THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS' LIBRARY ILUN01S HISTORICAL SURVEY RARY UMIVfc- ILLINOIS OR VOYAGE TO CALIFORNIA BY f>R. DIETRICH. TRANSLATED BY LEOPOLD WRAY. Printed by F. Fechner, Guben. CHAP. I. Preparations for a Voyage. Taking leave of home. In the spring of the year 1851 there was an unusual stir and bustle in the village of Joachims- thal. The rage for emigration and a restless lon- ging to try their luck and perhaps make a fortune beyond the seas, had attained a height bordering on frenzy amongst the good folks inhabiting that part of the country where the village lay. The greater portion of the villagers had sold their hou- ses and farms, and inscribed their names as emi- grants, according to legal enactment. Neither the paternal remonstrances of the grey-headed minister, nor the brotherly advice of the schoolmaster, a man in the prime of life, could avail to shake their resolution. The excitement was daily gaining ground to such an extent, that the agent of an American Emigration Company was welcomed and honored as a special messenger sent by provi- dence. Such a one it was who had taken up his abode in the house of farmer Traugott Wohlge- muth, who was more infatuated than anybody else with everything American, and heeded neither wife or child. i t Wohlgemuth had been very well off in the world. He was reckoned an excellent farmer and brick-maker, and had formerly been a miner, and would have been considered a most worthy man by the whole parish, but for one failing, which was the being of a litigious disposition. This propensity had cost him a deal of money, and had entangled him in the outbreaks during the year 1849. He did not see that he was himself in the wrong, but grumbled, and determined to leave his native country. His persuasions won over his wife Marie and all his neighbours to adopt his views. He sold his farm for less than its va- lue, and we now find him spending the last day in his house, which is already sold. Having talked till she was tired, his wife was weak enough to follow him unconditionally, while his only child, the boy Fred, was quite delighted at the thoughts of the voyage. Fred was eleven years old, and a pretty, li- vely, healthy looking child, but rather greedy and froward. He did not get on much with his book, at school, but he was very handy at all light kinds of work, such as basket weaving, netting, and so forth — and he had learnt to beat the drum from the village watchman. The hour for bidding farewell to their native place had now come. The emigrants went to church for the last time, and received the minis- ter's blessing, many of them shedding tears all the while. Last of all Fred went to see his godfather, the clergyman, who dismissed him with this piece of advice: "Let God be ever before your eyes and in your heart." The coaches and horses stood in readiness just outside the village, and the travellers now drove to the neighbouring river leading to Bremen on the Weser, where a steamer took them and their luggage on board, and conveyed them to the seaport called Bremerhaven, from whence they all embarked in the steamer Columbia, Captain Gott- fried. It was a bright, beautiful spring day when they heaved anchor, and put out to sea. CHAP. II. The Emigrant Ship. During the first day of the voyage, our emi- grants felt quite well; the fresh sea breeze agreed with them, and the sea was very smooth. They lost sight of the coast of their native Germany before evening. The rocky shore of the isle of Heligoland, lying in the. North sea, appeared lighted up by the golden beams of the setting sun. After supper, they now went to bed. As our emigrants belonged to the less wealthy class of passengers, they were obliged to sleep in a cabin between decks. Our little Fred did not much relish the hard bed, to which he was quite unaccustomed. He would much rather have been been in the state cabin. Nor were the surroun- ding objects more pleasing, as these consisted of chests, trunks, and bales of goods. During the night, the wind shifted, the sea grew rough, and the trunks and chests began knocking each other about, while the hammocks swung to and fro, and the first symptoms of sea- sickness, an indescribable lassitude and heaviness in the head, were only the prelude to downright vomiting. One passenger was taken after another. Five -and- twenty slept between decks, and the reader may therefore judge of the cries and groans that echoed on all sides, and of the revolting na- ture of the scene. Fred kept rolling about on his soiled bed, but his lamentations remained un- heeded, for his parents were more severely stricken than himself, and he now for the first time felt a yearning towards the home he had left. When he felt somewhat better, he washed himself, and arranged the bedclothes, and then went upon deck. Though he was still weak, and his head felt heavy, the sight of the ocean cheered him. He could see nothing but sky and water nor hear anything but the roaring of the billows, and the screams of the plungeons and seamews that were flocking round the ship. His parents were still so unwell as to be obliged to remain below. They now again came in sight