VOYAGE TO YORK. 27 



pleted our coals and water, we departed from 

 these islands, having previously arranged with 

 the Columbine and Alburkah, in case of sepa- 

 rating during the night, that Cape Coast Castle 

 should be our rendezvous. In the evening the 

 weather became bad and squally, and we ex- 

 changed blue lights with our consorts. Next 

 morning, the brig not being in sight, we conclud- 

 ed that she had stood out to sea to weather the 

 shoals of St. Ann, which afterwards proved to be 

 the case. The Alburkah having fallen consider- 

 ably to leeward, we took her in tow for some time; 

 when our fuel being nearly exhausted, we came to 

 an anchor in fifteen fathoms water, let down the 

 steam and disconnected the paddles, hoping that 

 we might get off the shore with the land-wind. 

 At midnight we started again with a light breeze, 

 and at six a. m. found that the current had set us 

 considerably to leeward, and the Alburkah still 

 more so. The latter vessel's bottom had become 

 so foul that her speed was considerably dete- 

 riorated by it : this circumstance, although it 

 proved that oxidation was not going on, was an- 

 noying, as it delayed us, and a little foresight 

 might have prevented it. 



Finding it impossible to get the vessels to their 



