[NOTE: Because of the time in which the book was written, it contains some outwardly racist, ethnocentric material. I am posting the book here not only because Hugh was my third great-grandfather, but also because it contains both historical and anthropological data.]

     [PAGE 26] We anchored off Cape Coast Castle at daylight on the 10th April [1872]. The roadstead is quite open to the prevailing wind, and a swell is always rolling in from seaward, rendering landing difficult and dangerous, except in boats specially adapted for the purpose. As the current runs along the shore, vessels lay with their broadsides to the swell, and roll heavily and uncomfortably. More crockery was broken on board the Torch, whilst at anchor off the Gold Coast, than during all the rest of the time I was in her.

     From the sea, Cape Coast Castle is quite an imposing looking place, with its large fort, public buildings, and comfortable looking private residences perched on the high ground. The surrounding country was green and well wooded, and of an undulating character. Elmina was clearly in sight to the west some eight miles distant.

     The surf boats used for landing passengers or cargo, are large and wide, shaped like a life boat with both ends alike, and rising higher at the bow and stern than in the middle. They are rowed by from ten to sixteen [PAGE 27] natives with short paddles. The paddlers sit on the gunwhale of the boat, and when they like, make her go along very fast with the short and quick digs they make at the water. The steersman uses an oar, and stands up in the stern to give directions. He makes use of violent language to the crew when he wants to get in advance of an approaching breaker; and these men are as a rule very clever in handling their boats.

     The men don’t appear able to pull without singing, and with passengers they take care to improve the occasion, and give the burden of their song a practical application, thus:-

		“Mama come again, come again, come again,

		Captain, good man, dash we dollar;

		‘Spose he dash we, we no wet him.

		Mama come again, come again, come again.

		Captain, rich man; nigger, poor man.

		Four five shillings dash poor black man.

		Hib, hib, hurrah!  God blessee you.”

and so on all the way to shore, striking the gunwhale occasionally with their paddles to mark the time. “Dash” in African parlance means a present, the equivalent of backsheesh. On approaching the shore the men paddle easily until the steersman sees a good opportunity for a comparative smooth, when he gives the order to give way, and the men with a low suppressed “hi,” “hi,” “hi,” dig away as hard as they can with their paddles until the boat touches the shore, when every man jumps overboard, and before the next wave can reach her have carried her as far as they are [PAGE 28] able up the beach; passengers are carried out, cargo removed, and the boat rolled over and over to a place of safety beyond the reach of the surf.

     In embarking the contrary operation takes place. The boat is turned over and over on its broadside until it reaches the margin of the water, then it is loaded with cargo, its bow pointed seaward, and passengers carried into their places. Each man then sees his paddle in its place and stands outside the boat opposite it, waiting orders. The Padron, or coxswain, watches the rollers, which vary in height at intervals. The boat is pushed as far into the water as can be done without setting her afloat, until a favourable opportunity arrives, when with great clatter of tongues, and all the bodily energy they can use, the boat is pushed afloat, the men jump up and work away with a “hi, hi, hi,” until the outer breaker is passed, when they take it easy again and strike up a song. It has a very intimidating effect upon the uninitiated, to be in one of these boats as she nears a breaker six or eight feet high above the boat, and apparently coming right into her. But the boats rise in a wonderful manner, and a skilful Padron will generally avoid seas as high as six feet, although I have seen the boats turn right over an end. Of course this is very dangerous, but it is a point of honour with the crews not to let a white passenger drown if it is possible to save him, and they are all expert swimmers.

     [PAGE 29] Cape Coast stands on ground about 150 feet above the level of the sea, its streets are wide and well macadamized, the principal ones being lined on each side with trees: brick drains built at the side to carry off the water during the heavy rains. The houses occupied by Europeans and well-to-do natives, are large and airy, and adapted to the climate. They are built of clay, whitewashed, and shaded by balconies and green verandahs. Government House is commodious and comfortable, and during even the hottest part of the day it was not difficult to find a pleasantly cool corner within its hospitable walls.

