LETTERS TO ENGLAND. 



469 



his residence in the Gaboon, Walker had frequently 

 bought specimens of this animal alive from native 

 liunters, but only one — a half-grown female, whom 

 he called Seraphina — lived for any length of time. 



Bidding adieu to Walker and Reade, on Sunday 

 the 9th February, at 8 a.m., Knight and I em- 

 barked on board the " Guildford," when the 

 anchor was weighed, and with a light but fair 

 breeze we cleared the Gaboon and got out to sea. 



For some days we had a succession of light airs 

 and calms, hardly making any progress through the 

 water, and during this weary time I was scarcely 

 ever free from fever. On the 12th March, we 

 were boarded by a boat from H.M.S. "Electro," 

 Commander Eaby, V.C., and I took the oppor- 

 tunity of sending letters to England and Lagos, as, 

 in these latitudes, calms often last for weeks, and 

 the time of our arrival was very uncertain. On 

 the loth, " Anna Bon" was on our lee bow, and 

 for three days the island continued in sight, and 

 there was not a ripple on the water, which reflected 

 the rays of the sun like a burnished mirror. We 

 hooked a large shark, besides catching several 



