but its activity and extent are inversely as the distance from the sea, while industry and civilization are found to prevail in an opposite ratio. The conclusion is not less impor-. tant, than it is opprobrious to the European character.

Your Committee must again abstain from lengthening their Report by many extracts in proof of the facts alleged; but refer generally to the travels of Mr. Park, Mr. Barrow, and Mr. Golbery. They refer also to Captain Beaver for much conclusive evidence as to the disposition of the natives of Africa to work, when properly encouraged.

The following extracts from Mr. Park, however, are so comprehensive and direct, that they seem to merit insertion. "The Negroes in general," says Mr. Park, " and the Mandingoes in particular are considered by the whites on the coast as an indolent and inactive people; I think, without reason. The nature of the climate is, indeed, unfa

vourable to great exertion; but surely a people cannot justly be denominated habitually indolent, whose wants are supplied, not by the spontaneous productions of nature, but by their own exertions. Few people. work harder, when occasion requires, than the Mandingoes; but not having many opportunities of turning to advantage the superfluous produce of their labour, they are content with cultivating as much ground only, as is necessary for their own support. The labours of the field give them pretty full employment during the rains and in the dry season, the people who live in the vicinity of large rivers, employ themselves, chiefly in fishing."*

He adds that while the men are thus occupied, the women are very diligent in manufacturing cotton cloth, the quality of which he describes as very good, and their manner of dyeing it as excellent.

Travels in Africa, Chap. xxi.

He afterwards enumerates manufactories of leather, iron, and other commodities, in which the Negroes have arrived at considerable skill, though with very imperfect implements.

But your Committee will add one more extract from the same writer, which furnishes strong matter of excitement to such benevolent attempts as we have associated to recommend and promote.

"It appears" (observes Mr. Park in summing up his account of the trade of Africa) "that slaves, gold, and ivory, together with the few articles enumerated in the beginning of my work, viz. bees-wax and honey, hides, gums, and dye woods, constitute the whole catalogue of exportable commodities. Other productions, however, have been inciden

ally noticed as the growth of Africa, such as grain of different kinds, tobacco, indigo, cotton wool, and perhaps a few others; but of all these (which can only be obtained by cultivation and labour) the natives raise

sufficient only for their own immediate use; nor, under the present system of their laws, manners, trade, and government, can any thing farther be expected from them, It cannot, however, admit of a doubt, that all the rich and valuable productions, both of the East and West Indies, might easily be naturalized and brought to the utmost perfection in the tropical parts of this immense continent. Nothing is wanting to this end but example to enlighten the minds of the natives; and instruction to enable them to direct their industry to proper objects. It was not possible for me to behold the wonderful fertility of the soil, the vast herds of cattle, proper both for labour and food, and a variety of other circumstances favourable to colonization and agriculture; and reflect, withal, on the means which presented themselves of a vast inland navigation; without lamenting, that a country, so abundantly gifted and favoured by nature,

should remain in its present savage and ne glected state. Much more did I lament, that a people, of manners and dispositions so gentle and benevolent, should either be left, as they now are, immersed in the gross and uncomfortable blindness of pagan superstition, or permitted to become converts to a system of bigotry and fanaticism; which, without enlightening the mind, often debases the heart."*

Your Committee will now advert to another source of prejudice against our design, which is too important to be omitted. It is frequently alleged and believed, that an experiment to spread civilization in Africa has already been fairly made, and has completely failed, in the case of the Colony of Sierra Leone. But the assertion is untrue in both its parts. The experiment has not been fairly made; and as far as any attempts to lay a basis for the future civilization of Africa by Parke's Travels, Chap. xxiii,