MESURIL. 35 
the taking of tbe Isles of France (vide last Report of the African 
Institution) and I trust it will ultimately be put an entire stop 
to : at all events, immediate steps ought to be taken to prevent 
slaves from being imported into those parts of India over which 
any influence is possessed by the British government. Five ships 
loaded with slaves went this year to the Brazils, each vessel 
carrying from three to four hundred : it is considered a lucky 
voyage if not more than sixty die in each ship. 
In the afternoon of the following day (August 30) I paid a 
second visit to the house of the planter where the Monjou traders 
resided, and I bought from one of them a bow and arrows for a few 
beads with which the planter supplied me, in consequence of the 
possessor of the bow refusing money, the value of which he did not 
seem to appreciate. I proceeded to amuse myself with my new 
purchase, which soon brought out some of the Monjou to see how 
I managed their weapons, and I persuaded them in return to give 
me a specimen of their skill. They were very expert in hitting a 
mark at about thirty paces, but in shooting at a long range I 
found none that could cope with me, which I much suspect arose 
more from want of inclination than ability. The utmost distance 
that I could shoot with their bow, to any effect, was seventy-four 
paces. 
In the cool of the evening the planter took us to a kind of fair 
held in the neighbourhood for the purpose of bartering with the 
traders lately arrived." The articles displayed to tempt these 
simple savages were very trifling, such as salt, shells, beads, 
tobacco, coloured handkerchiefs and coarse cloths from Surat ; a 
circumstance that strongly proves how artfully the Portuguese 
F 
