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ment of its found. My answer I diftinctly recollect was, that opinion was the judge of that matter; and that in mine, the belt thing in England was the road to Scotland, for which, I added, that I very foon propofed to fet out. Of Dr Goldfmith's part of the converfation I have no knowledge. Certainly, I fhould have merited cenfure for affirming that the country around Edinburgh is either rich or poor for, although I know that the environs of that city are highly cultivated, I am ignorant of the quality of the foil. It is fcarcely worth mentioning, that we paffed from this fubject to the number of inhabitants in N. Britain. Johnfon eftimated them (I now believe truly) at 1,500,000--I faid, I believed they might amount to 2,000,000, and fubjo ned, that I lived myfelt in the neighbourhood of a city that contains about 20,000 perfons.

Thefe, Sir, are the particulars of the only converfation I ever had with Dr Johnfon. I have often had occafion to repeat the circumftances above mentioned to my friends, although without having been called on, I hould not have thought of making them known to the public. I cannot indeed authenticate this detail by Dr Johnfoa's own tellimony; yet the note at the end of the page will perhaps fatisfy the reader, that my fhare in the converfation of the evening was not quite fo frivolous, when I was led into it, as it appears to have been in Mr B

-'s account, as to this con

verfation, it has an obvious reference

I cannot, in the conclufion of this letter, altogether overlook the occafien which the subject of it prefents, of doing juftice to my own opinion of the character of this great man, who, with all the faults and foibles that are afcribed to him in the writings of his contemporaries, will command the admiration of future ages, in his own. While I fee the mind of Johnson in the compafs of his understanding, the fplendour of his imagination, and the dignified carlence of his periods, I forget the foibles that diminish its radiance, foibles that ought now to be configned for ever to oblivion. And while I envy the fages of antiquity (whofe friends were unkilled in the modern art of fhading), their claim to the most perfect approbation, I mark with a fatisfaction, not perhaps altogether deftitute of merit, the mind of this author breaking by strong and interrupted flashes thro' the cloud that' furrounds it in the writings of his enemies, as well as of his panegyrifts; alternately overshadowed by the breath of envy, or enveloped in the inceale of adulation. I admire his genius, honour his principles, love his virtues, and refpe& his memory.

I am, SIR,

Your moft obedient, J. OGILVIE,

MIDMAR, near ABERDEEN, Oct. 29. 1791.

* I happened to be from home on a journey of fome length at the time when Dr Jorfon was in Aberdeenshire, and law him only once after the 6th of July 1763. fent him however a copy of my inquiry into the caules of infidelity, by Mr Richardfon, a Bookfeiler in London, with a short letter, wherein I reminded him of our meeting at the Mitre Tavern, as an event that might have been erated from his memory. His letter to Mr R -----, who tranimited to hit the book along with the few lines I had written, is now before me in his own hand-writing. I tranfcribe it verbation.

SIR,

You will do me a favour, by returning my refpectful thanks to Dr. Ogilvie, for the kind prefent of his book; and let him know, that I take amifs to be suspected of having forgotten him. I hope we thall never forget each other. I am,

SIR,

Feb. 23. 1783.

Your humble fervant,'

SAM. JOHNSON

358

Some Account of the New Colony at Sierra Leona, on the Coast of Africa, ar tated by Mr Clarkson to the Society in this Place for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

THE

HE firft project of eftablishing a fettlement on the river Sierra Leona, originated with the late benevolent Mr Jonas Hanway about the year 1786. Obferving in the ftreets and environs of London a number of poor and neglected natives of Africa, fubfifting in mifery on precarious charity, he formed the idea of fending them back to their own country, in a fituation in which they might be able at least to fupport themselves, and perhaps ultimately to benefit this kingdom. Three hundred of them were accordingly collected, and tranfported to a place on the river Sierra Leona, where it was expected they would have it in their power to turn their induftry to a proper account. Unfortunately from mifinformation, in refpect to the climate and feafons in that part of the world, this little colony were fent out, and arrived in Africa at the most unfavourable period for forming a fettlement. The rainy weather fet in before they could provide fhelter; and, from their bad accommodations, joined to other hardhips to which they were expofed, a great mortality came on, which car ried off more than one half of the Colouifls. One hundied, and twenty, however, furvived all their diftreffes; and, when the more favourable feafon commenced, immediately tock nicafures for ferming a fettlement, built a village, and began to cultivate the ground the rudiments of a go. wernment were planned, and divine worthip was regularly performed, and conftantly as well as decently attended. Even in this infant fiate they very early began to prove a confiderable check on the enormities of the Slave Merchants. Two particular instances foon occurred, in which fome perfons had been kidnapped and carried

off from the grounds which the colony occupied-councils were immediately held, the flave fhips boarded,-the unfortunate captives brought back,--and the captains of the veffels laid hold of and compelled to pay confiderable fines for their mifconduct. A feties of fuch proceedings would foon have produced confiderable inconvenience to the flave dealers, by reftraining, at leaft in the territory of the colony, the villainous and inhuman practices from which. much of the gain of that traffic arises; the different flave factories in the neighbourhood therefore united for the deftruction of the infant fettlement. The African Kings were, by different means, ftirred up to attack them; and at laft a detachment of Africans, conducted, it is said, by an European, attacked the new-built town, fet fire to it (the white conductor fetting the example), reduced it to a heap of ruins, and partly extirpated, partly difperfed, the inhabi

tants.

