APPENDIX. within 10 or 15 leagues of another of the fame population. The finest rivers will not have towns upon them, where perhaps there are 100 perfons within a long tide's distance of each other.

Their character mireprefented,

and might be improved.

Customs againit induftry

635. As they draw very little fubfiftence from hunting, and have every where good fishing places, and grounds for plantations, every little community chufes where to pitch its tents, without any regard but to the vicinity of good water; the land itself becomes of no value. From these accounts of this people, it may be conceived, that they want fpirit and abilities, and that they have fuch a propensity to indolence, that no mode of legislature or education will infpire them with ingenuity and induftry. But this is not a juft opinion. This unhappy race have continually fuffered by misrepresentation. While our moral and philofophical writers have facrificed them to system, and our travellers to prejudice, our mer. chants and planters, regarding them as mere beafts of burden, have devoted them to their avarice and cruelty t.

636. Whatever may be faid of the effects of local fituation and the extremes of heat and cold, it will probably be found hereafter, that all men, in their difpofitions. and conduct in life, are formed more by artificial than natural causes, by the laws which impel, and the education which trains them; in fhort, by custom and habit. A very fingular jurisprudence, and cuftoms, which in fome refpects are wife, but in this pernicious, enchains the inhabitants of this part of the globe, and, till the charm is broken, must keep them in indigence, indolence and contempt. These are ajurifprudence, which renders improvement unacceptable to the public, and ingenuity dangerous to the poffeffor; which make reformers criminal, and takes away all merit from hofpitality and generofity. Under this dispensation, customs, which are impolitic and degrading, have as ftrong a fanction, as those which are wife and improving. This cannot be better illuftrated than by two fimple facts:

637. The cultivation of rice must always, according to their customs, be practised in a certain manner, and it is reaped by cutting the flalks 6 or 8 inches below the ears, one or two at a time, if they grow fo near as to come within the grasp of the knife and right thumb. Thus 1, 2, or 3 ears are cut off and leisurely transferred to the left hand, till it is almoft full, when they tie it up like a nofegay, and put it in a basket. When I fallied out to reap my first crop of rice, I was quite difappointed to fee my labourers reaping it in this idle way, and expected to please them by fhewing them how we reaped corn in England. Though I cut more in a few minutes, than 7 or 8 had done in half an hour, and though I begged them to fave the straw for thatch, they difregarded my information and defire; and I was obliged

See Montefquieu's Spirit of Laws, and Wilson's Effect of hot Climates on animal and vegetable Bodies.

See Long's Hiftory of Jamaica paffim.

to

to compel them to ufe my method. The chief, who had been brought up in Eng. APPENDIE. land, told me, that such an innovation would have coft a native his life. He would have been accused of intending to overthrow the customs (or laws) and would have been obliged to drink the red water, which feldom fails to find the culprit guilty. Thus there is a flop put to public improvement. The law of hospitality is obAtructive of industry. If there is provision in the country, a man who wants it has only to find out who has got any; and he must have his share. If he enter any man's house during his repast, and gives him the usual salutation, the man must invite him to partake. Thus, whatever abundance a man may get by affiduity, will be fhared by the lazy; and hence, they feldom calculate for more than neceffaries. Hence alfo they feldom live in large communities. Industrious men, who have wives, children, and domeftics about them, retire to fome fequéftered creek to avoid thofe interlopers, who lounge in every fmall town. Here they may thrive; but are often expofed to the dangers of flavery, from fome neighbouring tyrant. But the laws of hospitality are not reftrained to diet. A common man cannot quietly enjoy a spare fhirt or a pair of trowfers. Those who are too lazy to plant or hunt, are alfo too lazy to trade, and begging is not disgraceful; so that if an induf trious man gets a fpare fhirt or utenfil, he will be teazed to death for it, and he must not refufe; but he muft talk the palaver. Whatever reasons the beggar offers for the want of any thing, he must give others for detaining; and such is their patience, that they will palaver as long as fome gamefters will play-long enough for the detainer to have worn out the fhirt or matter in difpute. A man in those cases must fometimes give of neceffity, that he may keep with fafety. The rich are continually plagued with fuch requests, and are in fact but stewards for the reft. As they are conftantly drained by their dependants, and are themselves both improvident and extravagant, they often fuffer a total want of European luxuries. A great chief who fells 20 or 30 flaves for cloths, laced hats, beads, rum, tobacco, gunpowder, (chiefly for falutes) falt beef, pork, hams, butter, flour, buifcuits, porter, wine, tea, coffee, choco late, fugar, fpices, &c. as they affect very much to live in the European manner, fhall, in 6 or 8 weeks, be entirely exhausted, and be obliged to live on rice and caf sava, and take his chance of fishing or hunting. What a dreadful trade, and how weak muft be focieties, where they part with those who conftitute the wealth of other countries, for articles, from which they derive as little benefit as we do from the Weft Indian turtle!

