THE BRITISH SETTLEMENT AT CAPE JUBY, NORTH-WEST AFRICA, I HAVE always felt that the greatest drawback to the civilisation of the races of Central Africa, and the development of the vast resources of that continent, is the want of a healthy port on the seaboard and a highway into the interior. It was while contemplating this subject that it occurred to me, about fourteen years ago, that the western Soudan, a district of the highest commercial importance, might be approached with comparatively little difficulty from a point on the north-west coast of Africa, in the neighbourhood of the Canary Islands. A glance at a map will show that this portion of Africa has great commercial advantages; it is situated many degrees north of the tropics, within sixty miles of the Canary Islands, and eight days' steam from England. A trade-route through such healthy country I considered would not only attract the present traffic between northern Africa and the Soudan, but would effectually destroy the slave trade which is carried on between Morocco and those interior regions. I had further gathered that possibly a waterhighway might be made from the Atlantic Ocean into the interior of the western Sahara, for there exist in those regions vast depressions covered with salt, showing evident signs of having been at one time covered with the sea. Some of these depressions were supposed to be under the level of the sea, and I felt that if they could once more be covered by the waters of the Atlantic, a navigable water-highway would be opened into the interior of Africa which would be of great commercial importance. A similar pro ject was afterwards proposed by the French for Tunis, where it was intended to let the waters of the Mediterranean into the depressions behind Algeria. I did not, however, exclusively base the utility of my project on the idea of forming a water-highway into Central Africa, as an overland route was perfectly feasible. Before any practicable steps could be taken to carry out the scheme of letting the sea into the depressions of western Sahara, a thorough survey would have to be made of the whole district; but this could not be attempted without first establishing a commercial settlement on the coast in order to show the inhabitants of the desert that our object was peaceful trading, and not the conquest of their country. The proposed station would form the basis from which our operations could be carried on with every prospect of success. Before attempting to carry out my plans, I felt it was necessary that a preliminary examination should be made of the north-west African coast, with a view of finding a suitable port for the intended settlement. I urged on the Admiralty the importance of making the proposed survey; but they refused, stating that from the information they possessed it was clear that no harbour could be found on that coast. In 1875 I laid my proposals before a meeting which was held at the Mansion House under the presidency of the Lord Mayor, and they were most favourably received by the public. I afterwards addressed other meetings on the same subject. Previous to starting for the north-west coast of Africa I addressed the British Government on the subject of my proposed visit, asking for its kind assistance in my behalf. By the good offices of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the Spanish Government offered me every assistance at the Canary Islands. The Morocco Government was also approached in order that the Sultan, as commander of the faithful of the West, might extend to me his support amongst the Arabs; but in reply his Shereefian majesty pointed out that the portion of Africa I proposed visiting was about one hundred miles south of his territory, and that he could not be of any assistance whatever. Although the inhabitants of those districts were Mohammedans, they refused to acknowledge him as their lord and master. His Majesty pointed out the danger to which I should be exposed in carrying out my proposal; for a Spanish subject some years before, while endeavouring to trade with the north-west coast of Africa, had been captured by the native chief and kept prisoner for seven years, and only liberated on the payment of £5000 as a ransom. I was favoured at the same time with a private letter from the British minister at the Court of Morocco to the same effect. I may here remark that the first attempt to establish European influence on the north-west coast of Africa was made about four hundred years ago by the renowned Spanish knight, Diego de Herrera, lord and conqueror of the Canary Islands. After Diego de Herrera settled in the Canary Islands, he organised an expedition and passed over to the coast of Africa (which was only seventy miles distant), with the view of establishing Spanish authority among the barbarians of that region. Don Diego and his enthusiastic followers landed without much opposition on the part of the Moors, and in a short time built a castle on an arm of the sea which they named Santa Cruz de Mar Pequeña, or the Holy Cross of the little sea. The Spanish settlement was not, however, long established before the Moors began to show signs of hostility, coming down in great hordes; and after several fierce engagements they succeeded in sweeping the Spaniards from their shores and demolishing their castle. Diego did not live to carry on a war against the Moors; he died and was buried in the monastery of Buenaventura, which he founded in the capital of the island of Fuertaventura. Don Diego having been the first Christian who attempted to make a settlement on the northwest coast of Africa,. it may be of interest to give a translation of the inscription on the tablet over his tomb: "Here lies the generous knight, Diego Garcia de Herrera, lord and conqueror of these islands and kingdom of Grand Canary and lesser sea of Barbary, third of the order of Santiago, of the Council of King Henry IV., of the Catholic sovereigns Ferdinand and Isabella, twentyfourth of the city of Seville, founder of this convent, son of the generous Lord Pera Garcia de Herrera (marshal of Castille, lord of the town of Ampudia and of the House of Agula Merina, major of Quepazava, of the King's Council, and Doña Maria de Agula nine kings of Teneriffe and two of y Sarmiento, his wife), conquered Grand Canary, making them vassals under him, passed over with his army to Barbary, took many Moors captive, and made on the coast of Africa the castle of Mar Pequeña, which he shereefs. He was at war at the same maintained and defended against the time with three nations-Portuguese, Gentiles, and Moors; and of all he became victor without the aid of any kings. Married to Doña Ines Peraza de Las Casas, lady of these isles; died on the 22d June 1485." The sovereignty over the territory acquired by Diego de Herrera on the Barbary coast was proudly added to the crown of Spain. And after the death of this valiant knight, Alonzo Fernando de Lugo was appointed by Charles V. Governor-General of the Canary Islands and that part of the western coast of Africa lying between Cape Geer and Cape Bojador. He thought it incumbent on him to prove the Spanish right to their assumed possession by re-erecting the castle of Santa Cruz de Mar Pequeña, and this was done; but the king of Fez and his subjects in overwhelming numbers allowed it but short duration. They again demolished it as they had done with its predecessor, and those of its brave defenders who were fortunate enough to escape from death or cruel captivity made their way back to the Canary Islands. No further attempt appears to have been made by the Spaniards to fix themselves in a country which proved so hostile to their rule, and all that now remains of the proud Spanish dominion is the ruins of Herrera's castle half buried in the sand.1 Time has dealt unkindly to the port itself, for it is silted up to such a degree that it is perfectly useless for boats of any description. obtain the support necessary for his enterprise, as ill-fortune would have it, he embarked with his wife and daughter on board a treasureship. The crew mutinied on the way home, and murdered the captain and officers. Captain Glas's wife and daughter, in order to escape from the brutality of these criminals, threw themselves overboard and were drowned. Thus perished Captain Glas's noble project for establishing commercial relations with the Arabs of northwest Africa. It was in the year 1876 that I took my departure from England for the African coast. On my arrival in the Canaries, the authorities of these delightful islands received me in the most kindly spirit possible, offering me every assistance that I might need. I afterwards crossed over to the African continent, and examined about 200 miles of its coast. Cape Juby was the only safe harbour I could find; all other points seemed very much exposed and quite unsuitable for a station. I therefore selected Cape Juby for the future settlement. The port is formed by a reef which juts out from the Cape southwards, running parallel with the shore, thus forming a very fine basin of water inside, quite safe for small vessels; but should the port rise to any importance; the place could be made at moderate expenditure of money suitable for vessels of any size. The natives received me in a friendly spirit; and the announcement that we were English inspired the inhabitants of the desert with confidence, and we were eagerly asked to return and settle amongst them. I then returned to England, and laid the result of my 1 A full account of Herrera and the conquest of the Canary Islands will be found in Historia General de las Islas Canarias,' por Viera Y. Clavijo. explorations before the Foreign I visited Cape Juby again in 1878, and had very friendly intercourse with the natives, who appeared anxious that we should establish a trading settlement at this place. After spending some time with the Arabs, I took my departure for England in order to make preparations to found the settlement. As I sailed in a small vessel that I had chartered from the Canary Islands, it was necessary that I should proceed to that place and discharge her, and then take my passage home; but on my arrival at the Canaries, I found to my astonishment that my