Page images
PDF
EPUB

different parts. But this is not a very safe pilgrimage; for Capt. N. added, that APPENDIX. many of those visitants are at last kidnapped and fold.

NOTE Z. 1. See § 444.

780. If the S. Leona Company had heen inftituted merely for the fake of com- Company's profits. merce, every one must allow that 10 per cent. would be a very moderate profit. But, had that been the cafe, and the circumstances of the colony had been in other respects the fame, would not the 10 per cent. if raised on articles of the first neceffity, have been repaid to the colonists, in the higher wages which the Company would.of course have been obliged to give them for their labour, the only commodity which they have hitherto had an opportunity of offering for sale?

781. In conformity with the Company's grand object, the civilization of Africa, I have reason to believe, that no profit has been demanded on articles of primary neceffity, exported for the support of this new colony; for, as the colonifts have not received their lands, they are not in a condition to provide for themselves. The world will always expect to find this S. Leona business unadulterated with any commercial pursuits, which have not a direct tendency to promote the interests and the profperity of the colony, and confequently the grand end of it's establish. ment, the CIVILIZATION OF AFRICA

NOTE Z. 2. See § 519, 618.

anecdotes

782. The Directors appear to have drawn the character of the late John Henry Na- Additional imbanna with great candour; for it corresponds exactly with every account I have heard of that intelligent and amiable African. I had several opportunities of converf- ambanna. ing with him, during his ftay in London; and was much ftruck with his acuteness. and good fenfe. When I was first introduced to him, I could not help expreffing my aftonishment at finding, that he could already read a little English. "It is that lady," faid he, pointing to Mrs. Falconbridge", " to whom I owe this improvement; for fhe

was

The refolution of Mrs. Falconbridge, (now Mrs. Dubois,) in accompanying her former husband twice to S. Leona, and the hardships fhe fuffered at the unpromifing commencement of the colony, deftitute as it then was of every thing neceffary to the comfort of a well educated European lady, prove that even the tender fex, under the influence of conjugal attachment, may be fo much interested in a great undertaking, as to forget the delicacy of their frame, and to face danger and distress in every terrifying fhape. That this lady poffeffes not only patience and fortitude to endure difficulties, but ability to describe them, will not be doubted by those who have read her interesting account of Sierra Leona, which the published after her fecond return from that colony. If any excefs of warmth should be obferved in some parts of this spirited little work, it will be remembered that the writer is a woman,

[blocks in formation]

APPENDIX.

and of Job Ben Solomon.

was kind enough to teach me in the paffage from S. Leona."-Being at Portsmouth or Plymouth, foon after his arrival in England, he was carried to fee one of the arsenals. After a filent and attentive survey of the place, he at last exclaimed, “ Me no love for fee fo many gun," an expreffion, which, from his manner and emphasis, was evidently dictated by a patriotic jealousy, left those formidable engines, should one day come to be directed against his defenceless country. On many other occafions, that patriotifm, which very commonly actuates African bofoms +, diftinctly appeared in his converfation; and, from the excellent direction which was given to that and the other energies of his mind, there can be no doubt, that if Providence had spared his life, his country would have derived many advantages. -Being one day at dinner, by invitation, before his character was thoroughly known, the clergyman who had the care of his education, beckoned, by way of caution, to a gentleman who was preffing him to drink. He observed it, and immediately withdrew. On enquiring why he fo fuddenly left the table, he asked, " Whether Mr. G. really thought, that he could not have wine before him, without making a beast of himfelf.". -Talking of the distinguished member of parliament who propofed the gradual abolition of the flave-trade, he faid, " Mr. - should have his carriage drawn by affes, for they go very gradually."-His application to study was, as the Directors ftate, indefatigable; and so strong was his wish to understand the Scriptures thoroughly, and to be able to read them in the original languages, that, to his other acquifitions, during his short stay in England, he added, in his private hours, no inconfiderable proficiency in the Hebrew.

any

[ocr errors]

