LETTER IIIA. This should be letter IV, an error that was not corrected in the 1802 edition.]

GRANVILLE TOWN, SIERRA LEONE May 13, 1791.

My dear Friend,

Occasional visits to Bance island, unattended by any important Occurrence worth troubling you with, and a continual concourse of strangers making their African compliments, engrossed two days interval between the date of my last letter and our second expedition to Robana; when we set out in a boat and four hands, taking with us plenty of spirits for the common people and a little wine for the King and his associates.

When we came in sight of the Town, Multitudes of people thronged to the Beach. Mr. Elliotte met us at the boat, and the croud [sic] formed an avenue through which he conducted us to the Queen's house amidst such thundering acclamations that it was almost impossible to hear one or other speak.

The King and Queen met us at the door and seemed to give us a hearty welcome. We were then ushered in and introduced in general terms to the company, consisting of the parties who were to compose the Court (and a multiplicity of women), their wives, daughters, and attendants, having seated ourselves, and wasted almost an hour in receiving the civilities of shaking hands with every individual in the room.

The members of the Court then took their seats round the large table we dined off when first there, which was now covered with a green cloth. The King sat at the head of the table in an old arm chair. On his right was his secretary, and on his left his Palavar man, or, as the office is termed in England, his Attorney general [actually, "orator" would be a more precise term]. The other Chiefs appeared to seat themselves by seniority; the oldest next to the Throne, if I may so term the old chair.

After amusing themselves some time in this way, Mr. Palaver Man got up, bending his right knee, presented his Majesty with some Cola [a small nut which the Africans chew as a stimulant and offer to guests as a token of hospitality; constant use turns the teeth a dark reddish-brown]¹ from the crown of his hat, then retired to the opposite end of the table, when he opened the business of the day by a speech of at least an hour and an half long. It being in their own language, I of course did not understand a word, but during the time he spoke, there was the greatest silence and attention observed.

The next spokesman was King Jemmy, who previously went through the same ceremony his predecessor had done. Whether this man's language was eloquent or not, I cannot be a judge, but his vociferation [sic] was enough to deafen one; though I had reason to think what he said gave great satisfaction to the by-standers, who frequently interrupted him by clapping of hands and shouts of Ya Hoo! Ya Hoo! Ya Hoo! and other tokens of applause.²

My heart quivered with fear least they might be forming some treacherous contrivance; I could not conceal the uneasiness I felt. My countenance betrayed me, a shower of tears burst from my eyes, and I swooned into hystericks.³

We then made our congees⁵ and took leave of those African gentry. Indeed it was high time, for the liquor they had drank began to operate powerfully. Mr. Elliotte and several others accompanied us to the boat. In our walk thither, he much admired a handsome fowling piece of Mr. Falconbridge's, which Falconbridge without hesitation requested he would accept, thinking such an immediate shew [sic] of generosity might have a favourable tendency. Both of us promised to be down again the following day, when it was expected the Palavar would be finished; but I must be honest and tell you, I was resolved not to visit Robana again while this mock judicatory lasted.

About seven o'clock we reached the Cutter. I was almost famished with want of food, for I had not eat [sic] a morsel the whole day. There was not a thing on board but salt beef, so hard we were obliged to chop it with an axe, and some mouldy, rotten biscuits; however, so great was my hunger, that I could not help satisfying it with some of this beef and bread, uncouth as it was.

In the morning I feigned sickness and begged to be excused from attending Falconbridge; he therefore set out, reluctantly leaving me behind. When he was gone, I went on shore and spent the day in comfort and pleasantry under the hospitable roof of Bance Island house, where I related the adventures of the preceeding day, which afforded much mirth and glee to the company.

I met one Rennieu (a Frenchman) there. He has a factory at a small Island called Gambia, up another branch of this River, named Bunch River, whither he politely invited me, and made a tender of any thing in his power to serve us.⁶

Before Falconbridge returned, which was not till between eight and nine o'clock at night, I had not only got on board, but in bed, and as he did not ask how I had spent the day, I did not inform him. He was vexed and out of humour, said he thought the wretches were only bamboozling him; he believed they would do nothing but drink the liquor while he had a drop to carry them, for he was no forwarder than the day before.