     Mr. Ussher, the Administrator, or Lieutenant-Governor, had been many years on the Gold Coast, and unfortunately at this time was not in good health, which was a great misfortune to him, as the transfer of the Western districts to us from the Dutch, had just taken place. However, Mr. Pope Hennessy, the Administrator-in-Chief was at Elmina. Mr. Ussher had formed a pretty garden in front of his house, full of bright flowers, and what was still more pleasing to the eye, a piece of emerald green lawn, where he had made a croquet ground. There were no white ladies at Cape Coast at this time, but tradition told of a small gathering of them at his Excellency’s croquet parties. Mrs. Ussher had lived some time there. Of course the climate is trying to English ladies, but I cannot think it is nearly so much so as that of Bengal. [PAGE 30] The cool refreshing sea breeze that sweeps through the Cape Coast verandahs every afternoon, has no equivalent on the Indian plains. Nothing is so much missed on the West African Station as ladies’ society, and persons knowing the country can understand how much good a few cheerful energetic ladies would do among their countrymen at such places as Cape Coast. I met a few native ladies of colour, at a government house croquet party, of pleasant manner and conversation, but I believe there are but few of them. There is a great lack of any means of relieving the monotonous official or business life an European has to lead here, by out-door amusements. There is a little shooting, and now and then a cricketing eleven can be raised, to play a match with the officers of a man-of-war; but horses do not thrive, it is even said they will not live, and the climate is against much walking exercise. A few vehicles are kept by members of the upper ten - not thousand, but individuals - in which they take an airing. These are drawn by natives, and it is very tame work, - nearly as much so as being wheeled about in a bath chair. There was only road worthy of the name leading out of Cape Coast along which a walk could be taken, but several hard tracks or paths, and a road to Elmina was just being commenced at this time.

     Cape Coast markets are not good, they are irregularly supplied, comparatively dear, and the poultry and [PAGE 31] meat is inferior. Our contractor for the supply of fresh beef procured his cattle from Sierra Leone; they were much finer beasts than those at Jellah Coffee, but the beef was not much better, - vegetables were very scarce. There was no reason for this, for the soil will produce abundance, and exceedingly good vegetables are grown in private gardens.

     There are no shops, after the English sort, in the town; but several stores, where all articles in native demand can be obtained, and wines, tinned meats, and groceries.

     A steamer from England arrives every week, thus a stock of supplies can easily be kept up.

     The chief occupation of the people appeared to me to be net making and fishing. The nets used were cast nets, which are thrown very expertly among the shoals of herrings - or a fish very like herring with more bones than usual - which frequent the coast. The boats used for fishing differ from the surf boats; they are narrow, with the fore end covered in, carry two or three men each, but are equally convenient to get through the surf as the large boats, except that you may be sure of a wetting if you take a passage in one. Fishing is carried on with hand lines and long lines also, and the boats go miles out to sea, fishing in fine weather. There is one day in the week, Tuesday I think it is, on which they will not fish for some religious reason.

     [PAGE 32] There are a great many native people in Cape Coast who dress in European style, but by far the majority adhere to the old and more picturesque mode of loincloth - or at any rate that and a shirt. I have heard the terms “clouty man” and “trowser [sic] man” used to define members of different classes of society. The “clout” consists of a piece of coloured cotton cloth folded round the loins; the women let it hang below the knee, and often add a shore chemise or another cloth round their shoulders, but West African natives are never seen after the age of childhood without some kind of clothing. Ladies may be surprised to hear that “chignons” and “paniers” [sic] were worn in this country before they were dreamt of at home. I never walked through the streets of Cape Coast, without seeing women seated in front of their doors doing up their hair in fantastic shapes, such as a balloon behind, or two high pads, or horn shaped erections; then for the “paniers,” [sic] they were always hidden from sight by the covering cloth, but I have been confidentially informed they are made of basket work, and their supposed use, to carry the baby on; for infants are always carried by their mothers on the hip, Indian fashion, or behind; but the effect of this machine on the walk of these women is ludicrous. They are fond of ornaments and wear bracelets and bangles of silver, copper, iron, or beads, as they can afford them, and often have gold ornaments in their hair. Cape Coast jewelers are [PAGE 33] very clever, some of them doing as good and well finished work as the Maltese, and it is very much cheaper. They have not many patterns, but they are increasing them, and they are very expert copyists, if not inventors, so that they seldom see a new design without improving their style of work. Very handsome necklaces and bracelets are made by setting the green beetle in heavy gold filigree work. These are not, however, for native wear, but are made for Europeans who order them. Native ornaments take a more solid form, but show considerable artistic skill in design and construction. The gold used is that found in the country, with very small quantity of alloy, except it is intended to deceive an innocent stranger, where more alloy than gold may be found in the pretty looking article. It is always well to consult an European resident before making purchases of jewellery [sic].

