hostile princes; and, from all we could learn, and observe, the conclusion was unavoidable, that the entire extermination of the colonists must have been the consequence. The head men were in the highest degree exasperated, appearing in no manner inclined to be appeased; declaring that they had never entertained a design of selling the Cape; that they had been overreached; that they never possessed a full understanding of the agreement, (or "book,") and, finally, that they never had sold, and never would consent to give up, Cape Montserado, the abode of one of their ideal beings, of superstitious veneration ! Having made such provision for the maintenance of the agency," during the approaching inclement season of the "rains, (nearly at hand,) and by a friendly intercourse and other means mollified, as far as practicable, the excited temper of the neighbouring chiefs; having afforded all the aid to the establishment, which, under other circumstances, might have been deemed sufficient; my own health much impaired, my purser's wholly gone, and that of my officers by no means vigorous; having also placed a suitable vessel in the immediate vicinity of the colony, a cautionary measure, which should not be relinquished; I should have felt justified, considering the sickly season was about to set in, (particularly as the stores and supplies of the ship, from extraordinary calls, had become inadequate for a full expenditure for any length of time,) in leaving the coast for the United States: but, sir, I could not persuade myself to adopt this course, while much remained to be done for the security of a settlement, the object of which appears to be fraught with such benefits to our common country; especially as your instructions enjoined on me to do every thing for the agent and colonists which they might require; and it being the object of an officer to acquire the Government's, rather than his own, approbation; to which end, I was ready to encounter any hardship, and to make any sacrifice. The cause alleged, on the part of the chiefs, for making war on the peaceable settlers at Montserado, is merged in the statement previously given: namely, their never having had any intention to sell the Cape, the spot consecrated to one of their deities, or beings of superstitious idolatry; that collusion had been practised in the purchase; that it was not a fair and fully explained contract, as they were ignorant of the paper they had signed; with others equally absurd and fallacious, founded neither in reason or truth. Such, however, were the causes set forth by them, in the various interviews had with the officers of this ship, during our stay, for their inexcusable and unprovoked enmity. But other latent induce ments existed, far more operative, which doubtless formed the true, and only cause of hostilities, committed by them on an unoffending people. The most prominent of these may be discovered in the embarrassments thrown in the way of the slave traffick, by a contiguous active check, restraining, by its presence, a trade they never can willingly forego; as, also, in the hope they entertained of being able to obtain, without risk or loss, the spoil and plunder of a successful war for they had been led to believe, by emissaries sent among them by slave factors, that there would be much booty of stores, goods, &c. In these alluring hopes and prospects, at all times cogent with beings of their propensities and uncivilized habits, may be seen the leading motives for attacking the establishment at Cape Montserado. Seeing these to have been their incitements; apprehending their present inaction was merely a truce for more vigorous preparation; finding that the chieftains were far from being inclined to abandon either their claims, or intentions, but waited only for a season better suited to further both; convinced, also, that the defenceless condition of the colony invited aggression; I determined, in despite of the plausible objections my own mind furnished to a longer continuance on the coast, to exert myself, during the short period I was permitted to remain, with a view of placing the settlement in the best possible state of defence. This wish became strengthened by information received from Dr. Dix, (whose friendly and social interviews with the Princes, enabled him to obtain much useful matter,) that another attempt on the colony was positively meditated, when the season inimical to the health of its defenders should set in; that they were sanguine in the hopes of then accomplishing their object, by the combined operation of war, sickness, and famine. My determination, on this point, received also additional strength, from a perspective of the fatal consequences which would inevitably result from renewed incursions on the part of these barbarians; while the means of security were inadequate to inspire confidence on the side of the assailed, or apprehension on the part of the assailants, expulsion was certain. The entire extermination of a remnant of colonists, who, confiding in promises made them previously to embarking, had consented to leave the happiest country in the world, to sojourn in the land of their forefathers, was not only possible, but too probable; added to which, the loss of a footing, happily acquired, in a situation second to none on the whole line of coast, after leav ing Sierra Leone, and the consequent extinction of all future prospect of ever being again able to effect an establishment at a place so eligible, on terms so advantageous to the Society, : and creditable to those who negotiated the purchase. A Martella Tower I conceived well suited to effect the object in view; a fortress of this character was desirable on many accounts, nay, appeared indispensable, not only to the end of affording protection, and giving security in the hour of invasion, but as being also the best calculated to produce a change of policy on the part of the natives, and well suited to make such an impression, as would deter them from a renewal of aggression, and thereby prevent the calamitous consequences justly to be apprehended; at all events, the consequences of harassing and vexatious depredations. Again, I considered it expedient to make also a proper impression on the minds of foreigners, jealous of an establishment, whose continuance and prosperity threatens an annihilation of the Slave trade, in that particular section of country lying adjacent to the river Montserado this, with me, was a consideration not without its influence. The foundation of the fortress being commenced, with the assistance of the Kroo-men, its progress was rapid ; alacrity gave animation and activity, and promised a speedy completion of a competent defence. In fifteen days, a circular massive