you; they then throw ropes which fall but little short; another stroke and you are within reach-hope dawns-one yard more and all danger will be over; have you strength enough to make it? At this moment you see the water agitated near. Your friends urge you in an anxious cry to increase your exertions-the sound of a well-known voice falls upon your ear--but what did it say? Again it is repeated-at once the idea rushes upon you-a thought so full of horror that reason almost leaves her seat. Is there no hope? You call upon your companions to save you 'tis vain, the boldest dare not venture-you see them a few yards off anxiously watching, while you are alone-no not alone, there is something near! that slimy touch-Oh God! what is it? You are impelled swiftly through the water-one struggle more, resistance is then passed. The monster turns ere he devours his prey, this rushes on the recollection-the jaws close, and then. Oh let us hope that then no more is felt. Another pang like that would make the moment's anguish greater than the torment of a thousand years.

"Are these the parting pangs which nature feels?”

May we consider this as a faint outline of that poor fellow's sufferings? A few minutes before and he was the most lively amongst his companions-another elapsed, and he was carried away from all assistance by the impetuous stream, and doubtless then felt he must die. Can any imagination conceive the feelings which rushed upon the few short moments of reflection ere the last struggle closed his eyes upon the world for ever? He was a fine young man, and I believe left a wife and child to lament his loss.

We found the pinnace had been unsuccessful in procuring provisions, as she only found one vessel up the river, the crew of which were complaining of short allowance; so having finished our work in this bay, we again got under way still continuing to the northward. When we arrived off Bimbia, a small island about five miles from Cape Cameroons, numerous canoes came alongside with goats and other live and dead stock, which met with a ready market at reasonable prices. Many of these canoes had thirty-four rowers, being about sixty-four feet in length, and, I should imagine, the tree from which they were formed, could not have been less than twenty-five feet in circumference; the speed with which they propel them through the water is almost incredible, and I should fear hazarding a conjecture of their rate, lest I should be shown up amongst the "Catalogue of ancient and modern Munchausens." We surveyed the small bay to which this island forms the entrance; it is not above two miles in depth, with very shallow water, but could pass no judgment upon the natives, who appeared very numerous, as we were not allowed to go on shore in consequence of their being reported bloodthirsty, and treacherous. The peak of the high land of Cameroons can be seen in clear weather from this anchorage, towering above the rest as if "braving Heaven's highest front." We continued surveying along the coast, which is here very fertile and extremely bold, but on account of the wind proving unfavourable, were compelled to anchor for two days about a mile and a half off shore. From this spot we obtained a good sight of the "high lands," the extreme point of which we found to be 13,000 feet above the level of the sea. It is reported that the summits of these mountains are sometimes covered

with snow, but whether in so warm a region such is the fact, will admit of a doubt, more especially as none has ever been known to fall in the surrounding country; it must therefore rest upon the highest points without continuing its course to the lower earth, which may be accounted for by supposing the upper regions to be sufficiently cold to generate snow, and upon falling that it keeps its congealed shape until within a certain distance of the earth, when it dissolves, and falls in the liquid state of rain; but whether this reasoning is correct, I leave the more learned upon such topics to determine.

Finding the wind still continued from the northward, we stood over for the island of Fernando Po, the last tomb opened upon this coast for the immolation of Europeans. In consequence of the weather being extremely hazy, we were prevented seeing this place until within about three miles of the shore, although the land is very high. We were the whole of the afternoon employed beating up to the bay on the north-west side, tacking sometimes within two cables' length of the rocks, where we generally had twenty fathoms water; but finding we could not make the harbour before dark, we stood out for the night with a light wind, and on the following morning were enabled as the sea breeze set in to run into the bay, where we anchored about a quarter of a mile from Goat Island and the shore.

The island of Fernando Po is situated in the Bight of Biaffra, lat. 3° 45′ north, long. 8° 44' east; it is about forty miles in length by twelve in breadth, with a high peak rising in the centre 10,700 feet above the level of the sea, covered with vegetation nearly to the summit. This peak is visible on a clear day coming from the westward for nearly 100 miles! The island is beautifully picturesque, and about sunset presents one of the grandest objects it is possible to conceive, as the chasms in the neighbourhood of the peak afford so many splendid and varying colours when the sun is far below our visible horizon, but yet, falling with his dying lustre upon these high pinnacles, every projecting fragment reflects different bright tints, which keep constantly changing as he approaches his ocean bed. It is strange that the most picturesque spots along this coast are in general the most deadly. Sierra Leone is a beautiful grave; this again is almost unrivalled for scenery, but the air is contaminated;

dread pestilence, with her poisoned tongue, Lurks in each breeze."

