431 



don, by whom the gold ring was presented to Mr. Farren, 

 and which is addressed to that gentleman, was read to the 

 meeting : — 



London^ March 3lst, 1840. 



" In reference to the African gold, or torque as you call it, a 

 young correspondent of mine, resident at Sierra-Leone, and a mer- 

 chant there, happens to be at this time in London ; from him and 

 his father I have received many boxes of this pure gold, and he 

 has furnished me with his own information upon the subject, 

 which I send you inclosed ; he tells me there are large rings or 

 torques, full the size of those I saw in the library of the Royal Irish 

 Academy. Recollect the inclosed is written by a man of colour, and 

 an African by birth, educated in England under my care, and now 

 a resident in his own country. By thisv you will see what some 

 of these men are capable of. 



*' I have written to Africa, and desired a large ring may be 

 procured for you ; I have no doubt this discovery may throw some 

 new light, as to the existence of a connexion in early days be- 

 tween Africa and Ireland." 



The following is the letter from the African gentleman 

 alluded to by Mr. Weston : — 



• '' 31st MarcJi, 1840. 



" My dear Sir, 



" In answer to your inquiries relative to the gold rings that are 

 generally sent from Sierra-Leone, I must first candidly explain 

 that what little information I may be able to afford, has been de- 

 rived from the gold strangers or traders that visit the colony, and 

 not from any personal intimacy with the places where the gold is 

 procured. 



*' The gold out of which these rings are twisted, is found in 

 the countries of Seral-Doolley, Timbuctoo, Seran-Colley, FoUah, 

 Bondou, Kasson, Kaarta, Bambarra, and Timbo, all of which tribes 

 are distant about 1400 miles from, (in latitude 15° N.) and visit 

 Sierra-Leone, in hoards of from two to four and five hundred at a 



