Return of the Average Number of Effective and Non-effective Force in each year since 1815, stationed on the West Coast of Africa, with the Number of Officers and Men who Died and of those who were Invalided in each Year of the above period; also, the proportion of Blacks and Europeans. Return showing the Annual Average Strength of the Black and White Troops on the Western Coast of Africa, and the proportion of Sickness and Mortality on the same Station, for the period commencing 1827, and ending 1833, both inclusive. The calculations for this year are founded on the returns for three-quarters of a year, the return for the fourth quarter not having yet been received. The returns for this period do not show the number of white troops as distinguished from Black, but the number of white troops is known to have been very small. V. Of the numbers, characters, and almost of the names of the people of Western Africa (estimated at 26 to the square mile, 1,200,000 square miles, thus giving 31,000,000 mouths) we know very little. Three great negro races inhabit the country: 1st. The Foulahs, from Fooladoo on the Upper Senegal, or of the same race with the Fellatahs, in Central Africa, have now spread all over the banks of that river, besides the great kingdom of Foota Jalloo to the S., and many districts on the banks of the Gambia. They have not the extreme negro characteristics; neither the deep jet hue, the flat nose nor the thick lips, on the contrary, their features are high, with an olive tint, and an agreeable expression. They have embraced the Mahometan faith, but without that bigotry which almost universally accompanies it. Their manners are peculiarly courteous and gentle : they practise the most liberal hospitality, and relieve the wants not only of their own aged and infirm, but even of those belonging to other tribes. Their em. ployments are pastoral, and their habits, in some degree, nomadic. Occupying countries where there is no fixed property in land; they drive their flocks, according to the season, to the tops of the mountains, or the banks of the rivers. At night they collect their herds within the circle of the tents, and light large fires to deter the approach of wild beasts. Such is their good conduct and industry, that it is considered infamous to injure them, and a blessing is said to rest on any territory that contains one of their villages. Their internal government is republican, under chiefs of their own; and this form they insist upon retaining, even when they settle under a sovereign of another tribe. 2d. The Mandingoes are a race more numerous, and more decidedly negro, both in form and disposition. Though capable of great occasional exertion, they have by no means the steady industry of the Foulahs. Their employments are chiefly a slight agriculture, fishing with nets and baskets, and, above all, traffic, in which their enterprise exceeds that of the other negro races. They conduct large kafilas to a considerable distance in the interior, and their language is well understood in all the commercial districts. They are cheerful, inquisitive, credulous, and so gay, that they will dance for 24 hours, without intermission, to the sound of the drum or balafon. Polygamy is practised to a great extent. The Mandingoes have some tastes more refined than are usual among Africans, particularly in poetry, the extemporary composition, and recitation of which forms one of their favourite amusements. The original country of these people is the elevated territory of Manding; but they are now widely diffused over all this region, and particularly along the banks of the Gambia. The third great race are the Jalofs, who occupy nearly the whole of the inland territory which intervenes between Gambia and Senegal, and the extent of which is estimated, by Golberry, at 4,800 leagues. A number of them are subject to a powerful inland prince, called Burb-y-Jalof, who boasts of himself as anciently the sole ruler in this part of Africa. The Jalofs, though of a deep black complexion, and with the decided negro features, are considered a handsome race. They boast of their antiquity, and in many respects excel their neighbours. Their language is softer and more agreeable; they manufacture finer cotton cloths, and give them a superior dye (Mr. Forster presented me with some specimens of the cotton cloths manufactured by the natives of Western Africa; these cloths have a softness, weight and texture, which our manufacturers at Manchester cannot equal; the patterns before me are novel and tasteful, proving that the African is not the degraded being he has been so unjustly represented); in horsemanship they are fearless and expert, and as hunters they rival the Moors. They possess not, however, the invention of writing, and reckon by fires instead of by tens. The Feloops are a wild and rude race, inhabiting the shores to the S. of the Gambia; their traffic with us is carried on through the Mandingo merchants, and we consequently know little of them. The Timmances border on our colony of Sierra Leone. The Ashantees, amounting, it is thought, to 1,000,000 people, with 3,000,000 of dependants, belonging to other nations, inhabit Ashantee Proper, a region behind the