"You will be sorry to be informed of the death of Richard Lander, who
left this place some weeks since in the Craven cutter, belonging to the
company, taking with him a long-boat I let him have for the purpose.
On his arrival at the Nunn, he left the cutter, and proceeded up the
river in the boat with L.400 worth of goods, to join the iron
steam-boat, which he had sent up a few weeks before. She was to
proceed about 300 miles to a small island, which he had purchased from
the king, and where he had a factory. They had proceeded about 100
miles up, the current being strong against them. They were in good
spirits, tracking the boat along shore, when they were fired on from
the bush. Three men were killed, and four wounded: Mr Lander was of
the latter. They had a canoe of their own, and at the time they were
fired on, the boat was aground; and to save themselves, they were
forced to leap into the canoe, and make the best of their way. They
were immediately followed by five or six war-canoes full of men,
keeping up a continued fire for five hours, until it got dark, when
they lost sight of them. They arrived here on the 27th ultimo. Mr
Lander expired this morning. He wrote me a letter two days ago,
requesting that I would take charge of the vessels and property of the
African Inland Commercial Company, with which I accordingly complied.
The ball entered near his hip, and worked down to the thick of the
thigh. It was a most malicious and treacherous attack. Mr Lander told
me that there were Bonny, Brass, and Benin canoes; so that, from these
circumstances, I am of opinion that some of the slavers, or other
Europeans, have been the promoters of this murderous affair. Colonel
Nicolls has forwarded a statement of the transaction to Government, and
if proper steps are taken, the whole must be brought to light. Mr
Lander's clothes and papers are all lost. I have had a great deal of
trouble with the expedition, and now it will be increased; but the
value of Fernando Po, in all cases of difficulty, is incalculable, and
I shall now communicate a little information relating to this island,
and also to the slave trade. On New Year's day, at daylight, there
were four vessels in sight, two brigs, and two small vessels, schooner
rigged, in company with one of the brigs. One of them anchored, named
the Renown of Liverpool, M'Nab, master, belonging to Sir John Tobin,
three months' passage. Two hours afterwards the other brig and two
small schooners anchored. They turned out to be his Majesty's brig
Trinculo and two slavers, captured off the Gaboons, belonging to
Prince's island, fifty-four slaves and a crew of fifteen men on board
each. The slavers were surveyed by the officers of his Majesty's
vessels the Curlew, Griffin, and Trinculo, and condemned as unfit to
proceed to Sierra Leone. Captain Warren, son of Admiral Warren, wrote
to Colonel Nicolls, on service, requesting him to allow the slaves to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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