were just embarked, they are in good condition, and the number does not form a fifth part of what were to have been taken in; I shall as soon as possible send her to Sierra Leone for the Judgment of the Mixed Commission.

Allow me, Sir, to call the attention of their Lordships to the very great distance from these Rivers to that Port, which cannot fail to produce a great mortality among the Slaves, as in the case of the Turtar's prizes, and to be a great risk to the lives or healths of our Seamen and Officers who have to navigate them up, the Vessels being always in the most loathsome state imaginable; and to send medical assistance is not possible. Eight weeks is by no means to be considered a long time to perform this difficult Passage.

I am very sorry to inform you, Sir, that the most horrible practice of human sacrifice (of Slaves) is carried on here to an extent that I could not have believed Mankind, in any state, to have been capable of, much less People who in all other respects have arrived to an astonishing degree of civilization, and have left all other Africans that I have seen very far behind them.

Yesterday I had the mortification to see 5 heads and bodies lying in the Market-place that had been offered up at a funeral in the morning. The number in the Year must be excessive, as, were Duke Ephraim to die, a 1000 would be thus sent to accompany him.

To my expostulations with him on the subject, he answered, that as we hinder the sale of their Slaves, they take such means to rid themselves of them. To this I could only reply, that I would not permit it in sight of my Brig. The death of any Person who is considerable enough to possess or purchase Slaves, and many other ceremonies, are excuses for this barbarous custom, which is performed with singular ferocity, being accompanied with dancing, music, and shouts of joy, while the heads of the victims are tossed about in all directions. A few days ago there were 12 beheaded on the Beach in the sight of the Crews of all the shipping, 3 of which were English, that trade here for the palm oil; I must, however, add, that the superstition of these People appears to be invincible, though many are very sensible Men, and almost all speak English with fluency. I trust, Sir, I have said nothing in this Letter that is improper or ill-timed; I have endeavoured only to say what I thought it necessary for their Lordships to be acquainted with, and I shall only further say, that the French Flag is flying on all parts of the Coast for the purpose of Slaving; and that the Portuguese carry it on also exceedingly. The Squadron, of which I lately formed one, boarded in the Bight of Benin a short time ago, 12 Slave-vessels in 2 days, but there were no Slaves on board them.

J. W. Croker, Esq.

I am,

&c.

CHRISTOPHER KNIGHT.

No. 14.-Captain Kelly to Commodore Sir George R. Collier. (Extract.) H. M. S. Pheasant, Sierra Leone, 22d Sept. 1821. AT Lagos I directed the Snapper to examine the Vessels at anchor, while the Myrmidon and Pheasant went in pursuit of a Brig that had made sail from it on our approach, but which I am sorry to say effected her escape; on the evening of the 23d the Snapper rejoined off Cape Formosa, but from its being late, and the weather unsettled, did not communicate, and the next morning at day-light she was again out of sight; I continued cruizing off Cape Formosa the whole of that day in hopes of falling in with her; the following morning a Vessel was seen from the mast-head to the Southward of us, made all sail in chase, Myrmidon in company, at 10 made her out to be a Schooner, and at 2-30 the Myrmidon brought her to, when she proved to be the Portuguese Schooner Adelaide, from Badagry, in the Bight of Benin, with 232 Slaves on board.

Commodore Sir G. R. Collier, K.C.B.

B. M. KELLY.

No. 15.-Commodore Sir George R. Collier to J. W. Croker, Esq. (Extract.) Knowle Cottage, near Exeter, 7th November, 1821. THE within Letters from Captain Kelly, of the Pheasant, and Captain Leeke, of the Myrmidon, with their accompanying Papers, having just reached me, I feel it proper to transmit them without loss of time. J. W. Croker, Esq. GEORGE R. COLLIER.

(Inclosure 1.)-Captain Kelly to Commodore Sir George R. Collier. (Extract.) Sierra Leone River, 24th September, 1821.

I BEG leave to inclose the Copy of a Letter I have this day received from Lieutenant Knight, commanding His Majesty's Gun-brig Snapper, reporting his proceedings since parting company from the Pheasant, on the 21st July last, at Lagos, in the Bight of Benin.