of land — *- namely the English and French coasts, but our Fred was not much the wiser. *_ Thus passed away a whole day. The sea had become smoother, and the wind more favo- rable, so Fred slept better that night than the one before. But the parents showed symptoms of an intermittent fever. Nobody now troubled themselves about the boy, for each of the passen- gers had his own concerns to mind, and the sai- lors had their work to do. He had his food given him, and that was all! There were all sorts of different German races on board, such as Saxons, Prussians, Hessians, Swabians, and especially a number of natives of Holstein, who were less badly off than the rest, from being accustomed to a sea -faring life, and to the coarse food the ship afforded. The latter had children with them, amongst whom was a little Swabian, about eight years old, a complete blockhead as he was indeed nicknamed on board, who was at once dirty, sickly, lickerish, and greedy. One of the passengers had brought on board some raisins, and as they were lying about near his berth, little tickle - tooth made free with them, and Freddy had a great mind to help himself likewise, when the sailor who was on duty between decks, happened to perceive the theft, and seizing the little Swabian in the fact, laid him across his knee, and gave him ten stripes with a rope's end. The little thief bellowed aloud, but the punishment afforded our Fred a most wholesome lesson — and he grew wise at another's expense. CHAP. III. Events during the Voyage. The dirty, greedy little blockhead was an unlucky fellow, for he brought the seeds of sickness with him on board, and when such exist, they gene- rally give rise to a complication of ailments. He caught the measles, and gave them to Freddy. There was an infirmary on board, and thither the two sick children were removed, and lay and suf- fered side by side. The Swabian died on the third day of an inflammation of the throat, beside of Fred. The body was tied to a plank, and af- ter a prayer had been said over it, was lowered into the sea. Fred was not allowed to leave his bed for a whole week, nor even to speak, as he likewise showed symptoms of inflammation of the throat. His parents had recovered, but even at this stage of their voyage, they already repented having left their native country. Meantime the ship, being favored by a N. E. wind, was approaching the southern zones; and as all the sailors had done their duty, she had sailed through the seas that skirt the western coasts of France, Spain and Portugal, and was now on the other side of the straits of Gibralter. The Afri- can coast was now in sight. The air was hot and sultry, the water grew stale, the meat began to be uneatable, and the encreasing heat rendered the atmosphere unbea- rable between decks. The first time Fred came up on deck again, lie could breathe more freely, but he saw nothing but sky and water. Huge dolphins (large thick- headed fishes) were swimming about in the sea, and the frightful shark, who devours human beings* might likewise be seen close to the ship. The sailors hunted down this sea-monster, which has been aptly named the hysena of the ocean, by flinging hooks fastened to ropes at the shark, which they were fortunate enough to capture. Fred was vastly astonished, when he came to look nearer at the fish, and saw what a quan- tity of teeth he had in his jaws, which were quite large enough to swallow a man. The shark was now hauled on board, and cut up; the fat was taken out, the liver was eatable , and in his sto- mach were found a quantity of fishes, mostly large ones, still fit for human food, that the cook, to whom Fred was obliged to lend a hand, drest very savourily with a sauce piquante. When it was found out that Fred was handy, and that he could make nets, some work was given him, in return for which he obtained better board and better treatment, being thenceforth fed from the captain's kitchen. You may believe me, children, industry and skill are sure to meet with their reward. His mother likewise made herself useful as under-cook and charwoman, but his father who had always preferred his pot of beer to his work, would not turn his hand to anything, and had 8 therefore to put up with the coarse ship fare. In a few days more, they beheld the Peak of Tene- rifFe looming from an island in the sea. The ship anchored at this island, and took in water, fresh meat, and some very fine wine, a glass of which Fred had the honor of receiving from the Captain, who had grown to like the li- vely boy. When the vessel once more heaved anchor, and put out to sea, they saw a whole shoal of flying gold fishes, which delighted Fred amazingly. Soon after, having heard that Fred could read, the Captain gave him a book on na- tural history, adorned with prints, which proved a source of great delight to our little emigrant, who was very eager to acquire knowledge — and what knowledge is more fascinating to children than natural history? I am sure all my young readers will be of the same opinion. Hitherto the voyage had been a most prospe- rous one, the crew had not suffered from scurvy or other diseases, they had not been distressed by tempests