Bulgaria 



B U L 8 



BtjJama after repeated solicitations to return home, and even 

 threatenings to leave the island, Captain Beaver was 

 at last prevailed upon to accede to their request, and 

 quitted Bulama on the 29th of November 1 793. Thus 

 vanished the benevolent enterprise of the Bulama as- 

 sociation, of whose success the most sanguine expec- 

 tations had been formed, both by its' promoters and 

 their friends in England. But when we consider the 

 difficulties of the undertaking, and the character of 

 those who were engaged in it, we are not surprised 

 at its failure. The establishment of an infant colony 

 requires resources, which few private associations are 

 able to supply ; and a prudent unanimity and deter- 

 mined courage and perseverance, in those who are en- 

 trusted with its execution, which are not often to be 

 found. Prejudice and self-interest sometimes accom- 

 pany the most distinguished talent ; and the public 

 good is often forgotten when it comes in competition 

 with private advantage. The Bulama expedition was 

 deficient in both these respects. Many of the colo- 

 nists were men of the most infamous character, and 

 vicious habits, who had neither industry, fortitude, 

 nor honesty ; and many of the council, indeed we 

 may say all of them excepting Captain Beaver, were 

 destitute of that perseverance and firmness of mind, 

 necessary for enforcing subordination and obedience ; 

 and their desertion of the enterprise without a suffi- 

 cient cause, cannot be too severely reprobated. The 

 time for the sailing of the expedition was also very 

 unfortunately chosen. They must have known that 

 they could not have arrived at Bulama before the 

 commencement of the rains, which in that country is 

 the most unhealthy season of the year ; and which 

 could not but prove most injurious to men accustom- 

 ed to shelter and a temperate climate ; and it is to 

 this circumstance, and to their want of every necessa- 

 ry to protect them against the inclemency of the sea- 

 son, unless what they procured by long and hard la- 

 bour from the island, must, in a great measure, be at- 

 tributed that mortality, which swept away such a 

 number of the settlers. The want of timely supplies, 

 both of men and necessaries, must have been severely 

 felt ; and had Captain Beaver been seconded by the 

 committee in England, as his exertions and perseve- 

 rance deserved, this colony might have been preser- 

 ved ; and tliose benevolent purposes for which it was 

 established, might, to a considerable degree, have 

 been accomplished. We hope, however, that this 

 design is not entirely relinquished ; but that the time 

 will sooa come, when, supported by the bounty of 

 government, which has been so liberally extended to 

 the settlement at Sierra Leone, a colony shall be es* 

 tablished at Bulama, which shall disseminate the bles- 

 sing of civilization, liberty, and religion, among the 

 oppressed and benighted Africans. See Beaver's 

 African Memoranda, passim ; Durand's Voyage to 

 Senegal, p. 66 ; Wadstrom's Essay on Colonization, 

 p. 130; Golberry, Fragmens d'un Voyage en Afrique, 

 vol. ii. ; Labat, Relation de I'Afrique Occident. (L) 



BULB. See BOTANY, p. 53. 



BULBOCODIUM, a genus of plants of the class 

 Hexandria, -.nd order Monogynia. See BOTANY, p. 

 186. 



BULGARIA, LITTLE, formerly a small king- 

 dom, now a province of the Turkish empire, is bound- 



t B U L 



ed on the west by Servia, from which it extends Bulgaria, 

 along the banks of the Danube, which is its northern 

 boundary, to the Black Sea on the east ; and is se- 

 parated from Macedonia and Romania by Mount 

 Hsemus on the south. Tt is about 72 German miles 

 in length, and 20 in breadth, except towards the east, 

 where it stretches along the Black Sea nearly 40 

 miles. This province constitutes- the eastern part of 

 ancient Mysia, and received its present name from 

 the, Bulgarians, who settled here about the end of the 

 seventh century. These barbarians, allured by the 

 Roman wealth, left their native seats on the banks of 

 the Volga, and ravaging with ruthless fury the coun- 

 tries through which they passed, broke into Thrace, 

 and filled the whole empire with consternation. 

 Notwithstanding repeated checks and defeats from 

 the Roman generals, they still continued their an- 

 nual irruptions, carrying off immense booty from the 

 plundered provinces ; and, near the close of the 

 reign of Justinian (A. D. 560), Zabergan their chief, 

 with seven thousand horse, passed the Danube, and 

 pitched his tents at the distance of 20 miles from 

 Constantinople. The forces of the empire were em- 

 ployed on the distant frontiers ; crowds of clamor- 

 ous rustics surrounded the city, imploring food and 

 protection ; and Justinian trembled for the safety of 

 his capital. But the arm of Belisarius was raised 

 for the last time in its defence. At the head of 300 

 veterans, and a tumultuary band of citizens and pea- 

 sants, Belisarius advanced against the enemy. The 

 shouts of the multitude dispirited the barbarians ; 

 and the desperate assault of the aged general and his 

 guards threw them into confusion. The Bulgarians 

 were routed ; and, after extorting heavy ransoms for 

 their prisoners, and wasting the summer in the plains 

 of Thrace, they were compelled to repass the Da- 

 nube. Not discouraged by their frequent defeats, 

 they repeated their devastations, and looked upon 

 themselves as amply compensated for any loss they 

 might sustain in battle, by the plunder which they 

 collected in their march. In the reign of Constan- 

 tine Pogonatus, a more numerous horde entered the 

 Roman territories, and ravaged at pleasure the north- 

 ern provinces of the empire. The forces of the em- 

 peror were unable to oppose them ; and Constantine 

 at last consented to a dishonourable peace, and agreed 

 to pay an annual tribute to his invaders, upon con- 

 dition that they should discontinue their inroads, and 

 assist him against all his enemies. It was about this 

 time that they settled in lower Mysia, and establish- 

 ed the kingdom of Bulgaria some say with the con- 

 sent cf Constantine, while others allege that they 

 had formed a settlement in that province several 

 years before the commencement cf his reign. But 

 his successor, Justinian II., refusing to acquiesce in 

 the stipulated treaty, withdrew the promised tribute,, 

 and, invading their country, reduced them to great 

 distress. The triumph of Justinian, however, was 

 but of short duration. His army was unexpectedly 

 attacked by the Bulgarians, who gained a complete 

 victory, and compelled him to confirm the treaty of 

 his father. From that time, an incessant warfare, 

 interrupted by short intervals of precarious peace, 

 was waged between the Romans and these restless 

 intruders, until the beginning of the 10th century^. 



