Chapter XIX

Captain Laing, of the brig Maria, of London, hearing that an Englishman is at Badagry, comes from Whydah to fetch the Author — His reflections on leaving Badagry, and on reaching the British vessel — The Maria sails for Cape Coast, where the Author lands, and is taken on board the Esk sloop of war, which vessel sails for England — Tale of the turtles — Arrival in England, &c.

I had heard it rumoured some days before that an English vessel had been seen trading on the coast, and I waited with trembling anxiety and a palpitating heart till accident might make her captain acquainted with the circumstance of my being shut up in Badagry. My most flattering anticipations were amply realized, for on the 20th of January, two months after my arrival, a fellow came running in breathless haste towards me, with a letter and a bottle of gin from the master of a British vessel then lying off the town, directed to “The Englishman at Badagry.” No one can express the pleasure that thrilled through every nerve, as I was perusing lines traced by the fingers of a countryman, and containing the transporting intelligence that “Captain Laing,[9] of the brig Maria of London, hearing that a white man was resident at Badagry, and strongly suspecting that he must belong to the African Mission of exploration under Captain Clapperton, had come from Whydah, and would feel pleasure, if such proved to be the case, in being serviceable to him in any manner that might be suggested, or in transporting him to a British settlement on the coast.” Scarcely knowing what I did, and almost beside myself with joy, I wrote a hasty scrawl of thanks to the generous Englishman; and, desiring Pasko and the slaves to get every thing in readiness for starting immediately, I paid my respects to the king, and his wives and chiefs, and bade them a last farewell.

Returning instantly to my habitation, I left the town of Badagry, and bent my way directly for the beach. My heart bounded within me at sight of the proud banner of my country, streaming from the stately mast of the Maria; and a signal being made, a boat was without loss of time despatched to my assistance. I was soon on the water; and as the little bark moved swiftly towards the ship, although my appearance was pitiable in the extreme, the yards were instantly ordered to be manned, and three tremendous cheers from the throats of British seamen, welcomed me once more to the dear society of my gallant countrymen. This was ravishing melody in my ears; it was the happiest, most rapturous moment of my life. I hastily climbed the sides of the vessel, and springing delighted upon the conscious deck, returned thanks to the Almighty for my preservation, and shook hands heartily with the captain and crew. But as sudden and violent transport is seldom lasting, so I could not help reflecting, a very few minutes afterwards, how different, how _very_ different had been my feelings in the same place about two years before;—so nearly is joy allied to sorrow, pleasure to pain, cheerfulness to melancholy. As a noble tree, growing in strength, and flourishing in beauty, is suddenly blasted by lightning, which scathes its verdant foliage, and destroys the vital principle; even so had I seen a party of British officers, proud as their native rocks, wither and die. They had planted their feet on African soil full of fine spirit and noble enthusiasm, scoffing at peril, and determined to overcome every human obstacle that might arrest their progress in the accomplishment of their hazardous undertaking, that great object of their ambition, to which the eyes of millions were directed. A few months only had elapsed, when their elevated hopes and buoyant feelings were quenched in darkness; their manly frames shrivelled like the tree, from irremediable causes; till, unable longer to “drag their slow length along,” they had languished and fallen, and the sound of their voices was heard no more—they had resigned their burden of life, sorrow, and suffering; and were transplanted to that unknown country where “the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest.” I, of all, was left to tell the sorrowful tale to their countrymen. I had certainly cause for self-gratulation at the almost miraculous preservation of my own life; but I had also matter for gloomy reflections in the mournful fate of so many brave and enterprising British officers, who had died prematurely in a savage land; and I sighed when the Maria sailed from Badagry, to look back on departed times, and recall the hearty, thoughtless merriment that burst vociferously from the hearts of the dauntless Englishmen an evening or two preceding their landing at that place; nor could I refrain from asking myself: “And where is their merriment; where is their laughter, now?”

On arriving at Cape Coast, I was received in the most cordial manner by the Governor, Colonel Lumley (since dead), and the British merchants then in the place, with whom I dined, and who vied with each other in showing me every mark of kindness and respect. As soon as they learnt my arrival, the Houssa inhabitants flocked around me, and were delighted that a white man could converse with them in their own language; which feeling was infinitely increased by my assuring their sceptical companions that Houssa was a good land—for even in the breasts of these rude Africans a love of country was not the least distinguishable sentiment. These poor people stood with mouths open, to be informed of what was transacting in the land of their birth; and were variously agitated, in proportion as the accounts were of a good or bad nature.

