e sloop of war, the Arab, (the Favourite being
taken) has been charged with the important office of defending an extent of
coast of upwards of 1000 miles, against the sweeping hand of the enemy; an
example of which has fatally occurred in the late destruction effected by
Commodore L'Hermitte's squadron, to the very serious injury of many British
merchants, and perhaps the ruin of many underwriters upon African risques.

From the apparent approaches the legislature appears to make towards an
abolition of the slave trade, the object of consideration for the defence
of the coast of Africa may have become of less comparative magnitude; but
when upwards of one million in export from thence, and its enumerated
appendages, are entangled, and at imminent hazard, an animated and
impressive appeal is made your Lordships for every practicable security,
while it remains in existence; and to the legislative wisdom, for a
remuneration commensurate thereto, in the event of its annihilation.

Trusting that your Lordships will deign to recognize the importance of this
subject, and will vouchsafe to pardon my temerity in assuming to suggest to
your Lordships' wisdom the expediency of establishing a more adequate and
permanent naval force for the protection of the trade and coast of Africa,
I am,

My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient
devoted humble servant,

JOSEPH CORRY.

No. III.

When the foregoing narrative and observations were prepared for the press,
the original minutes from whence the following Appendix is compiled, had
not come to hand, as they remained with a part of my papers, which I have
since received from the coast of Africa.

The substance of these miscellaneous fragments I shall divide into
sections, descriptive of the different subjects to which they allude, and
it may be found that they illustrate more fully many of the foregoing
remarks upon the Windward Coast of Africa.

SECTION I.

_Of the Purrah_.

Among the singular customs of the inhabitants of Africa, there exists in
the vicinity of the Sierra Leone, and more particularly among the mixed
tribes of the Foolahs, Soosees, Boolams, &c. an institution of a religious
and political nature. It is a confederation by a solemn oath, and binds its
members to inviolable secrecy not to discover its mysteries, and to yield
an implicit obedience to superior