English officer, his crew, and the Africans were brought off in safety, but suffered the total loss of their vessel, with most of the stores and other property on board of her.

8. By some accident in discharging the cannon, fire was communicated to the store-house of the Colony, and most of the provisions, ammunition, and utensils were destroyed. The exasperated natives, but for their dread of the big guns, would have attacked the settlers and destroyed them at once; as it was, they threw down the frames of their houses and continued to fire occasional shots at individuals who exposed themselves. This confined the settlers to the island until they were obliged to go up the river after wood and water.

9. On their return, their boat, though strongly manned and armed, was fired upon by the natives who lay concealed; two of their men were mortally wounded and two slightly. Their situation was now most alarming-compelled to fight for every drop of water, their stores and ammunition destroyed, their number reduced by sickness, and surrounded by a highly incensed and savage foe bent on their destruction.

10. But deliverance arose from a quarter the least expected, and in a manner so remarkable as to impress all minds with a grateful sense of the interposition of Providence. Ba Cara, the chief of a settlement on the neighboring island, who was friendly to the colonists, now applied to King Boatswain in their behalf. This famous chief, who, though living in the interior, had often assumed a dictatorial authority in the affairs of the maritime tribes, promptly responded to this application from his ally, and appeared at the cape, not, as he said, to pronounce sentence, but to do justice; and he had actually brought along with him a force sufficient to carry his decisions into immediate effect.

11. He convened the head chiefs of the neighborhood, sent for the agents of the Colony, and after allowing both parties to set forth their claims and grievances, briefly told

the Deys that having sold their land and accepted part of the payment they must abide the consequences; that their refusal to receive the balance of the purchase money did not annul or affect the bargain. "Let the Americans," said he, in a voice that was seldom disobeyed, "have their lands immediately." Then turning to the agents, "I promise you protection. If these people give you further trouble, send for me; and I swear if they oblige me to come again to quiet them, I will do it to purpose, by taking their heads from their shoulders, as I did old King George's, on my last visit to the coast to settle disputes."

12. Whatever might be thought of this decision, no one presumed to oppose it, and the settlers resumed their labors without molestation. On the 28th of April, their whole company having arrived from Sierra Leone, the emigrants passed over from the island and took formal possession of Cape Montserado. The excitement of this occasion, the pious gratitude and encouraging hopes which it inspired, could not long divert their attention from the difficulties which still surrounded them.

13. The houses were yet destitute of roofs, for which the materials were to be sought in the almost impenetrable forests of the country. The rainy season had already commenced. The island, if much longer occupied by all the colonists, must prove the grave of many. Sickness was becoming prevalent, and both the agents were among the sufferers. The store of provisions was scanty, and all other stores nearly exhausted. The active hostility of the natives had been arrested, but there was reason to fear its return. In this gloomy state of affairs, Dr. Ayres determined to abandon the enterprise and remove the people and stores to Sierra Leone.

14. The Society's agent, Mr. Wiltberger, convinced that if the colonists removed, the land purchased could not be recovered, opposed this project, and at his instance the colonists rejected it; choosing rather to brave the perils of their situation than to seek present safety and ease by the

abandonment of that cause which they believed fraught with blessings to their race. A small number accompanied Dr. Ayres to Sierra Leone. The remainder set about the completion of their houses with industry and perseverance; and after having endured great trials and hardships, were enabled, in July, entirely to abandon the island and place themselves beneath their own humble dwellings on the cape.

15. Soon after, Mr. Wiltberger returned to the United States, leaving the settlement in charge of Elijah Johnson, an intelligent and honest emigrant. The natives having treacherously waited the departure of Boatswain to the interior, and that of the agents on their voyage to the United States, put themselves in an attitude of hostility, and prohibited the conveyance of supplies to the Colony from the surrounding country. At that season of the year the colonists could not obtain a supply of provisions from the soil; no vessels were expected on the coast, and the most economical use of the stores on hand could not make them last longer than a few weeks. In the midst of these trying circumstances and alarming prospects, relief came as unexpected as it was necessary.

CHAPTER XX.

EMIGRATION TO LIBERIA.-—Continued.

1. In August a vessel arrived from Baltimore with stores for the settlement and fifty-one emigrants, part of whom were recaptured Africans sent out by the United States Government. The Rev. Jehudi Ashmun, whose name will be honored wherever the history of Liberia is known and exalted public services are valued, came out as superintendent of this expedition. To his surprise and regret he

found that both the agents had left the country, and though he had not contemplated remaining in the Colony, he felt constrained, in view of its helpless condition and the wants of the people, to assume the charge of affairs.

sons.

2. Owing to bad weather, and the want of suitable boats, some weeks were consumed in landing the emigrants and stores, and great difficulty was experienced in providing for the accommodation of so large a number of perIn the mean time the agent had lost not a moment in ascertaining the external relations of the settlement and the temper of its neighbors. He visited some of the principal chiefs, whom he thought it safe to bind to a pacific policy by encouraging them to open a trade with the Colony-by forming with them new amicable alliances, and receiving the sons and subjects of as many as possible to instruct in the language and arts of civilization.

3. All his attempts at reconciliation were, however, in vain. It soon became evident that the natives, under the conviction that their new neighbors were hostile to the slave trade, were determined to extirpate them. One of the most remarkable circumstances in that series of providential events connected with the history of the Colony was, that a native chief, in the councils of those who were plotting the destruction of the settlement, should have secretly, and without any known motive, determined to serve the cause of the Americans by communicating to the agent the plans and purposes of his enemies. The person to whom the Colony was indebted for these signal services (for which he has never been sufficiently rewarded) was Bob Gray, a king of the Bassa tribe, since known as the subject of many interesting anecdotes related by the agents of the Colonization Society.*

* One day, when sitting with the Governor in his library, he fixed his eyes upon the books in a thoughtful mood and said, "I wish America man steal me when a little boy." Why so?" asked the Governor. "I learn to read book, know too much, and be a great man."

4. Aware of his danger, the agent set about preparing for defense. The little town was closely environed, except on the side of the river, with the heavy forest in the bosom of which it was situated, thus giving to a savage enemy an important advantage, of which it became absolutely necessary to deprive him, by enlarging to the utmost the cleared space about the buildings. This labor was immediately undertaken and carried on without any other intermission than that caused by sickness of the people, and the performance of other duties equally connected with the safety of the place. The town was inclosed with pickets, cannon mounted, the colonists mustered, and officers appointed; all this labor was performed under the greatest disadvantages-not only a want of teams, but of mechanics and tools.

5. Only twenty-seven native Americans and thirteen African youth were capable of bearing arms, and these wholly untrained to their use. There were but forty muskets, much out of repair, and no fixed ammunition. Of one brass and five iron guns, the former only was fit for service, and four of the latter required carriages. The rains were immoderate and nearly constant. In addition to other fatiguing labors was that of maintaining the nightly watch, which, from the number of sentinels necessary for the common safety, shortly became more exhausting than all the other burdens of the people. No less than twenty individuals were every night detailed for this duty after the 31st of August.

6. At the commencement of the third week after his arrival, the agent was attacked with fever, and three days after experienced the greater calamity of perceiving the health of his wife assailed with symptoms of a still more alarming character. The sickness from this period made a rapid progress among the last division of emigrants. On the 1st of September twelve were wholly disabled. The burdens thus thrown upon their brethren accelerated the work of the climate so rapidly, that on the 10th of this