Liberia, Or, the Early History and Signal Preservation of the American Colony of Free Negroes on the Coast of Africa; Compiled from American Documents (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1831. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Throughout the 9th, the order established on the preceding day continued; aud some progress made in the labour of felling trees, and otherwise obstructing every practicable access to the settlement. Sunday, November 10th. The morning was devoted, as usual, to the refreshment of the settlers, none of whom had slept for the twenty-four hours preceding. At one P. M. all were remanded to their fatigue and other duties, till sunset; when the order appointed for the preceding night was resumed. The women and children attended divine service. Intelligence had reached the Agent early in the day, that the hostile forces had made a movement, and were crossing the Montserado river a few miles above the settlement; but the patrols made no discovery through the day. At sunset, however, the enemy again put themselves in motion, and at an early hour of the night, had assembled, as was afterwards learnt, to the number of six to nine hundred men, on the peninsula, where, at the distance of less than half a mile to the westward of the settlement, they encamped till near morning. Their camp, afterwards examined, extended half a mile in length, and induces a strong proba secure the proper observance of this order were unhappily omitted; and the rashness of the misguided individuals who disobeyed it, met with a signal punishment bility that the number of warriors assembled on this occasion has been altogether underrated. The most wakeful vigilance on the part of the settlers was kept up through the night. But, with a fatality which was quite of a piece with all the hinderances that had impeded the progress of the defences on the western quarter, the picket-guard in advance of that post ventured on a violation of their orders, by leaving their station, at the first dawn of day; at w...