OUR COMMERCE WITH AFRICA. 363 



boundless tracts of fertile land unoccupied, and 

 the inhabitants either perched on the summit of 

 a hill, or living in towns encircled by walls, in- 

 stead of dwelling, to use the beautiful language 

 of Holy Writ, " under their own vine and fig- 

 tree, none daring to make them afraid." 



Future ages will wonder at the mistaken po- 

 licy (to use the mildest term) that has for cen- 

 turies been exporting, at an enormous expense, 

 millions of the inhabitants of the most fertile 

 country under the sun to cultivate an inferior 

 and more expensive soil ! 



The argument, that the negro if left to him- 

 self will not work, is soon disposed of — if indeed 

 any can be now found to advance it. In 1808, 

 the import of palm-oil did not exceed one or two 

 hundred tons per annum : it is now nearly four- 

 teen thousand tons, having been trebled in the 

 last eight years. Twenty years ago, African tim- 

 ber was unknown in the English market : there 

 are now from thirteen to fifteen thousand loads 

 annually imported. I fearlessly assert, that 

 there are no people on the face of the globe 

 more desirous and capable of trading than the 

 present race of Africans, with all their disad- 

 vantages ; and it must be remembered, that the 



