as would secure it from all future intrufion of that formid- CHA P. able enemy. 608. The result of thefe deliberations, (in which I had the honour to affift) was a refolution to explore that part of the western coaft of Africa to which our attention was directed. But the execution of this plan was, at that time, retarded by the American war which, though it threatened ruin to fome of the parties engaged in it, relieved Africa, by interrupting the flave-trade, and has fince appeared to be the harbinger of an event which, it may be hoped, will terminate in real and rational liberty in Europe. Yet this obstacle, though then infurmountable, never induced us for a moment to lose fight of our object. 609. Previous to that period U. Nordenskiold, (a brother of the late A. Nordenfkiold, fee § 400) a zealous and well informed traveller, had published an interesting treatise * on the subject of the present work, and which, seasonably supported by his influence and activity, at the Court of Stockholm, promoted the business so far as to induce His late Swedish Majesty to grant a charter to 40 families to emigrate to the western coaft of Africa. By this deed, they were empowered to organize their own government, to enact their own laws, and to establish a fociety in all respects independent on Europe, and even of Sweden itself, by which, however, they were to be protected, during the infant state of their community. The only conditions annexed to these privileges were, that the Society fhould defray every expense attending their expedition and establishment; and should abstain from all infringement on the territories poffeffed, or claimed by every other European powert. But these preparatory * See in the Append. Documents, &c. refpect. the Swedish colonial defign, Nơ. i. + The obftacle mentioned in the note to § 599, namely, the detention of the mails, puts it out of my power to present the reader with a copy of this fingular charter, as alfo of feveral other documents relative this Swedish undertaking. XI. SUPPLE MENT. The King of Sweden grants a charter to 40 families. હેરો. XI. SUPPLE- CHAP. fteps, however important, could, in fact, avail but little, while no fyftematical plan had been devised for carrying the scheme into execution, and while the two most powerful, not to fay the most enlightened, European nations (France and Great Britain,) were tinging the ocean with human blood, and, in various ways, preventing the intended enterprize. 610. Knowing, however, that the eminent mercantile houfe of M. Chauvell of Havre de Grace, was embarking in various enterprises to Africa, we offered to engage in an expedition to that part of the world, on his account; and accordingly he drew up a plan for exploring the interior parts of Africa, which was communicated to us *. But, as we foon found, that M. Chauvell had no other end in view than the discovery of gold, the fole object of the merchant's purfuit, and that his plan was better accommodated to the financial interests of Guftavus III. than to our particular object, it was immediately laid before the Senator Baron Lilljencrantz, then Secretary of State in Sweden. But though it did not excite in us any very fanguine expectations; yet, by keeping alive the attention of the Swedish ministry, it contributed to give rise to a more interefting enterprize; and no time was loft in calling for the co-operation of several friends to our design in different countries, and applications were even made to certain governments 611. At length Providence was pleased to grant me a nearer approach to the bourne of my wishes, by giving me an apportunity of embarking, on a voyage so long meditated and fo anxiously defired. For, having again petitioned His Swedish Majefty, he was pleased to favour my views, not only by granting me leave of absence from my * See in the Append. Documents, &c. respect. the Swedish colonial defign, No. 2. XI. public office, but also to intereft himself in my behalf with CHA P. the Court of France. 612. It may here be observed, that Guftavus III. in granting the Charter before mentioned, obeyed a kind of warm and generous impulfe which indeed seemed congenial to his character, and often operated inftantaneously and visibly on his conduct. But without any disrepect to His Majesty's memory, I may venture to add, that when he came to confider the propofition coolly, he allowed fome private intereft to blend itself with his generosity; for it was very apparent that one of his views, in giving his confent to, and encouraging, this expedition, was the discovery of natural productions, especially gold, which, it is well known, His Majefty esteemed above all the curiosities in the three kingdoms of nature. Hence it was, that those able naturalists, Dr. Sparrman and the Chevalier Capt. Arrhenius, were also ordered on the expedition. But, had His Majesty's great natural talents been more engaged in promoting the happiness of mankind, than the partial interefts of the fycophants who surrounded him, he would probably have paid lefs attention to metallic discoveries, and more to the original object of the undertaking; the fuccefs of which, however, would have affigned to that unfortunate monarch a fingularly distinguished place among the benefactors of the human race.-But the truth is, that the King loved gold, my worthy companions loved natural science, and I loved colonization. It must be confessed too, that so warmly did we prosecute our respective pursuits, that a phlegmatic obferver would not perhaps have scrupled to pronounce each of us an enthusiast in his way; efpecially if he had known that we had also seriously determined Bb 2 SUPPLE MENT. Objects of the Voyage to Africa. CHAP. termined on an attempt to traverse the continent, and to return home by the eastern coast of Africa. XI. SUPPLE France fur mounted. 613. Animated by our different prospects, we left Sweden, in May 1787, and our journey to Paris, through Denmark, Germany and a part of France, we took every opportunity of collecting fuch kinds of information as had any connection with our undertaking. Though our reception at Paris, Difficulties in fully answered the expectations we had formed from the letters of introduction with which we had been favoured; yet we foon began to feel the effects of an exclufive commerce, in the selfish spirit which actuated the Senegal company, in common with all other monopolifts, and which very much retarded our business in that capital. This circumflance the Swedish ambaffador, Baron Stael von Holftein, had but too much reason to remember from the repeated applications he had occafion to make to the ministry, in our behalf. To our difficulties in Paris I may add those we afterwards experienced at Havre de Grace. These formidable obstacles, however, were at length removed by the Marechal de Caftries, then minister at war and of the colonies, who exprefsly ordered the directors not only to give us a paffage, but to instruct their agents on the coaft, to give us every possible assistance, and to place all the expense to the account of government. He, at the fame time, furnished us with fimilar orders to the fuperintendants of those French factories, on the coast of Guinea, which were independant of the Senegal company, and to the confuls at Sallee, and other places on the coaft of Barbary*. Thus, after fome delay, unavoidable perhaps in fuch business, our *See in the Appendix, Documents, &c. refpecting the Swedish colonial defign, No. 3, 4 5, 6. XI. views were promoted with that liberality which certainly CHAP. forms an amiable feature in the national character of the French. SUPPLE MENT. Africa. 614. All our difficulties in Europe, having been happily furmounted or eluded, we failed from Havre de Grace in Aug. 1787, in a ship belonging to the French Senegal company; and arrived at the coast, at the end of the rainy season. Arrival in We intended to touch first at Senegal; but, from the lownefs of the coast, the strength of the currents, and perhaps the ignorance of the captain, we miffed the entrance of the river. We therefore proceeded to the Island of Goree, where we delivered our dispatches, from the Marechal de Castries, M. de Malfherber and others, to the Chevalier de Boufflers, then Governor of French Africa, and who, I must gratefully acknowledge, received us in a manner that needs not be explained to those who are acquainted with the amiable character and various accomplishments of a man who does real honour to his country, and to civilized fociety. ments there, caules. 615. During our stay at Goree, we made feveral excur- Difappointfions to different parts of the adjacent continent, and met and their with many whites, negroes and mulattoes, who were extremely well acquainted with the whole coast, and fome whofe knowledge extended to very diftant parts of the interior country. The Chev. de Boufflers promised us a veffel, in which we might survey the whole coast, and particularly S. Leona, where he had been himself, and which he described as one of the most beautiful places he ever saw. But, to our great mortification, these agreeable expectations were disappointed, by events which it was impoffible for us to forefee or control.-(1.) Unfortunately for us, our worthy benefactor, (for so I may well call him) the Chev. de Boufflers, refigned his government and returned to France; and with |