6569. What are the points that have been principally the resort of the slave trade during that period?--The Gallinas, to an enormous extent; New Cestos, which lies to the southward of Mesurado, between Mesurado and Cape Palmas; Sea-bar at the Sherboro’ river; the rivers Pongas, Bissao, and Cacheo. 6570. Which should you say have been the places from which the slave trade has been carried on with the greatest vigour?--The Gallinas, immeasurably more than any other place; but at Bissao, since the destruction of the Gallinas, owing to the great difficulty of cruizing there, it has increased, and no doubt will increase more, unless proper measures are taken. 6571. What is the great difficulty of cruizing off Bissao?--There is an inland navigation, a chain reaching from Bissao to the sea upon the north. There are innumerable islands to the south, amongst which there are seven or eight different passages by which the slavers could escape; and there is the Portuguese settlement of Bissao, under which a slaver may lie with perfect impunity under the Portuguese flag. From all those circumstances, there is the greatest difficulty in the cruizers operating effectually there. 6572. You have not the right of capturing under the walls of either a Spanish or a Portuguese fort?--No, we cannot supersede their municipal laws; all we can do is to remonstrate with the authorities. 6573. But you may seize as soon as the vessel is out of their waters?--Yes; but they take care never to go out when you are in the neighbourhood; they can get the most perfect information by canoes. 6574. Would steamers be especially adapted for cruizing on that coast?--I consider two steamers indispensable for eradicating the slave trade between the isle of Bulama and Bissao, assisted by two cruizers at least; but a yet more important object is the occupation of the Bulama island, from which the slavers have received the greatest possible assistance, and the occupation of which would directly intercept the principal supply of slaves. It is an island not only of immense importance as regards commerce, but also of extraordinary fertility. 6575. Is it salubrious?--I cannot say that any part of the coast of Africa is salubrious, but I have no reason to believe that it is less so than other parts; this inland is one of the last importance; I do not think it is possible to appreciate it without seeing Captain Belcher’s chart. 6576. What is the importance of that island to commerce?--It is at the mouth of all the rivers; the river Nunez, which is a river of vast importance, in my opinion, and the Rio Grande, and the Rio Pongos. It intercepts the trade with Bissao completely. 6577. Do those great rivers open out a fertile country?--I think not, generally; I think the banks are generally very swampy near the sea; but there is a very large inland trade brought down the river, both in slaves and produce: the slaves are carried almost entirely to Bissao.