CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 83 



unsuccessful, not taking a single fish, but on the inside, in 

 one haul, thirty large fish were taken, some weighing 60lbs ; 

 these were all of one kind, of the Sparm genus, and named 

 Vela by the natives. They were found to be excellent in 

 taste and firmness, much resembling the cod. The only 

 other species taken Avere a single large cat fish (Lophius) 

 and a few small mullets. 



July 12. I now determined to lose no more time in the at- 

 tempt to get the transport up the river, but to extricate my- 

 self from this exquisitely tantalizing situation by the imme- 

 diate transhipment of the provisions and stores to the 

 Congo ; for which purpose the double boats, and all the 

 ship's boats were hoisted out, on the evening of the 12th, 

 and the double boats being put together and rigged, the 

 whole were next morning loaded ; when therefore the sea 

 breeze set in at two o'clock in the afternoon, I took my leave 

 of the transport, with the Naturalists, leaving the master and 

 purser to see her discharged, or get her up the river if an 

 opportunity offered. I had now the satisfaction to find the 

 double boats answer my best expectations in their fitness 

 for this service ; for though the breeze was very fight, and 

 the current running round Shark point three miles an hour, 

 they without difliculty doubled this, to us more redoubtable 

 promontory than that of Good Hope to our earl}' navigators, 



