The Satires of A. Persius Flaccus Part 8

DEAR SIR--A meeting of the Wesleyan Missionary Society will be held at the Wesleyan Chapel, on Monday next, the 26th instant, at ten o'clock, A.M., precisely. You are sincerely and respectfully solicited to be the Chairman on the occasion.

The object of the Meeting is to offer Thanksgiving to Almighty G.o.d for the past years' success; and to pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit's influence upon the Church, for a further success, &c.

Collection will be made at the close of the above.

Yours respectfully and affectionately, EDWD. BICKERSTETH Wesleyan Minister

P.S. An early answer will be much obliged.

I replied in the affirmative to this kind invitation (the copy of reply is now mislaid), when, at the appointed time, a crowded house was a.s.sembled.

Influence of Civilization--Native Demonstration

In a simple and comprehensive address made to them (being interpreted by the minister as I proceeded), such was the effect that it not only produced their unanimous applause, but aroused Mr. During (a native civilized merchant, who had never before spoken in public) to his feet, who approved of what I had said, with such an appeal of native eloquence, that when he ceased, sixty bags of cowries (54 or $270, estimating them at 18s, or $4.50 a bag; the then current value of cowries) were paid down on the spot, to aid the spread of civilization through the gospel and education. Many, very many were the thanks given me that day by these, my native kinsmen and women. Several other gentlemen, among them Surgeon Samuel Crowther, the Pastor, Mr. Rebeiro, and Mr. Campbell my colleague, also addressed them.

Official Transactions

Many had been the social, friendly, and official interchanges between us and the king and chiefs during our stay in Abbeokuta, when, on the twenty-seventh, the day after the missionary meeting, the following doc.u.ment was duly executed, with the express understanding that no heterogeneous nor promiscuous "ma.s.ses" or companies, but select and intelligent people of high moral as well as religious character were to be induced to go out. And I am sure that every good and upright person in that region, whether native or foreign missionary, would exceedingly regret to see a reckless set of religion-spurning, G.o.d-defying persons sent there--especially by disinterested white societies in America, which interferingly came forward in a measure which was originated solely by ourselves (and that, too, but a few of us), as our only hope for the regeneration of our race from the curse and corrupting influences of our white American oppressors.

TREATY

This Treaty, made between His Majesty, OKUKENU, Alake; SOMOYE, Ibashorun; SOKENU, OGUBONNA, and ATAMBALA, Chiefs and Balaguns, of Abbeokuta, on the first part; and MARTIN ROBISON DELANY, and ROBERT CAMPBELL, of the Niger Valley Exploring Party, Commissioners from the African race, of the United States and the Canadas in America, on the second part, covenants:

ART. 1. That the King and Chiefs on their part, agree to grant and a.s.sign unto the said Commissioners, on behalf of the African race in America, the right and privilege of settling in common with the Egba people, on any part of the territory belonging to Abbeokuta, not otherwise occupied.

ART. 2. That all matters, requiring legal investigation among the settlers, be left to themselves, to be disposed of according to their own custom.

ART. 3. That the Commissioners, on their part, also agree that the settlers shall bring with them, as an equivalent for the privileges above accorded, Intelligence, Education, a Knowledge of the Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, and other Mechanical and Industrial Occupations, which they shall put into immediate operation, by improving the lands, and in other useful vocations.

ART. 4. That the laws of the Egba people shall be strictly respected by the settlers; and, in all matters in which both parties are concerned, an equal number of commissioners, mutually agreed upon, shall be appointed, who shall have power to settle such matters.

As a pledge of our faith, and the sincerity of our hearts, we each of us hereunto affix our hand and seal this Twenty-seventh day of December, ANNO DOMINI, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-nine.

His Mark, + OKUKENU, Alake His Mark, + SOMOYE, Ibashorum His Mark, + SOKENU, Balagun His Mark, + OGUBONNA, Balagun His Mark, + ATAMBALA, Balagun His Mark, + OGUSEYE, Anaba His Mark, + NGTABO, Balagun, O.S.O.

His Mark, + OGUDEMU, Ageoko M. R. DELANY ROBERT CAMPBELL

Witness--SAMUEL CROWTHER, Jun.

Attest--SAMUEL CROWTHER, Sen.

Executive Council, and Ratification of the Treaty

On the next evening, the 28th, the king, with the executive council of chiefs and elders, met at the palace in Ake, when the treaty was ratified by an unanimous approval. Such general satisfaction ran through the council, that the great chief, his highness Ogubonna, mounting his horse, then at midnight, hastened to the residence of the Surgeon Crowther, aroused his father the missionary and author, and hastily informed him of the action of the council.

