ever rigid moralifts may think of me, I would encourage as much as poffible a con- APPENDIX. nection between the colonists and native women *. 901. "On the arrival of fuch a force as I have been fuppofing, we fhould be too Security and formidable to fear an attack from the Bijugas, who are the only people who would prosperity at little expense. interfere with us; people would then go to work with fpirits, on their own ground. The woods would infenfibly vanish, and fair plantations rife to our view, in less time than we have been talking about it, which is ever fince the 9th of Nov. 1791, and this would be done at little expence. 902." In our first embarkation I conceive, nay I am confident, that we threw away at least £3000. I have not the knack of explaining myself clearly on paper; therefore I think I could be of much more service to the public good, were I in England, than by remaining here. Any body with men can keep poffeffion of the ifland, but every one cannot lay before a General Meeting, thofe obfervations which I have been able to make on this coaft; or make the neceflary arrangements and alterations in any future embarkation, which the experience of the first has taught me are abfolutely neceffary. 903. (15.)" The Governor of Biffao is exceffively civil, attentive, and polite; but I have certain proofs, that many in that place, are endeavouring to prepoffefs the natives against us, and wish to have us cut off." The two following Letters, from Mr. Beaver and Mr. Hood, were laid before a SIR, LONDON, 24th JUNE, 1794. £3000 thrown away at first which in future may be avoided. late failure and at Bulama. 904. "AS a wifh was expreffed at our last General Meeting, that, previous to Mr. Beaver's any new steps being taken, I should give my opinion to thofe concerned in the late opinion of the attempt to colonize the Ifle of Bulama, on the coast of Africa, of the probability future fuccefs there might be of future fuccefs, if fuch fubfcriptions were raised for that purpose, and, at the fame time, point out the caufes of the failure of the firft, I here fend you in as concife a manner I can, my opinion of both. To answer, as fully and fatisfactorily as may be, the above queftions would from the number of others which they involve, take up much more of my time, than I can at present spare; therefore, though many, nay moft of them, admit a degree of proof, amounting almost to mathematical demonftration, I fhall confine myself at prefent, merely to affertions, the truth or fallacy of the grounds of which, will be left to the opinion of each individual; referving to fome future period, when I may have more leifure, a more minute detail of the various caufes which have hitherto baffled our endeavours, as also of those which produce a well grounded hope of future fuccefs. * I have no doubt but that Mr. B. means here an orderly or focial connection. APPENDIX. Caufes of failure. Vices of the colonists. Arriving in the rains. Want of fhelter. Caufes of er the failure was owing. Firft. Of the Caufes of the Failure of the late Expedition, 905." Many might be enumerated; but as I mean to be as brief as poffible, I shall confine myself to three, which appear to me to have been the principal ones. ft. The carrying out men of the most infamous character and vicious habits. 2d. The arriving on the coast of Africa at the most improper feafon of the year. 3d. The omitting to carry out the frame and materials of a houfe, or houses, fufficient to fecure the whole of the colony, immediately on their arrival, from the rains, and from the fun. 906. "On the first of thefe I need not fay much. It cannot be expected, that in a fituation, where authority, however neceffary, could not be legally enforced, those men could be kept in any kind of order, who, in an old established and well regulated Government, had been in the habit of living in open violation of it. Among the virtues peculiarly requifite in those who undertake to settle, or as it were, to create a colony, I fhould reckon fobriety, induftry, honefty, patience, and fortitude. The major part of our people, were drunken, lazy, dishonest, impatient, cowards. 907. "On the fecond of these causes, I fhall only observe, that the rainy season at Bulama, begins the latter end of May or the beginning of June. We arrived on the 5th of the last mentioned month, and had consequently the whole rains before us. 908." With respect to the third. Had we carried out the frame and materials, neceffary for the erection of a large house, it might have been finished in, at most, one month: but as all the timber which I built with, was growing at the time of our arrival, it was Feb. in the following year, before I had a room to put my head in. The being expofed during the whole of that time, to either the rains or the sun, must certainly have been a great cause of our mortality. gog." The three errors above noted, namely, thofe of carrying out bad fubjects, at rors, to which the worst feason, without means of fhelter, are in themselves fufficient to prove, that we did not act on a well digefted plan. The first of these can never be entirely avoided; the