RIVER OF SIERRA LEONE, ITS DISCOVERY &c. — EXPEDITIONS OF
THE EUROPEANS, THEIR PARTIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, AND PROJECTS OF
COLONISATION. — REVIEW OF THEIR RESOURCES AND PROJECTS. —
GENERAL REMARKS ON THE ESTABLISHMENTS WHICH MIGHT BE FORMED, AND
THE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN FOR PROMOTING THE PROSPERITY OF COMMERCE
IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD.
THE last French establishment on the western coast of Africa is
on the river of Sierra Leone, so named on account of the mountains
and lions which are found in the country. The river is situated in
8°. 30′. lat. and 15°. 7′. long.; it was first discovered by
the French, who were succeeded by the Portuguese; and these people
formed several factories upon it, of which there now remain only
the ruins, though a great number of their descendants may be found
on both their banks, where they are naturalised, and are scarcely
distinguishable from the natives.
The other Europeans have confined themselves for a length of time
to the making of separate expeditions for the trade of slaves,
and this is the market to which the Americans still resort for the
same traffic.
Several individuals have established themselves in this quarter,
and have resided here for various periods; they all succeeded more
or less, and have left striking traits of their industry as well as
of their crimes; amongst the rest was an Englishman, named Ormond,
who was employed as a cabin-boy about thirty years ago in a ship
engaged in the trade, and contrived to remain as an assistant in the
factory on the river of Sierra Leone: here he afterwards formed an
establishment on his own account in a district more to the northward;
and though he could neither read nor write, he became so clever in
his own way, that he amassed a fortune of about £30,000 sterling.
This example clearly proves the consequences of private industry;
but the history of the man in question shews how dangerous it is to
abandon it to itself: for the cruelties which he committed exceed
all belief. It is asserted, that to get rid of his slaves for whom
he could not find a sale, he tied stones to their necks, and threw
them at night into the river. At another time he caused one of his
servants to be tied, and gave him with his own hand four hundred
lashes, of which the unfortunate creature died a few days after. He
also, on detecting a criminal intercourse between one of his slaves
and a Negress, fastened them to a barrel of pitch and set it on fire.
Ormond was as superstitious as he was cruel: he believed, like
the Africans, in sorcery. But nothing could prevent the blows
with which Providence, after permitting him to continue in his
career of wickedness, attacked him. His health declined, and he
retired to the isles of Los, leaving the management of his affairs
to a mulatto, who was his son. A horde of the Bagos, with whom he
had had a quarrel, took that opportunity to avenge themselves, and
plundered his factory, in which they were assisted by his slaves. All
the buildings were burnt, and twelve or fifteen hundred slaves,
worth 30,000l. were set at liberty. Young Ormond was put to death
on this occasion, and the father was so afflicted at the news,
that he survived only a month.
The French received their possessions on the river of Sierra Leone
in consequence of a treaty with Panabouri, proprietor of Gambia,
which was signed between the Negro king and M. de Lajaille on
the 14th January, 1785. The king gave his son, named Pedro, as
a hostage for his performance of the contract; and the youth was
conveyed to France, where he received a pension of 1200 livres per
annum for two years. On returning to Africa, his father sent him
back to France to finish his education. The king himself not being
able to read or write, made a cross as his signature to the treaty.
M. de Lajaille has not given us a description of the island in
the Gambia which was ceded to the French by this treaty, nor has
he said any thing of the manners and religion of the people. From
the accounts, however, which I procured, it appears that the island
is very small and unhealthy: there are scarcely six acres of soil
capable of cultivation; all the rest is a vast swamp. The trade
which we carry on consists in slaves and wax. The position of
the port was badly chosen; and though water abounds in the place,
the garrison have to go a considerable distance to obtain it; in
short, the establishment is of trivial advantage. The French who
were left on the isle of Gambia, were neglected and abandoned by
their countrymen; and after experiencing all the horrors of want,
they almost all perished in the month of August, 1793. Two or
three individuals only returned, in a state of irritation against
the government which ought to have protected them, and so ill
in health, that they did not long survive. Notwithstanding this
failure, the river of Sierra Leone abounds in favourable spots
both for culture and commerce, on which the French or any other
nation might establish powerful colonies. The English, who about
fifteen years ago had fixed them in various parts near this river,
have since formed settlements far greater and important than those
of the French. The latter in their attempts were too parsimonious;
while the former were prodigal in their gold.
In the month of May, 1788, Mr. Granville Sharp sent off a vessel
laden with provisions, different materials, and about thirty-nine
artificers, to establish a colony at Sierra Leone. This colony, whose
principal settlement was afterwards at Free-town, had for its basis
principles entirely philanthropic. The colonists were to employ
themselves in the cultivation of the lands and the civilization
of the Africans, while the slave trade was to be totally renounced
amongst them.
The fortune of an individual was of course insufficient for such
an undertaking. Mr. Sharp, therefore, in 1790 formed a society
of twenty-one persons, which in a few months became still more
numerous; and an act of parliament was passed, authorising them to
make a company, and to enjoy for thirty-one years the privileges
granted to them by the act. Messrs. Thornton and Wilberforce were
then the directors, and the members who had most influence over
the company. The first regulation which it made, excluded every
individual who was interested in the slave trade; and it was not
only agreed that they should for ever abandon that traffic, but
that there should never be slaves in the colony.
In the month of March, 1791, the company caused 1131 Blacks to be
brought from Nova Scotia to Sierra Leone: they were engaged for a
certain time, and were to be free when their period of servitude
expired. Portions of soil were given to them to cultivate for their
own advantage; but it was impossible to keep them to the spots which
had been assigned to them. Being influenced by a commercial spirit,
and wishing to obtain a portion of the money which the company
had imprudently introduced into the colony, these new settlers
abandoned their fields, and all came to reside in the chief place,
called Free-town.
The subscription was closed on the 1st of June, 1792; and
the capital of the company then amounted to the vast sum of
242,899l. sterling. This sum was employed in the following manner: