362 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
person so disposed of belonged to a free family, 
for few of them will acknowledge the fact of 
their having been born in slavery; and secondly, 
from the very limited intercourse between our 
colonies and the remote states of the interior, 
whence those unfortunate beings were dragged 
into slavery ; and during their return whether 
they would, on most occasions, be exposed to a 
second, and, if possible, a worse state of bondage. 
The latter difficulty, however, is daily decreas- 
ing before the persevering endeavours of Africa's 
friends in this country, under the immediate and 
personal direction of an active governor, who, in 
holding out every inducement to the chiefs and 
people in the vicinity of our colonies to keep up 
a direct and friendly intercourse with our com- 
mercial agents, is adopting a plan likely to be 
attended with the most salutary results *. 
The cupidity and duplicity of the chiefs has 
already obtained that notice which it required, 
and to obviate them, it has occurred to me there 
are no means more available, and, I may add, 
more speedily practicable, than the enlargement 
* The late unfortunate occurrences on the Gold Coasts and 
the melancholy death of Sir Charles M^^Carthy^, have been too 
recently before the public to need any remark of mine. I 
must, however, be permitted to say, that in that gallant, in- 
telligent and zealous commander, Africa has lost one of her 
best friends, and society one of its greatest ornaments. 