Native Confidence; Hopes in Educated Blacks; Princess Tinuba

On our return from the interior, having previously made the acquaintance of, and had several interviews with, and visits to and from the Princess Tinuba, being a called upon by her, I informed her that during our tour I learned that she had supplied the chief of Ijaye with the means and implements for carrying on the war, which that chief was then waging against Oyo and Ibaddan.

I had previous to that, obtained her fullest confidence as an adviser, a person of integrity, a friend of my race and of Africa. She had previously expressed to a friend of mine, that she had more hope of a regeneration of Africa through me than ever before. She had promised to place the entire management of her extensive business in my hands, as much advantage was taken of her by foreigners. She has attached to her immediate household about sixty persons, and keeps constantly employed about three hundred and sixty persons bringing her in palm-oil and ivory. She had come with a private retinue of six or seven persons, her secretary, a man and several maid-servants, to counsel and give me a written statement of what she desired me to do. Having conversed for some time, after receiving my admonition concerning the part which I had learned she had taken with Arie of Ijaye, she sat some time after, positively negativing the accusation, when, bidding me farewell, and saying that she would "_send_ me a letter," retired. In the course of the afternoon, her secretary, "Charles B. Jones," a native, came to the house, and presenting his mistress's compliments, with her final adieu, handed me a written paper, from which I take the following extracts, simply to show the general feeling and frankness of these people, as well as the hopes and confidence they have in our going there:

DR. MARTIN R. DELANEY: Abbeokuta, April 3rd, 1860

SIR--This is to certify you, that it is with a willing mind I come to you for help: and I trust you will do according to your promise.... I return you my sincere grat.i.tude for your kind information gave me while at your house, and can a.s.sure you that all what you heard is false respecting my sending guns and powder to Arie, the Chief of Ijaye.... I beg to say, you must not forget to find the Clerk who will stop at Lagos to s.h.i.+p my cargo ... and make agreement with him before you send him here.... I need not say much more about the affairs, as you yourself have known my statements. With hopes that you are well, I am, dear Sir,

Your humble servant,

TINUBA

P.S. You must not forget to send the two gauge-rods. I beg you ...

Yours, &c.,--TINUBA

Per Charles B. Jones.

I have preferred to give these extracts just as they were written, without correcting the composition in any way.

Royal Deference to Black Men

The liberality which is here accorded to the people of Abbeokuta may be also accorded to most other places. The king of Illorin sat in his court exposed to our view, because, he said, we were "his people"; a privilege which he never allowed "a strange white man," who was never permitted to look upon his royal black face publicly. He also sent with us an escort of a horseman and five footmen, with sword and spear, as a guard of honor, sending us cowries to pay the expenses. The king of Oyo paid us distinguished honors through his great Arie Kufu, calling me a relative, and sending the chief to inquire after our health. On my leaving Oyo finally, he sent with me a very large escort, at the head of whom was his commander-in-chief Kufu, as a guard of honor, and three native gentlemen, high in rank, as my special carriers. These gentle men complained to the missioners, Mr. and Mrs. Hinderer at Ibaddan, that I was quite mistaken as to their true social position at home. To this I plead guilty, as they were quite right.

Domestic Animals; Fowls, Chickens, Ducks, Muscovy, Turkeys Swine; Common, Guinea

Chickens (and eggs plentifully) the sweetest and tenderest, ducks and turkeys; also Guinea fowls, as well as the fine Muscovy, are abundant.

The swine consist of two distinct cla.s.ses; the common, descended from the wild--a long, lean, gaunt, long-eared, long-nosed, sharp-featured, hungry-looking brute, like the American hog; and the Guinea, a short-legged, heavy-bodied, short-nosed, short-eared, fat-jawed, full-headed, jolly-looking animal, closely resembling the Berks.h.i.+re of English breeding.

Goats, Sheep

The goats are the most beautiful, s.h.i.+ny, plump, active, saucy creatures, the mutton being most excellent flesh; and the sheep, though hairy instead of woolly, in every other particular are like other sheep, and the mutton frequently equaling English mutton in flavor and sweetness. I suspect the common sheep of this country to be of another genus, as there are some very fine woolly sheep in the interior. We intend testing the woolly sheep when we get settled there.

Cattle--Mandingo and Golah

The cattle are of two cla.s.ses, and merit particular attention. The windward or Mandingo, a tall, long-horned, beautiful animal, the type of the Herefords.h.i.+re; and the leeward or Golah, a short-legged, short-horned, heavy-bodied, broad-backed ox, the exact conformation of the splendid English Durham beeves.

Horses; Aku, Bornou

The horses are of two distinct cla.s.ses, and not only merit much attention here, but must be regarded as among the most surprising evidences (as well as the cattle and improved breed of swine) of the high degree of intelligence and heathen civilization attained by the people.