CHAP. III.] BAHIA TO THE CAPE. 129 



energy, took us in charge, and very shortly an entente Cordiale 

 was established between our men and the young folks on shore ; 

 and notwithstanding the broiling lieat, cricketing during the 

 day and dancing at night sped the time along. 



The American frigate Lancaster arrived on the 16th, bear- 

 ing the Hag of Rear- Admiral Taylor, and the two crews frater- 

 nized as usual. A play had been arranged for our men on 

 board tlie American ship, and invitations had been issued by 

 the "English Cricketers" to a ball, when we were suddenly 

 pulled up by one of our leave-men returning on board with yel- 

 low fever. He was at once removed to hospital on shore, but 

 the shadow of this fell scourge having once fallen over us, no 

 further dalliance nor delay was possible. Leave was stopped, 

 and as soon as the final arrangements could be made we w'eighed 

 anchor and ran southward. The poor fellow died in hospital a 

 few days after our departure. 



Immediately outside tiie bay we got into fine fresh weather. 

 No second ease appeared, and although one or tw^o cases of sim- 

 ple fever wdiich followed kept up our anxiety for a week or 

 two, long before we reached the breezy latitudes of Tristan 

 d' Acunha the ship was as healthy as ever, and all cause of alarm 

 was past. 



On the 26th of September we swung ship for the errors of 

 the compasses, and for the next three days we continued our 

 course a little to the east of south under all plain sail. We 

 sounded on the 30th, lat. 20° 13' S., long. 35° 19' W., in 2150 

 fathoms, with a bottom of reddish mud, and a bottom temper- 

 ature of 0°-6 C. An attempt was made to dredge, but the 

 dredge-rope carried away. A serial temperature sounding was 

 taken at intervals of 100 fathoms down to 1500 (Fig. 32). 



On the 2d of October we saw our first albatross, sailing round 

 the ship with that majestic, careless flight which has been our 

 admiration and wonder ever since, rising and sinking, and soar- 

 ing over us in all weathers, utterly regardless of the motion of 



