Trading life in Western and Central Africa

Front matter

'trading life m WESTERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA. TRADING LIFE IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA BY JOHN WHITFORD, F.R.G.S. LIVERPOOL: THE "PORCUPINE" OFFICE, CABLE STREET. 1877. PKEEACE. This Book is not a record of wonderful explorations. It is simply the experience of frequent travel and residence upon the West Coast of Africa, between the years 1853 and 1875. In the first place, the contents were written in the form of friendly letters, without any literary pretence, and were thus published weekly in the " Porcupine," and then I thought I had done with them. But so many readers, in various parts of the world; (some of whom had only seen a letter occasionally,) requested the whole to be re-printed, that I was induced to yield to' their desire, and have, therefore, revised the letters, and now respectfully submit them to the public.

Imperfections, and possibly inaccuracies, may be detected, and the difficulty of avoiding these will be increased by my nbs. 'tier from England during the printing of the work. J. W. Alfred Street, Liverpool, Him !. i;r 7th, 1876. CONTENTS. PAGE.

Chapter I

Madeira, Teneriffe, the River Gambia, Sierra Leone, and the River Sherboro ' ' Thus we took leave of our poor father, who, having no money, gave us his blessing. " — Benvenuto Cellini. ll^'naHEN long voyages were not undert.aken so readily as iaMiJl now, friends accompanied a traveller on board the ocean steamer by the tender from the Landing-stage to see him fairly off. These well-wishers and boon companions concealed the contents of bottles beneiith their waistcoats, thereby trying to hide grief at parting. Stewards rushed frantically to aud fro with rusty corkscrews, the relics of former voyages. The steampipe howled with fifty hungry menagerie power. Her Majesty's mails were thrown on board and bundled into the mail-room. Shore porters earned rich harvests. Disputes took place amongst warriors as to precedence for berths, which were settled by reference to the dates of their commissions in the Army and Navy Lists of the period.

Struggles to wriggle big portmanteaus into tiny cabins caused great confusion. People were apparently mad; they fell over luggage in dark passages, and swore heartily. But now all is calm and serene, and changed, certainly for the better. Experience in despatching steamers has resulted in system .and order. Very few cronies go even as far as the Landing Stage to see the wanderer depart. The steampipe, peaceful as an infant, softly breathes. No rude noises occur. To the minute, the tender starts from the Landing Stage, LEAVING THE MERSEY. and the ocean floating village, like a well-conducted railway train, gracefully and quietly glides from Great Britain. The first duty of a full-grown male passenger when the steamer begins to glide is to open an account with the chief steward by filling-up a card ordering something cheering.

Then to smoke a pipe, pace the deck, and inwardly observe — Good-bye, Landing Stage ; farewell, Rock — and shake hands with the pilot, the last fond link of home. When Holyhead fades into the mist, the loneliest man begins to feel comfortable, forms acquaintances, laughs and tells stories ; and when he thinks of the home to which he never may returnbut no matter, — it is time to drop sentiment and arrange his cabin ' for the voyage. British birds of passage are naturally reserved. They fiercely walk the deck, staring hard at unknow-n fellow-voyagers, each with a wonderful opinion of himself expressed by the walk. But the welcome dinner-bell rings, the ice breaks, and before the termination of a voyage firm friendships are established. In the African boats four distinct classes are conveyed — viz., naval men, militarymen, colonial or civil men, and traders.

And it is a remarkable circumstance that the three former look upon the latter with amusing contempt. It appears very strange that the mercantile community, which so freely supplies the others w-ith bread, cheese, and bitter-beer, should be so lightly esteemed. Verily, it is not so in other countries. After six days on uneasy billows it is very pleasant to land at Madeira, one of the loveliest islands upon earth. On first sighting Porto Santo, the Dezertas, and Madeira, the impression is that they are barren rocks rising abruptly from the sea. But after steaming past Porto Santo, rounding the end of Madeira, and approaching Funchal, the beauty of the place bursts upon you suddenly. It is like the bright scene at 'lie end of a pantomime; with this differenoe, that APPROACH TO MADEIRA. it is real.

