54 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



Fathoms. 



About 9 miles off shore, 16, oozy sand. 

 18 ditto, 30, brown sand. 



24 ditto, 47, ditto and broken shells. 



28 ditto, 67, ditto. 



30 ditto, no bottom at 120. 



Although we took every advantage of the variations 

 of the M'ind, to stand off and in shore, the lightness of 

 the breezes, and a daily current of fifteen miles to the 

 north and N. N. E. permitting us barely to hold our 

 ground, I determined again to stand off out of soundings, 

 in the hope of losing the current and getting fresher breezes. 

 In both respects I was, however, disappointed ; for though 

 the current became more Avesterly as we went off shore, its 

 velocity encreased at the same time to 30 and 40 miles a day. 

 The winds still remaining very light in the morning from 

 S.S. E.. and from S.S. W. in the evening, Avhile the trans- 

 port being extremely leewardly,and both she and the Congo 

 sailing very badly in light winds, our progress was slower 

 than ever. In this choice of difficulties I again stood in for 

 the land, hoping, that as we were now past the low land to 

 the north of Loango, we should meet more regular land and 

 sea breezes. We in consequence made the land on the 18th 

 in 3° 24' ; thus having gained but To miles southing in 

 15 days, by working out of soundings. 



