coasts of Africa, both in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, in which the shores of this island were included, and therefore, having visited it before, he was no stranger either to its nature and resources, or to the climate in which it is situated.  Previously to the arrival of Captain Owen, the island had been occasionally visited by some of the ships on the African station, for the purpose of obtaining supplies of vegetables and water, and perhaps now and then a Liverpool trader would be seen there waiting for palm oil, or recovering the health of her crew from fevers obtained in the rivers on the coast.  As the natives reside some distance in the interior, the arrival of a ship of war at the island, was announced to them by the discharge of a cannon on board, which was sufficient to bring them to the sea side, with whatever vegetables, poultry, and other articles they might wish to sell.  The articles mostly demanded by them in return, were pieces of iron-hoop, knives, and nails.  At first, a piece of iron-hoop about six inches long, would purchase a pair of fowls or four yams, so great was the value which the natives attached to iron.

The business of forming a new settlement, is a species of service that requires the exercise of certain qualities of the mind, which it is not the good fortune of every one to possess.  In addition to the pernicious effects of the climate on European constitutions, there were people on the island, who, although they might be unable to offer any serious impediment to the progress of the settlement, it was necessary to conciliate than treat them with hostility, and for this, no one could have been better calculated than Captain Owen.  Whatever may have induced him to relinquish the appointment of governor, no measures for gaining the friendship of the natives, and thereby securing their good will towards the colony, could have been better than those which he adopted, and the chiefs even now frequently mention his name.

The part selected as the site of the proposed settlement, was on the northern side of the island on the borders of a small cove, formed by a narrow neck of land projecting out from the shore on the eastern side of it.  This was named “Point William,” and the cove, together with the whole establishment was called “Clarence,” after his most gracious majesty, who was then lord high admiral of Great Britain.  Point Adelaide with two small islets off it, connected by a sand bank, forms the western boundary of the cove, and is distant about half a mile from Point William.  Goderich Bay lies to the east, and Cockburn Cove to the west of Clarence Cove.  Under the able direction of Captain Owen, the various buildings were planned, while the operation of clearing the ground was going forward.  A flag staff, which formerly stood on the extremity of Point William, was removed to the governor’s house; and a large commodious building, with a few solitary palm trees near it, is the first object which attracts attention.