EXPEDITION TO BULAMA. ^79 
lucrative commerce with the natives in ivory, 
wax, and the other productions of Africa. Some 
authors affirm, that hope is never so sanguine as 
when it is without foundation ; but whatever ex- 
pectations were entertained by the colonists be- 
fore their arrival in Africa, it is certain that these 
were very soon dissipated. The vessel which first 
arrived at Bulama having neglected to procure an 
interpreter, or make any propositions to the Bis- 
«agoes, the lords of the soil, immediately landed 
a party of men to take possession. The Bissagoes 
of Canabac, who did not clearly comprehend the 
propriety of this proceeding, surprised this party, 
killed seven men and one woman, and carried off 
four women and three children. It is often very 
difficult to settle the questions of right and wrong 
between the rude natives of a country, and the 
colonists who are permitted to settle in their ter- 
ritories. The original planters of New England 
having discovered a hoard of Indian corn, belong- 
ing to the natives, carried it off for seed, intend- 
ing, as they said, to pay the Indians when the 
** soil paid them." The colonists of Bulama, 
however, can only be charged with want of cau- 
tion, since the vessels which contained the goods 
for the purchase of the island, and traffic with the 
natives, had not yet arrived. Instructed by this 
preliminary error, Mr Dalrymple embarked his 
men, and sailed to Bissao, where he found the 
