Governor Roberts had to keep an eye on grog-selling and grog-drinking. From the style of his reflections, he gives fair promise of becoming a strong advocate of the “Maine law.” There was no small number of cases of idleness, obstinacy and heedlessness of the future; very natural to men whose independence of station was of very recent date, and whose independence of character was yet to come. The more credit is therefore due to the firm, industrious and upright, stationed on the threshold of this vast, dark continent, with its fury and its vice ready to burst out upon them. The governor’s resources, never very great, were called for to regulate the intercourse between civilization and barbarism; and he found that the high moral influence of a few hundred men around him, was a tower of strength in dealing with the savage. All the kings of the northern and western districts were induced to assemble in convention in the early part of 1843, at King Bromley’s town, to settle their great disputes of long standing, and to draw up a set of rules and regulations for their future guidance. This was a great step gained: a moral victory over the furious enormities of savage life. The kings asked the countenance and advice of the colony, acknowledging fully its jurisdiction over them. King Ballasada, however, sent his respectful compliments, with a petition that he might be allowed to cut the throat of King Gogomina, if opportunity offered; or might at least have the pleasure of shooting some of his people, because the said Gogomina had killed six of Ballasada’s “boys.” Information, however, was given by Governor Roberts to King Ballasada, that the time had passed for such summary proceedings, but that the matter of shooting the six boys should be inquired into by the governor himself. Gogomina thereupon produced the six “boys” alive, and sent them home. Much interest now began to be manifested to learn something of the interior. It was not known whither the wide valleys of the rivers might lead, or what they might contain. It was ascertained that there were the Mandingoes and other noted people somewhere beyond the deep forests, with whom communication had been held, and with whom it might be held again. The natives on a line northeast, as far as the Niger, were entirely unknown: little was really ascertained, except that the Niger was there. They knew that there were jealous tribes interposing, who stopped all commercial intercourse that did not pass through their own bloody and avaricious hands.