REMARKS ON àlERRA LÊONE* 
î shall add another it-flection, of public utiîhy. The Blacks are 
a kind of men destined by Nature to inhabit Africa and America; 
she has created them. for burning regions: let us, therefore, 
take care not to oppose her views, or overthrow the barriers 
uhich she has established; but let us preserve their races in their 
natural purity, and not permit the Negroes to inhabit Europe. 
"I'ins mixture of black aiid white is dangerous to our popula- 
tion_, and in time it may cfiange, cori upt^ and even destroy it. 
CHAP. Xf. 
PRODUCTIONS OF THE BANKS OF SIERRA LEONE. — AC- 
COUNT OF THE PEOPLE AN n TH EIR FORMS OF GOVERN- 
MENT, WlTi! SOME PARTICULARS OF THEIR MANNÉRS 
AND CUSTOMS BOTH CIVIL AND MI LITARY.— ^CEREMO- 
NIES ATTENDING CIRCUMCISION. LAWS OF THE DIF- 
FERENT TRIBES. PRIVILEGES OF THE KINGS, WITH 
RESPECT TO THEIR SUCCESSORS. — ACCOUNT OF THÉ 
PURRAH, A SORT. OF SECRET TRIBUNAL. EFFECT OF 
COMMERCE UPON THE NEGROES. CHARACTER OF 
THEIR WOMEN. / 
The English in thdir choice of Sierra Leone, on which to 
form })ermanent establishments, acted wisely, particulaly as to 
their object of civilizing the Africans : for every thing in this 
quarter concurs to favour such an undertaking. Nature has here 
produced in such profusion every thing which is necessary, useful, 
or agreeable to man, and the most perfect state of reliiiemcnt 
could scarcely add any thing to such kinds of riches. 
The natives cultivate both rice and manioc, with the utmost 
attention ; and the former, which is the principal article of com- 
merce, succeeds wonderfully in humid parts; while it grows to 
considerable perfection upon the heights, only that on the latter 
it is not so strong, though the grain is better. The second plant 
only thrives in sandy or open spots; and here the inhabitants 
sow it in vast quantities, as it forms their ordinary food. They like- 
wise cultivate for themselves and their cattle, Jerusalem arti- 
chokes, turnips, and a species of potatoe peculiar to the coun- 
try, as well as cabbages and peas : they likewise sow maize, of 
which they obtain several harvests in a year, for it always comes 
to maturity in three months. They have two species of millet^ 
both of which are very common in these parts, and are used for 
feedajg poultry. The stalk of the larger kind contains a very re- 
freshing juice. 
Banian, orange, and lemon-trees grow in great abundance, 
and bear fruit the whole year. The oranges are of an exquisite 
DURAND.] M 