783. Mr. Ramfay, Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Dickson and others, have published accounts of negroes eminent for their virtues and abilities. But I do not know that of them are more worthy of attention, on many important accounts, than the biographical sketches which Moore has given us of Job Ben Solomon, in his Travels into the interior parts of Africa, printed in 1735, to which I must refer the reader, who will alfo find fome account of Job, in the Annual Register, I think, for 1767. The only piece of information, respecting Job Ben Solomon, that I can add to Moore's is, that W. Smith, Efq. M. P. (who, by the way, in his excellent fpeeches, in fupport of the abolition of the flave-trade, has difcovered an intimate knowledge, and a deep fenfe, of the wrongs of Africa,) has in his poffeffion a MS. copy of the Koran, in Arabic, written by that extraordinary negro, when in England, purely from memory; as appears from a Latin certificate, at the end, figned by the

who generously sacrificed her eafe and comfort, to a principle of duty to her husband, and enlightened zeal in a great caufe; that the certainly fuffered many fevere trials; and that, the might think, fome of them might have been prevented by human prudence and forefight.

+ See Dickfon's Letters on Slavery, p. 75, 94.

[ocr errors]

Account of a kidnapped African prince, who lately died in England.

Rev. Dr. Chandler, and fome other reputable perfons, competent to judge of the APPENDIX. merit and authenticity of this curious performance. It would appear, that the Duke of Montagu, mentioned by Job, with fo much gratitude, (Moore, p. 147.) was a great patron of African merit; for to his Grace's liberality, the negro poet and mathematician, Francis Williams, owed his education at school, and afterwards at the Univerfity of Cambridge*. I have been told that, when Job was at the Duke's house, the servants used to complain that he fometimes foiled the ftairs, when he retired to his chamber to pray, which he regularly did feveral times a day. 784. I shall close this note with fome account of another African, who, though he was not endowed with any fuperiority of intellect, poffeffed, in an eminent degree, that goodness of heart, which fo honourably characterizes the African genius.-In April, 1781, I was informed, that a young African was going to be conveyed on board a veffel bound for Sierra Leona. Curiofity induced me to enquire in what capacity he was to be sent there; as the grand queflion, respecting the abolition of the Slave-trade, had then become a merited object of universal investigation, particularly in this Ifland-I foon difcovered that the mafter of this poor negro had no other intention in conveying him out of this country, than to dispose of him afterwards with the greater facility, for the West-India market, in order to reinftate his expences with profit.-On clofer enquiry, I found that this youth, whofe name was Peter Panah, was really a fon of the present Peter, King of Mesurado, who had himself been educated at Liverpool, by the flave-traders. I difcovered farther, that he had been basely kidnapped from his father, conveyed to a Mr. Hammer at Sierra Leona, by an English flave-vessel, (Capt. Fraser) and fold there to a Capt. Cambeby, who carried him to the W. Indies, where he met with other flaves from his own country, who immediately recognized him to be their king's fon.-This fact was moreover proved by the mark he bore on his breast, which is infcribed on all the king's children, to diftinguish them from others.

785. One Johnson, a mulatto dealer at Grenada, being acquainted with this circum- A mercantile ftance, conceived that fuch a deed committed against the King of Mefurado, in the fpeculation in person of one of his children, could not but injure the commerce carried on by the his perfon. English in that country. Making this therefore his plea, he combined it with his own intereft, and supposed that if he brought this young prince to England, it might turn out greatly to his advantage, provided the public could be interested in his redemption. But this mere mercantile fpeculation failing, Johnson resolved to return with him to the Weft-Indies, to fell him there for the 60l. he had paid for him. Some papers, which I received from Johnfon himfelf, clearly prove thefe facts: but as his return directly to the W. Indies was likely to be expenfive, he was

Long, Vol. II. p. 476.

cunning

APPENDIX. Cunning enough to obtain permiffion of Mr. Sharp, under pretence of establishing himfelf at the new colony, to get a free paffage for himself and his negro to S. Leona, whence his paffage to the Weft Indies was easy.

The author frees him from his bondage.

His death.

786. The compaffion I felt for the fituation of this unfortunate youth, and the profpect, by restoring him to his father, of furthering my favourite plan of civilizing Africa, the most effectual means for abolishing the Slave-trade, made me the lefs hesitate to rescue him from his bafe fhackles: I therefore redeemed him: this was done in prefence of the Rev. Mr. RAMSAY, Mr. T. CLARKSON, and Mr. R. PHILLIPS, on the 6th of May, 1788, for 20l. fter.-I then placed him at Mr. Dempster's academy, at Mitcham in Surry, to be inftructed in the first rudiments of Christianity, into which he was regularly baptized on the 25th Dec. 1788. At this school he likewise had such education as his faculties were capable of receiving.He indeed proved obedient and pliable, but he was not gifted by nature with any extraordinary parts. He made, however, a tolerable proficiency in reading and writing, and fhewed a great defire for agriculture. Though pretty much accustomed to European manners, he seemed to retain an unconquerable propensity to return to his former habits of fimplicity, in his native country, where he knew he would find a mode of life more suitable to his taste.

