XI. BULAMA, contrary winds, or might then be refitting, after a gale, in CHA P. some harbour; but that, if they would stay six months longer, they would undoubtedly be reinforced." To this propofi tion they afsented: Mr. Beaver concluded that the vessel was taken; but hoped that, by Feb. or March, he would receive fuccour. He then found fome difficulty in engag ing grumettas; for the prime articles with which he paid them were exhausted, and he could offer them nothing but powder or tobacco. 580. While in anxious expectation of a reinforcement, a report was received from Bissao that the Bijugas meditated a formidable attack. This rumour operated fo strongly on the minds of the colonists, now enfeebled by fickness, that, on the night of the 22d. Oct. the mate (then commander) of the floop, and another man ran away with the boat. Mr. Beaver the lefs regarded this lofs, as he had still two white men left who, he hoped, would remain till more arrived. Two days after this desertion, a Mr. Lawrence, a factor in the Rio Nunez, touched at Bulama, in his way to Bulola. The next day he failed, and was to return in a week to Bulama, and thence to fail for Biffao. Four days after his departure, the colonists delivered to Mr. Beaver a written request, that he would not only permit them to leave the island, but that he would leave it with them. The latter request he positively refused, and, again fucceeded in persuading them not to urge the former. But, 15 days after, Lawrence not having returned, they delivered * The resemblance of Mr. Beaver's fituation, at this trying jun&ture, to that of Columbus, in the voyage, in which he discovered America, is too striking to escapethe notice of intelligent readers. May the magnanimous perfeverance of this able officer, infpire the fupporters of this undertaking with fimilar zeal! May his fuccefs. be equal, and his reward fuperior to thofe of the discoverer of the new world! (See Robertfon's Hift. of America.) But they pertention to fit in their in leave Bulama. XI. BULAMA. Mr. B. reluc tantly yields. His realons. CHA P. him a fecond paper, exhorting him to confider their dan~gerous fituation, and signifying their refolution to feek their own fafety, by quitting the ifland, as foon as poffible. Mr. Beaver, repeatedly and earnestly expoftulated with the people on " the folly of leaving a place where they had laboured fo hard, at a time when all difficulties were over," But finding that fuch was their pofitive determination, he was under the painful neceffity of yielding*. “I did not quit the island," to use his own words, in his letter from S. Leona, of Jan. 19th, 1794, "because I could not keep it; for I might still have retained 20 grumettas with me in the blockhouse, a number sufficient to maintain such a strong hold not only against the Bijugas, but all the Iflanders of Africat. But their pay would have been much. They would not have wrought; and instead of labourers, I should have been paying 20 masters, who would besides have plundered me. The cutter too, I must inevitably have loft, having no mooringchains, nor a single man to take care of her." To preserve her, therefore, and the remaining flores, Mr. Beaver confented to carry the people to S. Leona; and, by letter, he chartered Lawrence's fchooner for that colony, to carry the goods which the cutter could not contain. He sent Mr. Hood to Biffao to inform the governor of his refolution; and tranfmitted to Jalorum and Bellchore, kings Canabac, Matchore, king of Rio Grande and Woody Toorey, queen of Bulola, presents of 20 bars each, informing them that he was going home, but should return after the next rains. Mr. B. arrives at S. Leona. 