nor foul weather, nor been detained by a calm, all of which rejoiced the Captain so much, that he ordered divine service to be per- formed on board, to testify his gratitude to the Almighty. Amongst the passengers, was a school- master from Schleswig, who had been dismissed from his office, and to whom the Captain had granted a free passage, on condition of his dis- charging the functions of purser to the ship. He was now called upon to deliver a discourse, after which, as the greater number of the passengers were lutherans and protestants, who had brought their bibles and psalters with them, a christian hymn was sung, out of the Hamburg psalter. The verses selected on this occasion, ran as follows: How happy he who puts his trust With childlike faith, in God alone: — All earthly cares then weigh as dust, Beneath the shadow of His throne. And though in life I've oft been tried By all the ills that flesh attend — Yet God His help has ne'er denied, But shown Himself man's truest friend. Everybody was edified, little Fred amongst the rest, and his clear, treble voice had joined most fervently in the hymn. Just as the blessing was about to be given, the sailor, who was keep- ing a look out on the topmast, gave a signal of distress, and they all looked into the sea — and oh! what a sight they beheld! CHAP. IV. The burnt Sclaver Queen Maria da Gloria. No sooner had they perceived the burnt and still smoking hulk of a vessel, without either sails IP or rudder, drifted about on the sea, than the Cap- tain dispatched the life -boats, which were quickly manned and put out to sea — our curious little Fred having jumped into one of them. Good heavens! what a sight lay before them! The burnt or lacerated bodies of black slaves bound together with cords, were floating on the waters, not far from the corpses of the sailors belonging to the vessel. The Captain now ordered the boats to put back, fearing that the powder stores on board the luckless vessel should blow up — nor was he mistaken in his anticipations. Scarcely had the boats returned towards the ship, when a fearful explosion that seemed to shake the very ocean, blew up the remains of the slaver. Rafters, boards, planks, sail -yards and ship fittings of all kinds were now scattered over the roaring, bloodstained waters. An enormous black- ish grey cloud, emitting a strong smell of gun- powder, was hovering over the spot where the vessel sunk, and imparted a dreamy tinge to all sur- rounding objects. More lacerated corpses were drifted along, and from under them emerged a black slave, who seemed to have been saved by miracle, and now swam towards the life-boat. He was taken on board the moment he reached it — but what a pitiable state he was in! His body bore the marks of burns that were still ; KARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 11 bleeding; he was emaciated and half starved, and covered with loathsome vermin. The compassio- nate Captain took pity on the unfortunate crea- tine, and after having ordered him 1o be cleaned with sea water, and his wounds to be drest, he took him on board. As both the black slave and the captain could speak English, the latter bid him relate the particulars of his sad fate, which he afterwards repeated to his passengers in Ger- man. Fred's mother had the care of the negro slave, and it became Fred's duty to watch over him when his mother was away — but we cannot say he had much relish for performing the part of nurse. And now I dare say my young readers are eager to hear the story of the freed slave, and of the slave-ship. — So here it is. — Only, first of all, mind and have by you a map on which Africa, America, and the Atlantic ocean are all laid down, to enable you to follow my narrative, which I hope will prove instructive; and no doubt it will be all the more interesting to you, as affording a glimpse of slave life, which has recently been the object of so much attention, owing to that world-famous novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Slave life presents so unique a phase of so- cial existence, that it becomes a necessary branch of information to young people, especially as none IS of them know but what, sooner or later, they may emigrate with their parents or relations to those countries where negro slavery is tolerated by law. CHAP. V. History of a Slaver , and of the sufferings of a Negro Slave. The Queen Maria da Gloria was a Portuguese vessel, belonging to a company of merchants who carried on a trade in slaves. They purchased their slaves in the interior of Africa, and sold them in America or in any other places where slavery was tolerated. The negroes on board this unlucky vessel, belonged to one of the finest negro races, and were taken prisoners while fighting against a neighbouring tribe. In that country, the conqueror has the right either to kill and eat his prisoners of war, or to sell them as slaves. A hundred negroes had been token prisoners, according to the account given by the freed negro, who bore the odd sounding name ofQuaquatalexera, which means rolling thunder, in his language. Ten of these were slaughtered at the sacrifice offered to appease the wrath of their