VOYAGE TO THE NIGER. 69 
stood a little Arabic, though he could not pronounce it 
according to Miiller’s notions, but he wrote it ; and singularly 
enough, he put the paper not in the customary oriental manner 
before him, nor writing the letters from the top downwards, 
but so, that they must be read in the usual manner. I have 
his name and mine written by him. I had understood his 
name as Makola. According to Miiller, what he wrote, is in 
the Algerine dialect, meaning : Machmakal.* 
Saturday, September 18.— The number of sick increases 
considerably ; and the * Soudan" is to take them to-morrow 
down to the sea. I, therefore, wrote letters to-day. I continue 
unwell; head-ache and fever. ! 
WRITTEN LATER, AT FERNANDO PO. 
Sunday, September 19.—Decided, but slight fever. The 
* Soudan? leaves for the sea. 
Monday, September 20.—It is settled that the ** Wilber- 
force” shall also proceed to sea with the sick, which have 
much increased in number; and my first resolve was to 
remain here ; but our circumstances on shore were such, that 
as an invalid, I could hardly hope to be comfortable, and I 
therefore take Captain Allen’s advice, which is to go down 
to sea in the “ Wilberforce,” and stop at Fernando Po. 
Tuesday, September 21.—At six o'clock in the morning 
We proceeded down the river, I becoming daily worse. We 
arrived at Fernando Po on the Ist of October, and I earnestly 
entreated to be put on shore; for the vessel was to pro- 
ceed to Ascension Island, and stop there several months; 
which would have been for me worse than a prison. On 
leaving the ship I had still violent fever, which only quitted 
me after a week and a half. In the landing of my collection 
I was kindly assisted by Mr. Forster. Of several of the 
most interesting fruits, however, which, until disabled, I had 
kept on deck to dry, nothing was to be seen. I regret espe- 
cially the fruit of Adansonia, ripe fruit of Artocarpus, a fruit, 
* Vogel’s Private Journal. 
