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"Mendis Perform, " New York Herald, May 15, 1841
Exhibition of the Amistad Blacks-Display of Mendi Learning, Eloquence, and Music.
Lewis Tappan showed up the Amistad negroes at the Tabernacle yesterday afternoon. There was a good house, say 2,500, at fifty cents a head. The exhibition was very satisfactory, but if the performances had been diversified with a few summersets, in which the negroes are very skillful, the entertainments would have been more complete, and more agreeable to the audience. There were blacks and whites, and every intermediate hue and color, beautifully interspersed all over the house. On one seat was a negro fellow, as black as the ace of spades, with a mulatto wife, and a couple of children, a shade whiter than the mother, and next to them, well dressed white ladies and gentlemen, all mingling together, regardless of the oder exhaled by their neighbours, and happy to receive their colored brethren and sisters on terms of perfect equality.
After the audience had been waiting some time, and were getting a little impatient, Lewis Tappan entered, marshaling in sixteen of the Amistads, with Cinque at the head, followed by three little girls. These, with Kinna, the most intelligent of the blacks, and Kali, the boy, who has been in correspondence with Mr. John Quincy Adams, were seated in the desk. The other eleven were placed on one of the elevated seats assigned to the singers. Their entrance produced a good deal of sensation. So eager were the audience to see them, that they rose in great numbers, and many rushed towards the desk to get a nearer look of the blacks. This intercepted the view of others, and there was a general cry of "Sit down, sit down:" "sit down there in front"--"we can't see here"--"we can't see through you"--and the like. The excitement subsided after a while, and Mr. Tappan, the master of ceremonies, nominated James Barney for chairman of the meeting, and he took his seat amidst general and thundering applause.
Mr. Tappan said:--"If the congregation will keep perfectly still, and refrain from all manifestations of approbation, the exercises will be easily heard all over the house."
Mr. Rush was called for, and an old, stumpy negro came forward, and kneeled down to pray. He mumbled his words so indistinctly that only an occasional phrase and sentence was heard:--"God over all, blessed forevermore," said he--"Oh, Lord, make the clouds thy chariot, and take up the isles as a little thing." "These poor men were ready to despair"--"an angel took their part and sot 'em at liberty"--"May we magnify thy works, O, Lord"--"Bless the Supreme Court and Mr. Adams." He concluded with the Lord's prayer, which all the negroes repeated after him, sentence by sentence.
Lewis Tappan made a short address, explaining why Mr. Adams was not present, as it had been announced that he would be, and glorifying himself and his associates for the course they had taken in succouring the Amistads. He exhibited an elegant bible, which it is the intention of the blacks to present to Mr. Adams, who is now at Quincy, writing out his argument in their behalf, before the Supreme Court. Mr. Tappan read a letter from a gentleman in Montreal, respecting the boy Antonio, the slave of Captain Ferrer, of the Amistad, who was murdered by Cinque. The letter says Antonio is now beyond the reach of all the slaveholders in the world. This boy was decreed by the District Court of Connecticut, to be sent back to Havana, where he desired to go; but the Abolitionists here decoyed him from the custody of the Marshal, and secreted him until they could send him to Canada. Mr. Tappan stated that Antonio did not want to go to Cuba; but we have the boy's own reported declaration to the contrary. He said he loved his mistress, and wished to go back to her.
Mr. Tappan stated that the sixteen negroes brought here for exhibition, were those who had made the greatest advances in learning. They were the representatives of the 20 who remained at Farmington.
Mr. Booth, the teacher of the negroes, a sleek-looking, []oftly personage, who rests his hopes to fame on his connection with Cinque and his associates [word missing] took the stand. He professes to interpret for the negroes, but from his embarrassed manner, and incoherent style of talking, he was harder to be understood than some of the blacks. He commenced by calling over the names of the negroes who were present, beginning with Cinque . This man is much superior to most of the others, in energy, force of character, and personal strength. He has acquired a great control over the rest. He was born in Ma-ni, in Daho-poa, i.e. in the open land, in the Men-di country. The distance from Mani to Lomboko, he says, is ten suns, or days. His mother is dead, and he lived with his father. He has a wife and three children, one son and two daughters. His king, Ka-lum-bo, lived at Kaw-men-di, a large town in the Mendi country. He was a planter of rice. He was seized by four men, when traveling in the road, and his right hand tied to his neck. He was carried to Lomboko, on the coast, and sold to a Spaniard. He was with Mayagilalo three nights; with Bamadsha one month, and at Lomboko two months.
Yaboi, is a stout fellow, with a large head, in middle life. He was born at Kon-do-wa-lu, where his king resided. His village was surrounded by soldiers, and he was taken by Gillewa, a Mendi man, to whom he was a slave ten years. Had a wife and one child. Gillewa sold him to Luiz, the Spaniard.
Burna, was taken when going to the next town, by three men. His father is dead, and he lived with his mother; has four sisters and two brothers. When his father died his brother married; all lived in the same house. In his country are high mountains, but no rivers; has seen elephants and leopards. He was six weeks in traveling to Lomboko, where he was kept three and a half moons.
