having been redeemed from a flave-fhip themselves, may be affected by narrowly escaping the fate to which they have too often configned others. And circumstances have already occurred, which give hopes of gaining fuch perfons. Others again may be led, partly by higher principles, to contemplate the miseries brought by the slave-trade on their country, and, if a fair opening be afforded, and the sacrifice be not too great, may become favourers of order and industry. Lastly, some chiefs, struck with the improvements at Freetown, or having, perhaps, vifited England, may return animated with a desire to impart the blessings they have witneffed, who may be induced, poffibly by embracing Christianity, to ftand forward as promoters of civilization, and friends of the Company. That one or other of these principles has actually operated on the minds of feveral very confiderable chiefs, will appear-first from a quotation from the journal of one of the Company's servants already often reforted to, and which describes an interview with a neighbouring chief, about a year after the inftitution of the colony.

Having heard of this chief's prejudices againftus, I firft expreffed to him my fear that our engagements in the care of our infant colony, might have afforded time for interested men to fpread reports against us; that it was true we were not friends to the flave-trade, but that we wished peaceably to draw the natives from it, by fetting before them other fources of wealth. Though civil, he was, at firft, far from cordial. He allowed that we had many enemies, and that he had been alarmed for his property. I then explained several parts of our conduct, which I found had been grofsly mifreprefented; affuring him particularly, that it was not our purpose to decoy flaves from their mafters (as he had been told) and that, if we did not feize and deliver them up, yet we would neither shelter, nor employ them. I offered education, at Sierra Leona, to any of his young people, and hinted that a feminary might be fet up at his own place. I then urged him to fet his grumettas to cultivation, calcu lated and fet before him the advantages he would derive from having his lands covered with cotton and coffee, instead of their being depopulated by the flave-trade. He was very inquifitive about this plan, and appeared rather to approve it; but doubted

P

ONA.

comes fa

vourable to

cultivation,

CHA P. doubted whether he should find a market for his produce. I anfwered that we would XI. agree to take it, at a certain price. He was fatisfied with my explanation, and SIERRALE wifhed the Company fuccefs. I afterwards viewed fome of his land, which is excellent cotton grows abundantly, and the true indigo is feen in feveral places. 496. The Directors have the fatisfaction of adding, that, and he be by recent advices, this perfon's difpofition to quit the slavetrade appears to be strengthened, and that he has actually taken fome measures for commencing cultivation. He has been retarded from adopting the Company's fuggeftions, by his outstanding debts, which it has been difficult to collect, except in flaves; by the alluring profits of the flavetrade; and by his temporary prejudices against the Company, (fee § 492 et feq.) But his known humanity and liberality, and perhaps the late reduction of the demand for flaves, from the war, and the failure of credit here, seem at length to have operated on him fo effectually, as to incline him to favour cultivation.-From what has been faid, it may be prefumed that this refpectable African, when he followed the flave-trade, would exercife as much humanity as could be reconciled to fuch a traffic; and that he would probably confine his purchases to flaves from a distance, giving protection to the people around him. The truth of this prefumption appears from the cenfures of the flave-traders. his humanity He is the very man who made the British slave-captain wait so long for flaves, being " afraid to make a haul of the people" as the "fine fellow" (the mulatto chief) his predeces for used to do; and whofe town, therefore, the captain faid he would have feized" if he had been well manned," in order, doubtless, to teach this African "a proper fpirit." His incapacity for the flave-trade has been alfo intimated by a British factor, who being asked, "Does the mulatto trader's fucceffor recover debts by the fame means (laying

wafte

XI.

SIERRA LE

ONA.

wafte his debtor's towns) that he used,” replied "No he is CHA P. too eafy," (See § 368, 369.) In the journal fent home, a no less honourable teftimony of this African, and of the peace and security he has introduced, is implied in the words of a third British flave-factor, who dwelt on a neighbouring ifland.

"I remember the time" faid he "when, if I fent a grumetta up the country, with goods equal in value to one flave, I was fure to have him back with two flaves in return, within fix days: but it will now take as many weeks to get the fame number, and yet flaves are dearer than ever."

497. The Company owe their fuccefs, in this district, partly to the war *, and partly to the remembrance of the ravages of the mulatto trader. They owe a fimilar benefit to the experience of the bitter effects of the flave-trade, in the following recent cafe.-The Mahometan chief, whose humane, modeft and difinterested conduct has been mentioned (§ 475) made the following observations.

hometan chief unde

ceived.

He said, he had been taught to look on the colony with jealoufy, and had there- Humane Ma. fore hitherto kept aloof; but that recent misfortunes, brought on him by the machinations of flave-traders, fome of which he related, added to what he had lately learnt of our conduct, had made him suspect the truth of what he had heard, and that he was come to have his doubts cleared up. He earnestly entreated my affiftance, in recovering his intimate friend, Famarah, a distinguished chief carried off the coaft, fome time ago, as a flave. He also spoke to me of the free boy whom he had just loft, and to induce me to exertion in recovering both captives, he named his redemption of our free colonists, for which, he said, the flave-traders had blamed, as well as laughed at him. Though I could give him little hopes of recovering either of the captives, he was pleased, on the whole, with his vifit. He was particularly gratified by feeing our schools. "If I were younger, faid he, I fhould ftay here; but, as it is, I shall fend my children." He also spoke of his having been driven, by the arts of a British slave-trader, to the neceffity of quitting his native place; but said that lie lived now in a country affording fome produce, which he should be happy to colle&t for us. His conversation and manners interested me much. He is about 60

years old, of a good and benevolent appearance. His mind, which is naturally fe

The interruption of the flave-trade by the prefent European war is here evidently meant. C. B. W.