fecond arose from the danger which it was thought there was, of others purchasing the island, if we delayed failing; and the third from the ignorance of those who directed the undertaking: as one of them, for these three errors, I beg leave to take to myself, a great portion of the blame. But, though thefe were diffi cultics, that might and ought to have been avoided, they would not have entirely ruined the colony, if there had been a fufficient firmness and decifion in the conduct and characters of the members of the council. Among other causes of the failure, may be reckoned, the failing without a charter; the having too many members in the council; the two ships not keeping together; and theunfortunate circumftance of lofing some men, by an attack from the natives. The very injudicious mode of the expenditure of the money, might be reckoned another, as from the sum fubfcribed, a fufficient portion might have been retained in the hands of the trustees, to fit out a small vessel, both with refreshments and men, at the end of the first rains. In three articles, this was particularly confpicuous. The purchase of the plantation APPENDIX. tools, the purchase of the salt provifions, and the chartering of fhips, the carrying out women and children, was, though it may not appear so at first sight, a great cause of expenfe, and a principal one of failure.-I have now enumerated what appears to me, to have been among the principal causes of our miscarriage; if they appear not in the fame light to others, I could with that they would reconfider them. They are almost all of them demonftrably true; but, as I before observed, I fhall only affert, and leave others to trace, how and in what manner, they operated perniciously towards our enterprize. We come now to the other question. Secondly. Of the Probability of future Success. 910." Our firft failure will here be of great fervice to us, if we confider our former Probability of errors as so many beacons, put up to warn us of danger. The three firft which I future success. have enumerated, feem to have been the most effential, and, except the firft, are eafily avoided, as well as all the reft. May I be permitted, without the imputation of vanity, to say, that after all our former difficulties, my having been able with only four Europeans, and without the smallest fuccour or affistance, to keep possession of the ifland for the last year, to cut down 50 acres of timber, 16 of which were inclosed, and the roots taken up, to erect three large buildings, and to raise with eafe, vegetables enough for more than 50 times our number, afford a fufficient proof of the certainty of future fuccefs. But as it may here be expected, that I should enter a little into particulars, I fhall more fully ftate the grounds of my opinion. 911." The end, I believe, propofed by the major part of the fubfcribers, was the Reafons for cultivation of cotton, others propofed growing fugars, coffee, tobacco, and indigo, this opinion. while a few hoped to drive on an advantageous commerce with the natives, for ivory, wax, and other productions of that part of Africa. The profpect of those, whofe views are confined to cultivation, muft depend entirely upon foil; and this, I am warranted to say, from the univerfal concurrence of those who have seen it, whether natives or Europeans, is remarkably fertile. It is deep, that is from one A foil capable foot and a half to two feet. I never faw a rock or flone upon the island. Except on of producing every tropical one small space clofe under the block house, I never saw a foot of bad foil. Every article. thing which I planted, throve admirably, and among those plants, 300 were cotton. They were only in bloffom when I came away: I therefore had no opportunity of bringing home a fpecimen. But, fuppofing the cotton on that part of the coast, to be of the very worst quality, it could not at all affect the value of the island, or the probability of its fuccefs in its cultivation, as nothing can be more easy, than to carry thither the feeds of either the Bourbon or Pernambuco cotton. The former I believe is reckoned the best in the world, and the latter the next to it. The first place is about 20, and the latter about 9 degrees fouth of the equator. Bulama is 11 degrees diftant from it, on the north; fo that there cannot be any great difference, in the climates of these three places, but more particularly the two laff; from which I fhould Rr 2 APPENDIX. fhould infer, that equally cotton, planted in equally good foil, either at Bulama or Parnambuco, would be of equal value; fuppofing the Bulama foil to be equally good with that of other countries, in the fame climate, whether north or fouth of the equator, I see no reason why, with equal cultivation, equally good fugar, coffee, and tobacco, might not be produced on that island, as that which we know is produced, in the fame degree of both north and fouth latitude. and an excellent fituation for trade. 