XI. SIERRA LE ONA. Incidents on the return of the travellers to S. Leona, known at Laby; but the route was described as hazardous. CHA P 505. From Teembo, the Company's fervants returned by a different, and rather more dangerous path. But, by the king's command, they were escorted by a body of Foulahs, amounting, for part of the journey, to 5 or 600. When this body arrived on the borders of the Sufee country, a fufpicion arose, on the part of the Sufees, that the Foulahs were come to attack them, on pretence of conducting white men to the coaft. But the latter removed the fufpicion, fhowing that they had goods and flaves with them; and at a meeting of the Sufee chiefs, it was determined, not only that the travellers and their party fhould be permitted to pass to Sierra Leona, but also that the path, which former wars had shut, fhould become permanently open. Four or five confiderable perfons from the Foulah, and other kings, with their fuite came to Freetown, with the white travellers, passed a few days there, arranged fome commercial plans, and returned highly gratified by their vifit. It has fince been learnt, that when the Foulahs got back to the borders of their own kingdom, their countrymen, who came to meet them, were so much interefted with what had been heard and feen at S. Leona, that the converfation lafted till day-break*. 506. The fuccefs of this journey has fuggested a more important one, on which one of the above mentioned travel lers, and another fervant of the Company were, by the last accounts, likely foon to enter. Their main object will be to penetrate to Tombuctoo, probably by the Foulah coun try. If they should reach Tombuctoo, it will depend on the information they will there receive, whether they return to See the route of the travellers, as traced on the large map, at the end of this work.-For the route of Major Houghton in 1791, fee " Elucidations of the African Geography," published by the African Affociation, Intended journey to Tombuctoo. XI. CHA P. Teembo and S. Leona, or fhall go towards the Gambia, or through the continent to the Mediterranean. SIERRA LE ONA. Wars cease with the flave-trade. Slave-trade diminished na. 507. Since the stagnation of the demand for flaves, wars have ceased near S. Leona, and in other parts of the coast. That refpectable chief Cuddy, from the diftant river Gambia, (§ 499.) mentioned, when at Freetown, that there were now no wars in any part near him, and that the few flaves fold there, whose number was daily diminishing, came from the remote country of Gallam. He added, "What should a man go to war for now? There is nothing to make people go to war: no price for flaves-no fhip to take them-no goods to give for them! Suppofe fhips come plenty, aye, then people go to war again.' 508. The declension of the slave-trade near S. Leona, apnear S. Leo pears to have been very great. The governor and council suppose that not above of the ufual number of flaves are now carried off the adjacent coaft. The French flave-factory, and an individual British slave-factor, have removed from S. Leona river. The slave-factory in the Isle de Los, is on the point of being given up; and that on Bance Island, the only one remaining either in or near S. Leona river, is thought to apply more than formerly to the collection of produce, and has begun a cotton plantation, worked by natives, and which the Company's inftitution appears to have fuggested. A flave-factor, of the name of Wilkinson, declared that he would quit the trade, and transfer his property. (amounting to about £2000) to Freetown, offering to conform to the laws, if permitted to settle there. But he is fince dead. 509. The governor and council have taken some pains to enquire What has been done with flaves withheld or returned, for want of purchasers, and what would probably be their fate on a total abolition of the flave-trade? (1.) A respectable chief from Port Logo, an upper branch of S. Leona river, being asked if refused flaves were killed, answered "No, never in Port Logo; we carry them home and make them work"-But will they not run away ?—If they do, we can't help that, we can't kill them. If a man is too old to fell, he is too old to do you XI. you harm; what fhould you kill him for?-Did you ever fee any refufed flaves CHA P. killed?-No: I am an old man, but I never faw that: if they do that in another country, I don't know that." (2.) Two other intelligent native traders, from the interior, mentioned the great numbers of flaves now confined on the coaft for purchasers: one trader had no fewer than 200. Being asked why they were not fet to cut wood, plant rice, &c. they replied that there might be danger of infurrection from employing so many, and that they must first be difperfed; befides, there had been no encouragement to cut camwood: they could not tell what our commercial agent, who was gone down the coaft, might be able to effect in this respect. They obferved that, if the flave-trade continued at a stand, no more flaves would come from the bush (inland) and indeed that few came now. They faid that the flaves would certainly not be put to death; for that nobody was ever put to death, except in war, or for crimes, (3.) A white factor also says that scarce any flaves have been bought, for a year paft, between C. Vergo and C. Mount, from the traders on the coaft infifting that the price should be reduced £10 or £12; and that the natives, in consequence, had lately withheld their flaves entirely, and had fet them to cultivate rice, especially in the Sufee and Mandingo countries. SIERRA LE ONA General cha racter of the. Africans. 