FROM GUAHOV TO ST. HELENA. 285 



The Q5th. I steered up to the S.E. point of the 

 island, which the Enghsh call, on account of its 

 conical mountain, the Sugar-loaf Point. The brig 

 made signals, the telegraph answered, and it did 

 not occur to me that a cannon-ball, which was 

 hissing over our heads, might perhaps be intended 

 for us, as the officer on duty gave me permission 

 to sail to the road ; but when, regardless of the 

 Russian flag which we bore, a second ball flew 

 between the masts, I laid the ship to, to expect 

 an explanation, and soon after the Lieutenant of 

 the ship of the line, Conqueror, oflfered to conduct 

 us himself to the road, and said that the battery 

 had no right to fire on us. We now got again 

 under sail, and in the same moment the third ball 

 passed over our heads ; I again lay to, and the 

 oflScer left us, with the promise that we should 

 receive permission, at eleven o'clock, to go into 

 the road ; but when it had not yet arrived at 1^ 

 o'clock, I had the flag struck, thanked for the 

 friendly reception by firing a gun, and directed 

 my course to the island of Ascension. The lon- 

 gitude of this island has been laid down so 

 difterently, that 1 wished to go quite close to 

 determine it accurately by my chronometers. 



