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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 31st, 1840. 
‘* Tn 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 this, you will see what some 
of these men are capable of. 
“IT 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 March, 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 évvisted, is found in 
the countries of Seral-Doolley, Timbuctoo, Seran-Colley, Follah, 
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 