vessel would not be admitted on any consideration, although the civil governor had previously given assurance to the British consul that she would not be put in quarantine. This act was clearly done to oppose my operations on the African coast. I appealed to the authorities on behalf of my poor sailors, who had wives and families depending upon them, as there was a probability that we might all perish in our small craft, for she was ill fitted to make a long voyage. One of her masts was rotten, and she had only one suit of sails. My pleadings, however, fell on deaf ears. The Canary authorities, after various consultations, decided to despatch us to Vigo, there to perform quarantine, although there was a lazaretto in Teneriffe. The British consul protested against their action, but in vain. For myself, I could have abandoned the vessel and taken passage for Liverpool; but I determined to remain with my sailors, as I was evidently the cause of the danger to which they were exposed. To make matters worse, the poor men had never been out of their Own islands. The authorities were in great haste to get us off, and if it had not been for the kindness of the British consul, MrC. S. Dundas, we would have been forced to leave without provisions. A pilot was sent to take command of the vessel. I would not, however, permit him to set his foot on board until we obtained food for our journey. When we made such arrangements as circumstances would permit, we set sail for Vigo in the month of November, the worst part of the year. After a few days' sailing, we were caught in a great storm off the coast of Portugal, which lasted several days. Five sailing-vessels were lost during this tempest. Our poor craft broke down several times, and our scanty store of provisions and water ran out. Scurvy began to make its appearance amongst the sailors. Our pilot declared that we should never reach Vigo. We therefore proposed to put in to Lisbon, and we entered the river Tagus after a voyage of twentyone days. We were all delighted to find ourselves amongst civilised people once more. But our troubles were not yet ended, for we had to remain in quarantine for fourteen days before we could obtain our freedom. We were indeed glad to get clear of those sharks of officials, who were always looking out for fees. After giving my faithful sailors a few presents, they set sail with a fair wind for the Canaries, and I embarked for England. In the following year I set out again for Africa in a chartered steamer, and renewed my friendly relations with the Arabs. Before the close of the year we towed out a brig to serve as a trading depot. We anchored this vessel inside the Cape Juby harbour, amidst the joy and astonishment of the natives, who flocked in large numbers on the beach. I had always felt that the natives, although nomadic, had a right to the soil. Therefore, previous to settling definitely in this part of the world, I obtained a concession of Cape Juby and its port, with a strip of land surrounding it, for ever, from Sheikh Mohammed ben Bairook, an aged chieftain, who was acknowledged as ruler by the natives of the whole country. After carrying on business for some time from on board the brig, we commenced to build a storehouse on the shore; but the fanatical priests interfered, preaching to the people that an old prophecy existed which foretold that in the latter days Christians would come from the sea and conquer the country, pointing to a hole which was made for a drain in the foundation of the building, saying that here we proposed to place our gun. The fanatical portion of the community having heard these discourses, felt that this was the beginning of the end; and although I assured them that we had no intention of conquest, yet we were obliged to stop our work for the moment. We then commenced a large building on the reef near the entrance of the harbour, to serve as a fortress warehouse and habitation. This magnificent edifice wo finished in 1882, after having spent two years in its construction. The dressed stones were imported from the Canaries, and the iron and woodwork from England. After the scare of the priests had died away, we recommenced building the shore-house, the natives helping in its construction, and we were able to complete it without any further interruption. natives on the whole were well pleased with the progress we were making: they saw that we meant to settle in the country, which would be a great commercial advantage to them, for at our place they would have a free outlet for all their products, for which they could obtain European manufactured goods in return. Having Cape Juby as a port, they need not undertake those tedious journeys of hundreds of miles to the nearest Moorish port which they had done for ages past. At this period of the history of our settlement peace reigned in the whole country, and we had every prospect of unbounded success. So much trade came to us that we were wholly unprepared for it, and we were obliged to let about £20,000 worth of business pass away from our hands in one year. We also received most encouraging letters The |