At Cape Coast I gave my faithful slaves, Aboudah, Jowdie, and Pasko’s wife, their freedom; but when they were made acquainted with the fact that the boon offered them was on condition of their remaining behind, they could not conceal their disappointment and regret, and were unwilling to accept it, saying it was the greatest evil that could befall them. They came to me in a body on the morning of my departure, making the air ring with their lamentations; and, covering their heads with sand and dust, they intreated me with tears to take them with me to my country. I consoled the poor creatures as well as I could, with the hope of seeing them again in a couple of months; and they left me in better spirits. Colonel Lumley, with the most laudable generosity, presented each of them with a sum of money and a plot of ground, with which they built huts for themselves, and formed their land into gardens; so that they can now boast of greater comfort and convenience than most of their emancipated countrymen residing on the coast.

On the 13th of February, I embarked with Pasko on board the Esk sloop of war, Captain Purchase, which set sail the same day for Fernando Po, where I had a long interview with Major Denham, the only survivor of the previous mission of discovery (but since deceased), who expressed infinite concern to hear of the fate of his coadjutor in that expedition.

The Esk visited the island of St. Helena, (where I landed, with others, to see the tomb of Bonaparte,) and that of Ascension, from whence a number of huge turtles was taken on board; and afterwards we sailed direct for England.

During the voyage, finding it impossible to sleep in a seaman’s hammock, in consequence of having been accustomed, for so long a period to repose on hard mats, an awning was prepared for me upon the deck of the vessel, under which I lay down every night; and slept soundly till the arrival of the Esk at Portsmouth on the 30th of April. Whether it was owing to change of air, or alteration of diet, or both of these causes combined, I know not, but I became exceedingly ill on ship-board, which continued some time after my arrival in England; and this, together with intermittent fever and general debility, damped considerably the joy I should otherwise have felt on placing my foot once more on British soil.

After our catching the turtle at Ascension, to which I have already alluded, some of them had the misfortune to die, and their companions in confinement and misery were hourly expected to follow their example; insomuch that the captain ordered their eyes to be bathed in water morning and evening, as the only means of preserving the poor creatures’ lives. This cleanly and responsible office was proposed for my acceptance; but could I, who had so recently shaken hands with majesty, and lodged in the palaces of kings; who had been waited on by the queen of Boussa, and walked delighted with the proud princess of Nyffé; could I, who might have become the master of a thousand slaves, and lord of the high-minded and lovely Zuma; who had been solicited to wed the daughters of a mighty monarch, as well as become premier of his Councils and commander-in-chief of his armies;—could I so suddenly fall from the towering elevation to which my consequence had raised me, forget all my dignity and all my laurels, and descend to the menial, grovelling occupation of washing the filthy eyes of turtles? Surely, no. But for the first time I _felt_ that I was amongst my good-for-nothing countrymen; that the astonishing “Nassarah Curramee” of Africa, the god, the prophet, the enchanter, had degenerated into the simple Richard Lander of former years; and that all my glory and all my consequence had vanished into air. Alas!

“See how the mighty shrink into a song!”

Well, I put the best face upon the matter that I could assume, and respectfully insinuated that, considering myself in the light of a passenger, I did not think it to be altogether honorable that so disagreeable a task should be imposed upon me in particular; and that although no one could feel a more lively degree of sorrow for the sufferings and forlorn condition of the unfortunate animals in question than myself, the duty of ministering to their wants, ought, in common fairness, to devolve on a person of _less consideration_, and one on whose services they had a more lawful claim than on mine. My scruples were respected, and the turtles died!

On arriving in London, I was met in the streets by a Jew, who ran forth and cordially embraced me, asking how I had left our Hebrew brethren in Jerusalem. The fellow, by my beard, and singular appearance, had taken it into his head that I belonged to his own fraternity, and was just returned from visiting the holy city; but, being convinced of his ludicrous mistake, my affectionate would-be brother sneaked off without further “_palavering_;” and I hastened to my late master’s agents, Messrs. Evans and Eaton, George-street, Adelphi. Agreeably to the Captain’s dying injunction, his uncle, Col. Clapperton, was sent for; but that officer being in the country, did not arrive in time; and I thought it advisable that a private gentleman (Mr. M‘Gougan), my master’s esteemed friend, should accompany me to the Colonial office in his stead. In the presence of this individual I deposited my charge safely in the hands of the Secretary, together with the gold and silver watches—without having lost a single article from the moment I left Soccatoo, twelve months previously, although I had travelled throughout the most violent rainy season that had been remembered by the natives for many years. Pasko was sent back to his wife at Cape Coast Castle, but not till, after much entreaty, I had given him permission to pay his addresses also to Aboudah, the young woman the prince of Zeg Zeg had offered me for a spouse;—whilst I, when I had remained in the metropolis three or four weeks, in order to prepare a rough copy of my journal, returned to my friends at Truro, in Cornwall, after an absence from them of nearly thirteen years.