African Immigrants After Freedom. 79 



he came for. But remain in the West Indies : no thanks. He must go 

 back to Kru Country : he had two worshipful wives there and would 

 probably buy another worshipful two and live on their earnings for the 

 balance of his life. 



Nor were his morals of the most elevated type even while in the 

 West Indies. He had left his wives in Africa and declined (rather 

 naturally) to form any but the most fleeting attachments in Demerara. 

 A marrying Kruman was unheard of. * 



The Kruboy rejoiced in the most original names. He got them, one 

 must suppose, from the jocular captain, mate or cabin-boy of West 

 African ships on which he had been employed before coming west. 

 " Jack C owbar," " Jack Never Fear," " Jack Smoke," "Jack Thunder," 

 " Jack Dandy," " Jack Savey," " Jack Kopeyarn," " Jack Africa," — all 

 Jacks, baptised by Jack, the seaman ; " Black Joe, - ' " Blackbird," " Tar 

 Bucket," in delicate allusion to his colour ; " Tom Swagger," " Spy 

 Glass," " Peter Hurricane," " Bottle Beer"--a favourite sobriquet, 

 reminiscent of the dryness of the African Ooast ; " Flying Jib," " Sea 

 Breeze," " Salt Water." The names are all recorded in the Immigration 

 Register, and give its grave pages almost a touch of comic opera. 



It must have been difficult to be vexed with " Peter Hurricane," 

 and quite impossible to think seriously of "Jack Smoke" or ,; Tom 

 Pepper " as the responsible father of a family ! 



A few delegates came to Demerara from Setra Kru, — the idea being 

 that they should view the country, like the spies in Canaan, and go back 

 and report. They viewed the country, but found it to flow so abundantly 

 with milk and honey that it was trouble to get them to go back. It was 

 better business remaining here ! Their non-return to Setra Kru, of course, 

 was construed in the worst light by their fellow-countrymen. The 

 Parliamentary Papers — amid a torrent of indigestible figures— contain 

 this human little note from Jack Purser, headman of Setra Kru, to the 

 Governor of Sierra Leoue : — 



" Sir, — We beg if you can do anything for to bring back our 



children th it was taken to Berbice in the West Indies in the ship 



' Margaret ' about 1 4 months ago. They faithfully agreed that they 



should bring back our children to us last rainy season, and we are 



afraid they have done bad." 



* Dr. R. R. Madden— author of " A Twelvemonth's Residence in the West Indies " (1 835) 

 — was appointed a Commissioner of Enquiry into the West African Settlements in ltf-JO. He 

 visited the Kru Coast and took the opportunity to sound the Kru Chiefs as to the prospects of 

 emigration to the West Indies. One thing (said he), it would be necessary for the Kruboy to 

 take his wife and family with him. Indeed, said the chiefs, that would be the last thins 

 they would permit. A nretty proposal ! One old man asked : Were not the people who came 

 from England to Africa married, and if so what was the reason they were not allowed to 

 bring their wives / Was it not because it pained their hearts when they were separated from 

 them, and by this means they returned as soon as they could to their own country ? Very 

 good ! And for that reason they, the chiefs, would never let the Kruboy take his wife 

 with him because if he did it was goodbye to him. He would never come back. 



And the company spat on the ground by way of entire agreement with the veteran's 

 remarks. 



The Kruman— black as a coal and with a barbarous blue mark on his nose (a badge of 

 freedom) — had evidently his fair share of " monkey-sense." 