     Mr. Ussher had a very fine puff adder, eight feet in length, in a cage in his verandah. It had been captured in the neighbourhood, and the natives brought all such prizes to the Governor knowing him to be a collector. It was in perfect health and very lively, its strike was so rapid that the eye could not catch it, and was only recognised by the thump of the animal’s head against the wires of the cage. Snakes, I was told, abounded in the bush, some of large size; the Governor told me of a large black one he encountered on his return from a walk, that had entwined its tail round a [PAGE 34] tree standing in the middle of the road, a tolerably wide one, and moved its head about as he tried to pass on either side to prevent it, so that he had to go back and get home another way. I have seen very large “tom-toms,” native drums, at least twelve inches in diameter covered with snake skin, but much as I have walked in African bush I never saw a live snake there. There are some beautifully coloured lizards in the country and certain species attain great size. The chameleon is common. I was not troubled much with mosquitoes and in no part of the coast have I found these little torments so numerous or so venomous as elsewhere - Calcutta or Bermuda for instance.

     I tasted palm wine for the first time here. This popular native beverage is obtained by making an incision in the palm tree close to the new wood, inserting a short stick in the incision and hanging a calabash to catch the juice as it flows. The operation is generally performed in the evening and the calabash removed in the morning, when the wine, drank fresh, is really pleasant and refreshing, and quite wholesome. If allowed to ferment, which it will do in a few hours, it becomes intoxicating in its effects and very dangerous to the health of Europeans; but the natives like it best thus, and drink large quantities of it. I believe if rain falls while the juice is flowing it spoils the wine. The taste is something like cocoa-nut milk, only slightly acid.

     [PAGE 35] On the 20th May [1872] we moved to Elmina, where his Excellency the Administrator-in-Chief and Mrs. Pope Hennessy were residing. The fort of St. George is a very substantial building standing upon several acres of ground. It is entered by a drawbridge over a deep ditch faced with strong masonry. Within, it contains large barracks, stores, official residences, workshops, and courtyards. On its walls are cannon of different calibre, but mostly of very antiquated pattern. Here Mr. Hennessy had take up his quarters, not in the most elegantly furnished apartments I have seen, even on the coast, or surrounded by many luxuries or even comforts, but his own official residence is at Sierra Leone, and he had come to Elmina to work, and such matters did not appear to trouble him. But other things did. Elmina and the western district of the protectorate as far as Appolonia had been taken over from the Dutch in April [1872]. The government of Holland had sent a “Dash” to their late employés [sic] at Elmina on leaving. Some discontent had arisen with regard to the proceedings of Lieutenant Joorst, the Dutch officer charged with distributing the money, and a riot had occurred after Elmina came under our protection, in which Mr. Joorst had been murdered, and the murderers had not been found.

     The Dutch Commodore was on shore when the murder took place, and he complained that our authorities had not done their duty, so our Governor had cause to be troubled, but he was determined to discover the murderers, and had told the King at palaver, that they must be handed over to justice.

     There are - or were - two towns at Elmina: the King’s town consisting entirely of native houses, built of clay, and thatched with palm leaves; they are very close together, and many of them of two stories. Divided from it by the river Beyrah, is the Garden town containing many respectable slated houses and a Wesleyan church. Its streets are not so wide or clean as Cape Coast, or its stores so good. Overlooking it is Fort St. Jago, bright with whitewash, and surrounded by green bushes and growing crops. The gardens and fields around Elmina appeared to be better cultivated than those at Cape Coast, but the effect of the late war between rival towns, had been, I was told, to throw a large quantity of ground out of cultivation.

     Sanitary measures were certainly worse than attended to by the Dutch than by our officers. The smells even in the fashionable quarter of Elmina were fearful, and in no African town have my nose and eyes been so offended as on the beach or beneath the castle walls of this town. Refuse of every kind every kind is emptied there and left for the tide to wash away, which it is not always as quick in doing as might be wished. Mangy looking dogs rove about the streets, and the place is as full of long legged black pigs as a West Cork town on a fair day. Woe to those who indulge in pork!

     [PAGE 37] There are one or two houses, calling themselves “Hotels” in the town, only it is well not to expect too much, or anything quickly, at these establishments. Mrs. Last, who kept the one I visited, was the widow of an ex-Dutch governor, or rather of several ex-Dutch governors, and had a son bearing a commission in the Army of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands. A widow! I must explain. It has been a recognised custom between the Dutch and the native tribes whom they protected, that Europeans should take to themselves a wife from the natives, the marriage ceremony to be according to native customs, the wife to have legal rights during the stay of the white man in the country, and the children considered legitimate. Mrs. Last’s husbands had not all died, but had returned to Holland! I never heard an expression against the morality of this institution; and of course it ought to be viewed very much from a local point. Certainly country wives did not look upon themselves as the white men’s mistresses.

