Item ADM 101/132/2 - Folios 14-24: Surgeon's general remarks. The ship arrived at Fernando Po on 31 December 1860,...

Folios 14-24: Surgeon's general remarks. The ship arrived at Fernando Po on 31 December 1860, the Kroomen carried out coaling operations. Whether Fernando Po is a healthy place for Europeans is discussed, the presence of swamps and unhealthy odours and the role of the soil in producing disease. The experience of the Spanish colony is described. The building of roads and a sanatorium in the mountains is mentioned. Improvements to Clarence Cove and an increase in population, clearing of the forests. On 7 January 1861 they sailed for Ambas Bay carrying Mr Laughland, Acting Consul, and Mr Mann, a botanist. They dropped off Mr Mann in Ambas Bay and sailed up the [Cameroens] river to Segua Town. 'Here we remained until the afternoon of the 10th January holding palavers with the native princes and chiefs; and after deposing King [Acgan] from his royal dignity – with whom the consul and English merchants could not effect a satisfactory arrangement, and nominating someone else to fill that elevated and highly responsible position, we got under weigh and proceeded down the river, anchoring again in the estuary for the night'. On 11 January, they anchored at the mouth of the Malimba River and Captain Wratislaw and the Consul set off up the river to settle a dispute over a theft from Mr Walker's factory. They got a promise of restitution but in order to guarantee the repayment took the son of one of the chiefs as a hostage. In return, the people of the town took Ordinary Seaman Samuel Robinson as a hostage. The following day, 12 January, they returned with the ship's boats fully manned and armed and demanded the immediate release of Robinson and instant payment of the debt to Mr Walker, threatening to burn down the town. Their demands were met with and they returned to the ship by mid day. Samuel Robinson was uninjured but put on the sick list with dyspepsia. They next visited Batanga, on 14 January, where they settled another dispute about thefts from Mr Laughland's store there. On 16 January they steamed up the Old Calabar River and anchored at Duke’s Town, which is described. They remained 4 days holding palavers and then returned Mr Laughland to Fernando Po. They visit the town of Bonny on the Bonny River, the town is described and it's 'jew-jew house', said to contain thousands of skulls of human sacrifices. After laying buoys in the river channel they return again to Fernando Po. The prophylactic measures taken against fever are described and the treatment of the 13 cases of fever and 8 of diarrhoea. Folio 20 lists 17 men who were lent to HMS Brune on 21 February to escort Mr Foote, Consul of Lagos, in settling a disturbance at Porto Novo, 11 of the men developed fever afterwards. Also lists 10 men sent to accompany Commodore Edmonstone in an expedition against Porto Novo on 22 April, of whom 4 developed fever and one dyspepsia. On 6 May they visited the Governor at Christiansborg and were detained overnight on shore, in spite of taking quinine Captain Wratislaw was affected with fever. From 15 May to 22 June they cruised between Lagos and Whydah and then returned to Fernando Po. On 4 July a comet was seen to the north and a little to the west, it had a very attenuated tail of about 22 degrees in length. On 8 July the surgeon was among a party visiting the shore to get fresh provisions when he was thrown in to the surf and wet through and had to go to bed immediately at Mr Tay's house while his clothes dried. The whole party was obliged to stay the night on shore and got chilled. In spite of having taken quinine, Mr Keenan suffered fever for 6 days and Mr Cheyney, who had also been present and had also used quinine, became ill 14 days later. They visited Fernando Po and St Paul de Loando [Luanda] and then went to their cruising ground off Mangue Grande. On 29 October they captured a barque carrying 870 slaves, who were found to be mostly in good health apart from some cases of 'craw craw'. The surgeon says 'The barque was well found in everything necessary for the support and comfort of the slaves, nor did they seem to be overcrowded in the vessel'. They again visited Fernando Po and St Paul de Loando [Luanda] and on 19 December cruised up the Congo as far as Pointa de Linha before returning to their cruising ground. Folios 22-24 discuss the diseases during the year and treatment. Folios 24-27: Daily sick list. Folios 28-29: Blank.

The National Archives >> Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies >> Records of Medical and Prisoner of War Departments >> Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Medical Journals >> CAPE OF GOOD HOPE AND WEST COAST OF AFRICA STATION >> Medical and surgical Journal of Her Majesty's screw steam sloop Ranger for 1 January to 31 December 1861 by Mr Constantine Keenan, Assistant Surgeon, during which time the said sloop was employed on the West Coast of Africa Station. (Described at item level).

• English

This description was automatically translated with the help of www.DeepL.com. Translation errors are possible. Please note that the document itself has not been translated.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10577303

{{data source}} The National Archives Discovery

• English

• Latin