Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1817-11-18


der one Engliih fort, frequently iniult
thofr living under another, and boat OF
the protection they receive from the very
flag they infult, thus rendering our flag
sublsrviens TO cruel and ianguinary
warfare; and | mutt confefs that | felt
pain to know that the. britilh flag and u
inform are. every where diihonored in
Africa, Whit we were at Cape Coat
Cattle, faw feveral of the Aihantees i
they appeared ihrewd, active and intelli-
gent not the lesi appearance OF the
common, negro coantenaace, but very
much relembling the Moors, and ma
ny of them wore turbans two OF them
faid they had feen white men back in the
country, meaning, no doubt, the flores
of the Mediterranean or Red fea and |
have no doubt, if the fave trade was a.
boliihed altogether, that the Africans on
many parts of the coat might foon be in
duced to hire themfelves on board our
merchant ihips tr aiding there, and to and
from the Wet Indies and this would
not only be the means of civllizing them
but be of great importance IN mercan-
tile point of view, as the natives would
be much more preferable in fuch eli
mate than European seamen, and their
wages do not exceed four dollars per
month and as confederation of this
ftatcment, had feveral men on board the
Ipconaant during my itay on the coat,
who in fhort time became as active and
ufeful as many of the feanen of the chip.
and wiihed to go TO the Welt Indies with
us. tl tetH#Ef n,r
| am ltrongly of opinion that fomething
matt be done soon our merchants were
formerly fupported by the Slava Trade,
which they carried on to great extent,
independent of their having a. that time
the whole of the gold and ivory trade in
their own hands.
Since the abolition, the war has pre-
vented competition from foreign nations,
but now the whole coat is inundated
with French, Dutch, American, and oh
er flags, and they ar: abundantly fuppli-
ed with arms and powder, which ena
bles them TO underfell our own merchants
whole trade is falling off rapidly; and
the decline in the price of gold and ivory
in Europe has alto materially afflicted
them. Symptoms of decay are evident !;
at Cape, Coat Cattle, houics are become
unfaleable, and all accounts agree as TO
the prefent difficulties and future appre
henlions. ts
Our fort at Annamaboc is, under
ftand, the belt fortification of the whole /;
but il has only two officers and fifteen
men. Tamtumquerry Fort is of little or
no use. Winns bah Fort is abandoned
at this place there is good rivet-a
great acquifition for thips, as there is
nothing but rain water to be got on any
| part of the coat. Accra, or Accarah, 10
certainly the moft picturefque, fertile
and healthy fpot on the whole coat of
Africa a plain extends some miles in
the interior, when you come to hills COW
cred with rich foil, and a beautiful couu.
try we'll wooded and watered, and every
thing that is necciary for forming col.
ony every kind Of vegetable grows here
and could be produced in any quantity
There are now great quantity of cattle
and herds of buffaloes, a. little in the in
terror on the plain there is grea
quantity and variety of game, fuch az
deer, hares, pheasants, guinea fowls
partridgss, pigeons, &c &c. and every
kind Of live flock in abundance. went
to Witt the banks of the river Saccom,
which runs a. the back of Accra, about
eight miles, and which could be conduc-
ted to the town with great ease and little
expenfe; there is alto a reef of rocks
extending from the Englith fort fome
diftancc into the fea, on which a pier
might be RATED with little trouble, as
there is plenty of good ttone and lime
elofc to the fpot !: If this was done, vef-
iels of lao tons and upward might load
and unload inGde the per with safety
In the road. the ground is 70 good and
10 ftrong, that it is neeeaarY TO e ht your
anchor every twenty four hours. The
climate of this place is 70 fuPeror to any
part Of the ecaf that invalds frequently