Newspaper Page Text
!Vo. 4 Vol. Vl.]
Northern Voyage of Discovery.
THE ESKIMAUX.
From Captain Lyons’ Private Diary , just
published.
j “ Nothing can equal (he eagerness for
barter evinced by these savages,
frenzy they exhibited to possess a nail or
aoy other trifle. To describe the various
modulations of their screams of joy or anxi
ety would be absolutely impossible. We,
however, in the general confusion, were of
opinion that the word used for barter was
‘Chi bo;’ for.it was repeated in every key
to which the human voice can be raised.
‘Pillctay’ was also clamorously and fre
quenlly repeated; and we had no doubt
that it implied * Give me,’ all ages and sex
es being most indefatigable beggars. They
were, however, traders as jong as they had
,any stock. Fiotn the men we purchased
oil, weapons, and ivory; the women sup
plied us with skins.ornaments,little pouches,
&c.; and from the children were procured
small toys and tnedals, their parents direct
ing them in their bargains and begging also.
There wa one little child, who, having no
merchandize to dispose of, ran about hold
ing up the red legs of a dovekie in hopes
that their colour might attract a customer ;
but meeting with no success, the poor little
trader was returning disconsolate to his
mother, wheu a button which I gave him
put the poor child quite into raptures, and
underwent more kissing than button ever
received before.
“ Both sexes eagerly sold Ibeir clothes,
and some went away nearly naked,notwith
standing the severity of the weather. I
must however say, in justice to the softer
spx, that they were more correct in the
choice of what parts of their clothing they
would dispose of, than the men; for Ido
not remember to have spea a single lady
part with her breeches, while the gentle
men were by no means so scrupulous, and
evinced no shame at appearing nearly nak
ed.”
It is supposed, from several instances,
that they even offered their children in bar
ter; but we continue the author’s own well
written narrative:—
“The strangers were so well pleased in
our society, that they showed no wish to
leave us, and when the market had quite
ceased, they began dancing and playing
with our people on the ice alongside; this
exercise again set many of their noses
bleedtog (which at their first arrival we
had observed to he the case.) and discover
ed to us a most nasty custom, which account
ed for their gory faces; and which was,
that as fast as the blood ran down, they
scraped it with their fingers into their
mouths, appearing to consider it as a re
freshinent or dainty, if we might judge by
the zest with which they smacked their lips
at each supply. Some of the most quiet
came on board the ship, and behaved very
well; while others walked quietly along
side, gazing occasionally at the men, hut
more frequently at some quarters of Old
English beef, which were hanging over the
stern, and had a most attractive appearance.
Some slices were cut off and thrown down
to them, and these they instantly devoured
tfcjlh great satisfaction; but they refused to
evil t,he biscuit which was offered at the
same time. One woman in particular at
tracted general notice by her unwearied ap
plication for presents, and by feigning to be
hurt, and crying to excite, compassion; in
which she no sooner succeeded than a loud
and triumphant laugh proclaimed the cheat.
Os all horrible yells, this laugh was the
most fiend-like I ever beard ; and her conn
teuance corresponded with her voice. She
had lost all her front teeth, with the excep
• lion of the eye-teeth; her mouth wasplen
tifully ornamented by blue tattoo-lines; and
a vast profusion of black, strait, and matted
‘hair, hung all round her head and face.
At her back was an imp not more prepos
sessing in features than herseif. and -*r,ream
itself black in the luce. Although the
countenances of the other young children
were generally rather pretty than other
wise, yet, from their dress and manner of
walking, they might, without any great
stretch of the imagination, have been taken
for the cubs of wild animals: particularly
some who were laid for safely in the bottom
of the women’s boats, amongst blubber, the
entrails of seals, &.c. of which they were
continually sucking whatever was nearest
to them.
“ In order to amuse our new acquaintan
ces as much as'possible, the fiddler was sent
on the ice, where he instantly found a most
delighted set of dancers, of whom some of
the women kept pretty good time. Their
only figure consisted in stamping and jump
ing with all their might. Our musician,
who was a lively fellow, soon caught the
infection, and began cutting capers also. In
a short time every one on the floe, officers,
men and savages, were dancing together,
and exhibited one of the most extraordinary
sights I ever witnessrd. One of our sea
men, of a fresh ruddy complexion, excited
the admiration of all the young females,
who patted bis face and danced round him
wherever he went. I was half inclined to
suppose they fancied him a woman,although
he was nearly six feet high, and stout in
proportion, lam sorry to give hut a bad
THE MISSIONARY.
