Journal of an African Cruiser: Comprising Sketches of the Canaries, the Cape De Verds, Liberia, Madeira, Sierra Leone, and Other Places of Interest on the West Coast of AfricaBridge, Horatio
History
Journal of an African Cruiser: Comprising Sketches of the Canaries, the Cape De Verds, Liberia, Madeira, Sierra Leone, and Other Places of Interest on the West Coast of Africa
Bridge, Horatio
Africa, West -- Description and travel; Bridge, Horatio, 1806-1893
The Commodore seated himself behind a small table, which was covered with
a napkin. The officers, with Governor Roberts and Doctor Day, occupied
seats on his right, and the native chiefs, as they dropped in, found
places on the left. If the latter fell short of us in outward pomp and
martial array, they had certainly the advantage of rank, there being about
twenty kings and headmen of the tribes among them. Governor Roberts opened
the palaver in the Commodore's name, informing the assembled chiefs, that
he had come to talk to them about the slaughter of the mate and cook,
belonging to Captain Burke's vessel. Jim Davis, who conducted the palaver
on the part of the natives, professed to know nothing of the matter, the
chiefs present being Bushmen, whereas the party concerned were Fishmen.
After a little exhibition of diplomacy, Davis retired, and Prince Tom came
forward and submitted to an examination. His father is king of the tribe
of Fishmen, implicated in the killing of the two men. The prince denied
any personal knowledge on the subject, but observed that the deed had been
done in war, and that the tribe were not responsible. When asked where
Nippoo was (a chief known to have taken a leading part in the affray), he
at first professed ignorance, but, on being hard pressed, offered to go
and seek him. He was informed, however, that he could not be permitted to
retire, but must produce Nippoo on the spot, or be taken to America.
The council went on. The depositions of three colonists were taken, and
the facts in the case brought out. They were substantially in accordance
with the narrative already given in this Journal; and, upon full
investigation, Captain Burke was decided to have been the aggressor. The
proceedings of the Fishmen had been fierce and savage, but were redeemed
by a quality of wild justice, and exhibited them altogether in a better
light than the white men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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