PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 26" 1 



with so far to the north,) was fished up. On the 20th, a 

 wliale was swimming close to the vessel. For the last 

 eight or ten days the weather has been humid and foggy. 

 The Captain now communicated to us his instructions re- 

 lative to our conduct in our future excursions. They are 

 such as to afford a satisfactory proof of his liberal conduct 

 towards us. We have two Congo negroes on board, both 

 of whom speak English. One of them, named Ben, acts 

 as my servant ; but as Ben left his native country when 

 twelve years of age, and as the other is but very little ac- 

 quainted with the English language, wc have not profited 

 much by their information. 



We have for some days past been proceeding at a re- 

 gular but slow rate along the coast. The sea-breeze ge- 

 nerally sets in at noon from S.W.,and carries us somewhat 

 forwards to the south. AVe now anchor in shallow water 

 at the distance of two or three leagues from the shore. 

 The country here is very low, ami thickly covered with 

 wood. The coast has a sandy beach, on which we can 

 distinctly see the breakers, and hear them roar at night. 



June 23. We anchored at a distance of three leagues 

 from the shore, and had a beautiful view of it. The thick 

 forests, w'hich rise in two, and sometimes three successive 

 ranges behind one another, varied by plains covered with 

 grass of a light green colour, though they present an in- 

 teresting appearance, nearly resembling that of the woody 

 shores of the Danish islands, indicate at the same time, as far 

 as may be judged at a distance, a great uniformity of the 

 country itself, and of its natural productions. By looking 



