one I know because I was under your brother if any trouble to much
for me I cry to you with humble manner I am poor black man--

"I remain
Your affectionately and obedient servant,

"JOSEPH RICKETT and GEORGE DUNE,
_Sierra Leone Labourers_.

"_To the Honourable
K. Maccauley, Esq. M.C. &c.
Freetown_."

The original settlers of this colony, we learn from "Murray's
Historical Discoveries," consisted of about four hundred blacks, and
sixty whites, (the latter chiefly women of abandoned character,) who
arrived at Sierra Leone the 9th of May, 1787. These blacks, as is well
known, were part of those that went to Great Britain; having been sent
with the white loyalists, among the Bahama Islands, Nova Scotia, and
England, at the conclusion of the American war: and twelve hundred more
of the same description of American blacks agreed to leave Nova Scotia
for Sierra Leone, on terms proposed to them by the Sierra Leone
Company, where they arrived in March, 1792: and in December, 1793,
Lieut. Beaver arrived at Sierra Leone, with the few survivors that had
abandoned the colony of Bulama.

The present inhabitants arc principally composed of negroes of a
variety of nations; Maroons from Jamaica, negroes who were captured or
had deserted in the American war, some from England, some from Nova
Scotia, some from disbanded West India regiments, and many prize
slaves, that come under the name of liberated Africans, who from their
industry and prudence have saved a little money and settled at Freetown
in various capacities. There are besides a great number of persons
residing here in succession under the denomination of strangers. These
are people from various parts of the interior of Africa, namely,
Timmanees, Foulahs, Mandingoes, &c. &c. There are also a great number
of Kroomen, formerly upwards of a thousand, but a late order in council
reduced them to 600, with the intention of introducing and encouraging
the liberated Africans to come forward as labourers, fishermen,
mechanics, sailors, soldiers, &c. &c.

Sierra Leone has a large market-house, with a market held daily, where
the inhabitants may be well supplied with most of the tropical fruits
and vegetables, and some from Europe. Poultry is abundant and
reasonable. Beef and mutton are in most common use. The animals are
small, a quarter of beef weighing on an average between 50 and 60 lbs.
and a quarter of mutton from 5 to 8 lbs. Pork and lamb are seldom sent