The Colonists, ftruck with confternation at this difafter, and dreading immediate and utter deftruction, abandoned their fettlement, and took refuge in faftneffes and moraffes, where they were expofed to hardfhijs that proved fatal to feveral. In hopes of relief, they found means to get feveral letters, ftating their wretched fituation, difpatched by different fhips, addreffed to the perfons in London who had formed the plan of the fettlement. As flave fhips, however, wɛre the only means of conveyance they could procure for thefe letters, not one of them was ever delivered, but all of them opened; and, on the contents being known, immediately deftroyed. No anfwer being received to their letters, the fettlers began to

Aufpect

fufpect their miscarriage; and, as the only mode of effecting their deliverance, one of them at lait offered and undertook to venture on board a Slave fhip, and go with it, first to the Weft Indies, and then to England. He did fo, arrived safe, and gave the first intelligence to the benevolent planners of the fcheme, of its total mifcarriage, the means by which that had been effected, and the difinal fituation of the furviving Colonills.

The Gentlemen concerned inftantly refolved to attempt the relief of the fufferers. They difpatched a fmall veffel between 30 and 40 tons burden, under the care of M. Falconbridge furgeon, leaded with what might be most neceflary for men in their circumstances. M. Falconbridge found the fettlers in moft diftreffed circumstances, destitute of every ne.ceffary, and many of them ready to perifh from difeafes contracted by their mode of living; many of these diforders he was able to cure, and collecting all the remains of the Colony, found feventy-four perfons ftill furviving. Thefe he brought together, and fettled in a proper fpot, where they built a village, and thus laid the foundation of the New Colony of Sierra Leona. Inured to the elimate, and trained up by hardships and diftrefs, they must prove a valuable acquifition to the infant fettle

ment.

The Gentlemen in Britain, who had ftill an establishment on the African coaft much at heart, profiting by the errors in the first attempt, refolved to proceed with more caution, and on a better plan in the fecond. A tract" of ground on the river Sierra Leona, about 20 miles fquare, lying in lat. about 90, was pitched upon as the proper fpot, both on account of its central fituation in the vicinity of feveral navigable rivers, and on account of the depth of water at the place where the propofed new town was to be erected, the river being there, at

low water, capable of floating a man of war almoft clofe to the fhore. The land befides appeared uncommonly fertile, and the climate with proper precaution by no means infalutary. Determined to proceed in all their tranfactions on the principles of the ftriéteft equity and juftice, the affociated company, as the commencement of their operation, entered into terms with the feveral African princes, who claimed the property of this land, for the purchase of what they required. The terms were fettled, the lands purchased at an expence of between two and three hundred pounds Sterling, and the African Chfs made them over in perpetuity to the King of Great Britain.

The next step was to apply for an' Act of Parliament, incorporating the Company, and impowering his Majefty to make a grant of the lands thus ceded to the new-eftablished affociation. To the paffing of this act, the greatest oppofition was made by the flave-merchants and Weft-India planters; but in fpite of their endeavours, it was carried through, and in confequence of it a grant of the land in the manner defired was obtained by the Company.

Being thus put in poffeffion of a legal title to the ground, the next step was to procure a proper number of fertlers for its cultivation. By a par ticular claufe in the Act of Parlia ment, incorporating the Company, a pofitive reftriction was laid against their either countenancing or adopting the practice of flavery; it was to free festlers alone, therefore, they were to look for a supply of inhabitants. The 74 perfons already mentioned as the remains of the firft Colony, were fure and useful hands, and were therefore regarded as the foundation of the fettlement. But their number was too fmall to carry on any extenfive plan, fresh fettlers therefore were neceffary. On enquiry it was found that many perfous, both white and black,

in different parts of Britain, would chearfully embrace the opportunity of fettling in Sierra Leona, if proper encouragement was given. The Affociated Company held out to thefe men terms perhaps the mot beral that any Company ever had offered. Every man, it was agreed, fhould be put in poffeffion of twenty acres ef Jand for himfelf, ten more for his wife, if he was a married man, and five more for every child he carried out with him; the Fee-fimple of this land to belong in property to him and his heirs for ever. Tools and inftruments of every kind were furnished at the Company's expence, and to insure the settlers against immediate want, three months provifions were provided to be given gratis to the Colonists on their arrival, and provifions for three months more laid in, to be fold to them if neceffary, at a reasonable rate.

