12 CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE, 
5th and 6th, when nearest to the coast of Africa, where the 
sea was perfectly covered with them. 
The Congo’s decks and sides having become extremely 
leaky, both from the shrinking of the planks with the heat 
of the weather, and also apparently from imperfect caulking 
in the severe weather while she was building, I determined 
to anchor 24 hours in Porto Praya, to caulk her sides, which 
could not be done at sea; and accordingly steered for Bo- 
navista, with a fresh trade at N. E., and the atmosphere very 
hazy during the day, as it usually is near the Cape Verde 
islands. On the 8th we passed along the east side of Bo- 
navista, at the distance of four leagues, and at daylight on 
the 9th were at the same distance from the west side of 
Mayo, when we steered for Porto Praya, and anchored in 
the road in the forenoon. 
With exception of the mollusca, &e. taken up by the 
towing net, our Naturalists had no subjects to employ them- 
selves on since entering the tropic; a single flying fish, 
(Exocetus volitans), the first seen, was found dead on the 
deck the morning of making Bonavista, but neither dolphin, 
bonito, albicore, shark, or tropic bird was yet seen. 