In this manner he was obliged to repeat his visits for five successive days before he got their final decision, which however, was at last tolerably favorable on our side. They consented to re-establish the people and to grant to the St. George's Bay Company all the land King Naimbana had formerly sold Captain Thompson, for a paltry consideration of about thirty pounds; and for the good faith and true performance of the contract, the King said he would pledge his second son John Frederic [also known as John Henry], whom Falconbridge might take with him to England. In answer to this offer, Falconbridge told Naimbana he would be very glad to take his son to England, where he was sure the Company would have him educated and treated kindly without considering him as a hostage. This pleased the old man vastly, and it was agreed John Frederic [Henry] shall accompany us when we leave Africa.⁷

The following or sixth day, Falconbridge had engaged to carry down to Robana the stipulated goods for repurchacing [sic] the land, and by his importunities I was prevailed on to accompany him. We arrived early in the morning, and having soon made a delivery of the goods, which was all the business for the day, I was just about expressing a desire to see some salt works I learned were upon the Island, when the King, as though he had anticipated my wishes, enquired if we liked to see them? If so, he would walk their [sic] with us.⁸ We accordingly went, passing in our way a hamlet or two, inhabited by Kings slaves.

These works lay near a mile from the town, and are a parcel of small holes or basons [sic] formed in a low, muddy place; they are supplied with sea water, which the burning sun quickly exhales, leaving the saline particles, and by frequent repetition, a quantity of salt is thus accumulated, which the King conveys into, and disposes of in the interior country, for slaves. Making this salt is attended with a very trifling expence, for none but old, refuse, female slaves, are employed in the work, and the profit is considerable.⁹

Falconbridge now had effected the grand object. He was next to collect and settle the miserable refugees. No time was to be lost in accomplishing this. The month of February was nearly spent. Only three months of dry weather remained for them to clear their land, build their houses, and prepare their ground for a crop to support them the ensuing year. He therefore dispatched a Greek,¹⁰ who came out in the Lapwing with some of the blacks, up to Pa Boson's to gather and bring down the people while we went in the Cutter, taking a few who were at Bance Island, to locate an eligible place, for the settlement.

The spot they were driven from was to be preferred to any other part; but by treaty it was agreed they should not settle there. There were other situations nearly as good, and better considerably than the one fixed on; but immediate convenience was a powerful inducement.

Here was a small village with seventeen pretty good huts which the natives had evacuated from a persuasion they were infested by some evil spirits; but as they made no objection to our occupying them, we gladly took possession, considering it a fortunate circumstance to have such temporary shelter for the whole of our people.

When those from Pa Bosons had joined us, Falconbridge called them all together, making forty-six, including men and women; and after representing the charitable intentions of his coming to Africa, and issuing to them such cloathing [sic] as were sent out in the Lapwing; he exhorted in the most pathetic language that they might merit by their industry and good behaviour the notice now taken of them, endeavour to remove the unfavourable prejudices that had gone abroad, and thereby deserve further favours from their friends in England; who, besides the cloaths they had already received, had sent them tools of all kinds for cultivating their land, also arms and ammunition to defend themselves, if necessary; that these articles would be brought on shore when they got a storehouse built; where they would be lodged for their common good and occasional use. He then concluded this harangue by saying he now named the place GRANVILLE TOWN,¹² after their friend and benefactor, GRANVILLE SHARP, Esq., at whose instance they were provided with the relief now afforded them.

I never did, and God grant I never may again, witness so much misery as I was forced to be a spectator of here. Among the outcasts were seven of our country women, decrepid [sic] with disease and so disguised with filth and dirt that I should never have supposed they were born white. Add to this, almost naked from head to foot; in short, their appearance was such as I think would extort compassion from the most callous heart. But I declare they seemed insensible to shame or the wretchedness of their situation themselves. I begged they would get washed and gave them what cloaths I could conveniently spare. Falconbridge had a hut appropriated as a hospital, where they were kept separate from the other settlers, and by his attention and care, they recovered in a few weeks.

