magined,--and the consideration reflects the highest
honour on the humanity of our Government,--that the adoption of the
measure would tend materially to diminish the sufferings of the
miserable objects of human traffic--the unfortunate slaves--who too
frequently sank under the confinement and disease incidental to a
protracted voyage to Sierra Leone, before their liberation could be
legally accomplished.

In the third place, it was hoped that the greater salubrity of the new
colony would lead to the eventual abandonment of the settlements of
Sierra Leone and Cape Coast Castle, the direful effects of whose
climates upon European life have long been proverbial. The Insular
position of Fernando Po, and the nature of its climate and localities,
appeared to offer an earnest that it would not abound with those,
destructive malaria which have proved, on the neighbouring continent,
so fatal to our brave countrymen.

I might also advert to the facilities which the situation of Fernando
Po, at the estuaries of so many great rivers, together with its
insularity, holds out for extending and protecting our commercial
relations with Central Africa, and probably extending the blessings of
civilization amongst its inhabitants; these, however, although
important, were minor considerations with the British Government.

To carry the proposed object into effect, an expedition was fitted oat
in the early part of the summer of 1827, under the command of Captain
William Fitzwilliam Owen, of His Majesty's ship _Eden_, who received
the appointment of superintendent of the colony, and than whom no one
could be better adapted to fulfil the important duties which were to
devolve upon him; Captain Harrison, a highly meritorious and
indefatigable officer, received the chief civil appointment under him.
A number of appropriate artificers, with an abundant supply of the
requisite stores, including several framed wooden houses ready for
immediate erection, were embarked in a transport; and it was arranged
that a body of troops, with an additional number of workmen and
labourers from Sierra Leone, should be attached to the expedition on
its arrival at that settlement.

On first approaching the island, its mountains were shrouded from view
by heavy clouds and a hazy atmosphere; which, however, gradually
dispersed as we neared the shore, and revealed to the eyes of my
companions a magnificent display of mountain scenery, closely studded
with large t