Os all the dispositions and leadto PoWo Jowmerit* lh R ?° Bpel **! V,* Ty ¥'•—-Jtnu Chrut.
!_ _ t 0 P o lt| cal prosperity, ftelrgion and Morality are indispensable support t.-Washington.
account of the morals of our visiters, some
of whom were very importunate in offering
their wives in exchange fora knife, and the
women as anxiously pressing the bargain.
“The exertion of dancing so cxhilirated
the Eskimaux, that (hey had the appear
ance of beiog boisterously drunk, and play
ed many extraordinary pranks. Amongst
others, it was a favourite joke to run slyly
behind the seamen, and, shouting loudly in
one ear, to give them, at the same time, a
smart slap on the other.
“ While looking on, I was sharply saluted
ia this manner, aud, of course, was quite
startled, to the great amusement of the by
standers; the joke consisting in making the
person struck to look astonished, which, as
may be supposed, was always (he result.
“Our cook, who was a most active and
unwearied jumper, became so great a fa
vourite, that every one boxed his ears so
soundly, as to oblige the poor man to retire
from such boisterous marks of approbation.
Amongst other sports, some of the Eski
oanx rather roughly, but with great good
humour, challenged our people to wrestle.
One man, in particular, who bad thrown
several of his countrymen, attacked aa offi
cer of a very strong meke. But the poor
savage was instantly thrown, and with no
very easy fall; yet, although every one was
laughing at him, he bore it with exemplary
good humour. The same officer afforded
as much diversion, by teaching a large party
of women to bow, curtsy, shake hands, turn
their toes out, and perform sundry other
polite accomplishments: the whole party,
master and pupils, preserving the strictest
gravity.
“ As sailors seldom fail to select some
whim ical object on whom to pass their
j dies, they soon found one in the person of
an ugly old man, possessing a great stock of
impudence, and a most comick countenance
He had sold all his clothes, with the excep
lion ol his breeches, and in this state they
made him parade the decks, honoured by
the appellation of king. Some rum whs
offered to this exalted personage, but hr
spat it out again with signs of great disgust.
In order to anew him that it might be drank,
one of the seamen was told to finish the
glass, but he refused to touch it “ after such
a brute.” The boat swain, however, with
much humour and a knowing look, stepped
forward, saying, ‘ Here, ham) me the glass.
I’ll drink with the gentleman, 1 and nodding
a health, which was returned by our king,
he drank off the grog.
“ Sugar was offered to many of the grown
people, who disliked it very much, and, to
our surpiise, the young children were
equally averse to it.
“ Towards midnight all our men, except
the watch on deck, turned in to their beds,
and the fatigued and hungry E-kirnatix re
turned to their boats to lake their supper,
which consisted of lumps of raw flesh and
blubber of seals, birds, entrails, licking
(heir fingers with great ze-t, and with
knives or fingers scraping (he blood and
grease which run down their chins into
their mouths.
“ I walked quietly round to look at the
diflerent groupes, and in one of the wo
men’s boats I observed a young girl, whom
we had generally allowed to be the belle of
the party, busily employed in tearing a
slice from the belly of a seal, and biting it
into small pieces for distribution to those
around her. I also remarked that the two
6exes took their meal apart, the men on the
ice, the women sitting in their boats. At
midnight they all left us, so exhausted by
their day’s exertions, that they were quite
unable either to scream or laugh. The
men paddled slowly away, and the women
rowed off with half their party asleep. A
few went ooly to a piece of floating ice
astern, where they lay down for the night,
while the others made their way to the
shore, which was about eight miles distant.”
This is very agreeably told, and indeed
the whole style of the Journal displays the
same unsophisticated and descriptive talent.
“ We beat up along shore between Cape
Dorset and Salisbury, and Nottingham Isl
ands, during the morning of the Ist of Au
gust, which was mild and fine; and in the
course of the day received another visit
from the Eskimaux, who came off in four
men’s boats, and one oomiack. They had
little to sell, but we derived much amuse
ment from the more than usually grotesque
crew of the latter, which, in this instance,
was commanded in chief by an old and fat
womao, although (wo stout boys were with
her. This female coxswain carried a small
child at her hack, in whose features we fan
cied it possible to trace some resemblance
to European infants, although its colour,
natural or artificial, was many shades dark
er. There were several other young chil
dren in this boat, very pretty little savages,
with fine dark eyes, and white teeth ; but
although their countenances were lively
and intelligent, there was a kind of wildness
in their looks, not a little heightened by the
profusion of‘elf locks” which hung over
their necks and faces. One poor infant,
notwithstanding the tumult caused by the
elder people, lay quietly asleep in the bot
tom ol the boat, wrapped in a skin, aod hav
tug both legs jammed into a boot. Its
mouth was filled with a large piece of blub
ber which kept the jaws distended, and
probably caused the child (o fancy itself
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK COUNTY, GEORGIA,) MONDAY, JULY 12, 1824.