510. The accounts given of feveral natives, who have been peculiarly instrumental in forwarding the Company's views, ought not to be considered as a sample of the common African character. So far as the Directors are enabled to judge, the Africans, in general, are extremely fuperftitious. Their Superftition. belief in witchcraft, incantations and charms, fubjects them to grofs impofitions, and leads them to acts of cruelty and injustice. Some learn many additional superstitions, from the numerous travelling Mahometan priests, who trade in charms. The natives of S. Leona, and all the adjacent parts, occafionally facrifice to the devil. They believe in a God; but they appear to render him no stated worship. They have fome vague notions of a future ftate; but their faith feems to have little influence on their practice. Polygamy Polygamy, is every where common, and the spirit of retaliation and revenge may be confidered as univerfal. One of the most enlightened chiefs, already mentioned, was waiting to re Retaliation XI. SIERRA LE &c. CHA P. venge an injury he had received many years before, not from the object of his vengeance, but from his predeceffor. The most amiable character perhaps met with in the Foulah country, after allowing Chriftianity to be good in many refpects, exprefsly objected to the forgiving of injuries, as a virtue unattainable, and therefore not to be required. The African character is various, fome nations appearing more crafty, fome more uncivilized, than others: nor can these differences be always traced, either to the flave-trade or to local circumflances. The fuperiority of the Foulahs, and their great hospitality have already fufficiently appeared;" but, on the other hand, the natives of the coaft in general,. especially those near the flave-factories, are much given to Drunkennefs, liquor, fufpicious of whites, crafty, favage and ferocious: they are said also to be selfish, unreafonable and encroachGratitude. ing. They are, however, generally grateful for benefits received; they have much natural affection and feeling; though occafionally violent, they are not unmanageable; and the energies of their minds (which the cutting off of flavefhips fhow to be very strong § 471.) though turned as yet to wrong objects, are capable no doubt of a better direction. Eager for re- They appear eager for knowledge and religious improve. ligious imment, and readily invite the teachers of Christianity. But provement. this readinefs, though it affords ample encouragement to miffionaries, is obviously owing rather to emulation and ambition, than to any approbation to Chriflianity, of which they are yet ignorant. They admit the wickednefs of the Difapprove flave-trade, as much as that of any other criminal practice, pursuing it for it's profits, contrary to some glimmering light of confcience, if not in direct defiance of conviction. A few circumftances will illuftrate certain points in the character of the Africans. To begin with a brief account Affection. the flavetrade. of CHAP. of the confequences of the injurious charge of poison, on .XI. the death of King Naimbanna's fon, (fee § 401.) ON A death of K. (1.) The black who made this fuggeftion, had croffed the fea with King Naim- SIERRA LE banna's fon, and had been offended by the captain's urging him to do duty failor. He had feen the captain give the deceased fome medicine, which produced a trifling fickness of stomach; and it is fuppofed his ill-will may have fuggefted fuf- Palaver on the picions of the captain, which, after his arrival, were rafhly communicated to the Naimbanna's relations of the deceased. The dead body was immediately delivered to a fkilful fon. necromancer, and being placed erect, was fucceffively afked, Whether the S. Leona Company-the governor-the physician-or a fervant of the Company who attended the patient, had caused his death? The corpfe continuing motionless, it was then asked, Whether the captain was guilty? on which it was faid to have nodded affent, A threatening letter was now written, in the name of the relations, to the governor and council, afking compenfation for the murder; but it was handsomely intimated, that it was not the Company, but fome of the flave-captains who were supposed to have inftigated the Company's fervant, to put the king's fon to death. The governor and council refifted this claim, but were obliged to permit the calling of a palaver, at which a great concourse of armed natives attended. The debate was folemnly opened, in the name of the mother of the deceased, by a neighbouring chief, who fpoke in the Timmany language (flopping to let each fentence be interpreted) to nearly this effect.That the queen had no palaver against the Com pany, nor the governor, nor feveral others named; but that the queen had a palaver against the captain who had poisoned her fon with a cup of tea, at fea; and that she demanded 600 bars (near £100) which, if fent her immediately, would prevent her making war on the Company, and would terminate the palaver. It was added that, if the captain denied the crime, now clearly proved, he must be fent up to the queen's town to ftand his trial, by drinking red water, according to the Timmany laws*. The captain felt fome emotion at the laft article; but a loud laugh among the natives showed that they did not expect the captain's compliance. The governor and council insisted on calling evidence on the spot, when the black accufer explained away all his infinuations. The captain's innocence was established by many other witneffes; the natives became afhamed of their conduct; and, the next day, the queen * This confifts in making the suspected perfon drink a quantity of water fupposed to be poisoned. If he be affected, as he often is, in the way confidered to imply guilt, his brains are knocked out on the spot. But he often dies immediately from the poifon, as in the cafe mentioned § 464. In either cafe, all his family are fold as flaves. Natives of the higher claís are faid often to furvive thefe trials, and it is fuppofed they find means to prevent the poisonous ingredient from being put into the water. came |