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"An Incident,"New York Commercial Advertiser, 26 Sept. 1839.
The Africans now in the jail at Hartford are very far indeed from exhibiting the
stolidity and lack of intelligence so generally characteristic of the Southern negro.
On the contrary they are, almost without exception, quick in their movement, animated
in conversation, and, so far as can be judged by those who do not understand their
language, they have intellects quite as acute as those of our Indians, or of any
uncivilized people. A little circumstance occurred on Friday last, which afforded
a good illustration of their promptitude in "jumping at a conclusion."
Mr. Gallaudet, the well-known instructor of deaf-mutes, has passed away some hours
every day in the jail, conversing with the Africans by signs, and endeavoring to
make up a vocabulary of their own language. -- [We may here observe, by the way,
that he finds little difficulty in communicating with them, using the signs employed
in conversing with deaf-mutes -- that is, the signs relating to visible and tangible
objects; the conventional signs, representing letters and words, are of course, beyond
their comprehension] -- His object on Friday was to ascertain whether they had any
distinct idea of a Supreme Being, as the judge and rewarder of human actions. To
this end he began by directing their attention to various natural objects -- an elephant
-- the sun -- the moon -- stars -- the wind, rain &c. When he found that they
perfectly understood him, he asked them, by signs, whether they knew of anything
higher than the sun, moon, stars &c.; and several of them answered in
succession that they did -- that Gooly was above all these things. By farther
questioning Mr. Gallaudet satisfied himself that Gooly was their name for
God; and then he proceeded to inquire whether they believed that Gooly would
punish improper actions. He made signs representing the act of stealing -- that of
striking, and other wrongful doings; and asked if Gooly would whip, or punish,
for such things. This also several of the negroes answered in the affirmative; clearly
showing, all the time, by their intelligent looks, and their close attention to his
motions, that they not only understood but were much interested in his proceedings.
At length, however, Mr. Gallaudet, still rising in his scale of inquiries, conveyed
to them the idea of murder by cutting the throat, and asked if Gooly would
whip for this also. But the moment the negroes caught his meaning they cast down
their eyes and were silent; nor could he induce one of them to resume the conversation,
or indeed to hold any farther communication with him. It occurred to him immediately
that a suspicion had entered their minds of his being an emissary of their Spanish
masters, and that he was seeking to entrap them into some confession of what took
place on board the Amistad.
Fortunately, just at this time the interpreter Ferry came in, and at Mr. Gallaudet's
request explained to them that he was their friend, and entertained against them
no hostile design as they suspected; and the good effect of this was quickly made
apparent by their coming up in succession to shake hands with Mr. Gallaudet, and
then very readily resuming the conversation.