     Mrs. Last baked beautiful bread and made delicious sponge cakes, with which, and bitter beer - at half-a-dollar a bottle - she entertained us, but, for mutton chops, or even bacon and eggs, I am afraid we might have waited until, from free use of sponge cake, our appetite had departed.

     Although we had only possessed Elmina for one month, there was not a child in the place who could [PAGE 38] not say “Give me a penny.” Poor Mrs. Last was more troubled with having to change her European language from Dutch to English, than any other matter connected with the transfer, although naturally she was ill satisfied with the departure of her Dutch friends, and the little chance she had of ever reigning again in Fort St. George; but even she had mastered our language to a considerable extent so as to be able to carry on her business. She had been entrusted with the preparation of a banquet to be given by His Excellency, Governor Hennessy, on the anniversary of Her Majesty’s birthday [Queen Victoria, born 24 May], and was in great delight at this honour having been conferred upon her, and promised to astonish us with some wonderful productions of her confectionary art.

     The forts were garrisoned with Houssa troops, and the streets patrolled by Fantee police. Both these bodies have been heard of by the public, during the present Ashantee war. The police were recruited in the country, wear a blue uniform, and carry a truncheon in the streets, but have rifles and bayonets ready in the barracks. The Houssas are a Mahomedan tribe living to the east, and inland, on the banks of the Niger. They are slight, active, soldierly looking men, dressed in dark blue blouse and short trowsers [sic] of dungaree trimmed with red braid, and a little red cap worn in a jaunty cavalry style on the side of their head: they did not wear shoes or stockings. They used English [PAGE 39] words of command at their drill, but understood very little more of the language. The non-commissioned officers looked very proud of their stripes. One evening we were very much amused at witnessing a dance given by the Houssas, as an entertainment to a few co-religionists, if not clansmen, who lived in the interior, and had come in to pay our soldiers a visit. A ring was formed in the open space opposite the gate of Fort St. George, by hosts and guests, men and women, sitting on the ground. The music consisted of two drums and a cow’s horn, playing no particular tune. First a man got up, and swung his arms, body, and legs about - the legs least of all; then a woman joined him, then more men and women all acting independently, except that they generally went round the ring in one direction. The sergeant-major’s wife appeared to be doing the honours. She was a stout lady arrayed in a black velvet cloth, and showed her attention to her lady friends, by stepping into the ring, when she observed them getting warm, and wiping them down with a large bandana handkerchief! I never saw people so thoroughly enjoying themselves. There appeared to be many advantages in this native dance, over our English ones. No one waited to be asked to dance by a partner, or risk the disappointment of finding the lady of his choice pre-engaged. Everyone got up, when so disposed, performed what antics he or she liked, and sat down when tired. There was no weariness, no [PAGE 40] wall-flowers, no supper, no indigestion, no headaches next morning, and I hardly think it possible there could have been any future scandal consequent upon flirtations.

     I suppose the music given at this hall was considered as that most likely to be appreciated by the Houssa’s guests, for later in the evening I heard the very nice little drum and fife band of the corps, playing “Coming thro’ the rye,” “Cheer boys cheer,” and other airs, remarkably well.

     Mr. Hennessy entertained us in the Castle, on the Queen’s birthday [24 May 1872], at dinner. All the heads of departments were present, several coloured gentlemen among them, - one was Mr. Maxwell the Colonal Chaplain, and another the Assistant Colonial Engineer. Mrs. Last did her duty womanfully, and several of her dainty dishes were highly appreciated, although, as she led us to expect, she excelled in confectionary. We had of course the usual loyal toasts and consequent speeches, in which the Governor told us that Admiral de Ruyter’s baton had always been kept in the Castle of St. George since that old enemy of ours on the sea, had died; and that it had been handed to him by the Dutch governor to signify the transfer of the fort, but that with the concurrence of the home government he proposed returning it to Holland.

     Three natives had been handed over to the police by the king as the perpetrators of Mr. Joost’s murder [see chapter I], and [PAGE 41] were to be tried before our Judge, with a native jury, at Elmina.

     In the evening we had a grand display of fireworks from the castle walls to amuse the natives. I rather think the rockets frightened them, and some of us feared for those hatched roofs, which have since shown how quickly they will burn, and how impossible it would have been to have arrested the progress of a fire on the south side of the Beyrah.

