1842 Feb 5. Hannah Buxton to Anna Gurney, about Buxton's ill-health and worry over the outcome of the Niger Expedition, …
1842; Gale Group;
Autores Resumo
pp 9 a-f 1842 Feb 5. Hannah Buxton to Anna Gurney, about Buxton's ill-health and worry over the outcome of the Niger Expedition, the account given by Dr Stanger the previous day of it, his opinion that at the time it did not seem as bad as it now seemed to him in retrospect and that the Kroomen had all kept healthy, had behaved very well and were useful. Stanger had told how they had taken interpreters for every native language up the river with them, a native called Brown who had previously sailed with Lander had helped with this and the natives had been pleased that the missionary, Schon, had been able to speak the predominant language. He had described the barrenness of the land beyond the delta, the way in which the villages on the left bank were deserted by those fleeing from the enemy, the towns and villages on the right bank and their visit to the King of Iddah. Stanger had also described the way in which everyone on the 'Albert' had fallend sick after leaving the 'Wilberforce', Trotter's decision to turn back, their drift down the river because all the engineers were sick until he himself managed to get the engines to work, the way they brought the vessel down the river, the sick being waited on by the black members of the Expedition, Bird Allen's decline, Wilmot's attempt to drown himself in the river, the suicide of one of the engineers and their arrival at the model farm to find that all four of the white staff were ill, Kingdon soon after being taken on board dying. While he was being buried Obie and 200 of his retinue visited the ship, the chief taking breakfast with Dr Stanger who attempted to conceal their dire state. Be had reported the meeting with the 'Ethiope" and the help Becroft had given them, supplying them with an engineer which made the rest of their journey down river much easier. On the way they had encountered the 'Soudan', heard the story of its disasters and left it to follow at its own pace. After reahing Fernando Po the two Captains, Stanger and McWilliam were moved into the Commander's house where Bird Allen died. Five weeks later a vessel arrived which could take Trotter home as it was too dangerous for him to remain any longer in Africa and Stanger had been ordered to accompany him, together with Sohön and a number of others, one dying on the way. Dr Stanger had given his opinion that the vessels were not suited for the task they had undertaken and that larger ones were needed with an effective ventilation system. He was prepared to make the journey up the river again if the country was suitable for his purpose. The 'Ethiope' was better suited to the task though Becroft had lost a higher proportion of men. She mentions that Trotter had rescued three slaves from a canoe and had called them Hannah Buxton, Elizabeth Fry and Albert, but that he had been unable to find out where they had come from. Stanger had reported that up the Niger river no fruit was grow, not even cocoa, that Crowther had been well treated while he had stayed with Obie but had bee employed as a tailor to make up the cloth Trotter had given the King. They had lost a coloured missionary overboard, he had been ignored by the native canoes which had followed their vessel. One of the captains of the vessel bringing them home had been drowned while looking for shells end so Trotter had appointed one of his lieutenants to command her. (Copy.)
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