608 MEMOIR OF THE LIFE 



preferred to the fresh provisions which are presented to us 

 on landing. My situation on board is very tolerable. The 

 captain gives me as much liberty as possible ; and I hope, 

 when we have once arrived at the proper field of action, to 

 meet with every encouragement from him. My health has 

 been very good ; and although there cannot but be some 

 irksome hours to men shut up in a ship, I have yet, on the 

 whole, felt happy and contented, and only look forward 

 with impatience to the time when my own peculiar service 

 will begin.'' 



The next letter from Vogel was written from Accra, on the 

 4th of August. 



" We remain here but a few days, so that I can acquire 

 only a very superficial view of the vegetation of the coast. 

 Real forests lie at some distance in the interior, that is, about 

 thirty English miles — too long an excursion, even were it not 

 desired that nobody should sleep on shore, for fear of the 

 fever. Yet I have been twelve or fourteen miles into the 

 interior, in the district of Aquafim, to inspect a Danish 

 establishment. There was a geologist with me, and we were 

 received by the Danish governor with the greatest civility. 

 Such a journey on foot being considered too difficult for an 

 European, large flat baskets, used here instead of sedan- 

 chairs, were placed at our disposal, and four negroes to carry 

 each basket. There were, besides, a number of negroes, to 

 take charge of our luggage, so that our caravan amounted to 

 seventeen persons, besides ourselves. At the coffee plan- 

 tation there is a house, arranged with European accom- 

 modations, where we were surrounded with all the luxury of 

 the civilized world, and had for dinner French asparagus. 

 The spot was lovely, pleasantly varied with hill and dale, 

 mostly covered with savannahs, where the grass is taller and 

 stronger than in our own meadows, and between the tufts 

 little bushes, instead of flowers. I think that I saw Blight 

 sapida in cultivation, and remarked that Schumacher men- 

 tions it under a name different from that by which it is known 

 to the natives. The negroes who accompanied us on this 