     We took several long walks during our stay. Except a day or so after heavy rains the roads were hard and pleasant to walk on, and the scenery lovely. We never received anything but civility from the natives, although some of our officers went four or five miles into the interior in their rambles. The weather was not overpoweringly hot, the thermometor [sic] averaging about 85º in the shade midday, and 75° at night. The cool sea breeze is felt as well here as at Cape Coast, and between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., or early in the morning a walk was very enjoyable. We saw several herds of fat, well conditioned, little castle, but were told their owners considered them “fetish,” or holy, and would not kill them, except for a “consideration.” Goats, poultry, and eggs, bread, milk, and fresh fish, in several varieties - even soles, were the provisions ordinarily obtainable in the market, with vegetables and fruit.

     Hucksters sat at stalls under the shade of the trees [PAGE 42] in the streets, selling cassada, kanky, snails, gin, palm wine, and other native luxuries. Kanky is the native bread, made from Indian corn, or cassada, ground down, by rubbing between stones into a meal, and then made into the consistency of boiled ground rice by mixing with water. It is very insiped [sic] food, but the people live very much upon it with a little fish fried in palm oil, roast plantains or ground nut soup. They do not eat often, only once or twice a day, the principal meal being about sunset.

     I witnessed a native funeral procession. The corpse was in a wooden coffin covered with a coloured cloth, and carried on men’s shoulders. The followers sang a lively kind of chant, and clapped their hands continually. Men ran beside the procession firing guns. Both men and women were present. I was informed that after being carried all round the town in this manner, the body would be buried under the house the person had lived in when alive, which would then be deserted for a time. It is this habit of burying the dead within the town, together with the utter regardlessness of sanitary law, that makes Elmina so unhealthy, and I am not at all surprised that the first detachment of marines sent there suffered so much. The water also is very bad. Within the fort is a well of excellent water, but that is kept for the use of the garrison. What the natives drink is taken from the ditch of the fort, into which drains the filth I [PAGE 43] have alluded to. Rum and gin of the worst description are plentiful and cheap, and do not tend to improve the health of either natives or Europeans careless enough to drink such stuff.

     Domestic slavery exists everywhere on the Gold Coast. This I was not surprised at, but I was very much so to find that the Court presided over by our British judge took cognisance of the institution, and could direct a reluctant slave to return to his master and be obedient to him! At the same time, if a slave could prove cruelty against his master, he was at once set free; the inevitable result of such a course would be that the man would sell himself again as soon as he could find a purchaser. Slave holders are obliged to support their property in sickness or old age, and to pay them a proportion of their earnings, and it is a point of honour not to sell them off the land they belong to. It is the slaveowners who appear to me the most anxious to abolish slavery; the slaves do less, and live better, than they will as free men. A story is told of a newly arrived gentleman offering slaves freedom - or rather telling them that as Queen Victoria’s subjects they were free. They seemed very rejoiced at this at first, until they came to ask “what Queen Victoria was going to give them?” expecting something very good from so rich a sovereign, when their countenance fell, as they learnt what freedom meant.

     Certainly, our laws should not recognize the [PAGE 44] property of man in man in any country, but least of all in Africa, where our whole policy has been devoted to the abolition of the slave trade, and our action on the Gold Coast is very unintelligible to foreigners.

     We sailed from Elmina on the 29th May [1872], and on the morning of the 31st were off Assini, where the French Protectorate joins ours on its western frontier. The French had removed their officials from here and Grand Bassam during the last few days, the nature of the country making it difficult to enforce obedience to law among the native tribes. Thus, Danes, Dutch, and French have given up their Protectorates on this coast, and the British alone are left to carry on this most unsatisfactory of all modes of government. It is to be hoped that after the present war is concluded, the Gold Coast will be declared British territory and governed after the Indian fashion; or, that a Consulate with local courts of equity will be established, and the country given over to native government, as is the case in the oil rivers.

     The little difficulty which caused the French to leave was, that a trading hulk had been robbed by the natives; the government demanded of the native chief the value of the goods taken. The chief promised to pay, but after many months, had only paid a small portion of the money. The French Admiral then blockaded the coast. This had not the least effect on the natives who could afford to wait, they got their more pressing [PAGE 45] needs supplied from Appolonia in our protectorate, so the French withdrew entirely, although I believe they still say they protect Grand Bassam and Assini.