787. Mr. G. Sharp promised to use his endeavours to procure him a free passage to his own country, but various incidents retarded and prevented this gentleman's kind intentions, till he was taken ill, at Mr. Dempfter's fchool, by fleeping one evening on the damp grafs. This indisposition soon ended in a gallopping consumption, which baffled the power of medicine, and he died, in Oct. 1790, in my own house, aged, as near as I could guess, about 18 or 20:

788. I cannot but mention the generofity of three gentlemen, who happened to hear of the cafe of this unfortunate youth, and sent me towards his support, the fol- . lowing fums respectively :

[blocks in formation]

fo that his redemption, fchooling, cloathing, medicine, &c. exclufive of these contributions, during the time he was under my care, (2 years) did not coft me more than £67 10s. 5d. But, though it pleased Providence to call him hence, I never shall regret this expenditure.

789. It may be faid, that I need not have purchased the liberty of this unhappy youth, as he was free the inftant he landed on the British Shore. (See § 330.) But it ought to be remembered, that the best laws are often rendered expensive, and even ultimately ineffectual, by the many arts which lawyers and other defigning men practife, to elude them. Befides, though the law feems to be against personal or individual flavery in this country, the merchant who dares openly avow himself as a dealer in human

human flesh, is not only protected in his iniquity, but enjoys all the rights of honeft APPENDIX. people, not excepting that of fitting upon a jury, even in the moft ferious criminal cafes, from which, however, the dealers in the flesh of animals are excluded*. But put a defpot into a free country, where there is a focial check upon his actions, and he is no longer a defpot: and put a flave-merchant into a country where industry and ability, and not money, are the ftandards of credit, and he is no longer a flave-merchant. 790. This leads me back to the principles advanced in several parts of this work, respecting personal flavery, in our present European communities, especially in those where commerce is carried on to any extent †.

791. I confider the abused power of governing to have generated that kind of flavery, which, for the fake of diftinction, I call Political Slavery; and that which arifes from the abused power of money, I think I may fairly call Mercantile Slavery. The first, which has reference to a perfon's situation with respect to the community, seems to be, in some degree, guarded against, in this Island, by the general principles of the British constitution, as well as by particular ftatutes. But the fecond kind, which has reference to a perfon's fituation, with respect to the interests of individuals, and which is also perfonal, inasmuch as an individual can not only be arrested for debt, but actually starved to death in a gaol, (see § 594, note.) appears to me not to have been hitherto fully confidered, at least not by the majority of those whose province it is to rectify the evil; for the humane exertions of Lord Moira, Mr. Grey and fome other refpectable members of both Houfes of the British Parliament, have hitherto been unfuccefsful. (See § 142, qu. LI.)

To this comparison, between a butcher and a slave-merchant, it may be objected, that the former carries on his business within the reach, and very properly under the protection, of the English laws; whereas a part only of the business of the latter is confined to England, the reft being transacted partly in Africa, which is out of the reach of English laws, and partly in the W. Indian Islands, the laws of which, however, their charters ftipulate, shall not be repugnant to the laws of England. But the question is, Whether a fet of men, who by their mercantile operations, violate all laws, in any foreign part of the world, ought to be allowed to live among honest people, in a civilized community, calling itfelf free? To put the cafe in a more striking light, I would aík, Whether any legislature ought to give it's protection to a set of men, who should make it a trade to fit out ships, under it's jurisdiction,. in order to catch and kill human beings, and falt up their flesh at O'Taheite, and carry it to NewZealand, to be fold to the Cannibals ?

+ I use the term personal slavery in a more extensive sense than ordinary, for the truth is, I am not satisfied with the diftinction of flavery, as commonly divided into political and perfonal. They are both frictly perfonal; for perfons alone can be flaves in any fenfe.

NOTE

« PreviousContinue »