638. From what has been faid, it appears, that the indolence and ignorance of might be rethefe men arife not from the climate; and that good government and education formed by good laws would change them wonderfully. Those Europeans, indeed, who are brought up in indolence and ignorance, generally remain at least ufelefs to fociety. But many of the Gentoos, in a climate as warm as that of Africa, are, by wifer laws and a better education, rendered ingenious and industrious. We have then every reason

APPENDIX. to imagine, that by a small encouragement to African productions, and by degrees introducing habits of induftry, we might open a current of commerce, which would increase like one of their rivers, to which "our floods are rills." For hitherto we have been as little acquainted with Africa, as we were with America, during the first 20 years of our connection with that continent.

The Doctor's plan of colonizing.

chofen as co

639. "I have now stated on what grounds a new and profitable trade to certain parts of Guinea, without dealing in human bodies, feems very practicable. I could have mentioned many more, but they appeared unneceffary, fince I have particularly defcribed the produce of the country, and the manner in which it might be culti vated to greater advantage. Referring to that account, I fhall conclude with fubmitting to better judgments an outline of the methods, which the information obtained feems to indicate as necessary to the success of a new and natural commerce to a country, which, for thefe 200 years, we have only drained of it's population, without increasing our own, or that of the colonies, in any manner adequate to our own expense of men and money, or the defolation of a prolific continent.

640." From what has been faid, it might feem, that nothing but princely fortune, or the power of government, is adequate to this undertaking. But this is not the case, since any two fhips of 150 or 200 tons each, flaving on the coast, always carry more men, and coft a greater outfit, than would be neceffary for our purpose; and at a time like this, (viz. in 1783,) when fo many want employment, it will not be Whites to be difficult to procure proper perfons. These are chiefly tradefmen, as carpenters, joiners, coopers, fmiths, rope-makers, fail-makers, weavers, taylors, mafons, gardeners, men bred on West India plantations, viz. planters, diftillers, &c. Many fuch having been preffed, or otherwife introduced, into the naval or military service, are now become ill-qualified to refume their occupations at home, or are fupplanted by younger labourers. We very often find men of most of these profeffions on board of one Guinea fhip, where they generally are very usefully employed; and, when at work under the awning, make the deck appear like a manufactory.

lonilts

and blacks.

641. "Success would much depend on the conduct of thofe men. But I would alfo recommend the procuring of a great number of black men. There are, I con.. ceive, now in this country, hundreds, and many of them perfons of character, poffeffed of a little property, who under the fanction of a respectable company of Quakers, and the prospect of an independent fettlement, would gladly engage. And if it once takes place, there are vast numbers of people of colour in the West Indies, who though called free, labour under such intolerable oppreffion, that they would almost to a man unite themselves to fuch a community. Even thofe of America would not be backward in emigrating to a country where colour would be no reproach, and where they would enjoy thofe privileges never allowed them in governments framed folely by white people. How far it might be prudent to acquaint the

coloured

coloured people on the other fide of the Atlantic of fuch a project, previous to it's APPENDIX. execution, is not eafy to determine.

A mixture of people eafieit

formed into a

fociety.

