378 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



basket full of oranges and other fruit, with a couple 

 of hundred fine yams, for which vegetable the 

 island is celebrated. At 4 p.m. the anchor was 

 weighed, and with a light breeze, just sufficient to 

 fill the sails, we moved slowly through the water. 

 We had a dead calm during the night, and at 

 6 a.m. Fernando Po was only twelve miles distant. 

 During the day a light breeze sprung up, which 

 gradually freshened towards evening, and about 

 midnight we anchored abreast of Malimba. 



1st February. — At daylight we again weighed 

 anchor and stood nearer in shore, anchoring in 

 four fathoms. As the ship was going to remain a 

 couple of days here to take in oil, ivory, and 

 ebony, I got out my battery and made preparations 

 for landing on the morrows Unfortunately, Reade 

 could not accompany me, as he '•' was paying his 

 footing," and suffering from his first attack of fever; 

 but the next morning, AValker, Knight, and myself, 

 taking two boats laden with provisions, hammocks 

 and blankets, pulled ashore a distance of about five 

 miles, and crossing a bar entered King Passall's 

 River, which is about a mile in width, and one of 