Gold Coast, comprising about 14,000 square miles. They are a very superior class of natives to those on the coast,-manufacture excellent cotton, smelt metals, and build large houses. The country is governed by a king, aided by four chiefs as councillors. Notwithstanding that the manners of the Ashantees are more polished and dignified than their neighbours, annual hecatombs of unfortunate slaves and captives are offered to propitiate the manes of their ancestors; and on the death of any member of the royal family, thousands of human beings are slain as attendants for the next world. The Dahomians (who have conquered the fearful and effeminate Wydahs) predominate along what is termed the Slave Coast, and in the interior to the depth of about 200 miles; their rule is equal in barbarity to that of the Ashantees. The Fantees manufacture cottons interwoven with silk, earthenware, iron, soap, &c.; and enjoy a republican form of government. Other tribes and nations exist, of whom we do not know even the names. It is difficult to obtain corrected statements of the population of our settlements on this coast. The most thickly inhabited, by British subjects, is Sierra Leone; the census of which, at two intervals, was as follows: In 1833-males, 16785; females, 12979; total, 29764. Abstract of returns, shewing the number of slaves captured, emancipated, and registered in the Mixed Commission Courts at Sierra Leone, since their establishment, to the 6th day of February, 1826. Captured in 1819, 96; 1820, 455; 1821, 1,399; 1822, 2,753; 1823, 670; 1824, 1,331; 1825, 1,752. To Feb. 6, 1826, 1,045; total, 9,502. Died before Adjudication, 1,462; emancipated, but died before their descriptions could be taken to be registered, 38; delivered over to the Colonial Government, not emancipated or registered, 626; emancipated, but not registered, 254; emancipated and registered, 7,122; total, 9,502. cipated between June 1819, and January 1833, was At Sierra Leone, the total number of slaves eman 27,697. Many of the colonists possess wealth-some of the liberated slaves being now worth upwards of 1,000/ sterling. Population of Sierra Leone, and Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1836. [B. B.] Out of a total population of 37,463 in the colony, there are but 105 white colonists. The proportion of females to males is, in the whites, scarcely more than one-fourth. In the coloured inhabitants, the sexes are nearly balanced. The number of mouths to the square mile is, in some districts, large (comparatively speaking); but in the whole colony the average is but 96 to the square mile. The proportion of deaths to births is considerable; and, but for the fact of many of the captured slaves dying soon after their liberation from the ill-treatment they experienced while in the hands of the slave-dealers, the table would indicate a rapidly increasing population. VI. The following table shews the large extent of religious instruction provided for the liberated slaves, and judging by the column which indicates the number of the congregations usually attending the respective places of worship, at least an external observance of the form of religion is preserved. The table of crime at page 540, does not prove a large amount of crime; and it is but fair to conclude, that the Christian efforts of the missionaries are attended with beneficial results. The 18 Dissenting Chapels at Freetown have congregations amounting altogether to 3,850, and are supported by voluntary contributions. The Gibraltar Hamlet Chapel, superintended by the Rev. T. Raban of the C. Methodist Society. The whole of the Clergymen, as well as the day assistants, receive their salaries from the Church Missionary Society, without any other emolument. § The ministers of these Chapels are partly paid from funds raised in the colony from the members, and partly by the Society in England. They are aided by native teachers who are paid in the like manner. These Dissenting Chapels are supported by voluntary contributions, and Church service is performed in them all. The day schools are chiefly attended by colony born children, and the evening and Sunday schools are chiefly attended by adults and apprentices. There are several native assistants, in each school where names and salaries are not mentioned herein. There is a superintendant of colonial schools at 751. per annum. The exact expense of each school cannot be ascertained, the probable amount of the whole, including the salaries of the assistants, is about 1,8001. § School kept in the Church. || The schools are kept in a Chapel built by the inhabitants. The schools are kept in a thatched house belonging to the inhabitants. ** Schools kept in the Church. ++ Reduced in consequence of other schools being established. # Supported by the Wesleyan Methodist Society, aided by the Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers. §§ Recently commenced. Composed of children born in the colony, and liberated Africans. 11 School kept in Dissenter's Chapel. *** Composed of children born in the colony, and liberated Africans from slave vessels. ttt Composed of liberated African boys from slave vessels. # Composed chiefly of liberated African children from slave vessels. |