ment. Renaud had not only given up to them all their wearing apparel, but had made them presents to console them under their losses.

'Apprehensive of the interpretation that might be put on our conduct in having given a vessel to Renaud, as he had thought fit to take a prize in the river, we despatched Strand to demand the restitution of the schooner, which was immediately given up. Renaud appeared very anxious we should maintain a neutrality. As for Bance Island, he set them at defiance, and even threatened to destroy them.

'August 20.-Tilley pressed on us the policy of uniting for Renaud's destruction. We gave him a number of reasons for declining hostile measures, among the rest that we should forfeit every advantage we might expect to derive from the amicable intentions of the French Government; and that we did not wish to risk the ruin of our infant establishment, or expose ourselves to bear the consequences which our responsible situation would bring on us in case our conduct should be disapproved of.

'August 25, 1793.-Horne preached in the forenoon on justification by faith, which he qualified in the afternoon by a discourse on regeneration.

'August 26.-Mr. Jackson, the partner of Horrocks at the Isles de Los, came here. Their deserters were called up for examination, and denied having been enticed by the people of this place. They said their reason for deserting was because they understood that Horrocks, before quitting the Isles de Los, which he intends shortly to do, meant to trepan them on board a ship and sell them, and that there was even now an American vessel at the Isles de Los, which they were assured was destined to carry them off;1 and because the captain of the vessel in which they came down to this river had used them very ill, beating them without mercy, and kicking them about the decks. They said they had no fault to find with Horrocks or Jackson, but that of their own free suggestions they had effected their escape to avoid slavery and the illtreatment of the captain with whom they were at the time.

'Jackson intimated to us that he would expect five hundred guineas from us as an indemnification. We told him that we thought if a loss had been sustained by them it ought to be refunded, but that they were sensible that we had used every art of persuasion to prevent the desertion of their slaves; and that, however disposed we might be to incur a trifling expense for the sake of preserving our present good understanding with our neighbours, yet we could not allow that there was any 1 1 Macaulay writes on October I :-'I believe this to have been the case.'

legal claim on us as the Sierra Leone Company's representatives. Besides, the affairs of the Isles de Los concern, we hinted, were in such confusion from the insolvency of its proprietors that it would be unsafe to satisfy any demand on their part until their right to make the demand and to exonerate the payer from all further claims were clearly proved. It is likely, I think, that this matter will go home, in which case it appears to me that all they can prove against us is refusing to compel these men to return. They will also find it difficult to prove their property. I know not how far a claim to personal services can be entered in an English Court of Judicature without a written or witnessed agreement, unless they make an exception in favour of Slave-dealers.

'The worst consequences will be in this country, where it will have the effect of alienating from us the goodwill of all our neighbours. And how to avoid the dilemma I know not. By an exertion of authority we might perhaps effect the forcible restitution of these people to Messrs. Horrocks & Co., but in doing so we should act a most barbarous part. It would be delivering up men to a certainty of punishment, slavery, and transportation, whose only crime is an attempt to regain their liberty, or rather to avoid being forced into slavery.

'The effects of the rains have been felt at Bance Island, where, of the Europeans, about a third have died. Two or three tradesmen brought out for them in the African Queen have died also. I sometimes think with wonder on the number of young men who yearly come out from England and Scotland to such places as Bance Island without exciting any animadversion; while the few, who are found willing to encounter the less hostile situation of Freetown, are branded as madmen, as provoking their fate, and as justly incurring every evil they can meet with. Nor does it less excite my wonder that while men are fearlessly pouring in to supply the place of those traders who have fallen victims to the climate, persons can with difficulty be found to maintain a succession of Chaplains at Sierra Leone, or to engage in the business of instructing the natives, which, compared with the business of trading, is a safe and easy and healthy occupation. So true is it that the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. Horne has already put pen to paper on the subject of Missions in general; and he means on going home to excite if possible the sleeping activity of his brethren in the ministry. He will have a right to talk of the practicability of African Missions.

August 31.-A craft from the Bananas called here, the master of which informed me that Mr. Cleveland, pressed by

his creditors, had collected his people, and gone down to the Sherbro with an intention of breaking up the towns of such as owed him money. A Mr. Graham, who is known to Mr. Granville Sharp, is Cleveland's prime minister. He goes to England shortly, when I shall contrive to throw him in your way. I am in great hopes from the spirit I saw manifested that Cleveland will meet with vigorous opposition in the Sherbro, and perhaps be disappointed of his aim.

September 2.-I went up to Gambia Island to settle accounts with Renaud. He made us the following proposal. That, as he meant to abandon Gambia in six weeks, we might, if we pleased, send some one to take possession immediately; and that if we accepted his offer a day should be appointed on which, in the presence of all the Chiefs, and with their consent, he would formally surrender the island to Mr. Dawes, and that the buildings and battery on the island would be at the same time gratuitously yielded to us.

'Renaud has paid the price of redemption for all the free people sold by Captain Newcome to Bance Island, and he will soon have the satisfaction of restoring them to their friends. He means to reside at Goree, to relinquish the Slave Trade, and to employ himself in trading with Freetown.

