It was now necessary that I should write to the committee in London.  I had written to them only two letters during my absence; for I had devoted myself so much to the great object I had undertaken, that I could think of little else.  Hence some of my friends among them were obliged to write to different persons at Bristol, to inquire if I was alive, I gave up a day or two therefore, to this purpose.  I informed the committee of all my discoveries in the various branches to which my attention had been directed, and desired them in return to procure me various official documents for the port of London, which I then specified.  Having done this, I conferred with Mr. Falconbridge, relative to being with me at Liverpool.  I thought it right to make him no other offer than that his expenses should be paid.  He acceded to my request on these disinterested terms; and I took my departure from Bristol, leaving him to follow me in a few days.

CHAPTER XVII.

[Sidenote:  Author secures the Gloucester paper, and lays the foundation of a petition from that city; does the same at Worcester, and at Chester.—­Arrives at Liverpool.—­Collects specimens of African produce; also imports and exports, and muster-rolls, and accounts of dock duties, and iron instruments used in the Slave Trade.—­His introduction to Mr. Norris, and others.—­Author and his errand become known.—­People visit him out of curiosity.—­Frequent controversies on the subject of the Slave Trade.]

On my arrival at Gloucester, I waited upon my friend Dean Tucker.  He was pleased to hear of the great progress I had made since he left me.  On communicating to him my intention of making interest with the editors of some provincial papers, to enlighten the public mind, and with the inhabitants of some respectable places, for petitions to Parliament, relative to the abolition of the Slave Trade, he approved of it, and introduced me to Mr. Raikes, the proprietor of the respectable paper belonging to that city.  Mr. Raikes acknowledged, without any hesitation, the pleasure he should have in serving such a noble cause; and he promised to grant me, from time to time, a corner in his paper, for such things as I might point out to him for insertion.  This promise he performed afterwards, without any pecuniary consideration, and solely on the ground of benevolence.  He promised also his assistance as to the other object, for the promotion of which I left him several of my Summary View to distribute.

At Worcester I trod over the same ground, and with the same success.  Timothy Bevington, of the religious society of the Quakers, was the only person to whom I had an introduction there:  he accompanied me to the mayor, to the editor of the Worcester paper, and to several others, before each of whom I pleaded the cause of the oppressed Africans in the best manner I was able.  I dilated both on the inhumanity and on the impolicy of the trade, which I supported by