Most people are aware that Madeira is a Portuguese island, in latitude 32 degrees north ; situated south of the Straits of Gibraltar, and 450 miles west of Morocco, north western Africa. Vessels anchor in the roadstead on the south side of the island, abreast the town of Funchal. This town is built comfortably above the sea-level at the base of hills which rise to the height of five and six thousand feet. There are terraces of houses, churches, castles, villas, and villages jotted over the slopes of the hills, mixed up with vineyards, clusters of trees, sugar-cane plantations on a small scale, bananas, and a few delicate palm-trees. Sunshine on the hills and valleys in the clear atmosphere shows intense light, and the shade, and variety of colour, so refreshing to the eye, yield perpetual delight.

The roads up the hills are steep, and constructed zig-zag fashion, so that no incon venience is felt excepting the extra exertion required to ascend. Pleasant parties are formed from nearly every steamer to ride up to the church on the mount on small, sure-footed, strong ponies. The view from that church is photographed on memory as long as life lasts. As you ascend you forget all earthly cares, you inhale the invigorating air, and feel what a delightful thing it is to live. After enjoying the atmosphere several thousand sect above the sea, it is pleasant to descend in a different manner. Small skid sleds, after the manner of sleighs, are provided, some thing like a Norwegian carriole without wheels ; one or two men steer the conveyance. The motion is exciting, to feel yourself all but flying through the air as swiftly as an arrow, yet this lively mode of transit is not at all dangerous.

The zig-zag roads give rest at corners, yielding admiration of the strangely beautiful scenery and the interesting manners and customs of the island Portuguese. Far out on the sea you observe tiny specks — steamers going to and fro : West CLIMATE OF FUNCHAL. African, Cape or South American, Pacific, and other boats, most of which call for coal and refreshment, thus giving time for the weary sea-rovers on board to vary the scenery. To appreciate Madeira properly, one should leave England in the winter time. By doing so you are almost certain to experience east winds, fog, and peradventure snow on deck in the Channel. And then, in less than a week, you wander through avenues of blooming roses, and enjoy the gentle sea breeze, beneath the shade of semi-tropical vegetation, not to speak of looking at the sun, and feeling comfortable after chilly England.

The mildness of the climate all the year round — in winter the thermometer averages 65° Fahrenheit — causes Madeira to be very suitable for invalids, but the five or six days' run from England prevents many suffering patients venturing afloat. Nervous people are, however, getting bolder as they observe the great increase in the numbers of those who go down to the sea in ships, aud — come back alive. This feeling of security will spread amongst delicate folk, and increase the number of English hotels at Funchal from three, as at present, to a dozen before long. Living is most excellent, but the good appetite is better. Ladies can safely and comfortably travel, if even alone, by any of the numerous steamers going there, for the stewardess of the vessel attends upon them, and the captain, officers, and crew showthe honest British sailor's tenderly true care of womankind, or invalids of either sex, and the proprietors of the hotels board every steamer on its arrival, so that passengers for Madeira may rely upon being safely landed and comfortably " hotelled " without any trouble.

I can fancy no life on this planet during the winter time happier than that of a family, with their own servants, occupying a furnished house here, and each day enjoyino- BIG ANTONIO. 5 open-air exercise, flavoured with agreeable society. There are many who live so ; others occupy lodgings according to their income, and the hotels are generally full. Very many martyrs to disease have recovered health and strength, who, had they not ventured to sea, would long ago have worn wooden overcoats, and been labelled, and snugly shelved in his or her own particular family vault. It is, therefore, surely better to brave a few days at sea in a comfortable drawing-room steamer — literally a Pullman car on the ocean — and prolong life, than calmly, and without a struggle, shuffle oft' this mortal coil ; but invalids should not put off coming south until it is too late.

Those who land casually are subjected to importunity on the part of guides, and boys following them to learn the dragoman business, including broken English, which, as a rule, they handle just as Englishmen do other languages. These attendants fight and wrangle, and their shouting — based upon the fact that all visitors desire to carry away some souvenir is very amusing — " I say, Englishman, me show you Reid's hotel, Miles' hotel : you want to buy lace, me take you to de mount church ; you want to buy feather flower, me take you to the convent ; you want to buypretty flower basket, Madeira chair, Madeira shoes . " Enduring this for a few minutes, it is well to select the most athletic applicant. Big Antonio rides at present ; he stands 6± feet high, and he wears a huge nose several sizes too large for even his stature.

