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"The Amistad Africans in Prison." New York Morning Herald, 9 Oct.,
1839: 2.
From our Correspondent
New Haven, October 7.
Dear Sir:--The science of phrenology must be in a high state of advancement in Africa,
or else the blacks have acquired a knowledge of it with surprising facility here.
I went into one of the apartments of the prison a day or two since, and found Beri,
an old negro, with mustaches and a long beard, manipulating the head of Kali,
with an air of comic gravity and sly intelligence, that was quite amusing. Eight
or ten of the Africans were clustered around the black man of science, enjoying the
performance and assisting Beri in his explanations of the qualities indicated by
the developments on the head of the subject. Kali is a Congo, with a great flat head,
broad nose, sperm oil lips, and an expression of countenance that would revolt a
decent baboon, and Beri found nothing satisfactory in his phrenological bumps.
“Weta,” said the operator.” “dasas, parang, nouie, tuah yah daking yobo dobe se tang”--that
is, “his head is no good--his father was a monkey, and he don’t know how to tell
lies to white man.”
The other blacks roared with laughter, and the subject of the examination sneaked
out of the room, apparently mortified at the result. Some of the Africans are full
of cunning and roguery, and they frequently amuse themselves and the rest, with mimicking
the snuffling tones and sanctimonious gait of the pious abolitionists who are caressing
them for purposes of their own. The abolitionists seem to enjoy a monopoly of the
privilege of stultifying themselves and they succeed in this much better than in
their attempts to impose upon the public. The interpreter, who has been sent up from
New York, is a cook’s mate, or cook’s mate’s minister, from H. B. M. ship Buzzard.
He is a Suboe, and speaks a broken lingo which is partially intelligible to a part
of the Africans. This fellow, whose name is Covey or Cuffee has been treated with
as much respect and attention here, as would be paid to any gentleman of literary
distinction in this literary place. He was introduced into the Athenaeum by one of
our most distinguished citizens, where his name appears on the books of the institution,
written in his own hand, in company with the name of almost every respectable stranger
who has visited the city for half a dozen years past. It is hardly possible for a
person not on the spot, to imagine the degree of interest which these negroes have
excited in Connecticut; and no one but an observer can understand or appreciate the
preposterous foolery that is daily perpetrated by the abolitionists. By the assistance
of the interpreter, Cuffee, they have made our a sort of vocabulary, and of this
vocabulary they have made several manuscript copies, which they placed in the hands
of the blacks, in order to commence their education. The stupid wonder with which
the savages received the pieces of paper, would have opened the eyes of any other
men to the utter absurdity of the whole proceeding. The negroes have no conception
of the purpose for which the papers are given them. Not more than one third out of
the whole number belong to a tribe where a written language was ever heard of, and
these sagacious abolitionists expect their hopeful pupils to begin the rudiments
by translating their gibberish into English, and reading and explaining writing!
For two or three successive days last week, Col. Pendleton took the Africans
out on the public square to air them and gratify the curiosity of the people; and
every day since, the doors of the prison have been besieged by men and boys eager
to get a glimpse of them; but Jinqua says he won’t tumble again, unless he is better
paid for it--and Garrah has sprained his hands, so that somersets are out of the
question for several days to come. The influence of Jinqua over the other negroes
is very great, and he wields it with the spirit of a despot. He has been caressed
so much by the abolitionists and others, that he has come to consider himself an
important personage, and puts on airs with the turnkeys, that will soon compel them
to abridge his privileges, and subject him to a more rigid discipline. He goes from
one apartment of the prison to another, and the blacks yield him the post of honor
or comfort without hesitation or murmur. He was not a person of any considerable
authority even in his own small tribe in Africa, but he has gained that ascendancy
over these poor devils, which a prompt and resolute man would always acquire over
those of feeble capacity or timid disposition. Physical superiority confers authority
among savages, and Jinqua possesses this in an eminent degree; but he gives no indications
of those moral or intellectual qualities which constitute a claim to distinction
in civilized society. A great deal has been said by the Abolitionists about the disinterested
benevolence and patriotism of this fellow, and they have produced the impression
in many places, that he is a gallant and chivalrous hero, whose name will go down
to posterity, worthily associated with that of William Tell. It is a pity to destroy
the romance which has been thrown around his character; but I think the following
circumstance, in connection with what you have heretofore said on this point, will
dispel the illusion pretty effectually.
One day last week, while the attendants of the prison were serving up the dinner
of the Africans, some potatoes were given to Jinqua with the skins on. He
puckered up his ebony jaw in high disdain, and made signs to thewhite woman
who was serving him, that he must have his bananas, as he called them, peeled.
She signified to the Prince, that he must peel his own potatoes. He called
one of his slaves, and ordered him to prepare them. When this was done, he made signs
that the potatoes were not fit for his palate, and must have gravy. No notice was
taken of this by the woman, and Jinqua sent one of the negroes down to the kitchen
after some. The gravy was brought, but the woman very properly forbade his being
fed any better than his compatriots, and the hero flung his dish of food on
the floor, and went pouting and scowling to his bunk.
