CHAP. XI. SUPPLE MENT by a threat Spain; Royal Navy, whose nautical education under the great Cook, whom he accompanied in his voyages round the world, eminently qualified him for such an undertaking. I had the daily fatisfaction of seeing the equipment proceed, under the able inspection of Capt. Roberts, when a mercan- Difappointed tile difpute about a paltry cargo of skins, purchased by a ened war with British ship on a barbarous coast, claimed (forfooth) by Spain, had nearly ended in a war between the two nations. Ridi culous as was the cause of this conteft, it's confequences to my scheme were serious; for the ship having been equipped, Capt. Roberts waited a confiderable time for orders; and, after all, I had the mortification to fee him commanded to proceed on a fecret expedition, which I had every reason to believe, was connected with this Nootka Sound business. (fee § 324.) From the year 1790, to the commencement of the present war, the peace of Europe was too precarious for me to hope for attention to any application on this subject; and the destroying fword must be sheathed, before I can rationally think of renewing them*. Thus has this undertaking been four several times interrupted by preparation for, * When in Africa, I was much ftruck with the inclination I every where observed among the negroes, to fpin and weave cotton; and was often furprized at their perfeverance under all the disadvantages which attend imperfect machinery. I brought home, however, one of their simple looms, and several specimens of their cloth, of different qualities, fome of which are even elegant enough, to have convinced every English manufacturer, who has feen them, that the fabricators want nothing but inftruction and encouragement, to make them excellent artizans. As I had hopes of returning one day to Africa, I thought I could not better employ that time, during which I was obliged to wait for the final determination of the British Government, than in endeavouring to obtain a competent knowledge of the cotton manufacture. Accordingly, I entered into that business at Manchester; and, I trust, the knowledge of it I there acquired, has qualified me, in one respect, to contribute to give the natives of Africa, that inftruction, which has hitherto been denied them by civilized nations. Cc & XI. CHA P. or the actual ravages of war, that scourge of the human species, that invariable disturber of every enterprize, calculated to advance their moral improvement, or their focial happiness. SUPPLE- yet not hopelefs. 621. Yet I do not think these discouragements, should make me despair of the ultimate fuccess of the proposed plan; though it must be confeffed that, in any preceding century, fuch a plan would probably have been regarded as an instance of enthusiasm, approaching to infanity. But the cruel reign of prejudice, especially respecting the war-system, appears to be drawing faft to a period, and mankind are apparently advancing to a new and exalted degree of improvement. Those great, yet fimple truths, which craft and ignorance have hitherto concealed, begin to be unveiled by a light, which, though occasionally intercepted by lowering clouds, seems destined to difplay Social Harmony, in all her lovely proportions, to the admiring and obedient nations. APPENDIX. APPENDIX, Containing explanatory Notes, Quotations and Original Documents; fome of which, had the Author obtained them fooner, would have been, with more Propriety, inferted in the Body of the Work. Subftance of two Letters addressed to Dr. Knowles, of London, on the Productions and Colonization of Africa. 621. SIR, To BY DR. HENRY SMEATHMAN. See § 62. O pofterity it may perhaps appear extraordinary, that the Europeans should for near 200 years, have carried on a brisk trade with Africa for little elfe but flaves. A fhort reflection on the fituation of Africa muft certainly countenance this opinion. It lies in climates, which in the other continents produce the richest materials of commerce: and it's productions are actually fimilar. The principal are gold, ivory, dying wood, gums, honey, wax, ambergrease, &c. and probably there are few of the riches of the eastern or western hemifpheres which may not be found in this middle region. 622. This is not mere conjecture. I have, by obfervations made in a 4 years Produce. refidence, a moral certainty, that on a proper plan, a most lucrative, safe and honourable traffic may be carried on to that quarter, from Europe. The Grain Coast, from it's fertility in rice, would, if a proper vent was opened, in a few years produce: of that commodity alone, and the finest in the world, an immense quantity. And nothing is wanted but encouragement, to procure great quantities of cotton, as fine as the E. Indian, and tobacco as the Brazilian; also sugar and a fpecies of indigo infinitely fuperior to that of the west, and various drugs, fome peculiar to Africa, others the usual refult of industry in those climates. Among the former we may reckon various gums, fpices, and woods; and of the latter the spirit of sweet potatoes, wild grapes, &c. from which I have made excellent brandy, various kinds of flax and hemp,. APPENDIX. hemp, &c. To thefe may be added palm oil, equal to olive oil, for food and other purposes; and of which an infinite quantity may be got merely by collecting the fruits or nuts, and boiling them. The coast abounds with fish and turtle, and would be an excellent fituation for a whale fishery. But an enumeration of it's various productions would be tedious. Tendency of the Doctor's plan. 623. My plan would tend to emancipate and to civilize