196 N.\RRATIYE. 



resist the temptation of making a few dollars, by taking advantage 

 of the pressure of our circumstances, and obliged us to pay more 

 for the short passage to the Gambia, (providing for oiu'selves) than 

 we gave for the much longer one from ^Madeira to Bona Vista: 

 unable to navigate his vessel himself, he had employed a French- 

 man, and as neither could speak more than a few Avords of the 

 other's language, mistakes constantlv occurred. Of this, the result 

 in one instance, was, that instead of making Porta Praya in 

 St. Jago, where we were to touch for a few hours, we made 

 another point, and went completely roiuid the island, thereby 

 prolonguig our voyage tlu-ee days. 



VTe were not sorry to see St. Jago, which is far more interesting 

 than Bona Vista. The town and forts are situated on the 

 eminences, and a beautiful gi'ove of cocoa-nut trees borders the 

 shore, to the right of the bay. We anchored early in the 

 morning, and INIr. Bowdich immediately went ashore, and 

 despatched emissaries in various directions, for plants and shells, 

 leaving me in the schooner to examine the most perishable, as he 

 sent them on board to me, and to preserve the best. I was also 

 to hail every boat I saw, in the hope of procuring fish, while he 

 went as far as he could with his bag and hammer, to examine and 

 collect specimens of the rocks''. We were tolerably successfid, as 



this poor creature, for she did not revolt my feelings by the usual conceit of her race ; 

 on the contrarj', she was unassuming, and exceedingly grateful for the notice I took 

 of her and her little forlorn boy, for whose welfare she would be willing to sacrifice 

 every hope and enjoyment, and over whose education and morals she watches with 

 the most earnest solicitude. I was very anxious she should have been attached to 

 one of the schools in Africa, but she was too valuable for her master to part with, 

 and she is now losing the best years of her life, in a situation unworthy of her 

 abUities or good intentions. 



'' These specimens having been mingled with others, I have been unable to separate 

 them, especially, as I did not see them till I was deprived of assistance. An 

 American vessel, trading at St. Jago, returned home half laden with the clay in which 

 the gold is found, by way of experiment ; it yielded so much metal, that the vessel 