The liberality of thefe terms operated with many, and numerous applications were received from many who wifhed to embark in the cheme; none however were received who could not produce fufficient attestations in regard to their moral charac

ter, and the regularity of their con
duct. In a fhort time, three handre¶
and twenty perfons, partly negroes, part-.
ly Europeans, were approved of; many
of them poffeffed of finall capitals, and
all of them bearing refpectable cha-
racters for industry, fobriety, and de-
cency of behaviour.
These were
embarked on board of a proper vessel,
and are now on their paffage to, if not
already arrived at Sierra Leona. The
Company have purchased an old 44
gun frigate, which they mean to lie
in the river to ferve both as a maga-
zine for ftores and provifions, and a
temporary habitation for the fettlers,
till they can get houfes conftructed on
shore.

Thefe two fupplies of people, tho together they form an infant colony, far from contemptible, yet are not the only ones which this fettlement has to look fr; a ftill greater acceffion will foon be made from America, owing to a series of circumftances, which, for the honour of Britain, it were to be wifhed had never taken place, but which may ultimately tend to the benefit of humanity.

(To be concluded in our next.)

New Difcoveries refpecting the purifying property of Charcoal *.

AMONGST other fingular properties of Charcoal, it has lately been difcovered by a gentleman at Petersburgh, that all forts of glafs veffels and other utenfi's may be purified from long retained imells and taints of every kind, in the easiest and moft perfect manner, by rinfing them' out well with charcoal reduced to a a fine powder, after their groffer impurities have been fcoured off with fand and pot-afh That people whofe breath fmells ftrong from a fcorbutic difpofition of the gums, may at any time get perfectly rid of this bad fmell, by rubbing and washing out the mouth

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thoroughly with fine charcoal powder; this fimple application, at the fame time, renders the teeth beautifully white; and that brown (or otherwife coloured) putrid ftinking water may be deprived of its offenfive fmell, and rendered tranfparent by means of the fame fubftance. Hence he thinks it would be of ufe for preferving water fweet during fea voyages, to add about 5 lb of coarfe charcoal powder to every cafk of water; it being only necefiary afterwards to ftrain the water off when wanted, through a linen bag.

* From Crell's Chemical Journal.

A fhort

THE

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Ahort Defcription of Carnicobar, by Mr G. Hamilton

HE ifland of which I propofe to give a fuccinct account, is the northernmost of that cluster in the Bay of Bengal which goes by the name of the Nicobars. It is low, of a round figure, about forty miles in circumfercace, and appears at a distance as if entirely covered with trees - however, there are feveral well-cleared and delightful spots upon it. The foil is a black kind of clay, and marshy. It produces in great abundance, and with little care, most of the tropical fruits, fuch as pine-apples, plantains, papayas, cocoa-nuts, and areca nuts; alfo excellent yams, and a root called cachu. The only four-footed animals upon the island are hogs, dogs, large rats, and an animal of the lizard kind, but large, called by the natives tolonquis thefe frequently carry off fowls and chickens. The only kind of poultry are bens, and thofe not in great plenty. There are abundance of fnakes of many different kinds, and the inhabitants frequently die of their bites. The timber upon the ifland is of many forts, in great plenty, and some of it remark ably large, affording excellent materials for building or repairing fhips.

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"The natives are low in ftature, but very well made, and furprisingly active and ftrong; they are copper-coloured, and their features have a caft of the Malay, quite the reverfe of elegant. The women in particular are extremely ugly. The men cut their hair fhort and the women have their heads fhaved quite bare, and wear no covering but a thort petticoat, made of a fort of ruth or dry grafs, which reaches half way down the thigh. This grafs is not interwoven, but hangs round Z z VOL. XIV. No. 83.

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361

the perfon fomething like the thatching of a houfe. Such of them as have received prefents of cloth petticoats from the fhips, commonly tie them round immediately under the arms. The men wear nothing but a narrow ftrip of cloth about the middle, in which they wrap up their privities fo tight that there hardly is any appearance of them. The ears of both fexes are pierced when young, and by fqueezing into the holes large plugs of wood, or hanging heavy weights of fhells, they contrive to render them wide, and difagreeable to look at. They are naturally difpofed to be good humoured and gay, and are very fond of fitting at table with Europeans, where they eat every thing that is fet before them, and they eat moft enormoufly. They do not care much for wine, but will drink bumpers of arak as long as they can see. A great part of their time is fpent in feafting and dancing. When a feaft is held at any village, every one that chufes goes uninvited, for they are utter ftrangers to ceremony. At thofe feats they eat immense quantities of pork, which is their fayourite food. Their hogs are remark. ably fat, being fed upon the cocoa* nut kernel and fea-water; indeed, all their domestic animals, fowls, dogs, &c. are fed upon the Lime. They have likewife plenty of fmall fea fifh, which they ftrike very dexterously with lances, wading into the fea about kneedeep. They are fure of killing a very fmall fish at ten or twelve yards dif tance. They eat the pork almost raw, giving it only a hafty grill over a quick fire. They roaft a fowl, by ruuning a piece of wood through it by way of fpit, and holding it over a brifl

From the Second Volume of the Afiatic Refearches, just published.

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