B U L A M A. 



JBulama. happen, or pursuing such measures as were necessary 

 fur tin- Miri.-ess and preservation of tin- colony, they 

 were scatu-u-d over tin- i-,land, earh in pursuit of his 

 own favourite amusement. The Bijug.is had wjtrh- 

 cd all their motions, determined to assert their right 

 to tin- i .land ; and at mid-day on Sunday the 3d of 

 June, while some of the colonists were asleep, and others 

 hunting and fishing, they made their attack. They 

 tired a volley into the hut which contained the arms 

 of the colony. Those that were with in, being roused 

 from their sleep, rushed out, and were immediately 

 shot. The rest, unprepared and unarmed, upon hear- 

 ill" tin- firing, hid themselves among the rocks, or at- 

 teirpted to gain the heach ; by which means the great- 

 est number escaped, while others were intercepted and 

 taken prisoners. The English in this melancholy affair 

 had five men and one woman killed, four men wounded, 

 and four women and three children taken prisoners ; and 

 the savages retired with a rich booty of sixty stand 

 of arms, and a quantity of ammunition, besides kit- 

 chen utensils, wearing apparel, and other European 

 article^. Consternation and dejection succeeded, and 

 the confidence of the colonists was now converted in- 

 to the most groundless fears. No attompt was made 

 to recover what they had lost ; and after landing a 

 party of armed men (under a discharge of cannon 

 from the ship) to brii.g off their water casks, the Ca- 

 lypso, early the following morning, got under weigh 

 for Bissao, where she was joined by the Hankey and 

 Beggar's Benison. Disappointed and dissatisfied 

 with their situation, mutual irritation and reproaches 

 broke out between the colonists and the members of 

 the council. Each attributed their misfortunes to 

 the other ; for while the council was charged with a 

 want of attention to the comfort and interest of the 

 colony, they reproached the colonists with licentious- 

 ness and disobedience. These complaints, and the 

 fever which appeared in the Calypso, and had been 

 communicated to the Hankey, reduced the majority 

 cf the colonists to despondency. Ashamed, howe- 

 ver, of relinquishing their design without another at- 

 tempt, they returned to Bulama, and having redeem- 

 ed their captives, they purchased the island from the 

 kings of Carnabol for the value of 4-73 bars in goods. * 

 But no sooner was this transaction concluded, than, 

 instead of availing themselves of the right which they 

 had now acquired, the majority of the council deter- 

 mined to abandon the enterprise as at present imprac- 

 ticable ; whieh determination was communicated to 

 the colonists in the following resolution : " That see- 

 ing that the rainy season has already commenced, 

 and it appearing, from every information we can col- 

 lect, that we cannot land because of the rains and 

 fogs at least for four months, and that with every 

 precaution there will probably be a considerable mor- 

 tality among the settlers during that time, and con- 

 sidering withal, that a great proportion of the ad- 

 venturers in each ship are solicitous to return to Eu- 

 rope, it is the opinion of the council, that the two 

 ships and the sloop should be removed to Sierra 

 Leone to water, and there the expediency of pro- 

 ceeding to England, or of returning hither after the 

 rains, shall be taken into consideration." Against 



this resolution Captain Beaver entered his protett ; Bull 

 and declared to the council, that he was determined 

 to remain on the island, with his servant, though eve. 

 ry one else should leave it : and in this determination 

 h.- \vas joined by one of the council, and between 80 

 and 90 of the colonists. It was then agreed that 

 th'- Hankey and Beggar's Benison should remain at 

 Bulama, and that the Calypso should immediately 

 proceed to Sierra Leone, with those who were desi- 

 rous of returning to England. The settlers were 

 thus reduced to a third of their original number, and 

 when mustered by Captain Beaver, who was unani- 

 mously chosen their president, were found to consist 

 of 4-8 men, 13 women, and '25 children. Having 

 adopted proper regulations for maintaining subordi- 

 nation, sobriety, and discipline in the colony, and ha- 

 ving established a friendly communication between 

 Bulama and the Portuguese settlement on the island 

 of Bissao, the first care of the colonists was to pro- 

 tect themselves from the heat of the sun, and the vio- 

 lence of the rains, by covering the ship with a wooden 

 roof. They then set about clearing and cultivating 

 a piece of ground for a garden, and built a block- 

 house, which was to serve as a habitation, a general 

 magazine, and a citadel. Both tropical and Euro- 

 pean plants and seeds succeeded beyond their expec- 

 tations ; and all vegetable productions arrived at ma- 

 turity with astonishing quickness. Several free ne- 

 groes had been hired to assist in the work. They 

 were well treated, and always allowed to leave the 

 island, whenever dissatisfied either with their masters 

 or their employment ; and during the residence of 

 the English at Bulama, 196 of these Africans had 

 been employed on the island. Many of the surround- 

 ing tribes also visited the colony, who always came 

 with a view to trade, and brought with them some- 

 thing to dispose of. But in all their dealings with 

 these negroes, the colonists observed the strictest in- 

 tegrity, never shewing the least desire of over-reach- 

 ing them in the exchange of their commodities. Bjr 

 these means, and by rigorously adhering to their de- 

 termination of never being concerned in the purchase 

 of slaves, they soon gained the good-will and confi- 

 dence of the natives, without which they never could 

 have kept possession of the island. Sickness and dis- 

 affection, however, had spread among the settlers, and 

 their numbers were daily diminished by desertion or 

 death. To such a state were they sometimes reduced, 

 that there was scarcely an European fit for work, or 

 to give directions to the negroes ; and out of the 86 

 which staid in the island after the sailing of the Ca- 

 lypso, within nine months ten only were left. These 

 were at last reduced to nine, who became so dispirit- 

 ed and overcome with sickness, that the whole affairs 

 and business of the colony rested with Captain Bea- 

 ver himself. Whatever the energy and perseverance 

 of one man could do was done by this officer. He 

 encouraged his countrymen to exertion by his exam- 

 ple ; supplied their wants, and soothed them in their 

 sickness. He often cheered them with the hope of 

 succours from England ; but all would not do. Fear 

 and despondency had taken possession of their minds. 

 They saw only certain death if they remained ; and 



,f L.78, 16s. 8d. sterling. 