work of stone, measuring one hundred and twelve feet in circumference, eight feet in thickness, and ten feet in elevation, was seen to tower above the surrounding heights, commanding the site for the town, and a wide range of the circumjacent country, capable of intercepting, by its position, any movement, made either within or without the bar of Montserado river. In my expectations I was not disappointed. During the time this work was progressing, I had frequent opportunities of discovering its effect in neutralizing, in no small degree, the menacing designs of the natives. Every day brought me additional proof of a change in their intentions, wrought by an amicable and conciliatory conduct, conjoined with preparations for defence-formidable to any eye, hut with them, to all appearance impracticable. I was happy in perceiving this revolution in their sentiments, this change in their designs as a friendly understanding with the powerful chiefs of the neighbouring villages, is the true policy to be ob served on the part of the emigrants at Montserado. While this fortress was advancing, other operations, calculated in an eminent manner to improve the settlement, were also undertaken and carried through: indeed, nothing was left undone which I had the power to do; conceiving that both the spirit and letter of your instructions required the performance of every thing which a limited means rendered practicable, tending in any way to ensure the success of an establishment instituted for colonizing the free men of colour of the United States, and for the reception of captured emancipated slaves: objects commanding the approbation of every humane heart, and the benedictions of thousands, who are to be benefitted by their accomplishment. While I witnessed with satisfaction these laudable undertakings drawing to a completion, I felt no small impatience to leave the coast before the commencement of the "rains"-frequent tornadoes, warning me of their approach, leaving impressions on my mind by no means tending to reconcile me to a stay of many days. The health of my crew was, at this time, comparatively good, considering the length of time we had experienced the debilitating effect of tropical heat, and I felt no small anxiety to preserve them in this state, for the service they were yet to encounter in the West Indies a hope fondly indulged, but in which I was cruelly disappointed. Our labours were nearly at a close, when my Surgeon was suddenly taken down, and on the sixth day was no more! The sick list received several names in the course of a few days; cases at first apparently slight, speedily assumed the symptoms of the coast fever! The appearance of this disease determined me, especially as the castle was finished, to delay no time in removing from the coast. In pursuance of this resolution, the crew were forthwith embarked, and the ship immediately put to sea. This measure, carried into effect with promptitude, encouraged a hope that there would be an end to a malady understood to be peculiar to the African coast, generated by the miasma and poisonous exhalations from vegetable decomposition and a deleterious atmosphere, thrown from waters which, after the annual deluge has subsided, become stagnant and pestilential. Such was my expectations, from so salutary a change; this expectation doubtless would have been realized, had the winds been sufficiently fresh and favourable to have enabled us to reach, in a short time, a higher latitude. It was not, however, our good fortune to be thus propitiated-but the reverse was our lot-fogs, calms, with an alternation of rains and intense suns, rendered our situation truly deplorable, and rapidly increased our sick list, so that, on the 25th of April, seven days after putting the ship to sea, the sick report contained the names of sixty of my officers and crew, and was for some time diminished only by death-not in fact diminished, for death but made room for others, brought down with similar symptoms, and threatened with a similar fate. The extreme humidity of the atmosphere, and the confined state of the ship, in consequence of torrents of rain, had changed, in a great degree, the character of this distemper, giving it all the features of the typhus. The symptoms were not altogether exclusively those attendant on this fever; they as sumed a compound and multifarious appearance, not always equally violent, but in most cases equally fatal. In many instances, a general suffusion took place, the body exhibiting a deep yellow tinge, together with a highly discoloured tongue; delirium, madness, instant prostration of strength, with convulsive contortions, carrying the victim off suddenly. In other cases, the symptoms were wholly different, vital decay producing a slow and destructive debility, resulting in extinction of life." From Dr. Ayres to the Secretary of the Navy. Monrovia, Africa, July 18, 1823. SIR: A few days after landing in Africa, all the new comers were taken ill; there has but one escaped the sickness: we have lost eight of our number. The colonists who were out before, have been very healthy; there has not been a case of fever among them since I have been out. We are now all on the mend, but attended with a great degree of debility. The captured Africans have been constantly employed in the defence of the colony, during the late war with the natives; and, since that time, the urgency of the affairs of the colony have been such that they have been constantly employed in preparing a defence for the place, which has deprived them of the opportunity of acquiring that information of agriculture and the mechanical arts which would benefit them in acquiring a livelihood in civilized life, according to the humane intentions of the President, expressed in his message to Congress, and approved by them. Owing to this circumstance, I thought it my bounden duty to retain them a year longer, at the charge of the United States, to accomplish this purpose. I have placed them under the care of the Rev. Lot Carey, a coloured man. A part of each day they are to attend, and the remainder of their time to labour, under the immediate care of Mr. Carey, in clearing and cultivating the land, whereby they will acquire a knowledge that will benefit them through life. Their labour is always to be under my immediate direction. I have not been able to settle the accounts of Mr. Macauley yet. The Augusta left here, a few days after my arrival, for the North, and has not returned, and probably will not, until after the rains-so that I am without the possibility of communication with Sierra Leone, and unable to accomplish it. The goods received in the Colony from the Trading Com pany of Baltimore, will enable me to dispense with the neces |