912. "An advantageous commerce, I know may be carried on with the natives, in the two articles of ivory and wax. The central fituation of Bulama, it's harbour being a great thoroughfare for the Portuguese trade, it's proximity to the three great rivers of Gambia, Grande, and Nunez, and the innumerable inlets, or fmall branches of the fea, navigable far inland with fmall veffels, between the firft and laft of those rivers, render it a moft eligible fituation for fuch trade. Its distance from Europe, is not so great as that of the W. Indies; the navigation to it is fafe and fecure; it contains one of the finest harbours I ever faw; the fea abounds with fish; and the number of animals, but more particularly elephants, buffaloes, and deer, on the ifland, is almoft incredible. The teeth of the former, and the hides, I should fuppofe, of the latter, are articles of commercial confideration. With such advantages of foil and fituation, a trifling fum, expended in a judicious manner, for the equipment of a small number of men, embarked on board two or three little veffels, and directed by a man of common fenfe and great power would, in my opinion, preclude a doubt of fuccefs. It might be commanded; but, when I say it might be commanded, I prefuppofe a greater firmness in those who go out, and more zeal and activity in those who remain at home, than has hitherto been evinced by either. "I am Sir, &c. "P. BEAVER." Soil of Bulama excellent, Mr. Hood's Letter of the fame Date. SIR, 913. (17). "AS I am lately returned with Mr. Beaver from Bulama, and not being perfonally known to the gentlemen who have the direction of the bufinefs, I therefore think it my duty, to give you my opinion of the island. It is a fine, light, fandy loam, of considerable depth, and free from stones, and appears to be as and yields well fine land as any in England. But we do not go from appearances only, but proofs. Mr. Beaver laid out a garden, and fenced it in, and prepared the ground against the laft season, in order to fow the feeds brought out from England; but they being at least two years old, and damaged fo much, few of them came up. Not being able to get any more, we were obliged to apply to the Portuguese at Biffao. Befides, Mr. Beaver being defirous to make trial of all that could be got, agreed with all the commanders of the canoes, that came to Bulama, to bring all the feeds and plants they could, by which means he got as follows, viz. plantains, bananas, papaws, goavas, goavas, oranges, limes, cotton, pepper, callavaces, pine apples, yams, caffada APPENDIX. pumpkins, water mellons, cucumbers, ground nuts, mint, parfley, &c. All thofe throve in a surprising manner, and I make no doubt, but European feeds would grow well. 914. &c. "In general, the island is well covered with useful timber, both for house Fine timber, and ship building; befides fome close hard-grained woods, that would make good furniture, and I think, would make excellent wood for turning. I never have been able to learn the names of any of the woods, though I never missed asking every one who I thought knew any thing of it. We have plenty of elephants, buffaloes, deer, Guinea-fowls, monkeys, &c. The only beaft of prey I have seen, was a wolf. There are plenty of fish, all round the island, and at low water you may get plenty of oyfters, which are excellent. And, fince we have have got a large fpot of land cleared, and all the rubbish burnt, the place is not only healthier, but more beautiful than any other place I have seen in Africa. The land is good, and capable of bringing forth any thing that wants deep root, as well as richness of foil. Although I never worked fo hard in my life, I have enjoyed, the latter part of my time, as good health as in all my life. Extract of Letter, containing an Account of the Island of Bulama, by 915." The atmosphere of the island is remarkably falubrious, as we all can teftify, Climate. particularly a large party, who having loft themselves in the woods, by indifcreetly venturing too far without a compass, paffed 5 days and as many night, in open air, without any fick nefs having refulted from it. The utmost heat, while we were there, by Farenheit's thermometer, being 84, tempered by a pleasant sea breeze, which enabled our people to work during the whole day without inconvenience. 916. "The foil is exuberantly fertile, as is evident from the spontaneous vegeta- Soil. tion that every where appears, and from the aspect of the garden which we made, wherein all the efculent vegetables of the European gardens, as well as fugar-canes, plantains, bananas, pine apples, the lime, the orange, the guava, the olive, and the vine of feveral fpecies, which the Hankey brought from Teneriffe, throve with a luxuriance that feemed marvellous to Englifhmen, who were unacquainted with the combined effects of heat and moiflure, upon rich and new land. The foil of the margin of the island, appears to be a red fand, mixed with loam; that of the interior favannahs, or natural meadows, a black mould. The country is agreeably diverfified with undulating grounds, but poffeffes no land of such elevation, as to merit the denomination of a hill. Yet it contains many fprings and brooks, according to the united teftimony of feveral gentlemen who have traverfed it. There are a few iron |