642. "Suppofing one large or two small ships, fufficiently manned and provided, I fhould propofe failing firft to Madeira, to take in live ftock and wine, for medical 'ufes. From thence it might not be amifs to call at the Canaries, where we might probably procure volunteers. If it might be permitted to purchase a few flaves at Senegal, Goree, and Gambia, it would be political: many of the flaves from those parts have as just a sense of the value of liberty, as either Britons or Americans, and are brave and ingenious men. We should by these means vary our new fubjects very usefully; for, not to mention their different kinds of knowledge, one great advantage is obvious. These people could not have the same cuftoms and language, which they would give up for liberty, and readily agree to be governed by what they term White-man's fashion. Upon this every thing would depend; for by the fingular, as well as the useful, difference, we should be enabled to exclude the bad customs of our ignorant neighbours. For the fame reasons it would be proper also to call at the Western Islands, where the fine cloths are made, of which I have spoken in my account of cotton. The inhabitants were so oppressed formerly, as to offer by hundreds to emigrate with our Guinea captains, fome of whom have been villains enough to fell them in the Weft-Indies. Here it has also been ufual for Guinea ships to take in salt, live stock and fresh provisions, which we might probably want in that part of our voyage. When we arrive at that part of the coaft destined for our fettlement, we should immediately agree with one of the kings or chiefs for a fequeftered port and tract of land. In a month or fix weeks, we should have compleated fufficient habitations, and be advanced a great way in clearing land, and that without much impediment to our trade. In a few months we might not only buy quantities of rice, but see the indications of plenteous harvefts of our own. All forts of plants will vegetate merely from the genial influence of the climate. Hence the loftieft mountains, which, at least most of those I have seen, are nothing but rocks, are covered to their fummits with stately trees; and we often see fine rice flourishing on the fteep fides of thofe mountains a mile and a half high. ( § 62.) Here then is the fineft field for exerting that species of industry, which is the fureft foundation of national profperity. "Agriculture, as Dr. Johnson obferves, not only gives riches to a nation, but the only riches we can call our own, and of which we need not fear either deprivations or diminutions." And again," the nation which can furnish grain and wool, may have her fhips welcomed at a thousand parts, or fit at home. and receive the tribute of foreign nations, enjoy their arts, or treasure up their gold." 643." As rice there is the finest and most nourishing of all grain, and cotton comes Propofed fituinto univerfal demand; we shall have two folid objects of commerce on which to exercise our industry. I have two deserted rivers in my memory, enjoying all the neceffary advantages. In either place we could have excellent fituations for water-mills

ation.

for

be carried out.

APPENDIX. for the cleanfing rice, grinding corn, and fawing timber, good ports for small craft, and fish in plenty. If I was to conduct this enterprize, I would lift the first axe and the first hoe myself; and may fay without vanity, fince it is faid from experience, fet an example of labour and industry in cultivation. For husbandry, far from being to me a drudgery, is the moft delightful amusement. I attribute all the extreme good health I enjoyed by intervals in Africa, with the foundness of my conftitution at this hour, to the hard labour I then sustained with infinite pleasure, often contemplating with how much greater enjoyment I could labour, in profecuting fuch an attempt of Seeds, Sec, to civilization. It would be our business to take not only the feeds common in the climates, but also all the feeds to be procured from warmer regions, of ufe in food or medicine. Our own hot-houfes would furnish us with coffee, American indigo, aloes and other useful plants; and I should think the chocolate tree (theobroma cacao,) might be procured. These are not indeed primary objects, but by the time they increase, will be very worthy of attention. As this fettlement would require frequent fupplies of European neceffaries, our first endeavours would be to obtain such remittances, by trade or cultivation, as would at least support our credit. In the first year, the erection of ftore-houses and other public works, would neceffarily abridge our efforts inagriculture. Elfe by that we might hope to make very important remittances. Probably 3 or 4 blacks might, by that branch alone, in one year, pay for their redemption, which will not probably cost us above 10 or £12 each; and our land will coft us nothing. The West India planters pay about four times as much for their flaves, and exorbitantly too for their grounds, with taxes and other expenses: and yet fome few who have borrowed their capitals at 8 and 10 per cent, have made pretty fortunes.

Prefervation of health.

644. "Befides artificers, I fhould propofe taking out naturalifts, to collect fubjects in natural hiftory, and draughtsmen to delineate them, &c. The collection I fhipped under innumerable disadvantages, had they all arrived fafe, would have fold for a very great amount.

645. "It would perhaps be the most prudent method, if practicable, to give the perfons employed fmall wages, and allow them fhares of the profits, as in diftributing prize-money in fhips of war. In these inftances fuch a mode may increase rapacity, in our's it will promote industry and economy.

646." Among many other regulations which I have yet to propose, are the methods of preferving the health of our people. The diftrict I propofe, is as healthy as any between the tropics. And fuch is my confidence of that circumftance, and the knowledge. I have of tropical diseases, that, let me have the care of 100 perfons of good conftitutions for 3 years, barring accidents and obftinate refusal of medicines, I would engage to bring them all home again. The mortality of Europeans on this coaft may be objected; to which I fhall oppofe other facts and plain reasoning, in my account of the difeafes of thofe climates.