The gale, which you fondly court to cool your burning brow, is the breath of destruction. It has passed over the valley of death, and comes heavy with the cold damp of the charnel-house, to woo you to his court! This island, to appearance, possesses every thing desirable for a settlement. Nature has been prolific in the extreme; fertile, plenty of water, a commodious harbour, good anchorage, abounding with fish, and a good soil capable of producing any description of vegetation, offer every inducement to the settler, and promise all that he can wish for. But the curse of Africa soon finds the unthinking victim; and ere he can reap the seed which he has sown, Death, with his unsparing scythe, cuts the slight thread of his existence;

"When seed and sower moulder side by side."

The anchorage at the north end of this island, is decidedly the best

upon the coast, and Capt. Owen, who went out in H. M. S. Eden in 1827 to form a settlement there, has named it Clarence Cove. The bay abounds with fish and turtle, the former of which are plentiful in the extreme; whales are also very numerous, and I have seen them playing in the harbour as if quite fearless: this is in consequence of their never being molested, as the whalers do not visit them in these seas, although they are in general the "black," which is the most esteemed kind. The sides of the bay are from eighty to one hundred feet high, the summits being covered with wood, which it would in most instances defy the efforts of man to penetrate, although the whole of the landing is good and the beach extremely bold.

Immediately upon our anchoring, we could observe all the canoes quitting the bay with great expedition, apparently in much alarm at our approach; this fear was not unfounded, as it is well known that slavers used formerly to visit this island and carry off numbers of the inhabitants by force; they therefore most probably gave us credit for the same humane intention, although at that time very few vessels ever visited them. We sent a boat in order to see if we could come to any understanding with the natives so as to induce them to bring us provisions. As we approached the shore, not a soul or the least symptom of humanity was to be seen; but directly we touched the land, a great number of people came out of the bush where they had been watching our movements, and, I suppose, gained confidence from our orderly and pacific appearance, having taken the precaution of stowing our arms at the bottom of the boat. We tried all nature's rhetoric to induce them to approach for a long time in vain, but at length prevailed upon a few to venture on the beach. We had the greatest difficulty to make them comprehend our wishes, for it soon appeared quite evident that either they or us were great fools, and knew nothing about the language of nature, for our signs to express particular things did not coincide at all with their ideas upon the same subject; par example, when I thrust my finger down my throat almost far enough to produce disagreeable consequences, they brought me some water in a cocoa-nut shell, as if amongst them fluids only went that way. I then, by putting the masseter muscles in operation, tried to convey the idea of eating more forcibly, which they replied to by grinning in the most awful manner, to convince me, I imagine, that they had teeth as well as myself; and in every other instance we found them as provokingly dull. Having performed antics and gestures enough to embellish any horse collar, we returned about as wise as those we had left on board. In fact, I may say, the sum total of our information was, as above mentioned, that what they drank went down their throats, that they had uncommonly good teeth, and a great taste or fancy for pieces of iron hoop, but would not give a yam for a whole chain cable, links of which they would not accept when offered! On the following day we sent some boats to procure water; and to guard against any "untoward event," sent others armed to protect them; as they approached, the landing became covered with natives all roaring, bellowing, and screeching in such various discordant tones, that the woods and hills re-echoed with sounds of devilry. I should imagine not less than 700 had mustered, either to try and borrow our scalps, or meet us on friendly terms, which remained a matter of doubt for some time. As