'The man who was convicted of robbing the store,1 having received the last portion of corporal punishment, was rescued as the Marshal was carrying him on board the York for the completion of his sentence. The principal in the rescue took the prisoner to his own house, and arming himself, vowed the death of any one who dared to approach him. As we were averse to take any step which might lead to violence, we only put a guard of four constables on his house, who were regularly relieved. In about twenty-four hours they found themselves obliged to surrender at mercy, having neither provisions nor water in the house. The convict was sent to the York, and the man who rescued him found bail to appear at next court. Had such a thing happened three months ago we should have been treated with contempt. On the present occasion no one interfered, and the constables were permitted quietly to do their duty. A word that respected personal liberty would have been apt at that time to set them all in a flame, but at present they can hear with patience of the forfeiture of liberty which necessarily follows great crimes.'

1 The sentence was one hundred lashes and twelve months' imprisonment on board the Company's store ship the York, which remained permanently in the harbour of Freetown. The man was an old offender and of very infamous character.

2 The Marshals were two in number. Their chief duties were to execute warrants and carry out the sentences of the Court of Sessions.

September 8.-Horne preached in the forenoon to a very large audience on the duty of servants under the yoke, from St. Paul's epistle to Philemon, which he applied to the present circumstances of the Colony, showing how inconsonant to the dictates of policy, justice, and Christianity were the late transactions with respect to slaves.

September 11.-We were under the necessity of applying to Bance Island for rice, and received three and a half tons, which may with some care serve the Colony for ten days. Our situation is really a most unpleasant one, living in a state of continual uncertainty whether in a few days' time we shall have wherewith to still the cravings of hunger, and in a continual dependence on the direction and force of the winds. and the violence of the rains for our daily bread. In the month of February last, had I been able to foresee that no supply of flour would have arrived from England before this time, I should scarce have had courage to remain at Sierra Leone. But God, who sees not as we see, has been indeed gracious to us, and will, I trust, convert the wants with which we have been afflicted into means of lasting good to the Colony by calling forth latent exertion, and by producing a general disposition to resignation and contentment.

'September 12.-I went up to Gambia Island to bring down the James, the vessel we bought there, and met at Renaud's the Chief of Port Logo. He informed me that the views of the Foulah nation on the subject of the abolition of the Slave Trade coincided with ours, and proposed sending some of his children to Freetown for instruction.

'I long much to have a respectable factory of the Company established in the Rio Pongo, and to be more acquainted with the manners and history of this powerful and adventurous nation. The Chief seems very desirous indeed to have us established in Port Logo, as Tilley, he says, has used him cavalierly, and has acted as if he meant to dispute with him his right to his own river. This man is everywhere well spoken of. He has now with him two of the first Settlers, who have continued to prefer living with him to returning to Sierra Leone, and at the time of their dispersion he afforded shelter to a great many.

'September 15.- In the afternoon Horne preached from St. John xiv. 16. His design was to expose the reigning folly of the Methodists of this place, their accounting dreams and

1 Macaulay adds a note to impress upon Mr. Thornton the importance of securing to the Company's schoolmasters the educational monopoly of this Chief's family, and mentions gravely the fact that he had four sons and three daughters born during the past month.

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visions as incontestable proofs of their acceptance with God, and of their being filled with the Holy Ghost.

'September 17.-A Methodist preacher of the name of Beveshout, a man of a restless turbulent spirit and immoderately fond of popularity, had been appointed Precentor in the church by Clarkson, with a view of silencing him, and destroying his influence. It was partly attended with the latter effect, as he began to be regarded as of the white party. Horne's discourse on dreams was so unpalatable to many of the Methodists that Beveshout, anxious to regain his popularity, judged it a proper occasion to strike a decisive stroke. In his sermon on this night he warmly reprobated Horne's doctrine as the doctrine of Satan, and endeavoured to restore to dreams and visions their ascendency over the Word of God. He likewise inveighed against the Government here, pointedly comparing Mr. Dawes to Pharaoh, whom the just judgment of God would sooner or later overtake; recommending to his hearers, however, patience under their sufferings, as God in His own good time would deliver Israel.

'Horne, on hearing what had passed, rather hastily charged Beveshout with improper designs. Beveshout defended himself and the liberty of the pulpit, which, being a favourite cause with the Methodists, gave him a great advantage. We dissuaded Horne from taking any further notice of it, as it was only requisite that men's minds should be allowed to cool, in order to see where truth lay. Inflammatory speeches lose all their effect when treated with silent indifference.

'Perhaps it might be well if Dr. Coke, or some delegate from him, were to visit Freetown, in order to establish some kind of discipline among the Methodists; for at present their government is a pure democracy, without subordination to any one. I think this a point of great importance to the religious progress of your Colony, and well deserving your attention.'

Dr. Coke, a priest of the Church of England, had joined the Methodists, and been formally appointed by John Wesley Superintendent to discharge Episcopal functions in the American and other Foreign Methodist Societies. In 1787 Dr. Coke induced the American Conference to alter his title from Superintendent to that of Bishop. For this he was severely reprimanded by Wesley, who wrote, ' Men may call me a knave, or a fool, a rascal, a scoundrel, and I am content; but they shall never with my consent call me bishop.' This rebuke had, however, no effect; Dr. Coke continued to use the title, and there exists a letter addressed to Washington signed by Coke