CHA P. gacious, being now bowed down by misfortunes, is the more open to impreffions against the flave-trade, and I truft we fhall attach him to us.

XI.

SIERRALE

ΟΝΑ.

Chief of the river makes moft generous offers.

Chief from the Gambia,

zealous for improve

ment.

498. The Directors will next add a very encouraging account of an interview with another chief.

I waited on the chief of this river, who is said to have great influence over the three neighbouring kings, and to have nominated them all. I was surprised by the appearance of a man about 90 years old, ftill fenfible and active. I acquainted him with the motives of my vifit, and the principles of the Company. He very readi ly affured me, that he would protect our traders, and favour us in the custom of his river. He promised to fend one of his boys to the colony for education, and to vifit it himself, the next dry season. He alfo offered protection to a miffionary, or fchoolmaster, and to make his fituation comfortable. I have met with no native more liberal in his views, or clear in his ideas or converfation. He has wonderfully divefled himself of African prejudices and fuperftitions, and reprobates the cuf tom of facrificing to the devil, who, faid he, " must be himself a creature of God." Though occafionally engaged in the flave-trade, he rejoices in the prospect of it's abolition. Some years ago, his town was deftroyed by the mulatto flave-trader, and many of his people carried off: he ftill waits for an opportunity of revenge.We had propofed to him to build on an island of his, a factory and a rice-house, vesting in us the right of po"effion, and that he should furnish a planter, whom we might fend, labourers to clear and plant the whole. I think it likely that our propofal will be accepted, and a magazine may be fixed for the produce of the neigh bourhood, which is very rich in rice, flock and camwood. A fchoolmafter, or miffionary, would find a confiderable population, if the cultivation fhould proceed with fpirit, and would be within one or two hours diftance of feveral of the largest villages in thefe parts.

499. A very favourable fpecimen of the African character, and a most pleasing proof of the practicability of introducing European improvements, are afforded by the following incident.

Five natives lately arrived, in a fhip of our's, from the Gambia. One of them, named Cuddy, is a chief and principal trader there. His figure is very prepoffeffing. He is well made, and about 6 feet 3 inches high. His manners are civil and easy, and his face the picture of benevolence. He is modeft and diffident, and afraid of offending against the truth. He was dreffed in his country fashion, neat and clean, but defpifed finery. He has rifen much in my efteem, and that of all the Company's officers, as well as of the colonists, during the 14 days he spent at my house. It was pleafing to observe him contemplating whatever he faw, with the view of turn

ON A.

ing it to his country's advantage. He has been affiduously endeavouring to prevail CHA P. XI. on fome of the N. Scotia blacks, to go with him to the Gambia, to instruct his countrymen, and has induced a good carpenter to go, who is to build him a house and SIERRA LE make him ploughs and husbandry utenfils, and also looms; for Cuddy has it much at heart to introduce the broad loom among his people.. Another man is to embark with him, who understands ploughing, and can make shingles, &c. Cuddy has long been partial to the Company, has always been kind to their fervants, when in the Gambia, and has built, on the Floop fide of that river, a little town, which he has named Sierra Leona. Being curious in natural productions, he showed our botanift feveral dying plants growing here, particularly a tree used in the Gambia, for making indigo more durable.

the interior.

500. The Directors will next offer some information rela- Interesting tive to the interior country, gained in a journey lately made expedition to into a large neighbouring kingdom *.-The governor and council having been informed by fome of the Foulahs +, a powerful nation to the N.E. of S. Leona, that their king defired to form an intercourse with the colony, two gentlemen in the Company's fervice, offered to attempt to penetrate, through a large, and as yet unknown country, to his capital. Sailing accordingly, to the Rio Nunez, they obtained inter

* The account of this expedition, and much other matter, in this and the preceding chap. were not inferted in the Report read to the Proprietors. Advices from S. Leona, of the 6th Sep. 1794, had been received at time of sending this Report to the prefs, which have furnished much additional intelligence. Their recent accounts are, in almost every respect, more favourable than any preceding. They convey, nevertheless, information of a disturbance in the colony, from the violence of fome of the most difaffected N. Scotians. But the ringleaders had been taken up, or had left the colony, the utmost tranquillity prevailed when the last dispatches came away, which were dated 7 or 8 weeks after the tumult, and the government are perfuaded that there is no reason to fear any permanent or material ill confe

quences.

+ There seem to be several independent tribes or nations of Foulahs, of which this is probably one of the moft confiderable.

Mr. James Watt, already spoken of (formerly manager of the estate of George Rofe, Efq. M. P. in Dominica) and Mr. Winterbottom, brother to Dr. Winterbottom, physician to the colony.

preters