228 Voyage to the Western Coast of Africa. 



ways brought on board at sunset, then their afternoon's grog 

 was served, and the hammocks piped down. The people on 

 shore duty were a good deal exposed to the sun, and at times 

 we had excessive heavy squalls, with a great deal of rain. Du- 

 ring our stay here we had no complaint ; but the day we left it, 

 (the 9th), we had eight or nine of those who had been on shore 

 attacked with fever, which I attributed to their having over- 

 heated themselves in climbing the cocoa-nut trees, and imme- 

 diately going into the water to cool themselves. All of them 

 had the yellow effusion over their skin, which remained for some 

 days, and then gradually disappeared. 



But I am persuaded, that if we had staid much longer at 

 this island, we should have lost some men. The French squa- 

 dron lost a great many ; but that is not to be wondered at, as, 

 from the account the inhabitants gave us, their ships were in a 

 most filthy state, and most of their crew constantly on shore all 

 night, without any kind of discipline being observed among 

 them. We got here plenty of fruit, but no fresh meat for the 

 people, except fish, which we caught in great abundance with 

 the line, Thermometer 83' at Prince's Island. 



On the 10th February we left Prince's Island. Those who 

 were attacked with fevers are all recovering ; and by the 20th 

 all had returned to their duty except two, who are still weakly. 



On the 16th, Richard Roswell, who had been so long ill, died 

 of consumption, and it was the surgeon's opinion that he would 

 not have lived so long in any other climate. 



To the 24th we were working up to Cape Coast, when, in- 

 stead of anchoring, I kept under sail, and stood off and on 

 within two or three miles of the coast. I took the opportunity 

 of getting every chest up from between decks, and whitewashed 

 them thoroughly with two' coats of lime, which I had brought 

 from England for the purpose, and employed all the carpenters 

 in making and fitting up a folding-table for each mess between 

 decks. This makes the people extremely comfortable. The 

 crew are at present very healthy. There is no one in the ship 

 who is not doing duty. On the 27th we again anchored at 

 Cape Coast. Thermometer at 84<°. 



On the 6th of March we sailed with a convoy for the West 

 Indies, to touch at Prince's Island in our way, to wood and wa- 



