I felt surprised at first to find this large settlement so destitute of mechanics. There is not, in fact, to be found here a mechanic capable of performing even the coarsest piece of workmanship, either in wood or iron. This, no doubt, is attributable to the extensive slave-trade formerly carried on here, preventing any attention being paid to other pursuits. The slave-trade was so profitable a speculation, that the merchants were enabled to bring everything necessary for their use from the Brazils. The slave-merchants have elegant houses, furnished in a handsome manner. The traffic in slaves, however, is now much reduced on this coast, owing to two causes; first, the vigilance of the English men-of-war in capturing so many slave-vessels; and, secondly, from the circumstance that the slave-dealers are obliged to pay for their slaves in cash, as the French and English factories established here are able to sell manufactured goods at twenty-five per cent. less than the Spaniards or Portuguese can possibly afford to do. This information I obtained from one of the most respectable slave-dealers in Whydah. He has only been two years in this trade, into which he embarked in consequence of having involved himself in difficulties through speculating in a business with which he was unacquainted in Madeira, of which island he is a native. He is, I am glad to find, disgusted with the trade. Whydah is divided into three parts, or rather was so formerly. Besides the real Portuguese, there are numerous slaves who have obtained their freedom by purchase, and some by returning as servants or slaves to the slave-dealers who come from Brazil. In many cases, when a rich slave-dealer dies, he gives, by his will, freedom to all his slaves, however numerous they may be. The Portuguese part of Whydah excels, in every sense of the word, both the English and French. This I consider attributable to their superiority in the knowledge of agriculture and domestic economy and comfort of those returned slaves. Great numbers of them have small farms in a very fair state of cultivation; and they are much more cleanly in their habits and person than those who have never left their native country as slaves. They also live in comfort and plenty, and occupy good and well-furnished houses, while the latter are wallowing in dirty wretchedness, ignorance, and poverty. The few families who have lately emigrated hither from Sierra Leone are the next who have made any attempt worth mention at cultivation. They seem to strive hard; but without some assistance I fear their efforts are not likely to be crowned with success, as their means are not sufficient to enable them to cultivate the land to any extent, or to export their produce. I am convinced that a great deal might be done to benefit this country and these poor emigrants from Sierra Leone, particularly in such a superior soil as that around Whydah.