idols; the best pieces of flesh were burnt as sacrificial offerings, and the rest was roasted and eaten. Our black friend , who was a chief in 13 his own tribe, would have been sacrificed like- wise, had they not perceived that he was one- eyed, which made him ineligible, as every victim must be without a blemish, in order to please their sanguinary idols. He was consequently sold. His purchaser w r as a Portuguese slave trader, who bought him for fifty ducats — for even negroes are well ac- quainted now with the value of gold. The slave dealer bought others, for whom he paid respecti- vely twenty or forty ducats, as the case might be. The slave -dealer having soon recognized the superiority of our negro, promoted him to be overseer over all the others, allowing him to walk about the ship without fetters, and to eat the remains of the captain's table, on deck. The other slaves lay chained to one another, and with heavy iron rings fastened to their feet, in the hold of the vessel, where they were packed like so many herrings in a cask; here they were stiffed with foul air and filth, while their fare con- sisted of black biscuit^ and Indian corn, cooked in salt water. There were, besides, a quantity of rats, that would gnaw and bite the slaves when asleep. The vermin, too, kept daily encreasing, as is al- ways the case, when cleanliness is not attended to. If the slaves complained, they were merci- lessly flogged. Many died, and indeed they were all destined soon to come to an end of their suf- ferings. The ship's cook of the Gloria was a wicked drunkard, who fulfilled the office of slave-driver and was a relentless tyrant over the poor slaves. One day, when he was so drunk as scarcely to be aware of what he was about, on the captain's ordering him to tap a cask of rum, he staggered up to it with a light in his hand, and drew out the bung, when lo ! the flame set fire to the stream of rum that kept pouring forth, the drunkard's clothes caught fire, and thus he became the first victim to the raging element that spread throughout the vessel. The flames made such rapid havoc, that be- fore any measures could be adopted for quenching them, the whole ship was on fire, and every soul on board perished, except the negro who endea- voured to save the captain. Accordingly they both clung to a plank, which bore them, as the sea grew calmer, towards the emigrant ship, which they had seen from afar. The captain carried his pocket-book in the breast-pocket of his coat, which so encreased the difficulty of clinging to the plank, that he sunk; a lucky chance now drifted the plank towards the emigrant ship, where it stopped , and as the crew saw the pocket-book fastened to the board, they fished it up, and on opening it, found it contained bank-notes to a large amount. The rescued negro recovered in a few days, %, w u/ % '*tk v$ 15 and was found very serviceable on board the emigrant ship, for he was a second Uncle Tom, who could adapt himself to any situation, and was always ready to lend the sailors a helping hand. He had grown very fond of our little Fred, and in the evening he would help him at his netting, and teach hirn how to make fishing lines. Thus the days flew past, and now the fertile isle of Cuba lay before them, and they came into the port of Havanna, where the captain had some business to dispatch. Fred marvelled at the beauty of this opulent port — and how delighted was he to walk on terra firma once more! — he was now quite cured of all longings for home ! Still his parents and himself were to go through a great many more trials, as well as to see and enjoy a good deal more, before they reached the end of their voyage. But more of this anon. CHAP. VI. In which we find Fred amongst the negro slaves of Havanna. The ship came safely into the port of Ha- vanna, which gives its name to the town* The anchor was cast under the direction of the pilot (viz. he who steers the ship) and officers of pu- blic safety, as well as custom-house officers came on board to examine the goods and the passports. 16 And it was only after all these formalities had been gone through, that the passengers were al- lowed to take a boat and go ashore, a permission of which Fred's parents availed themselves, as the invalided father was desirous of consulting a German doctor. Fred was quite amazed on en- tering the town, which together with the whole isle of Cuba is under Spanish rule. The catholic religion is prevalent throughout Spain and her colonial possessions, which were formerly far more extensive, and the churches are truly magnificent in Havanna. Fred entered one of these during service time. The lighted tapers, the golden altars, the perfume of the incense, the chanting in the choir, the pro- cession that moved solemnly through the church, and ended in kneeling, all combined to fill the boy's heart with child-like feelings of devotion, and he too fell on his knees, and said the Lord's prayer in a pious, humble spirit. They now left the church. "What a beautiful place this is!" cried Fred, on reaching the market place. Laurels and palm-trees stood before each house, the air was scented with tea and coffee- trees in full blossom, while