You will perceive by Lieutenant Knight's Letter, that he has taken the Snapper up the Old Calabar River, and, with his Boat, has succeeded in capturing a Portuguese Vessel with 56 Slaves on board, belonging to Princes Island. Lieutenant Knight has also forwarded to me a list of 2 Vessels he boarded in that River, a Spaniard and a Frenchman, which were preparing to take in Slaves, but had none on board; also a French Schooner off the Mouth of the River. Commodore Sir G. R. Collier, K.C.B.

(Extract.)

B. M. KELLY.

(Inclosure 2.)-Captain Leeke to Commodore Sir George R. Collier. H. M. S. Myrmidon, King George the Fourth's Bay, Island of Fernando Po, 6th August, 1821. I HAVE the honour to send for your information, a report of my proceedings from the day of my parting company with you in Sierra Leone River up to the present date.

On my way down the Coast, owing to the incessant rains, I could not get an observation for several days, and the strong currents set me so close in towards the land that I was unable to fetch further down than the River Grand Sestos. I did not meet with any Vessels on the Windward Coast, although it was reported that many under the French Flag are trading there for Slaves.

At Cape Coast I found His Majesty's Sloop Pheasant, and delivered your Letter to Captain Kelly, who immediately gave me an order to place myself under his command. After remaining there a day or two we weighed and proceeded to Accra, and by Cape St. Paulo to the Bight of Benin, in which Place the Slave-vessels are actually swarming; no less than 13 were spoken between Whydah and the River Lagos, 7 of which (6 large Brigs and a Ship of about 400 tons,) were laying at the latter Place waiting for Cargoes; one of them, a Brig, upon descrying us got under weigh and effected her escape by the darkness of the night. On the 5th ultimo, off Cape Formosa, a Vessel was seen soon after day-light; all sail was made in chase by both Ships, and at 3 o'clock, P. M. we took possession of her. She proved to be the Adelaide, Portuguese Schooner, of 126 tons, 26 Men, and had on board 232 Slaves, 19 of which have since died, owing to their dreadfully crowded state, and the very severe rains we have experienced.

Commodore Sir G. R. Collier, K.C.B.

HENRY J. LEEKE.

(Inclosure 3.)-Lieutenant Knight to Captain Kelly.

(Extract.)

H. M. Gun-brig Snapper, Old Calabar, 7th Aug. 1821.

I CAME to off the Bar of this River where I determined to wait as long as our water would last, not knowing in what direction to seek you further.

While waiting there, on the second day, an English oil Ship came out, which I boarded, and taking the Pilot from her, compelled him to take the Snapper up, having learnt from the Master of the Ship that there were 3 small Vessels taking in Slaves at Duke's Town.

I found on reaching Duke's Town, which is 50 miles up, that the Boat had captured the Portuguese Schooner Conceição, with 56 Slaves on board; the other two, a Spaniard and a French Brigantine, had not any Slaves shipped.

Before the arrival of the Brig at the anchorage the Natives showed a disposition to rescue the Schooner, which, as the Country is exceedingly populous, they might easily have done; one or two shots were actually fired at her from the Town.

As no Vessel of War was ever up at these Towns before, I think our presence may have a good effect.

The Comus was half way some Years ago; but until the Boats of the Tartar and Thistle went, in April last, the Slavers had little or no

apprehension; and, indeed, if a Pilot cannot be procured, the risk of taking a Ship up cannot be recommended.

Slaving will hereafter be carried on with much caution. Both the Spaniard and Frenchman had Slaves purchased, but were afraid to embark them until ready to sail.

Captain B. M. Kelly.

CHRISTOPHER KNIGHT.

No. 16.-Captain Kelly to J. W. Croker, Esq.