I always supposed these people had been transported as convicts, but some conversation I lately had with one of the women has partly undeceived me. She said the women were mostly of that description of persons who walk the streets of London and support themselves by the earnings of prostitution; that men were employed to collect and conduct them to Wapping, where they were intoxicated with liquor, then inveigled on board of ship and married to black men whom they had never seen before; that the morning after she was married, she really did not remember a syllable of what had happened over night, and when informed, was obliged to inquire, who was her husband? After this to the time of their sailing, they were amused and buoyed up by a prodigality of fair promises and great expectations which awaited them in the country they were going to. "Thus," in her own words, "to the disgrace of my mother country, upwards of one hundred unfortunate women were seduced from England to practice their iniquities more brutishly in this horrid country."

Good heavens! how the relation of this tale made me shudder. I questioned its veracity and enquired of the other women, who exactly corroborated what I had heard. Nevertheless, I cannot altogether reconcile myself to believe it; for it is scarcely possible that the British Government at this advanced and enlightened age, envied and admired as it is by the universe, could be capable of exercising or countenancing such a Gothic infringement on human Liberty.¹³

Immediately after we had fixed on this Place for the settlement, I singled out one of the best huts for my own residence; where I remained nigh a month, though I did not sleep on shore the whole time. About a fortnight I continued to go on board the Cutter at night, when it was necessary to send her to Bance Island. I then had a kind of bedstead, not unlike an hospital cradle, erected in my hovel; but the want of a door was some inconvenience, and as no deal or other boards could be procured for the purpose, I made a country mat supply the place—for I now find 'tis necessary to accommodate myself to whatever I meet with, there being but few conveniencies or accommodating things to be met with in this part of Africa.

The river abounds with fine fish, and we get abundance of them; which, with rice, wild deer, and some poultry, forms my common food since I came to Granville Town. In something less than four weeks we got a large store-house and several additional huts for the settlers built, and had the goods landed from the Lapwing—they consist chiefly of ironmongery, such as blacksmiths and plantation tools, a prodigious number of children's trifling halfpenny knives, and some few dozen scissars [sic] of the same description.¹⁴

I am charitable enough to think the benevolent gentleman who purchased those goods had a double purpose in view, viz. to serve his sister,¹⁵ from whom he bought them—and the persons to whom they are sent; but certainly he was unacquainted with the quality of the latter articles, or he must have known they were very improper gifts of charity.

The men all do duty as militia, and we have a constant guard kept during the night;¹⁶ but the natives seem to dread this spot so much that we see very few, and I really think have less to fear from them than our own people, who are extremely turbulent, and so unruly at times that 'tis with difficulty Falconbridge can assuage them, or preserve the least decorum.

We were alarmed a little while since by dreadful shouts in the vicinity of our town, and supposed the natives meant to attack us. Immediately Falconbridge armed his militia and marched out towards where the noise was heard,—they had not gone far when they met three or four Panyarers,¹⁷ or man thieves, just in the act of ironing a poor victim they had caught hunting, and the shouts we heard proved to be rejoicings of the banditti.

Musquettos [sic] also are growing so troublesome as to oblige us to keep continued smokes in and about the house. [Mosquito nets had not yet been invented.] I have not seen any serpents, but am told there are abundance, and some very venomous. Here are a vast variety of beautiful lizards constantly about the door catching flies: and I have often seen the changable camelion [sic].

We have not yet been troubled by any of the ferocious wild beasts which inhabit the mountains of Sierra Leone; but I understand there are numbers, both tygers [sic] and lions, besides divers other kinds.¹⁸

I have now in spirits [in a bottle of alcohol] an uncommon insect, which was caught here a day or two ago, in the act of stinging a Lascar, (one of the settlers).¹⁹ It is rather larger than a locust, covered with a tortoise coloured shell, has forceps like a lobster, and thin transparent wings like a fly; the bite has thrown the poor Lascar into a dreadful fever, which I fear will carry him off.