the landing place. At
present, by all accounts, they are living in a state of natural
simplicity and ignorance of the world. Some idea may be formed of the
condition of their minds, by a story that is currently related of
them, in which the effects of their former tuition are apparent. The
king once gravely told a visitor, with an idea of impressing him with
his importance, that a short time previously to his arrival, he had
held a conference with the supreme being, from whom he had learnt the
cause of a recent sickness which had visited them, and also that he
had approved of his being the king of the island. Other stories,
equally nonsensical, are told of them, such as might be expected from
people in this half-informed condition. But the old king's word was
sufficient for his subjects, and this assurance was quite enough to
satisfy the harmless, inoffensive creatures, that he was their
legitimate king. Although Anna Bon is a healthy island in comparison
with any other in the Gulf of Guinea; it is too far removed from the
coast to be of use in putting down the slave trade, unless it were
made a rendezvous for half a dozen steam vessels, which would do more
than any other class of vessels towards effecting this object.

Favourable as the situation of Clarence is for the purpose for which
it is intended, it is much to be regretted that it is so unhealthy
for Europeans. During the stay of the Landers on the island, four
deaths occurred; these persons were the sail maker, one of the
carpenters of the colony, a seaman of the Portia, a colonial
schooner, and one of the crew of the Susan, an English brig that they
found there, on their arrival. The Susan was in the Calebar, waiting
for a cargo, when her crew were attacked with fever, which quickly
carried off her captain, mates, and left only one person alive. The
vessel thus reduced, was without her crew to bring her out of the
river, much less to complete her cargo, and she might have remained
there till the last had died, but for the watchful attention of Mr.
Becroft, who brought her to Clarence with a party of men, and after
putting a new mast into her, and doing all in his power to set the
vessel in order, supplied her with provisions and fresh people, and
sent her to sea. The Landers were offered a passage in her to
England, but declined accepting it in consequence of the condition in
which she had been. She was afterwards obliged to stop at Cape Coast,
in consequence