6855. It is signed by Henry Tucker; who was that Henry Tucker?—He was one of the chiefs of the country in the neighbourhood of Sea-bar; they are a family who have dominion there.
6856. Was that chief, Tucker, educated at Sierra Leone?—I cannot say; I believe he was, but I am not sure about it.
6857. (To Captain Hill.) Are you aware by whom that letter was written?—I was at Sea-bar frequently, and have frequently seen Harry Tucker, and have also seen a person whom he introduced to me as his secretary, who, on conversation, I ascertained to be Harry Tucker’s son, and this son was writing letters for him; and I asked his son where he learned to write, and he told me that he was educated at Sierra Leone; and Harry Tucker also told me, that he sent two or three of his sons to Sierra Leone to learn to read and write.
6858. Then, it is your belief that that letter was written by a son of a native chief, who was educated at Sierra Leone?—Yes.
6859. Mr. Aldam, to Captain Denman.] Where is Sea-bar?—It lies between Sierra Leone and Gallinas. It is the passage between the south-eastern end of the Sherboro’ Island and the main land.
6860. Captain Fitzroy.] Is “Sea-bar,” the place named in the letter, the same as the River “Shebar,” in the map?—It is the same.
6861. Mr. Hamilton.] Had you any opportunity of making any observation as to the climate of the Gallinas; how far it would be fit for Europeans to live there?—As far as my observations went, they were rather favourable, for I went in at not a very good time of the year, and, out of upwards of 100 men, I think that only two or three deaths occurred. I believe only two men died after having been on shore a week.
6862. Going up in the boats?—Yes.
6863. Is the ground swampy, or is there any high ground in the neighbourhood?—The ground is rather low, but some of the islands are as healthy as any of that part of Africa; indeed, the contrast between that river and some of the rivers we afterwards went up, at a more favourable season, was remarkable.
6864. Mr. Milnes.] Did you not fall in with a vessel called the Echo, bringing a cargo of goods to the Coast of Africa?—I did, a Hamburgh vessel; I think it was on the 11th of December.