581. Mr. Beaver having shipped almost all the goods, in His opinion of three fmall veffels, on the 29th Nov. "had," as he says, "the the undertak ing. *See in the App. Notes, &c. refpe&t. S. Leona and Bulama, NOTE G G. No. 4. + See in the App. Notes, &c. refpe&t. S. Leona and Bulama, NOTE GG, No. 9. mortification XI. BULAMA. mortification to see that spot abandoned, which the labour CHA P. of a year and a week (from the Hankey's departure) had rendered a little paradife." Dec. 23d, he arrived at Sierra Leona, where he fold the floop Beggar's Bennison and the goods. "The hofpitality and attention," fays he, in his letter of the 19th Jan. 1794, "which I have experienced from Mr. Dawes, the Governor, Mr. Macauley, the Lieut. Governor, and all the gentlemen of the colony, demand my grateful acknowledgments *." The Governor and Council kindly gave him and Mr. Hood, a paffage to England, where they arrived in May 1794, with a few hundred pounds, "the only remains of £10,000 raised to colonize Bulama. Yet," fays Mr. Beaver, "the fcheme cannot be called a bad one. I have a better opinion of it now, than ever I had; and am confident that a very finall portion of industry and perfeverance on Bulama, will answer the expectations of our most fanguine fubfcribers. We have not mifcarried, but we have been unfortunate, &c." See his letter from S. Leona, of 19th Jan. 1794. 582. Having thus finished the history of this firft at tempt to form a colony at Bulama, we must add, that the John, which failed in October, got to Biffao about a month after the evacuation; and finding a letter from Mr. Beaver, advifing any fhip that might arrive, to return home, Capt. Clouflon fold a part of the goods at Biffao and the C. de Verd iflands, and invested their value in falt, with which and the remaining goods he arrived at Corke, where they are now felling for account of the Affociation. * I feel the greatest fatisfaction in joining Mr. Beaver in a fimilar acknowledgment to Mr. Dawes, to whofe liberal communications I owe feveral interesting particulars in this work, efpecially in the maps. Though I have not the happiness of Mr. Macauley's acquaintance, I have been so fortunate as to procure, and have taken the liberty to infert, fome of his valuable remarks. 583. The Supplies arafter the eva rive a month cuation. CHA P. BULAMA. 583. The Trustees will now give a general flatement of the accounts of the Aflociation. The affets of the Affociation, as laid before the general meeting, on the 25th of June, 1794, are as follow, viz. By value of floop, &c. to be remitted from S. Leona £300 0 234 14 5 77 9 6 Trustees' opinion of a future under taking. By debts due in Africa. By debts due of no value, or not ascertainable Debts owing by the Affociation Balance, in favour of the Affociation. £1280 7 O 360 6 9 £920 0 3 584. The Trustees having now fulfilled, as well as they can, the directions of the General Meeting, refpecting past proceedings, are now to give "their opinion as to the probability of future fuccefs." By this, they understand that the General Meeting wish to know, What would be the probable expense of colonizing Bulama, and how the fame could could be raised.—And here the Trustees must take for granted, that a charter from His Majefty, fanctioned by Parliament, will be obtained; for, without such authority, they could not recommend a renewal of the colony. 585. Supposing then a charter obtained, the scale of the undertaking will much depend on the state of Europe, at the time; if, during war, the Trustees would recommend a fmall scale; and they have Mr. Beaver's opinion, in his letter of the 10th Oct. 1793, that 20 Europeans, would at first be sufficient, namely, a governor, a store-keeper, two furgeons, a furveyor and his affiftant, with 14 labourers, who fhould have regular pay, keep guard, if necessary, overlook the native labourers, accompany or head them in excurfions through the island, &c. To these whites, 50 natives might be attached (and we know that any number may be hired) who should perform all the hard labour of building and clearing land, this having been one chief cause of the mortality of the former colonists t. It might be proper also to encourage fome proprietors of lands to go over. About 50 feem an eligible number, who might have a free paffage, and an allowance of provisions, for the first year. None but healthy, fober, induftrious men of a proper age, should be permitted to go, nor any (speculating)" merchants or traders." They should be advised to hire at least one native labourer each: and thus, barring accidents on the paffage, the governor would enter upon his charge with 70 Europeans * See in the App. Notes, &c. respect. S. Leo. and Bula. NOTE GG. No. 6, 8, 10. + See in the App. Notes, &c. refpe&t. S. Leo. and Bula. NOTE G G. No. 1,5, 8, 16. I am happy to find that the opinion of the Trustees fo perfectly agrees with my own. Z and CHAP. BULAMA. If in war, a fmall fcale re commended. |