180 NARRATIVE. 



Senhor Manoel's, (having come to Bona Vista on the pretence of 

 health) which rendered it impossible for that gentleman to accom- 

 modate us in his own house ; and as there was scarcely another in 

 the place, he requested us to go to a room in the custom-house, 

 till an unfinished dwelling should be ready to receive us. He 

 apologized for having suffered us to remain so long on board the 

 ship, but stated, that he had been a few miles into the country 

 with the Governor, and our letter did not reach him till his 

 Teturn ; he promised every thing that Mr. Bowdich desired, not 

 only to forward his schemes for visiting all the islands, by having 

 vessels ready at any moment, but even offered to send us to the 

 Gambia in one of his own schooners. 



Exhilarated by these fair prospects, we left the American with 

 no small thankfulness, and although prepared by Mr. Bowdich to 

 see a house in the style of those inhabited by the Cape Coast 

 Mulattoes, my expectations were far exceeded. I was presented 

 to the Governor, and Senhor Manoel's eldest, unmarried daughter, 

 an interesting girl of eighteen, and as soon as possible, we 

 adjourned to the custom-house. The crowd of blacks thrusting 

 themselves into our room, and the noise around, conv* iced us we 

 were again in Africa, and on getting a bowl of milk for our 

 children, and forcibly ridding ourselves of our numerous visitors, 

 we felt indescribable satisfaction at being so far on our way to the 

 desired land. At three we were summoned to dinner, and on this 

 subject do I indeed regret, that I am not possessed of the 

 animated powers of description which peculiarly characterized 

 Mr. Bowdich's pen, that playful satire, which, repressed as it was 

 by his benevolent heart, would occasionally burst from its control, 

 only to be recalled by some winning action, which sealed the 

 pardon before the offence could be recorded on the memory. 



Our entrance was rudely obstructed by a formidable sentinel, 

 with a ragged jacket, and a rusty cutlass, and without either shoes 



