greater comparative effect, because before the last ten years, and since 1810, the colored race had received no accessions from abroad, and had sustained little loss from emigration.

We have no means of estimating these separate influences, but we learn how great must have been their united effect when we find that if the increase of the free colored class had been as great in the last ten years, as in the ten preceding, their numbers would have been 44,650 more than it was at the late census; and that if the increase of the slaves had also continued the same, their number would have been 128,000 more than it seems to be at present. A diminution in the rate of decennial increase of the colored race so considerable as to be equivalent to 172,000 persons, may seem to some yet greater than can be reasonably ascribed to the conjoint effects of emigrations to Texas and to British America, and to the extraordinary mortality which was experienced by the slaves transported to the southwestern states during a part of the last decennial term; in which case, there seems to be no alternative but to question the accuracy of this part of the census.

The proportions between the sexes, in the several classes, were as follows, viz:

In the white population, the males exceed the females as 100 to 95.73 free colored " the females exceed the males as 107.14 to 100 slave the males exceed the females as 100 to 99.55 The proportion of white males was greater than it was in 1830, but that of the colored. males was less. The first difference was probably produced by the increased immigration of the whites, and the last by the greater emigration of the colored race-a greater proportion of those who migrate being commonly males.

The males and females of each class were thus distributed, according to age, viz:

The above proportions do not materially vary from those of the preceding census. The chief difference is, that in all the classes the proportion of those under ten years of age was less in 1840 than in 1830, as may be thus seen, viz:

The number of whites,

under 10 was, in 1830, 32.53 p'ct. in 1840, 31.63 p'ct.

free colored, (( 10 66

slaves,

66 10 66

Table showing the population in the slaveholding states, and how it was distributed among the three classes on the first of June, 1840.

TOTAL,...... 7,334,434 4,682,640 215,5682,486,226 63.41| 2.92 33.67

It appears from the preceding table, that the whites, in the slaveholding states, have in the last ten years gained on both classes of the colored population; but that in Mississippi, as well as South Carolina and Louisiana, the number of slaves exceeds that of the white population.

21*

ART. V.-COMMERCIAL VOYAGES AND DISCOVERIES.

CHAPTER VI.

VOYAGE OF WILLIAM RUTTER-METRICAL NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE BY ROBERT BAKERHIS ADVENTURES IN AN OPEN BOAT-VOYAGE OF CAPTAIN DAVID carlet, 1564-PROGRESS OF ENGLISH COMMERCE-SPANISH JEALOUSY AND FRAUD-GALLANT ADVENTURE OF THE PRIMROSE-TWO VOYAGES TO BENIN, BEYOND GUINEA, BY JAMES WELSH.

NUMEROUS accounts of voyages from this time, which we have not space even to mention, are preserved in Hakluyt, and other voluminous collections. Among the rest a voyage was made to Guinea in 1562, by William Rutter, which had the advantage of being described both in verse and prose. The metrical version was made by Robert Baker, one of the factors; the other was contained in a letter from Rutter to his principal. The first was published in the first edition of Hakluyt, but was left out and its place supplied by Rutter's letter in the second edition.

The expedition, which consisted of the Minion and Primrose, does not seem to have been very successful. They met with the usual sea adventures of those days, when there reigned a continual state of warfare upon the ocean, no matter what were the relations of the different nations of Europe on shore. The best friends by land appear to have attacked each other without any compunction at sea. It is true that the continual succession of wars furnished them often with a good excuse for violence, and led them to suspect in every strange sail an enemy; but there were repeated instances where inveterate hostilities were carried on between trading ships of nations who were notoriously on the most amicable terms; and the commercial expeditions of the day were generally fitted out with an eye to plunder as well as trade.

Rutter had several fights with Portuguese ships, and with the negroes, and succeeded in obtaining two butts of grain and one hundred and sixty. six elephant's teeth. His crews, as in most all African voyages at the time and since, suffered severely from the climate, not over twenty of his men being left able to work the ships.

The next year, Baker, author of the poetical account of Rutter's adventures, who at the time had resolved never again to encounter the dangers and difficulties of an African voyage, was induced to take charge of another expedition. Leaving England, they came across two French ships, attacked the largest, and after a hard fight captured her, and took her into a port in Spain, where they disposed of her cargo.

Arrived on the coast of Guinea, Captain Baker got out his boat, and with eight men started for the shore to open a trade. When near the shore a violent gale arose, which forced the ships from their anchors and drove them out to sea. The boat sought some place of shelter along shore, but not finding any, was compelled to lie to in momentary expectation of swamping during the whole storm. Next morning the ships returned to the station, and remained for some time looking for the boat, but the mist prevented them from seeing, and concluding that it must have been lost, they gave up the search, and set sail for England.

"Captain Baker, and his companions in distress, having been three days without any food, at length landed, and having exchanged some wares for roots and such other provisions as they had, put to sea again in pursuit of the ships which they still supposed to be before them. Thus they con.inued twelve days ranging the shore, where they saw nothing but thick

woods and deserts full of wild beasts, which often appeared, and at sunset came in herds to the seaside, where they lay down or played upon the sand, and sometimes to cool themselves flounced into the water. It would have been diverting at another time to see how archly the elephant would fill his trunk and then spout it upon the rest. Besides deer, wild boars, and antelopes, Mr. Baker saw many strange kinds of creatures which he never before beheld."

