VOYAGE TO THE NIGER. 629 



micrantha), and a Plumbago, which if it be P. scandens, 

 mentioned as belonging to St. Jago, must be indigenous on 

 these islands. The brook in the main valley was full of 

 Bamboo, which looked very pretty, especially where inter- 

 twined with Convolvolus near a small cascade. Along the 

 stream there I also noticed an Epilobium, Plantago, Cyperus 

 and Samolus Valerandi. Orchil is chiefly exported from this 

 island. 



Friday, June 18. — Left St. Antonio at noon. Unfavourable 

 winds and the rolling of the sea made me sick for several 

 days, and I found it not a little disagreeable to be every 

 morning soaked with water, dripping into my cabin, when 

 the deck was washed overhead. The first days, especially, it 

 poured through in absolute streams, and swamped every thing. 

 Of course, my plants suffered not a little, and many things 

 were so spoiled, that I was absolutely forced to throw them 

 overboard. If I were a surgeon in the Royal Navy, I would 

 make most humble supplication that more care should be 

 devoted to the construction of ship's decks, and recommend 

 their being water-tight, which surely cannot be difficult, and 

 if I were not attended to, I would add, like a second Cato 

 Censorius, to every report a ** ceterum censeo," that the decks 

 be rendered water-tight. It must be surely extremely 

 injurious to health to lie in wet beds.* On my recovery, 

 (Tuesday 22) I recommenced my observations on the tempe- 

 rature of the sea, and was surprised to find it in this latitude 

 still so high. It, however, soon decreased, and towards the 

 coast became very irregular. With regard to the observa- 

 tion of Tuesday, June 22, at half past three, p.m., of 86° 1', 

 I will here especially observe, that every care had been 

 taken to avoid any chance of error. 



Saturday, June 26. — We anchored towards evening at 

 Free Town, Sierra Leone, which presents a very charming 

 appearance. From the Cape of Sierra Leone to the town, 

 gentle undulations, bordered by a mountain chain, on which 



* This defect, it is well known, does not occur generally in men-of- 

 w ar, and seldom except in man-of-war steamers.— (H. D. Trotter). 



