This transaction, which I now believed to be true, had the effect of preparing me for crediting whatever I might hear concerning the barbarities said to be practised in this trade.  It kindled also a fire of indignation within me, and produced in me both anxiety and spirit to proceed.  But that which excited these feelings the most, was the consideration, that the purser of this ship, knowing, as he did, of this act of cruelty, should have sent out this monster again.  This, I own, made me think that there was a system of bad usage to be deliberately practised upon the seamen in this employment, for some purpose or other which I could then neither comprehend nor ascertain.

But while I was in pursuit of this one object, I was not unmindful of the others which I had marked out for myself.  I had already procured an interview, as I have mentioned, with Mr. Sydenham Teast.  I had done this with a view of learning from him what were the different productions of the continent of Africa, as far as he had been able to ascertain from the imports by his own vessels.  He was very open and communicative.  He had imported ivory, red-wood, cam-wood, and gum copal.  He purposed to import palm oil.  He observed that bees-wax might be collected also upon the coast.  Of his gum copal he gave me a specimen.  He furnished me also with two different specimens of unknown woods, which had the appearance of being useful.  One of his captains, he informed me, had been told by the natives, that cotton, pink in the pod, grew in their country.  He was of opinion, that many valuable productions might be found upon this continent.

Mr. Biggs, to whom I gained an introduction also, was in a similar trade with Mr. Teast; that is, he had one or two vessels, which skimmed, as it were, the coast and rivers, for what they could get of the produce of Africa, without having any concern in the trade for slaves.  Mr. Biggs gave me a specimen of gum Senegal, of yellow wood, and of Malaguetta and Cayenne pepper.  He gave me also small pieces of cloth made and dyed by the natives, the colours of which they could only have obtained from materials in their own country.  Mr. Biggs seemed to be assured, that if proper persons were sent to Africa on discovery, they would find a rich mine of wealth in the natural productions of it, and in none more advantageous to this as a manufacturing nation, than in the many beautiful dyes which it might furnish.

From Thomas Bonville I collected two specimens of cloth made by the natives, and from others a beautiful piece of tulipwood, a small piece of wood similar to mahogany, and a sample of fine rice, all of which had been brought from the same continent.