still at the’ breast, for it moved its lips as*
infants do when they dream. I had forgot
ten this quiet little personage for some
lime, but on looking again, found it still in a
snuod sleep, in defiance of the numberless
thumps and kicks it received from the wo
men R 9 they danced and scrambled about
the boat. It lay so torpidly, that one of our
people thought it was dead, which induced
him logo into the boat and set the little
sleeper opright. The child no sooner
opened its eyes, than creeping into a cor
ner of the boat for security, it occasionally
peeped out with the same gravity as a
young owl when exposed to a strong glare
of light. On observing the cork which had
filled the babe’s mouth, I found it was not
that ol a seal, and soon discovered a large
piece of fresh whale’s blubber, with the
skin on, lying in the stern of the boat.”
MUMMY.
Description of an Egyptian Mummy lately uncas
ed at Paris.
The subject was of the masculine sex,
and appeared about forty-live or fifty years
of age at most. The length was five feet
nine inches. The breast and part of the
abdomen were gilt. The belly was filled
with a black balsam. No MS, was found,
but large masses of black balsam were dis
covered on the legs. The unrolling the
body took three hours, and 2800 square
feet of cloth were taken off. M. Cailliand
found several parts of the arms were also
gilt. The hands long, and very well pre
served, the lingers well made and plump,
the ears entire; and the nose although in
jured by the extraction of the brain, little
defurmed. The lace was less inclined than
in ordinary mummies. The hair was per
fectly preserved, fine and a little curled.
On the left side was an opening, about live
inches in diameter, by which the balsam
wa9 infused into the body. Under the cloth
which covered the face below each eye, on
the hall of the cheek, a gold plate was
found, with the representation of an eye
with the lids. On the mouth was another
[date, with a representation of a longue
placed perpendicularly to the closing ol the
lips, which were fast shut. The conjec
ures, respecting their usages are of course
vague and unsatisfactory.
HAYTI AND COLONIZATION SOCI
ETY.
Mr. Loring D Dewey, Agent of the Col
onization Society of New Yoik, addressed
a letter some time since to the President of
Hayti, requesting information respecting
the state of society in the republick, and
the conditions on which coloured emigrants
would be permitted or encouraged to settle
there. The letter was written in his indi
vidual capacity; but was understood hy the
President to be an official one, and was re
plied to as coming from the general agent
ol the American Society. In his answer,
hearing date April 30lh, 1824, he expres
ses the most perfect willingness, aod even
a strong desire to receive coloured emi
grants from the United Stales, and proffers’
them all the rights and immunities of Hay
tien citizens. The Government, he says,
will aid in defraying the expenses of the
voyage of such a9 are unable to pay them ;
and will give in fee simple as much land as
they will cultivate to a//, no matter how
great the number, who arrive with the in
tention of submitting to the laws of the
country, and will advance (hem food, tools,
and other necessaries, until they become
sufficiently established to support them
selves. Merchants and mechaoicks, in ad
dition to the perfect liberty to pursue their
occupations, are promised exemption from
the expense of purchasing a patent for the
first year. None will be molested for their
religioo, provided they do not seek to make
proselytes, or trouble others who profess a
different faith. Much caution 19 manifest,
however, in the paragraph on this subject.
It does not contain a clear aod explicit offer
of religious liberty, such as is enjoyed in the
United States. So desirous is President
Boyer of promoting the emigration of our
black population to that island, that he has
despatched an Agent to the city of New
York to make arrangements od the subject
with the Colonization Society. Whether
aoy of the friends of the institution in the
Northern or Eastern states will think it ad
visable to avail themselves of these offers,
or not, we do not know. Many persons, in
various parts'of our country, have expres
sed the opinion that the objects of the soci
ety would be much more fully and speedily
accomplished by transporting the free col
oured people to Hayti, than in colonizing
Africa. It is evident, however, that such
an opinion proceeds from a very partial
view of those objects. The following con
siderations deserve great weight. 1. Hay
ti is situated too near the Southern stales to
be a proper receptacle of their black popu
lation. 2. The whole island is less than
the state of Virginia, and with its present
population, could afford subsistence and em
ploymeot to but a small portion of the col
oured people of this country. 3. The col
onization of Africa is the only measure,
which is likely to effect the suppression of
the slave trade. 4. An indirect, but very
important object of colonizing Africa, is to
disseminate the blessings of civilization and
religion among (he natives of that continent.
