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African Memoranda. 289 much to lessen that idea of superiority with which they had hitherto been accustomed to behold Europeans; to keep up that superiority was of the utmost importance, in which indeed we succeeded beyond what could have been expected. Banishment was, for some time, the only punishment for their offences, and this was to them a serious one ; as it cut off from them all chance of procuring those European articles which had been the chief inducement of their coming to the island. To this punishment I could have wished at all times to adhere ; but when, from mortality and sickness, we were so reduced, as to embolden them to lift a hand against a sentinel, and to plunder my store-rooms, corporal punishment became necessary ; fur ther forbearance had been weakness, and might have led to the most fatal consequences ; and this punishment, to be useful, must be severe. Yet on no one occasion whatever did I punish a grumeta withotit having first held a palaver* with the rest of them ; who on every occasion acknowledged that “ I had got the reason,” and acquiesced in the propriety of the punishment; and this acknowledgment would not have been made, if it had not really been their opinion. If too it be considered that the men of the various tribes whom I employed upon the island were, many of them, the most vicious of their country, it is, I think, rather matter of astonishment that they were punished so seldom, than matter of blame, that they were punished at all. * A palaver in this case, is something like a trial. Every body being assembled, the complainant states his case, to which the accused replies, and every one present, that chuses so to do, may speak on the merits of the case; after which they consult among themselves, and then declare their opinion, by saying who <f has got the rea son,which, if in favour of the defendant, is a complete acquittal. Pp