The Satires of A. Persius Flaccus Part 6

The native diseases are mainly the native fever, which is nothing but the _intermittent fever_ of America, known in different parts as _ague_, _chills and fever_, _fever and ague_, with its varied forms of _bilious_, _intermittent_, _remittent_, _continued_, and its worst form of _inflammatory_ when it most generally a.s.sumes the _congestive_ type of the American Southern States. In this condition, the typhoid symptoms with _coma_, give unmistakable evidence of the character of the malady.

The native fever which is common to all parts of Africa, in Liberia while to my judgment not necessarily fatal (and in by far the greater percentage of cases in the hands of an intelligent, skilful physician, quite manageable), is generally much worse in its character there than in the Yoruba country, where I have been. The symptoms appear to be much more aggravated and the patient to suffer more intensely.

_Causes_

The density and rankness of the vegetable growth, the saturation of the air continually with fragrance, and other _miasma_, and the _malaria_ from the mangrove swamps, I a.s.sign as the cause of difference in the character of the same disease in different parts of the continent. The habits also of the settlers, have much to do with the character of the disease. A free indulgence in improper food and drink, which doubtless is the case in many instances, are exciting causes to take the malady, and aggravating when suffering under it.

_Complication_

There are several other diseases that might be named, which I reserve for a section on another part of Africa, and confine my remarks simply to the complication of the native with foreign. All _s...o...b..tic_, _scrofulous_, or _syphilitic_ persons, where the affection has not been fully suppressed, may become easy victims to the fever in Liberia, or lingering sufferers from _ulcers_, _acute rheumatism_, or _elephantiasis_--a frightful enlargement of the limbs. _Ulcerated opthalmia_ is another horrible type, that disease in such chronically affected persons may a.s.sume. But any chronic affection--especially lung, liver, kidney, and rheumatic--when not too deeply seated, may, by favorable acclimation, become eliminated, and the ailing person entirely recover from the disease.

_Remedies, Natural and Artificial_

The natural remedy for the permanent decrease of the native fever, is the clearing up and cultivation of the land, which will be for some time yet to come, tardy; as emigration to Liberia is very slow, and the natives very unlike those of Yoruba--cultivate little or nothing but rice, ca.s.saba, and yams, and these in comparative small patches, so that there is very little need for clearing off the forest. Neither have they in this part of Africa any large towns of substantial houses, all of which would necessitate a great deal of clearing; but instead, they consist of small cl.u.s.ters of reed or bamboo huts in a circle, always in the densest of the forest, which can scarcely ever be seen (except they be situated on a high hill) until you are right upon them. The clearing away of the mangrove swamps--which is practicable--will add greatly to the sanitary condition of Liberia; but this also will take time, as it must be the work of a general improvement in the country, brought about by populating and civilizing progress.

_Treatment_

The treatment of the native fever must be active and prudential. But the remedies are simple and easily obtained, being such as may be had at any well-kept apothecary's shop. The _sulphate of quinia_, in moderate doses, three or four times a day, with the usual attention to the febrile changes, gentle _aperients_, _effervescent_ and _acidulous_ drinks, taking care to prevent acridness in the stomach. In my advice to persons going to Africa, I shall speak more pointedly of the domestic or social customs to be avoided.

Locality

I observed that all elevated places, as Monrovia and Freetown, subject to severe visitations of disease, are situated near mangrove swamps; consequently, from the _rising_ of the _malaria_, they are much more unhealthy than those in low plains, such as Lagos and many other places, _above_ which the _miasma_ generally rises for the most part pa.s.sing off harmlessly.

I left Cape Palmas, Liberia, on Thursday, 2 P.M. the 15TH of Sept., on the British Royal Mail African steamer, "Armenian," Captain Walker, to whom and his officers, I make acknowledgments for acts of kindness.

VII THE INTERIOR--YORUBA

Coasting. Cape Coast Castle, Bight of Benin

Thursday, the 20th of September, about noon, after stopping at Cape-Coast Castle for twelve hours, on the Coast of Benin, the steamer made her moorings in the roadstead, Bight of Benin, Gulf of Guinea, off Lagos. I disembarked, going ash.o.r.e with the mail-boat managed by natives; from whence, by the politeness of the gentlemanly young clerk (a native gentleman) of Captain Davies', a native merchant, I was taken in a sail-boat, also manned by natives, up the bay, and landed at the British Consulate; whence I was met by Mr. Carew, the native agent of the Rev. J. M. Harden, a most excellent man, Missionary, and conducted to the Baptist Mission House.

After a stay of five weeks, visiting almost everything and place worthy of note, being called upon by many of the most noted persons, among whom were several chiefs, having several interviews with the authorities, and meeting the most active, intelligent, Christian young men, in several of their a.s.sociated gatherings, I was waited on by the messenger of the king; when after several interchanges of "words" between us, the following instrument of writing was "duly executed, signed, sealed, and delivered," I, and Mr. Harden being present, and witnessing the measurement of the land, according to the present custom in that place:

t.i.tLE DEED DR. M. R. DELANY

Lagos, October 25th, 1859

_Know all Men by these Presents:_

That I DOCEMO, King of Lagos and the Territories thereunto belonging, have this day granted, a.s.signed, and made over, unto Doctor Martin R. Delany, for his use and the use of his Heirs and a.s.signs forever, All that Piece of Ground, situated on the South of the Premises and Ground occupied by Fernando, in the field at Okai Po, Po, measuring as follows, Three Hundred and Thirty Feet square.

Witness my Stamp hereunto affixed, and the Day and Year above written.

_KING_ DOCEMO OF LAGOS.

BRITISH CONSULATE, Lagos, October 28th, 1859

I CERTIFY that the Circular Stamp, as above, with KING DOCEMO, of LAGOS in the centre, is the Official Stamp of Docemo, King of Lagos, and is used by him as his signature to all Letters, Deeds, and Doc.u.ments.

{SEAL} EDWD. F. LODDER

_Acting Consul._

The Deed of Land above, granted to Doctor Martin R. Delany, by King Docemo of Lagos, has this 18th day of October, 1859, been registered in the Registry Book of the British Consulate, and numbered.

JOHN P. BOYLE, _Clerk_

On the 30th of October, I left Lagos, proceeding _via_ Ogun river, to Abbeokuta, which I reached on Sat.u.r.day, the 5th of November.

Explorations. Abbeokuta

Here I met for the first time with my colleague and a.s.sistant Commissioner, Mr. Robert Campbell, from whom, at Lagos, I found a letter waiting for my arrival in the hands of Acting Consul, Lieut. Edward F.

Lodder, of Her Majesty's war vessel "Brun," which continually lies in the harbor, directly opposite and near to the Consulate. Consul Campbell (since deceased), had paid an official visit to England, and Lieut.

Lodder was supplying his place.

Towns from Abbeokuta

From Abbeokuta, population 110,000, we proceeded to Ijaye, population 78,000, reckoned by the white missionaries and officers of the Niger Expedition of Her Majesty's service, who pa.s.sed through once, at 80,000; Oyo, population, 75,000; Ogbomoso, population 70,000; Illorin, population 120,000; returning back, _via_ Ogbomoso to Oyo: when by arrangement, Mr. Campbell leaving me at Oyo, returned to Abbeokuta by a new route through Isen and Biolorin-Pellu, small places: whence I, a week later, also by another strange route, returned, pa.s.sing through Iwo, population 75,000; and Ibaddan, population 150,000 an immense city, the estimated number of inhabitants by the Civil Corps who pa.s.sed through, being 250,000. It will be seen that I have made a liberal deduction of two-fifths, or 100,000 from this estimate; still, the population is immense and the city extensive, the walls embracing an outline of at least twenty-three miles.

Return to Lagos

From Abbeokuta, the water being very low, it was thought advisable that Mr. Campbell take charge of all our luggage, and proceed by way of the Ogun to Lagos, (he having disposed of his horse at Abbeokuta) whilst I, on horseback, with William Johnson our cook, the only servant we retained--a civilized native--as guide and attendant, proceeded by land, both reaching Lagos three days after, in the same hour of the same day.

VIII TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATE, ETC.

Topography, Climate

The whole face of the country extending through the Aku region or Yoruba, as it is laid down on the large missionary map of Africa, is most beautifully diversified with plains, hills, dales, mountains, and valleys, interlined with numerous streams, some of which are merely temporary or great drains; whilst the greater part are perennial, and more or less irrigating the whole year, supplying well the numerous stocks of cattle and horses with which that country is so well everywhere provided. The climate is most delightful.