
Stockwell, with a party of five or six marines; a mulatto ensign of
the royal African corps, with two black companions from Sierra Leone,
and some carpenters and sail-makers, besides a mulatto, who filled
the office of clerk or secretary to Mr. Becroft; an English merchant
of the name of Lloyd, in the employment of Mr. Smith, whose residence
has been already mentioned.
No place, in point of convenience, could have been better selected
for a settlement, than that on which Clarence is situated.
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