Removal to Mt. Vaughan-Sheppard's Lake-The Palm-tree a Grahway-Use of Greegrees-Manner of Making DoctorsDescription of Country-Interview with King Baphro.

ON the 4th of March, the Mission famil from the Cape to Mt. Vaughan; so called in h Rev. John A. Vaughan, under whose admin Secretary of the Board, the enterprise had menced. Easter was the day selected upo enter fully upon their Missionary operations.

Dr. Savage now decided upon paying a neighboring kings, whose children were mem school. The following extract from his journ much useful and interesting information:

"April 14th, 1837. On the morning instant I embarked, in company with Mr. the children who were natives of that regio Kroomen, in a canoe, upon Sheppard's Lake

*The term "Krooman," is, without doubt, deri original name of the tribe inhabiting the region a Kroo, which is "Karoo." They were the first to le tive country and act the part of servants and boatm

way; a town situated upon the coast, at a distance of about eight miles to the leeward of Cape Palmas. This lake is a beautiful sheet of water, extending about eight miles. It is nearly parallel, throughout, with the seacoast, from which it is separated, in many places, only by a narrow bank of sand thrown up by the surf; thus evidently showing that, originally, it was but a bay, or arm of the sea. Large quantities of fine fish are obtained once or twice during the year, by draining the lake. This is done by a collection of native boys, who, with their hands and sticks, dig a trench in the narrowest part of the bank towards the ocean, when the rush of waters soon breaks an outlet into the sea. A bank is again raised by the returning surf, and the usual quantity of water, soon renewed by the rains and tributary streams. An excursion upon this lake, affords to the admirer of nature, a scene of beauty and surpassing interest. Its banks are mantled with perpetual verdure of the richest hue. From their sloping sides ascend those trees which give to a tropical country its striking and unique appearance. The palm, the pride of tropical

coast. The name was, for some time, confined to them, till, by the enlistment of others, it has become generic. The Krooman's mark consists of a line of dark blue color beneath the cuticle, drawn from between the eyes on the forehead to the tip of the nose, about the eight of an inch in width; and a figure something in the form of a spear head, its point in conjunction with the outer angle of the eye, and extending backward upon the temples. Slaves dare not buy nor steal any one bearing this mark, for so dependent are they upon their agency, that the consideration of their vengeance as the probable consequence, restrains this act of cupidity.

climates, rivals all others in the grandeur of its appear. ance; ascending to a height of twenty, forty, sixty, and even a hundred feet, it confines all its foliage to its very summit. I have seen four species in this vicinity. And here, it may not be improper to give a short account of the practical uses of the palm among the natives.

"The palm affords a nut, which, to the Africans, is at once, a great source of food and wealth. When ripe, it is a rich and delicious fruit, possessing a good degree of nutriment. From this nut is obtained the palm oil, which is every year becoming in commerce a more important article of export. The demand is steadily increasing in Europe and America, inasmuch as it is made the basis of the refined and cosmetic soaps. The process by which it is obtained, though rude, is simple, and involves the principles of like operations in all civilized countries. The nuts are gathered at certain seasons, carried to a convenient watering place, then bruised in a mortar, and poured into a canoe of cold water. The pulp is then agitated and squeezed by the hand till all the oil which can be thus expressed, floats upon the surface. It is then skimmed off, and put in earthen pots and jars of native manufacture, for use and market. It is now in its crude state; and is so used for food and other purposes by the colonists and natives. Its color is a deep yellow, approaching to red. When clarified, it is as colorless as lard, and then forms an oil for the table, not inferior to that of the olive. The price of the oil here, is one dollar, or two bars (of tobacco) for a croo. The nominal value of a bar is fifty The volume of a croo is four gallons. With a

cents.

THE AFRICAN MISSION.

35

slight degree of clarification, palm oil is equal, and many think superior, for light, to any obtained from the whale. It is much cheaper, and we hope ere long, will be offered for sale in that state which is proper for the lamp. Besides the oil, a fluid is obtained from this species, which, as it is drawn from the tree, is sweet and highly pleasant to the taste. This is the native wine of Africa. Within twenty-four hours it undergoes the process of fermentation, and then contains about the same proportion of alcohol as American cider. If carried still farther, it forms a very sharp and pleasant vinegar, inferior, however, to that made from the juice of the apple. The other species of palm, common to this region, are, the palmetto, very much like the cabbage of the South, in the United States,—and the

cocoa-nut.

"A no less striking object, on near approach, is the Mangrove,--Rhisophora,-a tree as full of mystery in modern, as in ancient times. One great peculiarity is, the habit of shooting its branches into the water and earth below, forming new trunks and trees, till whole forests thus spring up, within the dark recesses of which, crocodiles and other aquatic animals find a lurking-place. From these mangrove-forests, these hiding-places of water serpents and other reptiles, proceed those nameless things, which seem to have their origin and place, in the theory only, of some medical authors, the tales of travellers, and the Peter Parley's of the day. They are represented as coming forth in millionary numbers, and, with the blight of their wings, spreading far and wide the seeds of disease and death

in the atmosphere of Africa. These invisible, mal creatures, or principles, I need not say, I unable to see or detect. No one, nor all, of 1 have yet proved adequate to such a task. Th therefore, as I found them, in the books and others. I can find no other ground for dis general sense, than what exists in a change of its necessary effect upon the system of strang as to local causes, they do not differ, so far as from those which facts prove to be common countries, These, I find sufficient to account, for all the disease I have yet seen, peculiar Add to these, the dissipated habits of som great imprudence of others, and it will be u to look much farther for causes of disease.

"After a delightful sail of about two hours, at the town of Grahway, or Grahway Poin trance, like almost all the towns of West along the coast, is guarded by a 'greegr This, generally, consists of two bee-hives, with feathers, goat horns, rags, &c. Trees ally seen, too, with refuse of all kinds thro the roots, and guarded from the contact of pro and feet by a high paling. These senseless objects of great veneration with the African supposed to exert an influence in warding o peasing the anger, and conciliating the favor rits. We found the king of this town absent received, therefore, by his head trademan. what good these things without life could do ply was, 'great deal; the people be bad p