As soon as he is appointed body-guard of a party, the rest get out of the road, for Antonio is powerful. He clears the track, and keeps off numerous persistent beggars, takes you to all sorts of shops, and gets commission from the shop-keepers, and commission from you also. By this sublime system of double entry — not altogether unknown, neither unpractised, by estimable mercantile TOURIST LIFE. characters in all countries — Antonio has waxed wealthy. He owns and lets "Quintas" (furnished houses) and even selects his own collection of voyagers, knowing well, by sage experience, those who pay the best. But, nevertheless, as Shy-lock remarks, " An-to-ni-o is a good man," and attends upon you faithfully. If you have ladies in company, he quietly suggests a carriage sled without wheels, and in this conveyance, drawn by two bullocks — which is quite an institution of Madeira, and holds four people — you are gently drawn over the smooth pebbly-paved streets peculiar to Funchal.

Madeira is not yet ruined by tourists. Hotels charge X12 10s. per month each for board and lodging, including the run of the house, gardens, croquet ground, and monkey house. Bullock carriages are moderate as to charge, and the easy motion beats a tramway car, although I wont say it does ' so for speed. Hammocks and cots for invalids are plentiful and cheap to hire. Two men trot along one at each end of a pole, and the body of the patient swings between. The motion is jerky but not unpleasant. Food is abundant ; lots of fresh fish and vegetables ; no end of live turtle, good beef, oranges, green figs, limes, bananas, and other fruit. The residents at hotels get friendly at once with well behaved countrymen and countrywomen landing to take a meal on shore and be off to sea again. These visitors take on board of the products of the island, easy wicker chairs and sofas, onions, photographs, white leather shoes, lace work, new potatoes, feather flowers, green peas when in season, and all kinds of strange things which excited ram blers, with money rattling in their pockets, must buy, although they do not want anything.

Everybody speaks well of Madeira, and, as the boy said about his mother, " What everybody says must be true." SHOPPING. Traders bound for Africa generally get their flowing locks cut off close to their intellect, preparatory to going it " bald headed" on the hot coast. The barbers have raised the price to casuals from sixpence to one shilling for the operation. They purchase baskets of large refreshing onions, thoroughly enjoyed in Africa, also baskets of potatoes ; and they get photographs taken of shorn humanity to send home. They like to linger as long as possible listening to the numerous church bells, all at variance in tone, but somewhat resembling village chimes rung by unmusical amateurs. They love to listen to the military band and watch the youth and beauty of Maderia promenading beneath the trees in the Almeida, and telling the old, old story in Portuguese, which they hope to repeat in dear old England.

They bathe in the sea here from the ship's ladder, and at Teneriffe for the last time, as sharks on the African Coast, like marine policemen, patrol and preserve the waters. They chum with hotel residents, and good kind Mrs. Miles frankly tells them, " I hope to see you return, but you must take care of your selves, for very many stay in Africa for good." They go on board their ship with the happy recollection of kind white faces around the genial table, a last fond imitation of home which they may never witness again. It is really parting from England leaving Madeira, but somebody must go to Africa ; and, whether it is to the polar regions or down a horrible volcano, our countrymen are always ready. It is not often, after leaving th's beautiful island for countries situated further south, that bad weather is experienced, such as gales of wind, sleet, snow, hail, rain, fog, and a general shakiness of climate peculiar to temperate and frigid zones, tropical tornadoes and occasional outbreaks of nature, excepted.

The dreaded Bay of Biscay has been screwed through, the latitude of the " roaring forties " left TENERIFFE. behind, also " waves rolling mountains high " — a phrase which sounds lofty and damp, and, although utterly untrue, it is still considered correct to startle sympathising listeners. The idea probably originated in the imagination of some eloquent teacher of the people on a voyage from Southport to Lytham, as the lively motion of the swift steamer battling against wind and tide caused the reverend gentleman to reel to and fro and stagger like the individual mentioned by David, thus enabling him from experience to draw an impressive, heart-rending, and appalling picture of the dangers of the sea. Twenty-four hours' run from Madeira and then Santa Cruz, the principal town on the Island of Teneriffe, is reached.

