ns, considerable ingenuity,
considering the circumstances he had to provide against, and the predatory
nature of African wars, which are uniformly to surprise the inhabitants of
a village or town while asleep, or in any other unguarded state, seldom or
ever coming to a general engagement in the open country, but acting under
the protection of some ambush, or other place of security, which, while it
is calculated to conceal their numbers, serves as a retreat from their
successful opponents.

Leaving Morrey Samba's we passed by a number of other villages, until we
arrived at one of Smart's trading towns, called Mahera, situated upon an
eminence, and commanding a most delightful prospect of the meandering
course of the river, interspersed with islands, displaying a great
diversity of appearance.

Smart has very wisely chosen this spot, as it is not only a charming
situation, healthy, and delightful, but well situated to command a very
extensive internal trade in camwood and ivory, besides being contiguous to
the Sherbro, from whence a great portion of the camwood is procured, and
situated on the principal branch of the Sierra Leone. In addition to these
local advantages, he has recently opened a path with the interior,
communicating with the Foolah country, which is entirely under his
influence, and which he can open and shut at pleasure. It would be of
incalculable advantage to any operation to secure the friendship of this
chief: he possesses a very superior mind, and, from his connection with
Bance Island, has acquired a knowledge of European ideas and manners seldom
to be met with among any of the chiefs on this part of the coast. From the
various opportunities I have had to consult Smart on his general sentiments
relative to his country, and the freedom of intercourse I have had with
him, I am well persuaded that he would be a powerful and intelligent
auxiliary in promoting the civilization of his country, upon a liberal
principle, calculated to its condition, and having a tendency to eradicate
its barbarism; but he is one, of many more upon this quarter of the coast,
who have no reliance upon the attempts that have been made, and deplores,
with regret, that through the want of a correct knowledge of the
dispositions of his countrymen, an ignorance of the nature of the evil to
be removed, and the invidious principles which constituted the
establishments that have been formed to promote this beneficent
undertaking, hi