ne, and the oppressive heat of the sun, so completely
overpowered me, by the time of our return to Goree Town, that I felt myself
attacked by a violent fever; in this situation I was attended with every
tenderness and solicitude by the females; some bringing me a calabash of
milk, others spreading me a mat to repose upon, and all uniting in kind
offices: it is from them alone that man derives his highest happiness in
this life; and in all situations to which he is exposed, they are the
assuasive agents by whom his sorrows are soothed, his sufferings
alleviated, and his griefs subdued; while compassion is their prominent
characteristic, and sympathy a leading principle of their minds.

The attention of these kind beings, and the affectionate offices of my
friend, operating upon a naturally good constitution, soon enabled me to
overcome the disease, and to return again to Goree. During the remaining
part of my stay there, I was vigilantly employed in procuring every
information relative to this part of the coast, and through the
intelligence of several of the native inhabitants and traders, I am enabled
to submit the following remarks.

To elucidate, with perspicuity, the deep impression I feel of the
importance of this district of the Windward Coast, in obtaining a facility
of intercourse with the interior, combining such a variety of local
advantage, by which our ascendency may be preserved, and our commercial
relations improved, is an undertaking, the difficulties of which I duly
appreciate; and I am aware that I have to combat many prejudices and
grounds of opposition to the system I conceive to be practicable, to
develope the various stores of wealth with which Africa abounds, and to
improve the intellectual faculties of its native inhabitants.

That a situation so highly valuable as the Senegal, and its contiguous
auxiliary, the island of Goree, has been so overlooked, is certainly a
subject of great surprise, and deep regret. While visionary and
impracticable efforts have been resorted to penetrate into the interior of
Africa, we have strangely neglected the maritime situations, which abound
with multifarious objects of commerce, and valuable productions, inviting
our interference to extricate them from their dormant state; and the
consideration apparently has been overlooked, that the barbarism of the
natives on the frontiers must first be subdued by enlightened example,
before the path of research can be opened