Kale, is of slight make, small head and large under lip, young and good natured. Has parents living; has two sisters. He was taken while going to a town to buy rice. He was two months in travelling to Lomboko.
Bagna, was born at Du-gau-na, in the Kenno country, where his king, Da-ga, lived. His parents are dead, and he lived with his brother, a planter of rice.
Sessi, of middle size, with a sly countenance, was born, in Mas-sa-kum, in the Bandi country, where his king resided. He has three brothers, two sisters, a wife, and three children. He is a blacksmith, having learnt that trade of his brother; he made axes, hoes, and knives, from iron obtained in the Mendi country. He was taken captive by soldiers, and wounded in the leg. He was told twice before he arrived at Lomboko, where he was kept about a month.
Kinna, has a bright countenance, is young, and while in New Haven was a good scholar. His parents and grand parents were living; has four brothers and one sister. He was born at Si-ma-bu, in the Mendi country; his king, Sa-mang, resided at the same place. He was seized when going to Kon-gol-li, by a Bullom man, who sold him to Luiz, at Lomboko. He is the most advanced in reading of them all.
Fu-li-wa was born at Ma-no, a town in the Mendi country, where his king resided. He lived with his parents, and his five brothers. His town was surrounded by soldiers, some were killed, and he with the rest were taken prisoners. He passed through the Vai country, when taken to Lomboko, and was one month on the journey. He is in the middle life, face broad in the middle, with a slight beard.
Kali, the little boy, and three girls, and the other five, are not particularly distinguished, either for their personal qualities or their family connexions, with the exception of Banna, a nephew of Cinque. He is a nobleman in his own country, and was sold into slavery for making too free with another man's wife.
Mangue, one of the girls, was pawned by her father for a debt, which being unpaid, she was sold into slavery. She is very anxious to return to her affectionate parent.
Mr. Booth spoke at some length. The burden of his speech was the virtues and acquirements of his pupils. He said Kinna had envinced great anxiety to learn something of the nature of meteoric stones and other natural phenomena. He had described these stones, as they fell from heaven in his own country--their peculiar vitrified appearance, and other characteristics.
On the whole, he seemed to think that the Mendi people were a race greatly favored by Heaven, in rather an advanced state of civilization, who wanted nothing but Christianity to make them perfect.
After completing his speech, he directed the blacks, each of whom had a bible, to turn to the 14th Chapter of John. Bagna was told to read the first verse. The verse is--"Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me." The black read it in this wise--"Led no--led no you heart trouble; belebe God--belebe so me." (Great applause.) Fule was told to read the second verse. He began--"In me fader's--in me fader's"--here he came to the bottom of the page, and instead of turning forward, he turned a leaf back, and stuck fast. He was at length set right, and got under way again--"hoose ah man"--the next word was "mansions," but it did not fit the negro's mouth, and he could not pronounce it. At last he went through the verse, or rather he mumbled over something utterly unintelligible of the same length. The next verse beginning, "And if I go, I prepare a place," was read shockingly. The black began--"An--an--an--if--and if I go;" and there he stuck. It was really painful to hear the good book so mangled. Banna read the fifth verse--"Thomas said unto him, Lord, we now not whither thou goest, and how can we know the way/" fluently and intelligibly. All the others, with the exception of Kinna, read their lessons so badly, that it was almost impossible to understand them; but the audience cheered them with great earnestness and perseverance--When this fun was over, the teacher said he would exhibit their proficiency in spelling. They can spell, he said, much better than read.
Banna, spell let. Banna--l-t-l-l-li--"No, no!" said the teacher, l-l-e-t, let. (Cheers.) Sesse, spell truth --t-t-tr--t-r-u-t-h, truth. (Cheers.) Yabor, spell house --h-o-u-s-e, house. (Immense applause.) Fule, spell abide --b-a-a-b--ab-i-d, abide.
Cinque, spell immediately --i-m, im, m-e-d, med, i-a-t, iat, l-e, ly, immediately.--(Cheers.)
Fula, spell nothing --n-o-t, not, i-n-g, nothing. (Cheers.)
Kuli then spelt husbandman, and commandments, accurately, and with readiness, and the spelling lesson gave great satisfaction to the audience.
The negroes then sang the following hymn, to the tune of Auld Lang Syne:
When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
I'll bid farewell to every fear,
And wipe my weeping eyes.
Should earth against my soul engage,
And fiery darts be hurl'd
Then I can smile at Satan's rage,
And face a frowning world.
Let cares like a wild deluge come,
Let storms of sorrow fall;
So I but safely reach my home,
My God, my heav'n, my all:
There I shall bathe my weary soul
In seas of heavenly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast.
They kept perfect time, and sang the piece well. In fact, they would do well to sing all their lessons. They can beat the choir which ordinarily sings at the Tabernacle, and give them the odds of a hand organ into the bargain. Mr. Stewart of Utica, enquired whether the negroes were ever melancholy, or exhibited signs of depression of spirit?