     There was a very heavy surf preventing all communication with the shore whilst we were off the factories, except the great risk of being capsized. A surf boat did reach us with a letter but she was several times capsized. The river Assini is of considerable size, and, inside its bar, affords extensive and safe inland communication; a small steamer occasionally plies upon it and the lagoons in connection with it for trading purposes. The coast was low, and beach sandy, with mangrove trees close behind it, bespeaking unhealthy swamps. The factories appeared commodious, and trade was recommencing after the blockade; casks of palm oil were to be seen on the beach awaiting the arrival of the mail steamer.

     No chance appearing of the swell going down I steamed away for Cape Palmas. We encountered a current against us at the rate of three miles an hour. Whilst at Cape Coast the Governor told me a bottle had been sent in from Appolonia that was thrown overboard from H.M.S. Druid at sea, 600 miles to the westward, a month previously, on her voyage to the Cape. So it had travelled at an average rate of 20 miles a day to the east.

     As we neared Cape Palmas the land rose higher again, was covered with trees, and we could see some [PAGE 46] mountains in the interior. This is a very rainy part of the world, but the season was at its close, and we only came in for an occasional shower.

     Harper, as the town is called, looks well from the sea, with its two or three church spires among the trees, and shingled frame houses of two stories surrounded by gardens. It is the second town of Liberia, the capital being Monrovia, some distance to the north. It is said to contain 2,000 or 3,000 inhabitants, has three or four churches, an academy, a hospital, an orphan asylum, and a light-house. The latter is more an ornament than of use, the Republic not being able to afford funds to light it up. The harbour affords shelter to vessels of light draught, and we had a few days relief from constant rolling whilst we staid here.

     Liberia was purchased by the Americans from the native chiefs about 30 years ago, as a place to colonize with emancipated slaves from the States, and the government was as soon as possible given into the negroes’ own hands. The Americans were too wise to saddle themselves with a Liberian Protectorate.

     Colonists still arrive from the States, sent over by a society which pays their passage, and allows them subsistence money during the first six months they are in Africa. The Liberian Government gives them a grant of land, and as it brings forth abundantly, and has neither too few nor too many trees, it is the settler’s own fault if he does not prosper. And I suppose the [PAGE 47] people may be called prosperous - not according to English notions: but for Negroes and ex-slaves certainly so. If they would not ape white-man’s ways and be so insufferably conceited, they would be all the better.

     The gentleman who came off to pay me an official visit of welcome, spoke of the natives, who had not had the honour of coming from America, as “heathen,” although these people I found had quite as good reason to call themselves Christians as my friend had. On another occasion one of our officers, when on shore, was accosted by a Negro of the ordinary coast type, as “Doctor.” He replied, “I am not the doctor, you sabbe; that man in the white hat, he doctor.”

     “Sir,” replied the Negro, “I don’t understand your language, we are an educated people here, and are not accustomed to use the word sabbe.”

      “Oh!” said the innocent offender, “I am very sorry, I did’nt [sic] intend to hurt your feelings!”

     “I accept your apology,” said Sambo gravely, “and attribute your speech to your ignorance; good day, sah!”

     Every person I met had a title. I was introduced to Colonel Cooper, of the 4th Liberian regiment, who informed me their army never did any fighting but had regular quarterly musters and annual reviews.

     Governor Gibson I thought an intelligent man. He evidently does not live entirely on his official income, as he did us the honour to supply us with fresh beef [PAGE 48] and vegetables, at a very fair price. Coin of the realm was scarce; the only Liberian money I saw was paper; the storekeepers were delighted to see our metallic currency.

     The houses were nearly all built of wood; the Episcopal Church was of brick and had a spire; inside it was whitewashed; over the communion table, and the windows, some texts were written in black paint, which had evidently been put on with one of the artists fingers!

     I found one white lady, as the matron of the Orphan Asylum, but she was the only white person in the place. She was the widow of a missionary who died at Harper a few years previously.

     A few wheeled vehicles were seen now and then drawn by oxen or donkeys, and there was a passable road or two out of the town. The gardens were tidy and there was a good deal of live stock. Corn, coffee, and rice are grown by the farmers. The “heathen” make very good boatmen and sailors.

     The weather was cool during our stay, a pleasant south wind blowing, locally termed the “salt” wind, as it bore some of the ocean salt on its breeze, which deposited itself on plants, etc.

     Although Harper stands on high ground I think it cannot be healthy, owing to the damp, from the great quantity of rain, which penetrates everything; but I was told that although there was a medical practitioner [PAGE 49] in the place, he could not live by his profession, and was forced to work a farm. This might have been from lack of fees and not from lack of practice. As our doctor was much asked for, I think this must be the case.

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