5. A settlement is already commenced in
Africa, and is just emerging from the diffi
culties with which every colonial establish
ment has to contend in its infant state ; and
its success requires all the fnnds and the un
divided attention ol the friends of coloniza
tion throughout our whole country. It
seems desirable that their exertions should
be concentrated and directed to one region,
and that their resources should be collected
into one reservoir and flow in one direction.
For these reasons we cannot but consider it
an unfortunate circumstance that President
Boyer has, by any means, received the im
pression that the American Colonization
Society have their views directed to Hayti.
The liberal offers contained in his letter,
and which will doubtless he renewed hy his
agent, while they are in fact mere trifles in
comparison of the considerations mentioned
above, will have a tendency to divide the
friends ol the institution and lessen the
fruits ot their labours. [Fu/nily Fisiter.
From the New York Spectator, June 19.
Colonization of Hayti. —A meeting of a
number of our most respectable citizens
wh9 held lust evening at the New York In
stitution, to take into consideration the pro
positions of President Boyer, relative to
colonizing our free blacks in the island ol
St. Domingo. Dr. Spring was called to
the chair, and Hiram Kelchnm, Esq, ap
pointed Secretary. It was expected that
the Citizen Grandeville (the Haytien agent)
would have been present to have explain
ed more fully the objects of his govern
ment, and the extent of his powers, hut he
was prevented attending by indisposition.—
A free interchange of the views and opin
ions ol gentleman was had, and a very gen
eral opiaion was expressed in favour of the
organization of a society for Ihe purpose of
forwarding the views of the President of
Hayti. The principal question agitated
was, whether any correspondence should
be opened with the parent Colonization So
ciety, or whether r.n institution should be
organized entirely separate and distinct
from any other. It was contended on the
one hand that the National Colonization
Society was decidedly opposed to sending
any of our black population to Hayti—that
place being considered to near for the safe
ty of our Southern brethren, whose nume
rous slave population might then become
still more dangerous than at present. It
was also contended (bat the project of an
African colony had in a manner failed—that
the climate was destructive—and that the
project is not only becoming more and
more unpopular in this section of the coon
trv, but will, in the end, become impracti
cable. Gen. Mercer, of Virginia, who was
present by special invitation, being re
quested to explain his views, and as far as
he could those of the southern gentlemen
upon this interesting subject, addressed the
meeting in an able and forcible manner for
some time. He was totally opposed, and
so was the Society (of which he was one of
the Managers) to the Haytien project. But
he denied that thri opposition arose from
any appieheDsions of danger. He had nev
er heard it objected that Hayti was too near.
But he contended that the plan was entire
ly inadequate to the great object in view—
viz.—the colonization of all our free col
oured population, and ihe complete extin
guishment of the slave trade. Hayti would
not afford room for the whole of this popu
lation, and the slave trade could not be ef
fectually stopped without planting colonies
upon the Western Coast of Africa. In re
gard to the alleged failure of the attempt
to plant a colony at Cape Messurado, he
denied that it had, comparatively speaking,
been even unfortunate. History did not
afford an example where so much had been
done, in so short a time, and with so little
means. It had been more favoured than
Sierra Leone, or any of the European colo
nies upon that coast, and even the coloniza
tion of New York and Virginia did not com
mence under such auspicious circumstances
—and as to the country and climate, they
are the most fruitful and delightful in the
world. Gen. M. observed, that as it res
pected the offers made by President Boyer,
they had already been proposed to the Col
onizaiion Society and rejected. And prop
ositions still more favourable had been made
by France, the government of which bad
offered to settle this population in French
Guiana, transport them thither, give them
lands aod support them until they should
be able to take care of themselves, aod
even bring them back again at Ihe end of
(wo years, should (be settler be dissatisfied.
These propositions had also been rejected,
upon the ground that the great object of
destroying Ihe slave trade, so dear to phi
lanthropists, would be defeated. A letter
was afterwards read from Gen. Harper, in
which opinions essentially different from
those of Gen. Mercer were expressed.—
Gen. H. said that the great reason of the
opposition of the South to Hayti as a colo
uy, wa9 it proximity to us, and the facility
ol communication between the blacks of the
two countries that would exist. From the
tenor of the letter, however, if we under
stand jt correctly, the writer and many oth
ers would have no objection to a distinct so
ciety for the purpose bow in view, and he
seemed to think that both colonies could
be prosecuted successfully at yace. The
[Price $3 50 per arm.
gentlemen present seemed to thick (bat
the Haytien project should be prosecuted,
if at all, without any reference to the Colo
nization Society, and with this view a com
mittee of nine was appointed to report upoa
the subject at an adjourned meeting to be
held on Friday next, at six o’clock.