Mr. Booth seemed not to comprehend the question, and run off into a cock-and-bull story about the American language being deep.
Kinna then came forward to deliver an address in English. He began:--"I read from dis just"--and he read a verse from the 15th chapter of Luke. "Dey steal our children--bad place of de Cuba--gives us but little eat--rum, salt, powder--put togedder, make eat dis I tell you--you well understand me--I not talk much good. ("Speak louder," said one.) I no talk any more louder--dey carry us to de sea--put in slave--was sell--whip all--tie us up in de morning--put slave in iron house--when we go away Cuba, whip us--no good--cook say we good to eat--we very unhappy all dat night--we fraid we be kill--we consider. (Here Mr. Booth undertook to explain, and only made the matter more obscure.) Kinna went on again. "Chain on neck--you know dey chain ox--we think dey kill--we unhappy, and no know what to do--dey sleep--we break chain--cook sleep--kill him--he drink plenty, long--two sailors sleep--one jump over--he swim--swim long time--may be swim more--we not know--some good people here--some bad--same as New Haven--we no want to read--fraid go Cuba--God and Jesus make all good, and send spirit to you. I go home, tell how good all de congregation. (Cheers.)
Fula-----then came forward--"I ask one question--all Merican people plenty good peo-people here--some bad--bad men hab slaves. God make all men--some white--oders black--all die, go dust, in de earth--white man tink he rich--white man good hab slave. One oder question. We came dis country, no water--coming in New Haven--wicked man keep wine--say go Cuba--say Cinque bad--he lied. (Applause.)
The blacks then sang a Mendi song, a sort of chant, in which the burden was borne by one man, and the others joined in the chorus. It was wild and irregular, but not unpleasant. It consisted of some eight or ten lines. The first, when translated, was--
"God help me to-day, and I'll thank him to-mor-row. Chorus --Jo, Jo, Jo."
A little on the credit system, to be sure, but it went off capitally, and was highly applauded.
Cinque then delivered an address in the Mendi tongue. It consisted of a description of the adventures of the blacks, from the time the Amistad left Havana, up to the present time. He spoke with great fluency and animation, and gesticulated like a politician in a rage. Occasionally he appealed to the others to confirm his statements, and they responded with great heartiness.
CINQUE'S SPEECH
Lo Elah aman, sayer korma naoo, Menhiusa ne opa nambram cota yulid. Menaroo toomah feroa vikto, maroni lyba gaon yasty. Goresu nauso yamin Jeshoo, Yahooh, va Ashru santofar, biyada sabrooner eled olam. Soba leta mayoh needah. Perek abno yoshee abru; negel matrond sagal nataye--fooldah gasoo. Ishta meneeto sabrul sakul. Mendi is ota va Aphricon naboah dis da dis, sams da dams, ma Elah, ma Elah, tokdah seyis tra.
We cannot give a literal translation of the speech, but the facts of the capture of the Amistad, related in it, are thus described by an eye-witness. It probably varies a little from Cinque's statement:--
"We left Havana on the 28th of June. For three days the wind wos ahead, and all went well. Between 11 and 12 at night, just as the moon was rising, sky dark and cloudy, weather very rainy, on the fourth night I laid down on a mattrass. Between three and four was awakened by a noise which was caused by blows given to the mulatto cook. I went on deck, and they attacked me. I seized a stick and a knife, with a view to defend myself. I did not wish to kill or hurt them. At this time Cinque wounded me on the head severely with one of the sugar knives, also on the arm. I then ran below and stowed myself between two barrels, wrapped up in a sail. Cinque rushed after me, and attempted to kill me, but was prevented by the interference of another man. I recollect who struck me, but was not sufficiently sensible to distinguish the man who saved me. I was faint from loss of blood. I then was taken on deck and tied to the hand of Ruiz. After this they commanded me to steer for their country. I told them I did not know the way. I was much afraid, and had lost my senses, so I cannot recollect who tied me. On the second day after the mutiny, a heavy gale came on. I still steered, having once been master of a vessel. When recovered, I steered for Havana in the night by the stars, but by the sun in the day, taking care to make more way than possible. After sailing fifty leagues, we saw an American merchant ship, but did not speak her. We were also passed by a schooner, but were unnoticed. Every moment my life was threatened. I know nothing of the murder of the captain. All I know of the murder of the mulatto is that I heard the blows. He was asleep when attacked. Next morning the negroes had washed the decks. During the rain the captain was at the helm. They were all glad next day at what had happened. The prisoners treated me harshly, and but for the interference of others, would have killed me several times every day. We kept no reckoning. I did not know how many days we had been out, nor what day of the week it was when the officers came on board. We anchored at least thirty times, and lost an anchor at New Providence. When at anchor we were treated well, but at sea they acted very cruelly towards me. They once wanted me to drop anchor in the high seas. I had no wish to kill any of them, but prevented them from killing each other."
The exercises were concluded with that splendid hymn by Bishop Heber--
"From Greenland's icy mountains,"
sung in fine style by the negroes.
