Rivers & landmarks · named 1461; ceded 1821
Cape Mesurado (Ducor)
The Dei promontory and anchorage at the mouth of the Mesurado River, ceded in December 1821.
Biography
Named by Pedro de Sintra's Portuguese voyage of 1461, the cape was a Dei fishing and salt-making district and a well-known anchorage for pepper traders.
Its height, fresh water and defensible approach made it the site the ACS agents settled on after failures at Sherbro; the settlers raised their flag there on 25 April 1822.
Historical significance
The hinge of this history: the point at which the record of the Liberian coast passes from African to settler hands.
Timeline
- 1461Named by Pedro de Sintra
- 15 Dec 1821Ceded under the Ducor Contract
- 25 Apr 1822Settlement established after the April crisis
On the map
Associated with Cape Mesurado. Open the historical atlas.
Related entries
References
- Pacheco Pereira, Esmeraldo de Situ Orbis (c. 1505).
- ACS correspondence, 1821–22.
Suggested reading
- Burrowes (2023). A History of Liberia in 100 Documents.