The original inhabitants of Bulama were the Mafaras, (see BIAFAIIAs,) who, after a long and sanguinary war, were expelled by the Bijugas, a warlike nation, inhabit ing the neighbouring islands. The time of the Biafara expulsion is not exactly known, but it must have taken place previous to the end of the 17th century ; for when the French visited the island in 1699, it was entirely unin habited. The Bijugas, instead of residing On their new conquest, contented themselves with visiting it every year for the purpose of hunting. They here procured ele phants tusks, which they bartered with the Portuguese for tobacco, rice, guns, powder, and shot. With the skin of the buffalo they covered their shields, and that of the deer supplied thdm with their only clothing. A few fields of rice, millet, and other pulse, were annually cul tivated on its western end ; and immediately after vest, which was always plentiful, they returned to their own country. This island, since its first discosn y, has often attracted the attention of Europeans. It was strong ly recommended to the French government by M. de la Brut, director-general of the French Senegal Company, who visited it in 1700, as a most eligible situation for a colony ; and about 60 years after, the recommendation was repeated by the Abbi.; Demance, who lived for some time on the adjacent coast ; and also in 1787, by Barber, au Englishman, then residing at I Iavrc de Grace. Their schemes, however, were never put in execution, and the breaking out of the revolution prevented that power front looking beyond its European dominions. During the agitation of the question respecting the abolition of the slave trade, the attention of the English was often direct ed to the civilization of Africa, as the best means of ac complishing that benevolent object. With this gene rous intention was formed the Sierra Leone Association , (see Simian LEosE)--and, with a similar design, a set tlement was proposed to be established on the island of Bulama, which was carried into execution in 1792. Of the views, progress, and failure of this unfortunate expe dition, Captain Beaver has furnished us with a very mi nute account in his African Memoranda, to which we must. refer our readers for the particular details ; and shall confine ourselves, in the remainder of this article, to a succinct sketch of the more prominent circumstances which led to its unsuccessful issue. The object of those gentlemen who were the original promoters of the scheme, according to Captain Beaver, was purely the ci vilization of the Africans ; and the method which was proposed for the attainment of this desirable object, was the cultivation of the country by free natives, hired for the purpose, by which they might be induced to habits of labour and of industry, and by opening a commercial in tercourse between Europe and the African continent, which might eNentuallv lead to the introduction of reli gion. letters, and civilization, into the very heart of the country, and thereby raise that degraded people to their proper rank in the society of nations. We cannot enough admire the disinterested spirit which dictated this bene volent design ; and we have to regret, that it was under taken with so little precaution, and with such inadequate means.
The expedition, consisting of three vessels, the Calyp so, I Ianke , and Beggar's Benison, with the colonists on board, consisting of •above 280 souls, men, women, and children, sailed from the Downs on the 6th of April 1792. This expedition was entrusted to the command of Cap tain Dalrymple, and a council of 12 gentlemen, the greatest number of whom had been officers in the navy or army. On the 25th of May, the Calypso, having
parted from her consorts, anchored off the island of Bu lama. 'File colonists, unaccustomed to the confinement and deprivations of a sea-voyage, were eager to. get on shore, and to take possession of their new habitation. But instead of endeavouring to secure the friendship of the natives, or to purchase the island, as was their origi nal intention, they landed without order or precaution, seemingly regardless of their own safety, or of the au thority of their commanders. Every one did whatever he pleased. Some erected huts and tents ; others wander ed through the woods in search of game and fruits, and returned to the ship or not as they thought proper in the evening. During the first night, their tents, and what ever they had left on shore, were carried off by the natives, which roused them a little to a sense of dan ger, and induced them to erect a large shed, inclosed with planks, as a place of residence and defence. But the same irregularity prevailed. Captain Dal rymple had either lost all influence and controul, or had not firmness to exercise it. The colonists be came turbulent and unruly, and confusion and anar chy reigned in every quarter. Instead of being pre pared against any unforeseen circumstances that might happen, or pursuing such measures as were necessary for the success and preservation of the colony, they were scattered over the island, each in pursuit of his own fa vourite amusement. The Bijugas had watched all their motions, determined to assert their right to the island ; and at mid-day on Sunday the 3d of June, while some of the colonists were asleep, and others hunting and fishing, they made their attack. They fired a volley into the hut which contained the arms of the colony. Those that were within, being roused from their sleep, rushed out, and were immediately shot. The rest, unprepared and unarmed, upon hearing the firing, hid themselves among the rocks, or attempted to gain the beach ; by which means the greatest number escaped, while others were intercepted and taken prisoners. The English in this melancholy affair had five men and one woman killed, four men wounded, and four women and three children taken prisoners ; and the savages retired with a rich boo ty of sixty stand of arms, and a quantity of ammunition, hesides kitchen utensils, wearing apparel, and other Eu ropean articles. Consternation and dejection succeeded, and the confidence of the colonists was now converted into the most groundless fears. No attempt was made to recover what they had lost ; and after landing a party of armed men (under a discharge of cannon from the ship) to bring off their water casks, the Cal) pso, early the fol low ing morning, got tinder weigh for Ilissao, where she was joined by the I lankey and Beggar's Benison. Dis appoh.t.•d and dis,,atisfied with their situation, Mutual irritation and reproaches broke out between the colonists and the members of the council. Each attributed their misf,rtun( s to the other ; for while the council was barged with a want of attention to the coin tort and in terest of the colon',. they reproached the colonists with heel tiousn( and disobiali. n ce. These complaints, and I he icy(' which appi • red in the Calypso, and had been comm-r.icated to tt c I lankey, reduced the majority of ir ci,lonists to despondem y. Asliann•d, however, of re d(„sign i•out another attempt, they rt turn (I to Bill•rna, zmd lo ping redeemed their captives, they put elne,ed the island from the kings of Carnabol, for the v.,.tie of •17.3 bars in goods.* But no Simer was this trIn tion concluded, than, inst.( ad of avaiiil thelll