the market exhibited a collection of the most exquisite fruits, that are not even known in Europe. Feeling hungry, the family entered a tavern, but how surprized were they when, instead of the beer and the broth they called for, they were n presented with a bottle of exquisite sweet wine, and a cup of dainty chocolate. The bread here was like a kind of rice cake, and every thing was so splendid that the parents were overawed, and began to be afraid of calling for the reckoning. "You are Germans," now exclaimed a gentle- man, who had observed their admiring looks, "and therefore as a countryman, 1 bid you wel- come; you must be my guests to-day, and you must allow me to pay for whatever you eat and drink, and to buy some sweetmeats for the little boy. But you look ill, father," continued he, ad- dressing Fred's papa, "and I would have you beware of the air hereabouts, which carries the poisonous seeds of yellow fever to the slimy sea- shores." Fred's father replied: "I am a German, and come from Thuringia, where I lived in a poor vil- lage. The taxes kept encreasing, and as we read in books that we could live in luxury in America, we determined to emigrate, and God grant that we may not repent so doing." "I wish indeed that it may turn out so," re- plied the German, "but what is the name of your village?" On the father's telling him, the stranger ex- claimed: "Then we are indeed not only country- men but near neighbours. I am the son of the doctor who lived in the nearest town to your village, and I am here assistant surgeon to the „ 2 18 head physician of the great hospital, who is like- wise a German, being a native of Leipzig, and does a deal of good amongst his countrymen. He will give you both advice and assistance." "You come like an angel sent from Heaven," answered the father, for this was the very man I was wishing to find." "Then follow me, and he will give you phy- sic and what restoratives you may require; but first of all, eat your till, and drink a glass of Cape wine." They now followed their kind conductor. After walking through several streets, they came upon that which was a new sight to them, and anything but an agreeable one — namely the slave market. Here stood hundreds of negroes, leashed in couples like so many heads of cattle, either naked, or merely covered with a shirt or an apron.. Old men, men in the prime of life, youths and boys, old women, and mothers with infants at the breast — all were on sale; and parents were arbitrarily separated from their chil- dren, as well as husbands from their wives, and when such separations took place, they would howl and gnash their teeth, and the slave driver's whip would belabour their bleeding backs. The slaves already purchased, were at work in a neighbouring yard. They had to carry heavy chests turn handmills or transport stones; and every blunder they committed was visited by the same sanguinary punishment. <* ^ B9 Fred's heart bled, and he turned quite pale when the slave-driver ran past them with upraised whip, after a poor negro boy, who had slipt out of the ranks, and beat him cruelly. They now left the slave yard, and reached a street where thev observed a house, where a num- ber of black, brown, olive colored and white children were going in and coming out. "Let us go in," said the young German doc- tor, 41 I want to speak to the master, as it is I who attend the sick children of this school, which is for the children of freed slaves, and of mongrels born of black and white parents It is under the direction of a missionary." So they went in, and the schoolmaster greeted them. About a hundred children of all sorts of mixed races, were squatting on the floor; and on a huge black board were traced, in gigantic characters, the letters of the English alphabet, which the master spoke out aloud. The children repeated them, and a bamboo cane was flourished over the shoulders of all the idle ones. The schoolmaster now dismissed his class, and talked to the doctor. Fred was soon on very good terms with the negro, mulatto, and mongrel children. As soon as negroes and men of colour enjoy the rights of liberty, they generally become better and more kindly. And this improvement is observable in the children of such as have ob- tained their freedom. -2 v go On leaving the school, Fred accompanied his parents to the physician's , where the father re- ceived buth physic and advice, and was comforted with the prospect of amendment. In the evening, they returned on board. CHAP. VIZ. Fred visits the coffee and tobacco plantations. The ship remained a good while in port, for the captain did some profitable business in Ha- vanna, and during the whole time of this pro- tracted stay, he boarded his passengers at his own expense, and in the handsomest manner; and they were allowed to go ashore. Our Fred, having got rid of many of his bad habits, since he was on board, had grown so great a favorite with the captain, who was fond of children, that he had a little sailor's suit made for him, and promoted him to be his jockey, which was tantamount to his errand boy. Fred fulfilled his new office vastly well, but we will now accompany him and the captain (mentally at