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A Residence at Sierra Leone

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A Residence at Sierra Leone A RESIDENCE AT SIERRA LEONE DESCRIBED FROM A JOURNAL KEPT ON THE SPOT, AND FROM LETTERS WRITTEN TO FRIENDS AT HOME BY A LADY EDITED BY THE HON. MRS NORTON. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1849 PREFACE. In offering this little work to the Public, the Author craves indulgence for the trivial matter it contains. It is chiefly compiled from a journal she kept for her own amusement, and a few of her letters to home friends. It might, probably, have been rendered more entertaining by observations and anecdotes connected with the European society of the colony; but it would have been difficult—if not impossible —in a place where the white community is so limited, to have introduced anything of that nature without incurring the imputation of personality. The writer has also avoided touching much on the slave-trade, although a subject in which she has always felt the deepest interest; and not the least at this moment, when so strong a party seems to advocate a total abandonment of those noble efforts which have, for nearly half a century, so highly distinguished Great Britain amongst the nations of Europe. But whilst disclaiming all intention of discussing the merits of a great political question, the Author trusts it may not be deemed either out of place, or presumptuous, if she avail herself of this opportunity to add her voice, however feeble, to the testimony of those who declare that, were the squadron withdrawn from the scene of its gallant exertions in the cause of humanity, the West Coast of Africa would become a deu of pirates, who would rapidly sweep away all traces of that civilization which has been effected at the sacrifice of so much British blood and treasure. And here a tribute is due to the Missionaries for their unwearying zeal for the benefit of the colony. To them unquestionably is to be mainly ascribed the state of education and enlightenment attained by the black population of Sierra Leone, which is higher than is generally credited in this country, and has, especially of late years—notwithstanding the continual importations of fresh barbarians—greatly advanced. To the gifted lady who, perhaps judging too partially of their humble pretensions, kindly edits these pages, the Author now begs to tender her most cordial acknowledgments. March, 1849. CONTENTS. LETTER I. Voyage out — Tornado — View of Sierra Leone — Black Boatmen — Palms — Banana and Plantain Trees — Beauty of Landing-place — European Residence — Strange Trees and Shrubs — Incessant Noise of Insects — Novel Breakfast — Race-course — Tropical Scenery — Rose-apple — Drive to Freetown — Household Perplexities — Sea-breeze— Harmattan — Fruit and Vegetables — Prices of Provisions. LETTER II. Negro Market-people — Devil Offerings — Pleasant Country Drive — Signal Stations — African Sempstress — Petah — Colonial Arrangement of Furniture — Cock-roaches — Freetown Noises — Talking Shoes — Travelling Merchants. LETTER III. Removal to a Mountain Abode — Reasons for preferring the Country to Town — African Mode of conveying Luggage, &c. — Difficulty of obtaining Female Servants — Coral and Amber Ornaments — Negro Mothers and Daughters — First Tornadoes of the Season — Roofs of Houses — Palm Cabbage — Sour Sops and Sweet Sops — Pawpaw Trees— Gourd Vessels. LETTER IV. Pureness of the Mountain Air — Birds — Objects in keeping a Journal — Palanquin Travelling — Sierra Leone "Bush" — The House on the Hill — Sunrise — Mahommedan Call to Prayers — Ants in the Store-room — Cocoa-nut Trees — Guavas — Magnificent View — Grass-fields — Mount Oriel — Flowers — Locusts — Red Ants —- Coffee Shrubs — Bug-a-bugs — Larder and Cupboard Economy — Talipat and other Palms — Morning Scenes and Sounds — Mango Trees — Bamboos — Bermuda Grass — Lizards and Snakes. LETTER V. Flight of Locusts — Noxious Exhalations — Ride to Mount Oriel — Ruined Cottage — View of Bullom Shore — Solitary Grave — Rough Roads — Dreary Mountain Scenery — Salutations of the Natives — Strange Atmospheric Picture — Flying Ants — Mason Bees — Out-door Improvements — Plants — Specimen of Negro Intellect — Acquirements of Female Domestics — Isles de Los — Sangaree Mountains — Leopard's Island. LETTER VI. Changes in the Weather — Sail in the Offing — Anchorage Localities of different Vessels — The Middle Ground — Anxiety for Home Letters — Ship from England — Country Vegetables — National Dishes — Manufacture of Cayenne Pepper. LETTER VII. Narrow Escape in a Tornado — Violence of such Storms — Native Hut destroyed by Lightning — Another Locust Visitation — Crickets — Little Apprentices — The Niger Steamers — Slave Vessels — Damp of the Climate — Swarm of Fat Ants — Rainy Season Vegetation — Beautiful Flowers — Best Method of preserving