VI.In getting up our CaravanWe met a most obliging man,The Lord Chief Justice of Liberia,And Minister of the Interior;Cain Abolition Beecher Boz,Worked like a Nigger—which he was—And in a single dayProcured us Porters, Guides, and kit,And would not take a sou for itUntil we went away.[4][4]But when we went away, we foundA deficit of several pound.Illustration: Large well-dressed African man doffing his hat to our traveller, who is holding his hat in deference.We wondered how this fellow madeHimself so readily obeyed,And why the natives were so meek;Until by chance we heard him speak,And then we clearly understoodHow great a Power for Social GoodThe African can be.He said with a determined air:“You are not what your fathers were;Liberians, you are Free!Of course, if you refuse to go—”And here he made a gestureso.Illustration: A well-dressed African man with walking stick, ax and belligerent expression.He also gave us good adviceConcerning Labour and its Price.“In dealing wid de Native Scum,Yo’ cannot pick an’ choose;Yo’ hab to promise um a sumOb wages, paid in Cloth and Rum.But, Lordy! that’s a ruse!Yo’ get yo’ well on de Adventure,And change de wages to Indenture.”We did the thing that he projected,The Caravan grew disaffected,And Sin and I consulted;Blood understood the Native mind.He said: “We must be firm but kind.”A Mutiny resulted.I never shall forget the wayThat Blood upon this awful dayPreserved us all from death.He stood upon a little mound,Cast his lethargic eyes around,And said beneath his breath:“Whatever happens we have gotThe Maxim Gun, and they have not.”Illustration: Blood, a stout man, with Maxim Gun.He marked them in their rude advance,He hushed their rebel cheers;With one extremely vulgar glanceHe broke the Mutineers.(I have a picture in my bookOf how he quelled them with a look.)We shot and hanged a few, and thenThe rest became devoted men.And here I wish to say a wordUpon the way my heart was stirredBy those pathetic faces.Surely our simple duty hereIs both imperative and clear;While they support us, we should lendOur every effort to defend,And from a higher point of viewTo give the full direction dueTo all the native races.And I, throughout the expedition,Insisted uponthis position.Illustration: Our three travellers with guns riding piggy-back on three Africans’ shoulders.
In getting up our CaravanWe met a most obliging man,The Lord Chief Justice of Liberia,And Minister of the Interior;Cain Abolition Beecher Boz,Worked like a Nigger—which he was—And in a single dayProcured us Porters, Guides, and kit,And would not take a sou for itUntil we went away.[4]
In getting up our CaravanWe met a most obliging man,The Lord Chief Justice of Liberia,And Minister of the Interior;Cain Abolition Beecher Boz,Worked like a Nigger—which he was—And in a single dayProcured us Porters, Guides, and kit,And would not take a sou for itUntil we went away.[4]
In getting up our Caravan
We met a most obliging man,
The Lord Chief Justice of Liberia,
And Minister of the Interior;
Cain Abolition Beecher Boz,
Worked like a Nigger—which he was—
And in a single day
Procured us Porters, Guides, and kit,
And would not take a sou for it
Until we went away.[4]
[4]But when we went away, we foundA deficit of several pound.
[4]
But when we went away, we foundA deficit of several pound.
But when we went away, we foundA deficit of several pound.
But when we went away, we found
A deficit of several pound.
Illustration: Large well-dressed African man doffing his hat to our traveller, who is holding his hat in deference.
We wondered how this fellow madeHimself so readily obeyed,And why the natives were so meek;Until by chance we heard him speak,And then we clearly understoodHow great a Power for Social GoodThe African can be.He said with a determined air:“You are not what your fathers were;Liberians, you are Free!Of course, if you refuse to go—”And here he made a gestureso.
We wondered how this fellow madeHimself so readily obeyed,And why the natives were so meek;Until by chance we heard him speak,And then we clearly understoodHow great a Power for Social GoodThe African can be.He said with a determined air:“You are not what your fathers were;Liberians, you are Free!Of course, if you refuse to go—”And here he made a gestureso.
We wondered how this fellow made
Himself so readily obeyed,
And why the natives were so meek;
Until by chance we heard him speak,
And then we clearly understood
How great a Power for Social Good
The African can be.
He said with a determined air:
“You are not what your fathers were;
Liberians, you are Free!
Of course, if you refuse to go—”
And here he made a gesture
so.
Illustration: A well-dressed African man with walking stick, ax and belligerent expression.
He also gave us good adviceConcerning Labour and its Price.“In dealing wid de Native Scum,Yo’ cannot pick an’ choose;Yo’ hab to promise um a sumOb wages, paid in Cloth and Rum.But, Lordy! that’s a ruse!Yo’ get yo’ well on de Adventure,And change de wages to Indenture.”We did the thing that he projected,The Caravan grew disaffected,And Sin and I consulted;Blood understood the Native mind.He said: “We must be firm but kind.”A Mutiny resulted.I never shall forget the wayThat Blood upon this awful dayPreserved us all from death.He stood upon a little mound,Cast his lethargic eyes around,And said beneath his breath:“Whatever happens we have gotThe Maxim Gun, and they have not.”
He also gave us good adviceConcerning Labour and its Price.“In dealing wid de Native Scum,Yo’ cannot pick an’ choose;Yo’ hab to promise um a sumOb wages, paid in Cloth and Rum.But, Lordy! that’s a ruse!Yo’ get yo’ well on de Adventure,And change de wages to Indenture.”
He also gave us good advice
Concerning Labour and its Price.
“In dealing wid de Native Scum,
Yo’ cannot pick an’ choose;
Yo’ hab to promise um a sum
Ob wages, paid in Cloth and Rum.
But, Lordy! that’s a ruse!
Yo’ get yo’ well on de Adventure,
And change de wages to Indenture.”
We did the thing that he projected,The Caravan grew disaffected,And Sin and I consulted;Blood understood the Native mind.He said: “We must be firm but kind.”A Mutiny resulted.I never shall forget the wayThat Blood upon this awful dayPreserved us all from death.He stood upon a little mound,Cast his lethargic eyes around,And said beneath his breath:“Whatever happens we have gotThe Maxim Gun, and they have not.”
We did the thing that he projected,
The Caravan grew disaffected,
And Sin and I consulted;
Blood understood the Native mind.
He said: “We must be firm but kind.”
A Mutiny resulted.
I never shall forget the way
That Blood upon this awful day
Preserved us all from death.
He stood upon a little mound,
Cast his lethargic eyes around,
And said beneath his breath:
“Whatever happens we have got
The Maxim Gun, and they have not.”
Illustration: Blood, a stout man, with Maxim Gun.
He marked them in their rude advance,He hushed their rebel cheers;With one extremely vulgar glanceHe broke the Mutineers.(I have a picture in my bookOf how he quelled them with a look.)We shot and hanged a few, and thenThe rest became devoted men.And here I wish to say a wordUpon the way my heart was stirredBy those pathetic faces.Surely our simple duty hereIs both imperative and clear;While they support us, we should lendOur every effort to defend,And from a higher point of viewTo give the full direction dueTo all the native races.And I, throughout the expedition,Insisted uponthis position.
He marked them in their rude advance,He hushed their rebel cheers;With one extremely vulgar glanceHe broke the Mutineers.(I have a picture in my bookOf how he quelled them with a look.)We shot and hanged a few, and thenThe rest became devoted men.
He marked them in their rude advance,
He hushed their rebel cheers;
With one extremely vulgar glance
He broke the Mutineers.
(I have a picture in my book
Of how he quelled them with a look.)
We shot and hanged a few, and then
The rest became devoted men.
And here I wish to say a wordUpon the way my heart was stirredBy those pathetic faces.Surely our simple duty hereIs both imperative and clear;While they support us, we should lendOur every effort to defend,And from a higher point of viewTo give the full direction dueTo all the native races.And I, throughout the expedition,Insisted uponthis position.
And here I wish to say a word
Upon the way my heart was stirred
By those pathetic faces.
Surely our simple duty here
Is both imperative and clear;
While they support us, we should lend
Our every effort to defend,
And from a higher point of view
To give the full direction due
To all the native races.
And I, throughout the expedition,
Insisted upon
this position.
Illustration: Our three travellers with guns riding piggy-back on three Africans’ shoulders.