1806.) 
but the place ef -thofe who went was al- 
ways fupplied by a fucceflion of other la- 
bourers. 
Thefe Grumetias improved greatly in 
their drefs; and fearcely any part of the 
money which they earned was expended in 
the purchafe of f{pirits ; to. the ufe of 
which both the Africans in general and 
many of the fettlers are much addicted. 
Freetown was at this. time a place of 
confiderable refort. It is eftimated that 
from one to two hundred natives vifized 
the fettlement every day for the fake chief. 
ly of. exchanging articles of African pro- 
duce for Britifh manufactures. Many of 
thefe natives came in canoes, fome of them 
from a ditance of eighty or one hundred 
miles. The intercourfe, however, from 
thefe more diftant parts was exceedingly 
difcouraged and interrupted by the gene- 
ral infecurity of the African coat, the na- 
tives not being able to put into an. inter- 
mediate creek, on the occafion of any ftrefs 
of weather, without imminent: hazard of 
being feized and fold for flaves.’ Nume- 
rous in{ftances have occurred of the feizure 
of canoes coming to the colony, and of 
the fale of the natives found in them. The 
Company’s Government had allo fuccéed - 
ed in fome degree in extending its influ- 
ence among the natives, whofe confidence 
was ftrongiy indicated by -many circum. 
ftances, but particularly by the readine({s 
with which they tent fome of their chil- 
dren to the colony, and even to this coun. 
try, for education, 
The Nova-Scotians, as has been already 
obferved, began in an early period of the 
fettlement to manifefta great fpirit of tur- 
bulence and infubordination ; and a par- 
ty of them had on one occafios made an 
attempt on the life of the Governor. This 
fpirit received a confiderable check by the 
defeat of the attempt ; but it again reviy- 
e4, and continued to increafe fo rapidly, as 
to thréaten the overthrow of the colony. 
The Direétors, anxious to reprefs the 
growing evil, obtained from the Crown, 
in the year 1800, a charter of juftice ; 
and: a captain of one of his Majeity’s thips 
of war-was charged with the delivery of it. 
Directions were alfo given that a {mall 
force fhou!ld be detached from Goree, for 
the purpofe of being ftationed in the colo- 
ny of Sierra Leone; and the Commandant 
of Goree received inftruStions to extend 
fuch farther affiftance as might be afked 
by the Governor of Sierra Leone, and 
could properly ‘be afforded to the colony. 
The fum of 7zoool., being a part of 
20,000], voted in Parliament for African 
forts, was granted to the Company, for 
OF the Colony of Sierra Leone. 
317 
the ereftion of a fort; and an expeStation 
was given of a further fum of 8000]. for 
the fame purpofe. 10,000]. was about 
the fame time received from Government 
asa partial indemnification for the expence 
to. which the Company had been put in 
fettling the Nova Scotians. o00ol.. was 
alfo vored for che {apport of the civil go- 
vernment of the colony. 
The Direftors of the Sierra Leone Com- 
pany about this time undertook to rake 
the Maroons under their protection, They 
at firft expreffed a with to decline receiving 
them, chiefly in confequence of their expe~ 
rience of the difficulty of governing the 
Nova-Scotians. They were led to give 
their confent toa prepofition made to thena 
by the Duke of Portland on this fubjea&, 
partly by an inclination to comp'y with 
the withes of Government ; partly by an 
idea that the Maroons mizht form fome 
counterpoife to the Nova Scotians (for 
which reafon the Directors were very de- 
firous of planting them in a fomewhat dif- 
tant town); partly by an opinion that the 
Maroons and their children, if placed an- 
der the Company’s care, would have a bet- 
ter chance of civilization than if landed, 
as they were otherwile likely to, be, in 
fome part of Africa which was indepen- 
dent of the Company. 
The Directors were promifed. payment 
of the actual expence incuyred in fettling 
them in Africa; and they meant after- 
wards to propofe that fome increafe of the 
‘fum annually voted in Parliament thould 
be made in- confideration of the Govern. 
ment being exempted from future expence 
on this account. 
The Maroons arrived in October 1800, 
and affifted in quelling an infurreétion 
among the Nova Scotians, who, underfiand. 
ing that means were about to be taken for 
eltablithing the Company’s authority, had 
endeavoured to poffefs themfelves of the 
government. Several of the infurgents 
were killed in this conflict; many were 
taken and tried, of whom three were exe- 
cured, and feveral were banifhed. Some 
of the ringleaders efcaped among the na- 
tives. . : 
The Governor and Council employed 
their new power and authority in introdu- 
cing a fyftem of order, and were begin- 
ning to witnefs the happy. effeéts of it ; 
when a fudden and unexpected blow was 
aimed at the very exiftence of the fettle- 
ment by fome native chiefs in the neigh. 
bourhood, who had previoufly evinced: no 
hoftile intentions, nor alleged any caufe 
of complaint again& the colony. About 
day-break on the morning of the 18th 
November 
j 