(Extract.) H.M. S. Pheasant, Sierra Leone River, 3d Dec. 1821. I HAVE the honour to report, for the information of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I put to sea from this anchorage on the 1st of October last, and having learnt that there were some Slave-vessels at anchor off the Gallinas I proceeded direct for that River. On my arrival there on the 10th of the same month, 3 Schooners and a Brigantine were seen, all of whom immediately weighed on our approach; the Schooners having much the advantage of sailing got away, although pursued for 24 hours.

The following morning I put back for the Brigantine, who, finding she could not escape, again anchored, and on the 12th we boarded her, when she proved to be Le Pilote, Louis Etienne L'Avergne, Master, of and from Nantz, trading, as he (the Master) said, for palm oil.

I also learnt from him that the Schooners were French, but had no Slaves on board; one of them was called l'Espoir, of Nantz, the others belonged to Martinique, their names he did not recollect.

Le Pilote belongs to Haentjens et Frere, of Nantz, and cleared out from Paimbœuf on the 14th July last.

I hauled to the Northward, with an intention of visiting Goree and Gambia, and then looking into the Casamanza River, where I had learnt an extensive Slave-trade was carried on with the Cape de Verd Islands, by French Vessels from Goree. Owing to light winds I did not reach the latter Island till the 11th of November, and again sailed the following day for the Gambia, off which I anchored the next morning. From all the intelligence I could here collect it appeared that my information respecting the Casamanza was either unfounded or much exaggerated.

I beg leave to inclose a List of 9 French Vessels boarded by the Pheasant and Snapper in their late Cruizes on the Windward Coast.

The circumstance of two of them having their Cargo of Slaves on board when boarded by the Snapper, viz. La Caroline and Le Pilote, the latter of which had been boarded by the Pheasant only a short month before, and reported as trading for palm-oil, will prove to their Lordships how well grounded are our suspicions of these Vessels belonging to the Subjects of His Most Christian Majesty. J. W. Croker, Esq.

B. M. KELLY.

No. 17.-Commodore Sir G. R. Collier to the Lords of the Admiralty. (Extract.) London, 27th December, 1821. THE former Reports I have had the honour to lay before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will, I trust, be considered so generally descriptive of the actual state of the several Forts and Establishments under British controul upon the shores of Western Africa, as not to require much remark from me now; I shall, therefore, only, in as limited a manner as possible, speak of their present

condition.

Some Rivers and Places have, however, been visited during my late Cruize, which, in my two former Voyages to Africa, circumstances had prevented my examining. Of these, therefore, it may be necessary that I should speak somewhat in detail, and then proceed to consider the actual state of the Slave-trade, which is still in full activity upon a long line of Coast from Cape St. Paul, the western point of the Bight of Biafra, to the Equator, the vast extent and numerous population of which offer excessive profits to the supporters of this frightful traffick, who, indifferent to every feeling but that of gain, disregard the Decrees of their own Governments, either presuming they are never meant to be enforced, or from their pursuits never being interrupted by Cruizers bearing their Flags. The trade, North of the Equator, is still carried on under certain Colours (excepting when met by British Cruizers) with impunity, and in violation of actual Treaties.

In offering some remarks on the present condition of the Settlements, I shall commence with Sierra Leone, considering that the most important under the immediate controul of His Majesty's Government upon the Coast of Western Africa.

The publick buildings have not advanced so rapidly as I believe had been expected; but it is, nevertheless, gratifying to observe that the roads in the neighbourhood of Free Town and those in the mountains have been much improved, and that the bridges have been constructed of more durable materials than heretofore; considerably more ground has been cleared in the environs of the mountains; numerous stone and brick houses are supplying the places of the former wooden habitations in Free Town; Population increases; and British adventurers show less dread of the climate and pestilential vapours from the surrounding creeks. Yet, as in all other tropical Climates, one season frequently occasions more mortality than another, without any sufficient cause appearing. The streets of Free Town are, however, as much over-run with grass and indigo as formerly,-a great evil, and to be remedied only by the most positive municipal regulations. Some trees it is true have been felled within the Town, but unluckily almost those only which should have been preserved, being full-grown pullam (silk cotton) trees, protecting by their shade the little ravine near the fish-market, in which a spring of pure and excellent water is fed and