Dr. Ayres and Mr. Wiltberger now returned to the United States, the former to urge the wants of the colony, and the latter from ill health. Before they left, Elijah Johnson, of New York, one of the colonists, who had on various occasions distinguished himself, was appointed to superintend the colony during their absence. [3] Boatswain was a native of Shebar. In his youth, he served in some menial capacity on board of an English merchant vessel, where he acquired the name which he still retains. His personal qualifications were of the most commanding description. To a stature approaching seven feet in height, perfectly erect, muscular and finely proportioned; a countenance noble, intelligent and full of animation, he united great comprehension and activity of mind; and, what was still more imposing, a savage loftiness, and even grandeur of sentiment--forming altogether an assemblage of qualities obviously disproportioned to the actual sphere of his ambition. He was prodigal of every thing except the means of increasing the terror of his name. “I give you a bullock,” said he to an agent of the society, “not to be considered as Boatswain’s present, but for your breakfast.” To his friend Bă Caiă, he once sent: “King Boatswain is your friend; he therefore advises you to lose not a moment in providing yourself plenty of powder and ball; or, in three days (the least possible time to make the journey), let me see my fugitive woman again.” CHAPTER XII. ASHMUN--NECESSITY OF DEFENCE--FORTIFICATIONS--ASSAULTS--ARRIVAL OF MAJOR LAING--CONDITION OF THE COLONISTS--SLOOPS-OF-WAR “CYANE” AND “JOHN ADAMS”--KING BOATSWAIN AS A SLAVER--MISCONDUCT OF THE EMIGRANTS--DISINTERESTEDNESS OF ASHMUN--U. S. SCHOONER “PORPOISE”--CAPTAIN SKINNER--REV. R. R. GURLEY--PURCHASE OF TERRITORY ON THE ST. PAUL’S RIVER--ATTACK ON TRADE-TOWN--PIRACIES--U. S. SCHOONER “SHARK”--SLOOP-OF-WAR “ONTARIO”--DEATH OF ASHMUN--CHARACTER BY REV. DR. BACON. The acting agent of the colony judiciously managed its affairs until the arrival of Mr. Ashmun and his wife, with thirty-seven emigrants, part of whom were recaptured slaves, who had been delivered over to the Colonization Society by the Marshal of Georgia, under the Act of Congress already noticed. Mr. Ashmun held the appointments of government and society’s agent. He took a comprehensive view of the colony. The entire population did not exceed one hundred and thirty, of whom thirty only were capable of bearing arms. The settlement had no adequate means of defence. He found no documents defining the limits of the purchased territory--explaining the state of the negotiations with the natives, or throwing light on the duties of the agency.