S26 Voyage to the Western Coast of Africa. 



list consists of five ; but in clearing the hold to water the ship 

 at Cape Coast, two of the men at work there, after coming on 

 deck in a violent perspiration, inadvertently bathing themselves 

 with cold water, they were immediately after attacked with 

 fevers ; after two days confinement, however, they recovered. 

 Other two, likewise, were attacked with slight flux, which I 

 think arose from their having slept on deck in the land-wind ; 

 but they also are again doing duty. This week we found a 

 good deal of water had lodged in the spirit-room, and had be- 

 come very offensive. AVe hoisted up all the casks, and found 

 the limbers stopt; this we cleared, and got down stoves to puri- 

 fy the air. 



We attempted to water the ship at Cape Coast Castle, but 

 found the pond and well so full of mud and filth, from not ha- 

 ving been recently cleaned, that we could not procure more 

 than ten tons, though, if dug attention was paid to keep the 

 pond in proper order, there would, I am certain, be sufficient 

 for a line-of- battle ship. The pond is offensive in the highest 

 degree, from the quantity of filth mixed with the water, and 

 the well is only separated from it by a wall. 1 hope that this 

 evil will be remedied, from the representation I mean to make 

 upon the subject to the Admiralty ; for, were an enemy to ap- 

 pear or be expected on the coast, our ships could not possibly 

 remain on the spot for want of water, and I am certain that, 

 were this pond and well to be kept clean, and deepened a little, 

 there would be abundance of water for several men-of-war; 

 at present, when they require a supply, they must leave the 

 coast unprotected, in order to seek for water at St Thomas's or 

 Prince's Island. I have ordered about a pound of hme to be 

 put in each cask filled with this water, which I hope will rectify 

 it a little, for, in its present state, it is quite unwholesome to 

 drink. Since we came on the coast, we have had very little 

 fruit or other refreshments, and I have again ordered the lime- 

 juice and sugar to be served out to the people. Thermometer 

 from 80° to 83°. Lat. 5° 7'. 



From the 20th to the 31st January. — During our stay al 

 Cape Coast we had very few complaints, those we had were 

 slight fevers and diarrhoeas; but when the people applied 

 to the surgeon on the first attack, they seldom remained off 