Teneriffe is one of the Canary- Islands ; Palma, Gomera, Ferro, Grand Canary, and two or three others form the group. The latitude is about 28 degrees north, a few degrees above the tropic of Cancer. They are situated closer to the African coast than the Madeira Isles. Should a case of measles at Orkney or Putney find its way into the English newspapers left bya preceding steamer, the healthy health officer, from his boat alongside, solemnly announces " No pratique," when instantly a yellow flag is hoisted to the masthead. This intimates that nobody must come on board from the shore unless they are going to Africa, also that nobody can land from the steamer supposed to be infected. You can amuse yourself, as you do at Funchal, or Malta, or other warm-water seaports, by watching little shivering naked boys jump into the sea from boats alongside, following three-penny pieces, or six pences, or, if you arc generously disposed, shillings, thrown into the transparent water.

You observe them, like sunburnt or aquatic street Arabs, diving after the glittering silver. They grab the coin in diving long before it reaches the level of the anchor, put it into their mouths, and paddling upwards AQUATIC STREET ARABS. 9 to air and sunshine, exhibit the treasure to show you " there is no deception, ladies and gentlemen." It is great fun, and profitable to the boys, but more so to the male and female parents, executors, and guardians, who may be observed hovering around in other boats. These affectionate relatives seize the bullion rescued from the sea in the most summary manner, thus preventing reckless expenditure on the part of youth and inexperience. Other boats also come alongside as close as permitted, loaded with fruit, cigars, tobacco, canaries, poodle-dogs, and a variety of curiosities and comforts.

They contain floating shop-keepers, who do a roaring trade with all classes on board the steamship, and take the measly money-, and appear to like it. Much more would be expended in the marts of commerce on shore if the authorities were liberal in granting pratique. But the mandates from Madrid, like those of the Medes and Persians, must be obeyed. Hence, Richardson's English hotel, once a comfortable resting-place at Santa Cruz, is now closed. Nobody can depend upon being allowed to land at Teneriffe ; so, rather than spend days in a miserable lazarette, passengers for that island prefer to stop short at Madeira, or else go on to Africa. Thus the influx of visitors is almost nil, excepting by their own wretched, second-hand, shaky craft from Spain. During quarantine, a Government boat, with the national flag of authority flying, hovers about watching to see the law carried out.

If anyone ou board attempts to swim ashore he is liable to be shot ; so very few try to do so. As there was only one case of insignificant malady reported in the English newspapers previous to our arrival, we were graciously allowed to land and expend loose sovereigns, rapidly changed iuto dollars and smaller coin. The ship was anchored half a mile from Lord Nelson's celebrated Mole, discharging cargo into barges, and thus we were enabled to THE PEAK. take a jolly run on the island. Teneriffe is about the most ragged and jagged collection of sharp peaks ever jerked above the surface by volcanoes or earthquakes. It must have been a great day for the elements to shoot up the Peak of Teneriffe 12,182 feet above the level of the sea. But it was a good job, and it was well done. Ben Nevis, Snowdon, and Vesuvius, piled one on top of the other, would not reach the altitude of the Peak.

It can be seen on fine days at a distance of 180 miles, just peeping above the horizon. Fancy that as you gaze at the Welsh mountains. When thirty or forty miles away from the island, it stands out fine and sharp against the clear blue sky. During mid-day, clouds are addicted to floating about and obscuring it, but at sunrise and sunset it generally shows. In winter and spring snow appears, and then the island looks like a gigantic bridecake. The snow is collected and " cooked " all the year round at the Santa Cruz domino playing, coffee-drinking restaurants. The crater has been quiet for a long time, but it is very easy to trace the desolating belts of black and grey lava extending for miles from the crater down the huge mountain side into the sea, relics of eruptions during bygone ages long before history or languages were invented or written.

The lava appears not so hard as that about Vesuvius. It is porous, and filters are made from it, called " dripstones." Muddy water percolates through and comes out clear. They are largely exported, and afford great comfort and luxury, especially in Western Africa. Similar filters are in use all over the land of Egypt to render clear the muddy Nile water. We wander through the town of Santa Cruz, buying cigars imported direct from the sister colony of Cuba- Havana cigars — also others manufactured on the island. It is interesting to watch beautiful girls making them. They select one good leaf of tobacco ; and on their right is placed AN AGENT'S ESTABLISHMENT 11 a heap of broken leaves, which the exquisitely delicate fingers adjust in the centre of the outside leaf. By wriggling into shape and trimming the ends, thus is formed the graceful cigar of commerce.