every year, fome thou fands of flaves, to dry up one great source of that diabolical commerce: and if not to produce liberty to the flaves in the W. Indies, at least to meliorate their fituation. The stopping fome fource would not only encrease the price of flaves, but alarm the W. India planters, left they fhould foon have no fresh fupply. This would make them more tender of those they already poffefs. And of this be affured, the planters will always buy flaves as long as they can calculate, that each will, in 7 or 10 years, repay his price. If fuch a plan would be agreeable to the fociety of FRIENDS, I should have pleasure in laying it before them, and to disclose, under a promise of secrefy, the latent hinge on which it will affuredly fucceed. If they fhould find my proposals expedient, I will gladly dedicate the chief part of ture life to the carrying them into execution. my fu. 624. I conceived this project in Africa, where an industrious cultivation of the foil, with various excurfions, made me well acquainted with the genius, customs, agriculture, trade and arts of the natives. My ftay in the W. Indies was with a view to inform myself of tropical cultivation, previous to my return to Africa. I accomplished my intention, and have fince, by ftudying various branches of philo fophy and useful arts, qualified myself still further. 625. By the enclosed letter you will fee, I had, previous to your speaking to me on the slave-trade, begun to feek out a method of executing my plan. Mr. Wilding is my particular friend, and though engaged in the slave-trade, is in other refpects a man of great sense, honour and candor. But I should be glad to have no connection with any concerned in the flave-trade, and therefore, if no gentleman, in your truly refpectable fociety, will take it up, I have been advised to make overtures to a foreign power.-I am, &c, H. SMEATHMAN. LETTER II. SIR, 626. Not to take up much of your time in foreseeing and answering little objec tions, I fhall only obferve, that folicitations for employment on the coaft of Africa are indeed extraordinary; fince thofe who have concerns there, find it difficult to prevail on perfons of abilities to refide in Africa, at any rate. And yet I am defir. ous to refide there, on a plan in which I must meet more difficulties, and hardships, and and receive lefs emolument, than on one to which I am ftrongly recommended, APPENDIX. wherein I fhould have every kind of fupport, and handfome commiffions. 627. The part of the coaft I would recommend for this plan, poffeffes every ad- Produce. vantage. Large, fertile and unoccupied tracts of land, adapted to all tropical productions, but now covered with endless forefts of the finest gums, feeds and spices, and an endless variety of plants, and animals of known and unknown value. Among the former are gum copal, malaguetta pepper, cotton, capficum, tobacco, fugar canes, an aromatic feed called monkey pepper, oftriches, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and monkies, Ethiopian hogs, &c. Some of thofe lands are mountainous, but the greater part are flat and fandy within 10 or 15 miles of the fea; but the foil, from the frequent fucceffions of vegetables, is very rich, and improves the farther we go inland. They are all watered with prolific rivers and refreshing brooks, having numerous fine creeks and ports, profufely stored with turtle and fish. ence. Government and state of 628. The country is governed by a kind of elective kings, who have a power fimilar to our mayors, and not much greater, though farther extended. It is but thin- the flaves. ly inhabited, and is moftly fubdivided into little independent ftates, rather headed than governed by chieftains. These states are seldom founded either in wisdom or juftice. They have no law but cuftom, and no policy but to preserve their independ Wealth is the most common means of becoming a chief, for as the children do not inherit the power or riches of their fathers, it is very rare that power continues in the fame family for generations: and, while the wretched defcendants of kings and chieftains cultivate the foil of cruel mafters in the W. Indies, the defcendants of their flaves rule the land in Africa. The fubjects of many black chieftains" have been mostly enflaved in the inland or neighbouring countries, by purchase, fraud or violence. After having been domefticated for a few years, they gain a kind of freedom, infomuch that the chief dares not fell them, without firft convicting them of fome real or imaginary crime, which he finds no difficult matter: yet he must be cautious, fince these people, having only a precarious liberty, make a point of combining against steps that may affect their common fafety. They find their principal protection in the customs of the country, bad as they are; hence they fcrupulously fupport them; and as fast as flaves are domefticated, take care to acquaint them with their intereft, which, among other things, is not to aggrandize their mafter over much: hence a chief gains no internal, and very little relative power, by encreafing, his people, neither does he add much to his wealth, whatever he may to his reputation. Exclufive of what redounds from riches, the chiefs obtain their power furreptitioufly, feldom exert it for the advantage of their subjects, and govern rather by force and chicanery, than by justice and equity. They have rarely any view but to grati fy their own appetites, and often by abusing power, facrifice the liberties, and sometimes the lives, of individuals to their own bad paflions. Hence it is evident their government |