Page images
PDF
EPUB

lock's hide, conftitutes their bed; a water jar, fome earthen po s for dreffing food, a few wooden bowls and calabashes, with one or two low tools, compose the rest of the furniture. The Africans practice polygamy, and to prevent matrime. nial disputes, each of the ladies is accommodated with a hut to herself, and all the huts belonging to the fame family, are furrounded with a fence, conftructed of bamboo canes, split and formed into a fort of wicker work. The whole inclosure is called a furk; a number of thefe inclosures, with paffages between them, form what is called a town; but the huts are generally placed without regularity, according to the caprice of the owner; the only rule attended to, is placing the door towards the fouth-west, in order to admit the fea breeze. In each town is a large ftage, called the Bantang, which answers the purpose of a town-houfe; it is compofed of interwoven canes, and is generally sheltered from the fun by being erected in the fhade of fome large tree. It is here, that public affairs are conducted and trials held; here also the lazy and indolent meet to smoke their pipes and hear the news of the day. In most of the towns the Mahometans have a mofque, in which they celebrate public worship. These obfervations refpecting the natives, apply chiefly to perfons of free condition, who constitute not more than a fourth part of rhe inhabitants: the other three fourths are in a state of hopeless and hereditary flavery; and are employed in cultivating the land, in the care of cattle, and in fervile offices of all kinds, much in the fame manner as the flaves in the Eaft Indies. The Mandingo maf ter cannot, however, deprive his flave of life, nor fell him to a ftranger, without firft calling a palaver on his conduct, or bringing him to a public trial. Captives taken in war, and thofe condemned to flavery for crimes or infolvency, have no fecurity whatever, but may be treated and disposed of in all refpects as the owner thinks proper. It fometimes happens, when no fhips are on the coaft, that a humane and confiderate master incorporates his purchased slaves among his fervants, and their offspring becomes entitled to all the privileges of natives. The earliest European establishment on the river Gambia was a factory of Portugueze. The Dutch, French, and English, afterwards poffeffed themselves fucceffively of the coaft; but the trade of the Gambia became, and for many years continued, exclufively in the hands of the English. The

trade

trade with Europe, by being afterwards laid open, was nearly annihilated: the thare which the English now have in it, fupports not more than two or three annual fhips; and the grofs value of British exports is under 20,000l. The French and Danes ftill maintain a small share; and the Americans have lately fent a few veffels to the Gambia, by way of experiment. The commodities exported to the Gambia from Europe, confift of fire-arms and ammunition, iron wares, fpirituous liquors, tobacco, cotton caps, a small quantity of broad cloth, a few articles of the Manchester manufactures, a small affortment of India goods, with fome glafs beads, amber, and other tries; for which are taken in exchange flaves, goldduft, ivory, bee's-wax, and hides. Slaves are the chief articles, but the whole number which are annually exported from the Gambia by ali nations, is supposed to be under one thousand. Most of these wretched victims are brought to the coaft in caravans, many of them from very remote inland countries; on their arrival at the coaft, they are diftributed among the neighbouring villages, until a flave-fhip arrives, or until they can be fold to black traders; in the mean time, the wretches are kept conftantly fettered two and two, being chained together, and employed in the labours of the field, fcantily fed and very harthly treated. The price of a flave varies according to the number of purchafers; in general, a young and healthy male, from fixteen to twenty-five years of age, may he estimated on the fpot from eighteen to twenty pounds.