We go to a wretched native hotel and eat sweet cheese and drink wine, which we do not require ; for which, however, the usual exorbitant price levied upon foreigners is paid. Indigestion and temporary misery ensue. Then to the house belonging to the worthy agent for the African and other steamers. It is a large establishment, iron-barred on the lower story against invasion, similar to strong stores peculiar to insurrection-loving countries. A w-ide double gate, open during the day, admits visitors into the courtyard, and also carts to take away for shipment bags of cochineal and barrels of wine, stored conveniently for that purpose in the ground floor warehouse rooms. Ascending by an inner staircase to the first floor, a broad verandah comes in view overlooking the courtyard. The first floor consists of business offices, also reception and dwelling rooms.

Flowers and plants cultivated all about give pleasure to the eye and create a feeling of comfort. If we happen to be personally known to the agent, we are cordially invited to partake of more refreshment, which is simply unnecessary. We decide to take a drive, so a carriage is ordered. It is like a covered shandry on four wheels, fitted with side curtains, and drawn by uneasy-looking mules. In this conveyance we rattle through the narrow streets ; lattices, disclosing glimpses of bright eyes, are lifted as we rush along. The driver is unhappyunless we visit the Cathedral, where a very polite sexton goes through the well worn service for tourists. It is not pleasant to be shown the flag taken from Nelson, glass-cased high overhead ; nor agreeable to be informed that a silly young countryman, a long time ago, tried to steal it, and came to grief.

It is better ASCENT TO LAGUNA. to sit quietly in the Cathedral, and think and become cool. But the driver cuts short our devotions. He is anxious to drive us up hill five or six miles to the town of Laguna. We take our seats, and, as we speed through the suburbs of Santa Cruz, admire the pretty country residences of the merchants, and inspect the cultivation of cochineal. Cochineal is a small insect yielding a crimson dye. It attaches itself to the cactus plant, which grows extensively. To encourage its propagation the plant is partially covered with thin white cotton cloth in strips, underneath which the insects breed very fast. At the proper time they are collected, packed in bags, and exported ; but of late years the market value of cochineal has gone down, other and cheaper dyes having been invented.

The road from Santa Cruz is in very good order ; it winds after the manner of a section, or front view, of boj'hood's idea of the Tower of Babel. Arriving opposite a house situated about half-way, the mules suddenly stopped. Nobody asked them to stop ; it seems to be a matter of course, and the mules know it. The driver would like a flagon of wine. We feel inclined for beer, but, as it is not to be had, we imbibe the wine of the country-, aud partake of raw red herrings, hard boiled eggs, and bread. Mountain air creates hunger, This eating-house is not after the manner of a civilised restaurant ; on the contrary, it rather suggests the haunt of brigands. This absurd idea is engendered by the weird-looking, barren, and rugged mountain scenery, and the presence of quaint but natural rocky caverns, occupied as dwellings by dirty-faced tenants of ferocious aspect.

You would not bo surprised if fishermen and bandits suddenly appeared on the scene, armed with stage-daggers, singing " Behold how brightly breaks the morn," clutch you by the neck after the most approved manner, rifle your pockets, and confiscate your person, assisted by a band of music. The ANCIENT GRINDING-STONES. public room of this wayside inn contains a very suspicious " bed by night and chest of drawers by day ;" there is also a greasy dressing-table, on which is a ricketty-looking glass. Scattered about amongst pomatum pots and hair-pins, are a variety of combs and hair-brushes of suspicious aspect, which evidently have had a hard life of it. Amongst this collection, like a guardian angel, sits a huge lean cat purring ; to our surprise this cat refused to eat herrings or egg, but ate bread contended!}-.

