with a brief notice of the neighbouring tribes, soil, productions, &c. and some observations on the facility of Colonizing that part of Africa, with a View to Cultivation; and the introduction of letters and religion to its inhabitants: but more particularly as the means of gradually abolishing African Slavery relative to an attempt to establish a British Settlement on the Island of Bulama, on the Western Coast of Africa, in the year 1792
with a brief notice of the neighbouring tribes, soil, productions, &c. and some observations on the facility of Colonizing that part of Africa, with a View to Cultivation; and the introduction of letters and religion to its inhabitants: but more particularly as the means of gradually abolishing African Slavery relative to an attempt to establish a British Settlement on the Island of Bulama, on the Western Coast of Africa, in the year 1792
Projekt: Bestände der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
LDP: Bestände der Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Strukturtyp
Monographie
Parlamentsperiode
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Wahlperiode
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Titel
Chapter VI. Apology for those parts of the preceding Journal which may appear either illegal, or harsh. Objections foreseen and answered. — Difficulties which we had to overcome stated. — Natives' opinion of the European character. Advantages resulting from our having remained upon the island
African Memoranda. 291 It may be thought too, perhaps, that the scale of this build-and for con- - sructing it so ing was too great for our strength, and that much time wasiarge. thrown away, and much labour lost, in constructing an edifice so disproportionate to our numbers. To this I reply, that the plan was not disproportionate to our numbers when first it was adopted, and that in consequence of the great diminution of our numbers by death, I did reduce the front of the building 64 feet, that is more than one third ; as it was intended at first to have been 180 feet in front, which was afterwards reduced to 116. If it appear, thus diminished, larger than was necessary, it must be recollected that it was of the utmost importance to have it as large as we had strength to make it, on account of the health of those who were to inhabit it ; which it was thought more likely for them to enjoy in a large open space, than in a very contracted one; and the outer logging being once finished, we were safe from any attack from the natives, and might finish the inside at our leisure. Moreover, I clearly saw that we could not spread and occupy the country before we had a reinforce ment of oui' numbers ; and it was conceived to be of the utmost importance that they, on their arrival, should find shelter ready for them, from the want of which we had already suffered so severely. The block-house therefore was not built as a mere temporary habitation, to answer our purpose for one rainy season only; but as a permanent building, which I hoped to see sur rounded by a fort, and which might afterwards have been con verted into very useful store-houses. The labour was our’s, and I saw not how to give it a more beneficial direction than to the comfort and protection of those who might hereafter arrive. Another objection may be made to our building at all, since it appears that when speaking of the Bijugas they are always p p 2