Colonial Intelligence
Africa. –Extract of a Letter from Capt. Colliver, a Gentlemen belonging to the county of Cornwall, and who is an Officer in the service of the African Comapny:–
Cape Coast Castle, April 21, 1821. By the time you have received this, it is probable the African Company will have ceased to exist ; we have received orders to hold ourselves in readiness to deliver up the Forsts and Settlements here to Government. It is understood they are to be put on the same footing as Sierra Leone. A list has been furnished to Government by the Company’s Committee, of their Officers, their age, length of service, the situations they fill ; their emoluments[?], &c. We have been blockaded here, since the 10th of February, by the Ashantees[?] (an African tribe), who have commenced hostilities against us. On the day before mentioned, our Governor received intelligence that a black man belonging to Cape Coast, where the people are under our protection, had been cruelly murdered by a Chief of the Fantes[?], at a place about six miles from Cape Coast, called Moree[?]. I was immediately ordered to assemble all the soldiers I could, in five minutes, and proceed to Moree to seize the murderer. I quickly set off with four officers and 85 soliders. A little before we entered the town of Moree, where the savages, between 2 and 3,000 in number, were assembled, we saw the mangled remains of their unforunate victim. The town stands near the top of a hill, on the summit of which is an old Dutch Fort. As soon as we entered the town, a fire was opened upon us ; but as my orders were to seize the murderer, if possible, without bloodshed, I did not for some time allow the men to return the fire. However, perceiving they were resolved to oppose us, I gave directions to my little party to give them a volley and then to charge. The negroes retired as we advanced, and in less than an hour we gained the hill, from which our opponents fled in every firection. We demanded the keys of the fort from the principal man belonging to Moree ; who not being engaged in the affair had remained, and who immediately gave them up. In the fort, which has a draw-bridge, we were perfectly secure from the attack of the negroes. The body we defeated were Fantees, who were assembled to assist the Ashantees in enforcing some very unjust demands made by them on the people of Cape Coast. As soon as the Ashantees, who reside near Cape Coast, learned that the Governor had sent an armed force against their friends, their drum beat to arms, and they hastened after us ; fortunately we had defeated our opponents before they arrived. However, they rallied the Fantees, and took a position about half a mile from the town, with a determination to oppose our little party. The Governor, apprised of our situation, assembled all the forces he could muster, and speedily about 500 of the Cape Coast people, headed by our officers, and carrying the British flag, were seen approaching. The enemy immediatel retired, and we were relieved from our disagreeable situation, after having been from nine in the morning till four in the afternoon exposed to a burning sun, without refreshment. The negroes had 47 killed, and upwards of 100 wounded in this affair ; we had one soldier killed, and four wounded. Since the affair, we have not seen one of the Ashantees or the Fantees here ; and a total stoppage of trade has taken place. We have not learned how the King of Ashantee intends to act, nor is it safe to venture out of our limits, except in large parties.
New South Shetland –The Lord Melville, J. Clark, master has arrived in the London Docks from the New South Shetland fishery, which he left on the 31st of March, having on board the following persons, belogning to the crews of the undermentioned vessels, which had been wrecked, and whom he landed at Buenos Ayres, on the 21st of April, viz.
From the Hannah, Captain Johnson–J. Knowles (cooper), R. Thompson (joiner), J. Colditch, W. Jones, T. Lewis, H. Pearman, J. Boyd, A. Pringle, R. Richards, and W. Martin.
From the Minerva, Captain Burn–J. Stephens, R. Pearson, J. Collilice, W. Wisslock, W. Pile, and J. Wallar.
From the Lady Troubridge, Captain Sherrard–J. Forsham (first mate), D. Humphreys (seaman), J. Wolin, G. Martin, G. Inglefield, M. Swallow, T. Williams, J. Parsonage, W. Rome, W. Dead, J. Williams and J. Williams.
Captain Clark, also carried to Buenos Ayres the crew of the American schooner Venus, Capt. Nappue. He sailed from the River Plate on the 28th of April, and reached the Downs on the 31st ult. Capt. Clark left a small colony at Easter Harbour, consisting of the following individuals:–R. Gibbs, of London first officer of the Lord Melville ; G. Robertson, of Hamburgh, second officer of the Minerva, a vessel reported lost, but since arrived in the Brazils ; J. Jornan, of Leith, boatswain of the Lord Melville ; P. Howson, of Carron, carpenter ; J. Lockey, of Essex ; J. Semple, of Dundee ; J. Ash, of Liverpool ; J. Wares, a Portuguese ; William South of Aberden ; J. Roberts, of Liverpool ; and J. Havers, of Harwich, seamen.–They were left in good health and spirits, with a stock of twelve months provisions, and all the materials necessary for erecting three or four houses.
Citation: Aberdeen Journal (Aberdeen, United Kingdom), 15 August 1821, available at the Scissors and Paste Database, http://www.scissorsandpaste.net/183.