After the mules, the driver, and tourists were refreshed, the latter were invited to look at the back part of the house. In a sort of kitchen we discovered a girl grinding wheat into coarse but wholesome flour, with ancient grinding-stones made of lava. These are worked in a very primitive manner, by means of a supple, loose stick, the lower end of which is stuck into a hole in the side of the top stone, whilst the other end revolves in a pivot fitted into the beam overhead. These grinding-stones were used by the aborigines of Teneriffe, the Guaches, extinct long ago ; and similar stones are dug up in parts of Ireland. Our driver again urges the obstinate mules by blows, varied with alternate entreaty and strange oaths, to drag the loaded conveyance to Laguna, elevated three thousand feet above the sea.

We get there, and find a two or three hundred years' old city of the dead on a small scale. The streets are grass meadows, apparently many of them uninhabited. Houses might be let at the rental of a dollar a century and pay betterthan they do now, but tenants are scarce. Churches are numerous ; some half-built, others in working order, and several in ruins. In the Cathedral the highly-ornamented, armorial-bearing, illustrated tombstones tell a melancholy tale of the past wealth of Laguna, mixed up with the departed glory of Spain. The climate is bracing and the air is pure and wholesome. It is a very suitable site MILITARY OCCUPATIONS. for a city of hotels to entertain those who love to wander south ; but Laguna belongs to Spain, and Spain does not want tourists. Everything about Teneriffe induces a tendency to do nothing and enjoy it.

Camels, muzzled with iron cages and heavily laden, appear to walk slower than in other camel countries. They know exactly were to stop whilst their drivers drink wine and play dominoes. Country rustics, wrapped in ordinary white blankets with the usual black border near the edge, and a string at the neck contracting the blanket into a cloak, lie about on the shady sides of the streets, smoke cigarettes, and go to sleep. Padres, attired in broad-brimmed shovel hats and black cloth coats extending to the heels, talk at corners with chance friends for hours. Nobody is in a hurry. Shop-keepers, during mid-day, take a siesta; theirstock-in-trade might be carted away without awakening them. But when the afternoon military band plays in the Plaza, or in the gardens by the Mole, the whole population turns out to listen and be happy.

Lovely senoritas appear in brilliant array, attended by the youthful male aristocracy of the island. Young military officers come out strong in attractive uniforms tightened at the waist. These heroes have been occupied during the day drilling rustic boys into soldiers, to be shipped off to fight for Alphonso. They revel during afternoons in the eyes of beauty, and at night enjoy the theatre, the masquerade, cafes, dancing parties, ices, and dominoes. The sea dashes on to where Lord Nelson lost his arm at the Mole ; the spot is pointed out to strangers. It is a marvel how boats could disembark an attacking party at sucli a place in the face of an enemy. It was true bull dog courage, and ought to have succeeded. Had England •opriated the island, it would now have boon the Brighton, Scarborough, Harrogate, Cumberland Hills, Isle of Wight, and general sanatorium for Europe and America.

EVENING AMUSEMENT. 15 Once upon a time, a governor of a colony on the coast of Africa — I will not say what colony — visited Teneriffe. The following is his graphic description. It must be read with rich brogue to be properly appreciated. " In Teneriffe, for a time brief, I wandered all around, Wlure shad\- bowers and lovely flowers Spontaneously abound. " Where posies rare perfume the air In festoons o'er your head. Brave sheep and cows in pastures browse Without remorse or dread. The author of the " pome " was an invalid ; he recovered. The fatigue consequent upon a long day's rambling and jolting excursion in a strange country induces sleep. Passengers for Africa get on board the steamer by instal ments, each having amused himself according to his inclination, and presently they quietly creep into bed.

Two rollicking young dogs arrive on board after the others have retired. The captain is on the bridge, officers and crew at their posts. The anchor weighed, steam up, so off we go. But the two revellers enter without ceremony into the cabins of other lively-inclined but fast asleep fellow-voyagers, and make them turn out in midnight costume. The moon is shining brightly and the sea smooth, so it really appears a sin to sleep. Madeira wicker chairs are arranged in a circle on deck, fluids produced, songs sung all round, varied by rated recitals of adventures ashore. Meantime, the steamer rushes along towards Africa, leaving behind a track of frosted silver. One by one the congregation slink off to bed ; some are caught in the act, replaced in their chairs, and good-naturedly compelled to sing or listen to another MORNING REFLECTION. song.