The New York herald., 1851-10-14

obtain q grant of land from this chief, to try the
o. oS, DO aot H.
bend IL would diminish the slave trade Il believe
there is OF the slightest doubt, but that all they
want is some inducement to labor, on the coast OF
Africa and for their attention to be directed to in
dustrious habits in any way that could be promo
ted no question but it would tend more to stop the
slave trade than anything else
In the course of an interesting conversation on
this part Of the subject, Captain Swinton said ths
natives also required have their tastes and wants
awakened for superior clothing and other comforts,
and he had tried to influence them In that way. he
had brought out there some marble tables intended
for his own use, but the chief would keep them to
fit up sort Of council house he was building their
ideas were becoming more extended on these sub
Jects The people were very anxious and wiling
gone, for instance. into one of their "palaver
houses, or courts for the trial of small cases, and
having remarked that &c in courts IN AXE pso-
pie take their hats of" the chief Immediately or
desrous they we're to adopt English fashions. They
were, however, under the impression that justice
was not done to them by the Sierra Leone govern
ment. They had entered into treaties for the sup
stipends paid to them, which it his impression,
had never been paid and the expressed wish to
''make their road open to the queer" thinking they
would get more attention BY direct communica.
to cultivate good feeling with the English. A
piece of stout cotton cloth was exhibited, which
was said to be q specimen Of the clothing worn by
the reassntry The chiefs wore a kind which was
| Mr.. BAZLEY-Can you offer any suggestion to
cradle us to take any steps to promote the cutiva
tion OF cotton!
Captain SwINToN-If any individual could 90 out
Manchester goods to make presents of to the chefs
and dare say you would be able to get ground to
any extent for q mere bagatelle There are few
Europeans there, and the chief wouli render every
asSfStance: be Is eXtrem0IV desIrOus OrOmOte the
benefit of his country.
Some further discussion took place, in which the
visiting his territories at particular seasons and it
doubtful whether the natives would work in his
absence; but there was no work for them to do till
the picking season came.
Mr.. BooTHMAN said there was; the cotton plants
mnst be kept free from weeds. Would there be any
difficulty in getting any of the natives to come here
for instruction!
In reply to this, Captain SwINroN said that it
much afraid Of the cold Of England; and for the
United States, it was probable they would not be
allowed to go into the cotton growing States He
had brought over however, the son of the chief of
five or six years old-a very interesting child, quick,
clean, observant, and initiative. The great draw
back on the improvement OF the negroes was, that
they had no stimulus to exertion They lived sim
ply on their cassava roots and rice, which they had
little trouble in raising. The chief Of Bompey:
however, loaded his Captain s Einton's) vessel
with timber, Of which 5000 leads annually came
from his district The work of bringing this down,
which was extremely lab0rious, was done by par
tcular race, the Timnese; they drew the trunks Of
trees by hand, a distance of five miles, over q sort
of rude wooden tramway; they could only draw one
log at a time, and perhaps took day in drawing
one five miles, each log requiring from ten to fifty
men; the value of such logs, when brought to the
country, would be ElO to Gl2 each. A European
travelling 80 or 100 miles from the coast; would be
in danger Of being robbed, if he were not under
the protection of the chief though the natives all
carried FIRE arms, there was no danger of assassina
tion; but they might detain man for the sake of
ransom, and perhaps If be were not ransomed,
poison him. The Chief however, had always sent
personal convoy with him (Capt. Swinton), ge-
nerally his nephew, who was sort Of deputy go
vernon, and who went every day or ten days all
around the country to settle disputes; he levied
fines those who were guilty of any breach OF the
law. The natives had no coined money, except
what they got from Europeans, but plenty OF gold,
which came from the Hong mountains further in
land The chief made him Captain Swinton)
present Of a handsome bracelet Of solid gold
weighing an ounce and half There would be no
difficulty in getting the cotton which might be
grown inland brought to the seaboard by way Of
the rivers The surface in this kings territory,
avaia ble for the growth Of cotton would be abou.
500 square miles, as IL extended 80 miles from
north TO south, and 100 miles inland; all Of which
he should say was capable, more or less, of growing
cotton.
Mr.. LEWIS WILLIAMS observed it seemed clear
that cotton could be grown there but it was not
clear that they could get any considerable quantity,
with so many difficulties in the way. 1t must take
some time before the natives could be reconcied to
the confidence Of white men; and If they were so
addicted to robbery, people would be afraid Of
going there.
Captain SwIyroS answered that he thought, un.
der the rule Of the present king, the same escort
would be given TO any Englishman that had been
given TO him; that chief was man who had extra
ordir arily just views Of right and wrong; he was
about % years Of age. There we're already exist
ing many factories for collecting timber aud palm
oil, with resident ageots, either white men or
colored He Captain Swinton) had offered the
natives 4sd pound in cash for all the cotton they
should grow for him, not cleaned, but in the seed.
MIR. BooTHMAS said that was too high prise, as
the cotton would have cost Id. before it was ct
for use.
The CHAIRMAN said he had been informed by
gentleman who had traded on the Niger, that cot
ton was there brought from the woods in baskets,
on the heads Of women, and sold at the rate Of a
half penny pound
Gait. SwrNroN answered, there would be no
chance Of getting IL for 30 low price In the dis
they could not grow il so cheap as AID and he
advised them, then, to employ their children in
picking it, Their mode Of agriculture was asrude
possible they cut down the trees burnt them, and
afterwards turned up the ground with a small piece
Of wood.
Mr. Lucas suggested that IL would be worth
while to take them out parcel OF hoes, and show
them bow much more easily they might cultivate
ment used to cultivate sugar in Jamaica.
Mr. AsHToN-From the fact of the natives
wearing these cotton dresses, there must be con-
siderable quantity Of II grown among them
Captain SwINToN-Yes, they use n great guam
tity among themselves, but have never attempted
TO export Il yet. have never seen any Manches
ter manufactures in imitation Of this kind Of cloth
among them; but have seen some French manu-
fsctures Of the same kind The French have not
many residents In the district; but their goods
out, well the Indian cloths to the colony
of Sierra Leone. The French trade with them i
principally for ground nuts, a great quantity Of
which are exported to Marseilles.
In answer TO other questions, Captain Swinton
further said that be did not think there would be
any personal danger TO any one prosecuting the cu
tivation Of cotton. II this chamber chose 20 send
out large supplies Of cotton seed, be was willing 70
undertake IL, and TO remain year or couple OF
years, since the climate agreed with him
The President offered the thanks Of the board
TO Captain Swinton, and said that his suggestions
should receive their deliberate attention.