"The negro flave merchants are called Slatees, who, befides flaves and the merchandize they bring with them, fupply the inhabitants with native iron, fweet fmelling gums and frankincenfe, and a commodity called TREE-BUTTER. This is an extraction from the kernel of a nut, which has the consistence and appearance of butter; it forms an important article in the food of the natives, and is ufed for every domeftic fervice; the demand for it is very great. In payment of these articles, the maritime states supply the interior countries with falt, a scarce and valuable commodity; confiderable quantities of this valuable article are alfo fupplied to the inland natives by the Moors, who obtain it from the falt-pits in the great defert, and receive in return corn, cotton-cloth, and slaves. In this kind of exchange the natives of the interior make use of small hells called kowrries. In their early intercourse with Euro

peans,

peans, the article that most attracted the notice of the natives was iron; its utility in forming inftruments of war and hufbandry, made it preferable to all others, and iron foon became the measure by which the value of all other commodities was to be af ertained. Thus a certain quantity of goods of whatever quality, conftituted a bar of that particular merchandize. For inftance, twenty leaves of tobacco were confidered as a bar of tobacco; and a gallon of spirits, as a bar of rum; a bar of. one commodity being reckoned equal in value to a bar of another commodity; but, at prefent, the current value of a single bar of any kind, is fixed by the whites at two fhillings fterling, In this commerce, the European has confiderable advantages over the African, whom, therefore, it is difficult to fatisfy; fo that a bargain is never confidered by the European as concluded, until the purchase money is paid, and the party has taken leave."

We have not perused the original work, and, therefore, cannot fpeak decifively of the merits of this abridgment; but it poffeffes every mark of being executed with care and attention.

With refpect to Mr. Park, too much cannot be faid in behalf of his laudable curiofity. The fatigues he endured, and the perils he braved, are the fubject of our admiration, and entitle him to the befl thanks of the civilized and enlightened part of mankind. By the investigations and refearches of fuch travellers, we are eafily put in poffeffion of a store of information, which otherwife would not have been acquired. Whilft lolling in our elbow-chairs, we accompany the indefátigable pilgrim through foreign realms and diftant regions-trembling at his difafters-rejoicing in his fucceffes, and exulting with him in his return to his native country.

Narrative

Narrative of the Deportation to Cayenne, of Barthe lemy, Pichegru, Willot, Marbois, La Rue, Ramel, &c. in confequence of the Revolution of the 18th Fructidor (September 4th, 1797) containing a variety of important Facts relative to that Revolution, and to the Voyage, Refidence, and Ffcape of Barthelemy, Pichegru, &c. From the French of General Ramel, Commandant of the Legislative Body Guard. Wright. 4s.

THIS is a moft curious pamphlet, nor have we of

late read any thing which fo completely excited and gratified our curiofity. The narrative exhibits the vileft defpotifm and the moft refined crucity towards thefe unhappy perfons. It was the evident intention of the French government that they fhould never again revifit their native country. In fuch a cafe the guillo tine would have been an inftrument of mercy. Thefe outrages alfo, were committed in the name of LIBERTY!! To fend away fixteen members of the Convention, without trial, without examination; and to fubject them to all the aggravated infults attendant on tranfportation, is a deed which (though neceffity, the devil's plea, will be urged for it) we confign over to the execration of pofterity.

Their efcape is truly interefting, and fhall be given in our next number. We fhall only add, that the few who returned to Europe, were received here by the British government with a kindness which does honour to humanity.

Anecdotes,

Anecdotes, Religious, Moral, and Entertaining, Alphabetically arranged, and interfperfed with a variety of ufeful Obfervations. Selected by Charles Buck.. Chapman.

WE were amufed by the contents of this work; and though there be a few articles which might have been omitted, yet on the whole, this is a volume that may be read with fatisfaction. It is impoffible in a collection of mifcellaneous topics to please every tafte ; this fhould be recollected, and will ferve to check any fpirit of cenfure to which we may be inclined.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

To W. M. we are obliged for Monual and Albert; also to Civis for his communications. But neither of their pieces can be immediately inferted. Thoughts on Sympathy, fent by J. C. fhall have admittance, but the Fragment must be rejected.

Gorthmund, and other Poetical Pieces, must wait for infer

tion.

We shall be happy to hear from Eleanor, and are sorry her piece was miflaid. Her Lines on Spring, inferted in this Number, afford no unpleafing fpecimen of her talents for Poetry.

« PreviousContinue »