They landed frequently and had communication with the natives, purchasing from them water, palm wine, fish, and honey, by which they were kept from starving. But their strength was rapidly reduced by grief, fatigue, and want of rest. Working along shore, they found that they had arrived at the gold-coast, which they ascertained from the negroes speaking Portuguese, and from their coming with weights and scales to trade. Their visiters inquired after the ships to which they belonged, and were told that they were a little distance at sea and would soon arrive. It was now necessary to take some resolution as to the course they were to pursue. All further search for the ships was useless. They had now been twenty days huddled together, without space to stir or lie down, frequently without food for three days, and exposed to the exhausting heats by day and violent squalls and rains at night. Their joints began to swell with the scurvy, and their legs to be paralyzed from want of exercise. In this condition, Mr. Baker addressed his companions, telling them that it was evident that they could not keep to the boat much longer, and that something must be decided upon, and that a choice of three courses was before them. "The first was to repair to the castle of the Mina, which was not far, and deliver themselves up to the Portuguese, who were Christians, if they could expect any more humanity from them on that account. However, he told them that the worst that could happen to them would be to be hanged out of their misery. The next course was to throw themselves upon the courtesy of the negroes. As to this expedient, Mr. Baker told them that it was a very discouraging one, for that he could not see what favor was to be hoped for from a beastly savage people, whose condition was worse than that of any slave; that possibly they might be cannibals, and then they were to go to pot at once without ceremony; that in case they should not, their customs were so opposite to the European, that they could not possibly comply with them. That it was not to be imagined that they who had always fed upon the flesh of animals could live upon roots and herbs. That being accustomed to wear clothes, they could not for shame go naked, and expose those parts of their bodies to view which from infancy had been covered: that in case they could get the better of their modesty in this point, yet for want of that defence against the sunbeams which they had always been used to, their bodies would be grievously tormented, as well as emaciated, and their spirits exhausted by the scorching heats.

"The last course they had to take, was to stay in the boat and die miser, ably there. But as they seemed willing to run any risk by land rather than continue pent up in such a narrow compass, subject to all the inclemencies of the weather, day and night, as well as liable to be famished for want of victuals, Mr. Baker, in conclusion, gave it as his opinion with regard to the other two methods, that more trust and confidence was to be put in the Portuguese, who had been baptized, than in the negroes, who lived in a brutish manner."

The result showed that Mr. Baker was very much mistaken in his opinion. Adopting his advice, they hoisted sail and directed their course towards the Portuguese castle, which was twenty leagues distant. Arrived close into the castle, their hearts failed them, and they would have returned, but a shot fired by the Portuguese fell within a yard of them, and they judged it best to row quickly to the shore and learn their fate. To their great surprise, as they came on the Portuguese commenced firing into them, but at length they got close to the castle walls and beneath the cannon; but the assault continued with stones thrown from the castle, and bodies of negroes began to attack them with arrows. This uncivil treatment demanded some return, and the Englishmen went to work with their bows and fire-arms. After dropping a few of the negroes and some of the Portuguese, who flourished about upon the walls in long white shirts, they coolly hoisted sail and stood off in search of a more friendly place.

Having had so rough a reception from the Portuguese, they resolved to try the negroes. Sailing back about thirty leagues, they cast anchor and opened a communication with the natives, by whom they were well received. To those who came off to them they gave presents. "The news of the arrival of such generous strangers brought the king's son on board. As soon as he came, Mr. Baker began movingly to explain their case to him, making great lamentations, and giving him to understand by signs that they were quite undone, had lost their ships, and were almost famished; at the same time offering him all the goods they had in the boat, provided he would take them under his protection.

"The negro chief, moved by the tears which fell plentifully from the eyes of all, refused the present, and bade them be comforted. He forthwith went ashore to know his father's pleasure, and presently returning, invited them to land." This they undertook to do, but the sea running high, their boat capsized, and they were with difficulty rescued by the negroes from the surf. Provisions were furnished them, and in a short time they recovered from their fatigue. The negroes, however, in time grew careless of their wants, and although they offered not to molest them, they suffered them to shift for themselves, and get a living as they best could, which was rather a difficult matter for the natives themselves. They were compelled to range the woods for berries and roots, and to go naked, as their clothes in time dropped off from them in rags. Their privations and exposure aided the effects of the climate, and in a short time they were reduced by death to three. At length, when abandoned by hope, a French ship appeared, received them on board and conveyed them to France, where they were detained as prisoners, and where Mr. Baker composed his metrical narrative of his adventures.

In 1564 an expedition was got up under the command of Captain David Carlet. No regular narrative was written, and all that is known of the voyage is from extracts from Sir John Hawkins' Second Voyage to the West Indies, preserved in Hakluyt, who also gives the terms of an agree ment entered into at a meeting of the projectors. The ships were the Minion, a queen's ship, the John Baptist, of London, and the Merlin, owned by Mr. Genson.

"The chief adventurers were Sir William Gerard, Sir William Chester, Sir Thomas Lodge, Anthony Hickman, and Edward Castelin. They all met on the eleventh of July, 1564, at Sir William Gerard's, to consult measures for setting forward the voyage; at which meeting they came to