M ISsioNARY.
From the Southern Intelligencer.
MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE SYN
OD OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND
GEORGIA.
The Treasurer acknowledges the re
ceipt of Ihe following sums in aid of the
Chickasaw mis-ion: Ladies of Congregation
on John’s Island,
2d payment for educating Elipha White,
by Mr. Thos. Legare, S3O 00
Dr. Bloomingburg, a donation, $10; also
from his children, 1; by the Rev. Dr.
Palmer, li 00
Salem Union Society, 28 00
Religious Charitable Soc. of Salem, 10 50
Ladies of Wappetaw Church, by
the Rev. Mr. Reid, 13 50
Mrs. Isabel Calhoun, for educating S.
Calhoun, Chickasaw mission, 30 00
VV. J. Wilson, suh. 5 (jo
Rev. Win. H. Barr, from Sundry So
cieties in Abbeville diet. a9 per an
nexed letter, J4l 62
Extract of a letter from the President of the Syn
odical Society, to the Treasurer, dated Abbe
ville, May 26, 1624.
“ It is alarming to see the receipts of the
treasury for the present year so few and
small ; and unless something can be done
to increase our funds, we shall not only be
prevented from extending our missionary
operations, as was contemplated, but the
very existence of the Chickasaw Mission
will be endangered. Any person from
looking over the subjoined list of receipts,
must be convinced that the cultivation of
missionary fields is an excellent plan ; and
I do most sincerely recommend it to the
friends of missions who live in the country.
A society of thri kind will not only be more
productive than any other,* hut from its
nature, there will be less difficulty in keep
mg it alive, or in collecting what is due.
And such a plan would also have tendency
to keep alive the missionary spirit
for the lot thus consecrated to the spread
of the gospel, would serve as a remembran
cer through the whole year. And as such
a lot would generally be cultivated in hours
of relaxation, or by a little increase of ex
ertion, it would have no tendency to dimin
ish the person’9 annual income, and possi
bly might greatly increase it, as in all ef
forts we depend for success upon the bles
sing of that God who hath promised that
“ the liberal soul shall be made fat, and he
that wateretb eball be watered also him
self.”
“The Chickasaw Mission if not the only t
is at least the first effort of the kiod ever
made by the people of the South.—Thus
far it has prospered perhaps more than any
other mission ever did, in proportion to the
means employed. Upon the people of the
South it depends for support,aod if neglected
by them, where shall it look for relief?”
Missionary Field Society of Bethsalem , Aux
iliary to the Missionary Society of the Syn
od of South Carolina and Georgia.
Mrs. Terry, from a small lot of Cot
t°n, 14 oo
Dr. Joseph B. Gibert, do 450
Mr. Thomas Cunningham, do 600
Mr. John M‘Carter, do 4 50
Mr. David C. Haslet, do 3 00
Hopewell Farming Missionary Society , aux
iliary to the Missionary society of the Sytt
od of South Carolina and Georgia.
Rev. H. Reid, proceeds of a small lot
of cotton, gQ 23
Mr. John Gray, corn, 650
A Houston, Esq. do 450
Mr. Osweld Houston, cotton 26 40
Mr9. Elizabeth Davis, do 321
Mr. Robert Shanks, do 200
Mr. James Glasgow, corn, 260
Mr. Alexander M-Kinny, do 1 25
Mr. Willian Carson, do 312
Mrs. Frances Calhoun, do 480
Donations made this Society.
Mr. Nathan Lusk, 50
Mrs. Ann E. Norris, 5 qq
Eqr. Presley, o 81
William Gray, j gQ
A Servant, jq
Subscriptions , Src. to the Parent Society.
Rev. John B Kennedy, subscription, 5 00
“Alex. Kirkpatrick , do 600
Andrew Norris, Esq. do 5 00
Eliza, a little girl, donation, j QO
Henrietta, do do 50
Sarah do do |2
John R. a little boy, j qq
* Suppose 1000 persons should plant each one
quarter of an acre in cotton: and suppose each
‘ ot i“ produce 50 lbs. cotton, and this to be sold
Tor s6—'the whole amount will be S6OOO. This
short calculation .. made for the purpose of shew
mg what migh t be done, if the friend, of miss,on.
would generally adopt the agricultural plan.
MONTHLY CONCERT.
At the Monthly Concert in Boston, on
Monday evening, (June 14) some addtion
af information waa communicated in refer
ence to the missions among the Cherokena