One way Barbot's background may have influenced his comments on the Dutch and the Portuguese is that; he had a protestant background which was also synonymous with the dutch whereas the Portuguese had catholic background which he could not relate with.
Jean Barbot was a French Protestant and an agent of the chartered Senegal Company who wrote a book about his travels in west africa.
The second paragraph being referred to here talks about how the castle at Elmina was brought to its perfect state under the Dutch after they captured it from the Portuguese in the year 1637.
Due to what he observed, he also said that it was a proof that the Dutch are the most curious and the most capable to make settlements abroad among all European nations.
The way his background may have affected his comments is that he had a protestant background which was also synonymous with the dutch whereas the Portuguese had catholic background which he could not relate with.
Read more about Barbot's comment in his book at; https://brainly.com/question/16038835