Health in the Tropics — A Snake in the House. LETTER VIII. Wet Weather—Cassada Rats— Deer — Bamboo Thatch — Country Umbrellas — Rapid Growth of Plants — Walk to the Brook in the Ravine — Excessive Humidity of the Atmosphere — An unexpected Visit — Monkeys — Travelling Ants — Whimsical Gown-Patterns — Magnetic and Musical Stones. LETTER IX. Discomforts of the Rainy Season — Dense Fogs — Fine Days — Brilliant tinted Foliage — Humming- birds — Palm-birds — Whydah Finch — Rice Buntings — Butterflies — Millepedes — Spiders — Description of a Tornado — Continued heavy Rain — Bush Novelties. LETTER X. Tropic Storms — Worshippers of Lightning — Garden in a Glen — Beautiful wild Fig-tree — Parasitical Vegetation — Bush Ropes — "Knifegrass" — "Chouca-choucas" — Sky-birds — Interest excited by Vessels coming into Harbour — Thoughts in Rhyme. LETTER XI. Effects of the Harmattan — Grasses — Anecdote — Migrations of Europeans — Loss of Friends — Christmas "Bunyahs" — Pincushion Plants — Negro Gifts — White Mists — Dry Season Prospect — Cotton Shrub — Farms — Birds. LETTER XII. Method of watering Garden — European Vegetables in African Soil — Sorrel Beer—Black Cooks — Negro Patois—Sweet Potatoes — Marketing Troubles — Fishing Boats — News of the Niger Expedition — Fanning Rice — Burnt Trunks of gigantic Trees — Malaguetta Pepper and other Plants — Green Locusts— Chameleons — Snails. LETTER XIII. Fires in Freetown — Bush Burnings — African Cows — Goats — Squirrels — Monkeys — Bush Cats. LETTER XIV. Attack of Climate Fever —Black Nurse — Indolence of Settlers — Wild Country Hide — A Native Farm — Bush Thieves — Anecdote. LETTER XV. Prevalence of Ill-health in the Household — Attempts at Housebreaking — Mangoes — Magnificent Moth. LETTER XVI. Change of Climate recommended — Gloom of the Weather during the Rainy and Tornado Seasons — Difficulty of getting a fresh stock of Work-box Indispensables — Set about making Little Shoes — Reluctance of Sempstresses to ascend the Hill. LETTER XVII. Climatorial Discomforts — Bright-coloured Beetles — Portuguese Slaver — Arrival of the Prince de Joinville — Music on board the French Frigate — Power of the English Flag — A Spanish Man-of-war — Night Alarms — Weary Reign of the Harmattan — New Fruit — Sea-breezes — Wealth of Spain. LETTER XVIII. Homeward-bound Vessels — Preparations for a Sea Voyage — Ague and Anxiety — Instances of Kind- heartedness in a Liberated African Woman — Palm-oil — A Comet. LETTER XIX. Embarkation for England — A Leak — Accommodations — View from the Ship —A careful Helmsman — Fever on Board — Master and Men — Scarcity of Provisions — Last Evening on Deck — Daily Discomforts — Friendly Vessels — Anecdote of a Pirate — The Queen's Birth-day — Sailor's Gratitude — The Azores — Cold Weather — Heavy Gale — The English Coast — A Fishing-boat — Row to Hastings — Night Journey to London. LETTER XX. Return to Sierra Leone — Passengers. LETTER XXI. View of Madeira — Case of African Fever — Arrival at Sierra Leone — Evening Ride — Burying Grounds — Unsettled state of the House — "Cooking" Clothes — Improvements — Flower of Sour- sop — Fire on Mount Oriel — Burning Trees — Colonial Superstitions — Cocoa-Nuts —The White Man's Grave. LETTER XXII. The Zigzag — Mountain Paths — Village of Leicester — Elephants — A Leopard — Orange Grove — Climate Hinderances to Excursions — Story of the Kobloo War — Mandingo Merchant — Leather Pouches — Marmalade-making — Illness of a Pony — First Vessel from Home since the V— — "Agouchee" — Water Melon — Storm Curtains. LETTER XXIII. Ague — The "Rains" — Baobabs — Village Church and Congregation — Melancholy Loss of a Boat — A Morning Walk — Early Market-goers — Gradual Distaste of Europeans for African Vegetables — Dogs — Unfrequency of Communication with England a great privation. LETTER XXIV. Horrors of the Harmattan — Household Revolution — Natti-barra — Mistakes made by domestic Novices — Visit of a Bride — Negro mode of Washing. LETTER XXV. Moonlight — A Tornado — Difficulty of civilizing a Barbarian — Flower-seeds — Associations with the Names of particular Flowers — Gardenias — A Vision of British Scenery. LETTER XXVI. Slavers — Contested Cases — Equipment Articles — Evasion of the Treaties by Slave Captains — Mixed Commission Courts — H. M. S. Cruisers — Slave Trade — Names of captured Vessels. LETTER XXVII. Expiration of our Treaty with Brazil — Incursion of Travelling Ants — Spiders — Mantis — Bungo Mason-bees — Waterspout — A Lost Child —Ludicrous Mistake — Touraco — "Kill-Fowls"— Equestrian Interruptions — Grey Grizzel — Cape Coast Conveyances — Mango Tree killed by Lightning. LETTER XXVIII. H. M. S. "Eclair" — First Conviction of the Pestilent Nature of the Climate — Impaired Health of even the Acclimatized — A Self-willed Donkey — Phases of the Sierra Leone Landscape — Verdure of our own Hill —
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