Before the settlement of Sierra Leone, Africa knew nothing of Europe, but her crimes. It would have been against all the evidence of which they were masters for Africans to believe that Europeans were then honest men. When charged with some enormous delinquency, "What! do you think me a white man?" was their natural and reasonable exclamation! Of this, an affecting instance is recorded by Admiral Mather Buckle, who commanded for some time, a small squadron, off the African coast. One day, while he was at anchor, an African came off in his canoe, loaded with fruits, &c. The African hailed, and cried "What ship this?' The other replied, imitating his jargon, "King George ship—man-of-war ship." The suspicions of the African was awakened, and he retorted, "No—you Bristol ship;" (Bristol was a port infamous for slave trading.) Admiral Buckle calmly repeated what he had said before. The poor African could no longer control his fears. "You be," he screamed, "you Bristol ship," plunged into the sea, and left his canoe to its fate. Admiral Buckle conduced to shew the Africans that there were Europeans of a different stamp from "the Bristol or slave party men," by sending the canoe carefully and kindly on shore.
The object of the African Institution, was, "To improve the temporal condition and the moral faculties of the natives of Africa; to diffuse knowledge and excite industry, by methods adapted to the peculiar situation and manners of the inhabitants; to watch over their execution of the laws which have been passed by this and other countries, for abolishing the African slave trade; and finally, to introduce the blessings of civilized society, among a people sunk in ignorance and barbarism, and occupying no less than a fourth part of the habitable globe." For these purposes, "it proposed no purchase of territory—no commercial speculation—no colonial settlement—no religious mission; but to collect and diffuse information concerning the natural productions of the country; its agricultural and commercial capacities; and the condition, as well intellectual as political, of its inhabitants. To introduce and promote among them, letters, arts, medical discoveries,
