Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-11-23
WEST AFRICA.
Extracts Of q letter from Mr. Croker
dated Edna, June RI, 1886.

Extracts Of q letter from Mr. Crocker
dated Edna, June 81, 1886.
We have just received your letter, dat
ed the 9th Feb, accompanied by several
communications from other friends, and a
quantity of provisions sen: out by br. c.
The letters and periodicals have been We
ry refreshing to US. The provisions were
also very acceptable, as they are very
scarce, at the present time, In the colony.
Some, no doubt, are now actually suffer
ing for hunger. We received a letter
from Millsburg, day or two since, which
stated that the inhabitants were in a state
of starvation; that they could not get cas-
sadas, (their last resort to eat. Wehave
heard a similar report from CALDWELL
The colonists are almost altogether de-
pendent upon the natives for their susie
nance. When, therefore, the natives do
not have sufficient supply Of food to sell,
the colonists suffer When wars rage
among the various tribes, and prevent
them from cultivating their ground, the
colony participates with the natives in the
privation ofGood, Ifthey make war upon
the natives, and destroy their rice fields,
as in the last war at Bassa Cove they cut
off their own supplies. This state OF
things, arises from the mistaken policy
of the olonists, in neglecting agriculture
for the sake Of trade. Those who had
any capital when they came out, have
gone to trading with the natives, and in a
vast majority of instances have run thro'
with their property in this way. Those
who have done any thing in agriculture,
have been in general too poor to purchase
cattle for working, and have therefore
been able to do nothing very extensively,
in cultivating the soil The land, it is
true, is fertile, but its fertility is chiefly
seen in the rank growth Of the weeds,
grass, and bushes. TO keep these down,
merely with hoe and cutlass, requires no
small degree oflabor. 1.-THE new colony
at Bassa Cove go on as they have begun.
We think they may be able, after a while,
to render themselves in great measure, if
not altogether, independent of the natives
for their supplies of food. We hope this
will be the case. Their present agent
has done much to promote this object -
but his health is so much impaired at the
present time, that we fear he will soon be
compelled to leave the country for Ameri-
ca. When he leaves, an agent of similar
qualifications will be very much needed,
to carry forward what he has begun.
When we wrote you last, was just re-
covering from a severe attack of the fever.
Since then, | have had no attack of fever,
and, with the exception of a cutaneous at-
lection peculiar to this country, have been
remarkably well. The health Of brother
NJ is, in general, better than it was in
America.
At the time Of my last letter, we were
contemplating school for the natives, to
be located in the colony. We had the
promise of king William Gray, and king
Sante Will, and several head men, that
they would send their children Soon af-
ter | wrote, | went back into the country
about twenty miles, to Sante Wills
town, to see what they intended to do. |
found quite an apathy among the natives
in regard 10 the school AS they find it
difficult, if not impossible, to conceive of
any person being actuated by higher
motive than pure sel6shness, they seemed
to look upon the subject with suspicious
eye They however declared that the
reason why they did not send their chill
dren, was scarcity Of food. They said
that when the crops OF rice came in, they
would send them. AS our means would
not admit of our establishing a school
within the limits of the colony, Cor the
natives would not send their children un'
less we supplied them with food.) and BE-
lievins it very important TO acquire the