Intelligence: Intelligence From Africa

Letters from Messrs. Steele, Roymond and Wilson, the MUsionaries who accompauieil tlie Mendians lo Atriea, wurc received here on the llth Sust, from Sierra Leone, as l;tïe as February I9th, by the British brig 'James Hay.' - They bring inucli ïnterest'm information, a synopsis of wl.u h it is the object of lliis conimunication to lay before !he pu Jic. They arrived at Sierra Leone on the 15tli of Janunry, in fifly days from New York, and all their stores, looli, implements of iif.'riculture, kc. were admiited free ofdutVi and even without examinution. The particulars respecting the vovage are contained in leiters which Imvc not yet come to hand. They met with a very favorable recept ion í rom the Government therct and aiso frora llie English Missionarius, who beerned anxious to lend ali ihe assistunce they coiild to the enterprise. Dr. Fergusson, the acting Governor, was promoting iheir comfort and affording thein all the aid in liis power. He olfered Mr. Steele a Government boa, with a crew and a superintendent, if fie chose to depart immediute'y; but he recommended hisstaying until the arrival of the successor of the late governor, Sir John Jeremie. On the 30th Januaiy, SirGeo. MacDonald, the new Governor, nrrived from England, and proffered every necessury apsistoncetothe mieéionnries. He expresad himeelf very favorably towards thcm and thoso under their charge, und advised Mr, Steele to proceed on the exploring tour he had contemplated, ascertain the disposition of the peopJe, report to him his success, aïid state ihï oid he thout'ht necesuary from the Brilish Grovernment. The healih of the missionaries was inimpaired, with the exception of Mrs. Raymond and her infant daughter, who had been 6ligtly visited with the fever, but were convalecen. - The returned Mendians are all wiih, anaunder the care of Mr. Ruy mond at Freetown, wbicri "is eiiuated on the Sierra Leone River, ibout five milea from Cape Sierra Leone." He is engaged, as far as he can nppropriate the time to it, in giving thein instruction. He mcntinns that someof them seemed overjoyed at the idea of rccommencing their etudios. Some of the Mendians had returned, in eome deg.'ee, to their former licentious habits, and seeued unwilling to brook control, but by his pronpt and judicious measuresMr. Raymond appeared to have checked in a great measure the iendency to return lo the heathenish lifp. Tl;o liberuted Africans at Sierra Leone are from about sixty-six different tribes, and a largj part of them are Kooses or Mendians. From 200 lo 600, it wasconjectured, might acconpany the Amistad Africans if it should be thought desirable, when the missionrries have determined on tlie best location. On the Sd of February, Mr. Steek, accompanied by Cinque, Ban-na, Fuli-wa, Covey, &c. startedon his exploration, from which Jie had not returned at the latest dite. Mr. Dove one of the Enulish VVeslevan Missionaries! was to have accompanied Mr. Steele, but sickness in his family prevented. Mr. Steele, therefore, was the only white raan in the exploring party. Mi. Raymond informs us that a war had broken out about that rinr: the tribes in the región ¦¦ had gone. Mr. S. had ! onial Sec reta ry to one o at tiie head of this war. that this war would frust , : exploring tour, but the wur c ne,j7 , and Mr. Steele was probobly object. He will personally !. irj„er [ from their hostilities. Mr. JR eie l word trom him a few days afl ?ft I He w;s at York, about 25 n Sierraeonc. It secms qviite difílcult to obtain any th ítisfactory infonnaüon reapccting the Mendi t0 ounlry in addition to wlmt is already known; g ut Mr. Raymond has obtamed through a Oi ún Mr. Purker, who is well acquainted nnd ti as traded mucli with them, and from other pi ources, very definite knowlcdge of the w cterofthe JMendian People. t: They are represented as very warlike and ome of the greatest 6lave dealers are in that a iart of Al rica. They even war among ti elves for the purpose of getting slaves. lf , he Mendians wlio were in this country should 0 eturn into the midst of their own, it is feared hey would be immediately taken and sold {, rain. It is therefore deemed unsafe, for the p resent at least, to go back into the interior, t id Grand Cape Mount, on the borders of their ountry, is vow supposed to be the most e sito, as it rwpectp he.ilth, ftc. for , ablishment of ihe Mission. Herc their ves can haya acce6S to them, and the miesion , on be graduully vorking its way into' the erior. Mr. Steele's return however may lead o a différent choice of location, Some of the Amistad Africans are found to be Mendian3 nd soirie to belong to another tribe called ulloms, and therc is some disngrcement among tliem respecting the question with whom he Mission shali be identi6ed. Their eyes are turned to different Jocations. This hovvvcr it is hoped vvill not be a serious difficulty. 3omn of them indícate a 6trong diïpoeition to ay aside their clolhing and return to their former savage Hfe of nakedness. One strong incentive to this is the gree-gree marks as tliey cali them, which are found upon their bodies. - These are marks of honor, diplomas which ïave great rneaning with them. They receive hem when they pa6S through certain branches of learning, or acquit themselves of feats of agility or danger, and are then entitled to change their natnes or adopt an addition lo tliem and u.4 before. It will jrobably require great efibvt to reRlrain sume of them Trom a relapse into their former habits. With one or two exceptions they rcmain firm to their temperance principies, drinking nothing which will intoxícate. The Europeans generally at Sierra Leone, drink wine, ale, porter and brandy so freely that it is not surpnsing they are frequent! y taken sick suddenly and that so niany sitik into premature graves. Te-me, the youngest of the ihree Mendian girls, joined a Temperance Society before she left America. She had soire palm wine (which is merely the sap of the palm tree, and when pare and free, without any intoxicating tendency,) hut would not diiukany of il untilsheiiad asked Mrs. Rymond i; it was proper drink for a tee-tolaller. Mr. R. etutes that he liever enjnyed better health, both ot mind and body, though he finils that he cannot endure neor so much Jiardship as he could ir hia own country. Mr. and Airs. Wilson, tlif colored assistant Missiunanes, were in goocMr. Ita.nond had hirrd a house at Sierro Leone I sufficient size to accommodate all the Amistad Africins and the m'u6ior;arie.c, and all tiicir goods. So-ko-ma, one oï the Amistad Atricans, h'id agreed lo cook for the whole p:irty at two dollars a monlh, and have his clothing kepi whole. They consume daily about tnenty qnarts of rice and a shilling sterling worlh of fisb. Tlie clotlies are carricd out bï town for wnshing, at some brook, according to the cutim of the place, as the town h too dus ty to dry clothes in. Mr. Jt. is gettmg hia ools ready for use, and will be fully prepared far entermíí upon the performance of whatever carpeniry, &o. mny be ncceüsary when they have seleoted a locution. Tiie missionarieá do not 6eem at all discüiimged, but labor as men who expect to do grcat tlnns. Should they settleatCape Mount they will be under the protcctiou of the Government at Sierra Leone Two or three slavcrs liad been brought into port by liie Britisü cruisersand condemned, and iiütnlr?rt! oí' íhe slave marts nlong the consis have been recent ly destroyed by li-ilish i-hips of war. Tliis will do much to check this dhbolical traffic. - These are the leading facts contained in the letters. Others will doubtles soon be received, pi ving us the result of the expl'ring tour nnd the soot fixeJ on for the location of