least) to a plantation where coffee was raised, and then to another where tobacco was cultivated. The coffee plantations are very beautiful to look at; they are situated in a more healthy neigh- ai bourhood than other plantations, and are chiefly managed by negroes. Wise and humane planters take care of their slaves, for only healthy slaves have the strength and the will to work. The planter in question was the captain's intimate friend. Fred was quite astonished when he entered whole groves of blooming coffee trees, and inha- led the refreshing fragrance of their blossoms. In one sheltered valley the fruit was already ripe. The trees bear a fruit resembling a scarlet cherry, which contains the coffee-berry in its kernel. The cherries must be gathered, and the ker- nels divested of their husks, all of which, as well as the carrying away the sacks of coffee-berries, and the making these sacks of bass (which is the bark of the linden tree) is performed by the sla- ves. The owner of the plantation, at whose house the captain put up, gave them some coffee made of fresh berries, for breakfast. This was a most delicious drink, which our Fred relished exceedingly. After breakfast they went to see first the plantations of tea-trees, and then the tobacco-fields. Tracts of land, more than a mile in circumference, were planted with tobacco, and being in full blossom looked like flowery meadows. Hundreds of slaves were busied here in plucking the leaves and hanging them up to dry; S3 and in a large shed, near at hand, the dried leaves were made into cigars. But this was not a very dainty process, as the negroes roll out the tobacco on their bare thighs, which are often scored with wounds and sores inflicted by the whip. The negro boys made up the rolls of tobacco. After sunset, the planter gave them all a ho- liday, in honor of bis guests, and the slaves ate and drank and danced. Ail was life, animation and joy, and their sufferings appeared to be quite forgotten. And now the guests were summoned to sup- per at the master's table, which stood under a palm-tree, and was spread with the most dainty fare. The night was lovely. The beautiful sky pe- culiar to a southern latitude was arching over their heads, and all was gaiety around them. But their joy was to be disturbed by an alarming piece of news. And what may that be? will our young readers exclaim. This they shall learn in the next chapter. CHAP. VIII. An attach, Fred appears in the character of a drummer. A mulatto messenger panting with fatigue and dripping with perspiration, now brought the as news that a corps of American volunteers had suddenly come into a neighbouring creek on board of pirate vessels, and that their outpost was al- ready approaching the seaport. Their object was to incite the slaves to rebellion, and to free Cuba from the Spanish yoke with their assistance. The planter answered : "My slaves will be faithful to me, and I shall arm them and all my friends. Let those who have courage follow me!" They now rose from table, the alarm drum was beaten, and the slaves armed themselves. The captain was quite ready to take part in the affray, for in the case of an irruption, it would have been useless to attempt to escape, as the enemy surrounded them on all sides, and there was nothing for it but to expose one's life and try to make the best of the scrape they were in. "But what shall I do with you?" said he to Fred , who young as he was, seemed quite willing to fight. "Give me a drum," answered Fred, "the old watchman of our village, who was once a drum- mer in the army, taught me how to beat the drum, and I know how to play a march." "Well! you shall have your way," said the captain. So Fred had a drum given him, and he be- gan beating a march. The people were soon ar- med, and rushed forward to meet the enemy; the slaves remained faithful to their master, and he was able to trust them all with weapons. »4 This was his reward for having treated them with more humanity and justice than most of the other planters. They now reached the creek. The enemy had landed, but had not been able to disembark all at once. They had expected no opposition, and thought to win over all the slaves to their side. In this, however, they were deceived, and met with resistance. The fight now began. Fred went on beating his drum fearlessly, and did not tremble even when the wounded and the dying were falling around him. When the fight was over, and the enemy were beaten, and their leader taken prisoner, and Fred had to beat the homeward march, he heard some one groaning behind a bramble bush, and on turning round, he saw the planter lying wounded, and bathed in his blood. Fred instantly beat a roll-call, which brought together some of the dispersed riflemen, as well as a surgeon, who stopped the flowing of the wounded man's blood, and thus saved his life. Without Fred he would certainly have been lost, for nobody would have gone to look for him just there. The victory was complete. The commander- in-chief of the troop of volunteers, having been taken prisoner, was condemned and executed. The same fate befell all the officers, and the sol- diers became prisoners of war. to Uh,v