the watering boats advanced, the escort kept a short distance back under the word "make ready;" however, immediately they touched the shore, these miserable wretches commenced offering yams, of which they gave a large bundle for a small piece of iron hoop; they appeared to value nothing else, and would give all their goods and chattels for two or three inches; this might not always prove a good bargain to the purchaser, as the "real and personal" of these people is seldom more that a natural estate. They convert this piece of hoop into ornaments for their dismal looking bodies, and God knows few require them more; they grind it into some shape, and then set the splendid bijou in a band of plaited straw, which they fasten round the upper part of the left arm. We found it almost impossible to procure water without being very unpolite to the natives, as the party with the casks were SO pestered by their officious kindness the following slight ruse was accordingly had recourse to. One of the boats was sent a short distance from the watering place holding up pieces of hoop, which the whole flock immediately followed, leaving the party to help themselves; at the same time the other boats were obtaining a plentiful supply of yams, which at this place are particularly fine. This manœuvre enabled the people to obtain the water in some degree of peace, as the natives greedily took the bait, and kept with the boats while a piece of hoop remained. Having obtained the necessary supply, upon leaving we made use of every device to persuade some of them to return to the ship, but without success, as not one could be prevailed upon. We had not, however, been long on board before we saw a single canoe coming off, and shortly afterwards it came alongside with three people in her; we held a kind of palaver for some time, trying to persuade them to come on deck, but all our eloquence had nearly proved ineffectual, when the display of a piece of hoop about six inches long, induced one of these avaricious niggers to put his sweet person in jeopardy for its acquirement. The fellow came on board as if he were going to be hanged, and when he stood upon the deck looked almost white with fear, every limb was performing its own particular movement, while his jaws were rattling a most nervous accompaniment. It caused considerable amusement to our tars to see the courageous bearing of this valorous savage, one of whom, who did not believe in fear, swore it was " from cold (the thermometer at 110!) that he shivered his timbers ;" and to convince his messmates shoved a glass of rum down his noways reluctant throat. This experiment appeared in some degree to corroborate Jack's opinion, for he immediately showed signs of returning animation, and soon became quite domesticated. The daring heroism of this gentleman was hailed by his fellow-countrymen as a most courageous exploit, and we had no occasion afterwards to request their company, the introduction was so gratifying to all; and canoes were constantly alongside offering every thing they had in the world for a bit of iron. The captain sent a few hoops on shore to be distributed amongst the chiefs by way of encouragement for them to traffic with any other vessels that might come after us.

The natives of this island well merit a description, as they far surpassed any we had seen in the course of our voyage. We found them in the most rude, uncivilized state it is possible to imagine, having every requisite accomplishment to entitle them to the name of "savage

in its most comprehensive sense; in fact, most of the inhabitants of the continent were gentlemen of courtly manners and appearance, compared with these unwashed islanders, and I only waited until some of our party had been roasted to set them down as the primitive anthropophagi of the earth! but fortunately none of them underwent that agreeable process to confirm me in my opinion. These unsophisticated "children of the woods," are in general tall, and sometimes well made, but nature has not been at all particular in their construction; she appears to have made them under the impression that they were not likely to be seen, and the place they are stuck in bears out this supposition. Many a long-legged fellow is seen in possession of a pair of arms that were evidently intended for somebody else; whilst divers great heads have deposited themselves, without the consent or knowledge of the proprietor, upon the little bodies which they are intended to adorn. God knows art has done nothing for them, and nature appears to have done less, or if they are indebted to her for their construction, she must have used the scrapings of mortality for the purpose, as they are devoid of the virtues of a savage life, or the vices of a civilized one; in fact, the impression always upon my mind was, that they had made themselves; as life is generated by fermentation, so they had gradually risen from a pool of mud, and without the process of ablution, taken up themselves and walked, very proper men! Their wardrobes are born with them; the only addition they afterwards make is a small bunch of leaves tied loosely round their waists with a piece of straw; they also form bands, which they fasten round their arms and legs, composed of the apex of small shells; and when they have acquired possession of a piece of hoop and formed it into a kind of oyster knife, it is worn constantly stuck in a kind of sheath upon the left arm, and as they are continually being upset from their canoes, they very sagaciously fix it in a piece of wood sufficiently buoyant to prevent it from sinking. I feel pleasure in recording this instance of Fernandoponian intelligence, and regret it is not in my power to recollect the farther proceedings of their "society of arts." They have an idea of hats, but I believe are more indebted to the burning sun for this invention than the mass of stuff they are intended to cover. These said hats or mats are composed of divers loose bits of straw laid one above the other like a small stack or thatched roof (a very correct simile), all secured to the head by a wooden skewer, which goes in at one side, passes quite through the hair, and makes its appearance again at the other. This, whatever it can be called, is adorned with various ornaments, such as shells, jawbones of animals, and goat's horns, which last are stuck up as if on the head of the original brute: this ornament offended the sight of our Benedicts excessively; they said it "reminded them of home!" But to wind up the description of these "brothers and fellow creatures!" as the saints call them. (Thank Heaven, if my glass does not deceive me, I need not acknowledge the relationship; and, in my opinion, it does little credit to those Mr.'s who are constantly boasting of the connexion; but probably they think all who see them must discover it, and that it is better to be

"An acknowledged piebald than a dapple grey.")

These well-bred people whom I am describing, have a kind of cement