DEATH OF CAPT. HARRIES AND ENGINEER. 63 



absence ; but after being paid for his detention, 

 he recovered his self-possession and left us with 

 the promise to return in the morning. To my 

 great astonishment, he paddled his canoe direct- 

 ly through the breakers. How he managed it 

 I know not ; but I certainly have seen the long 

 canoes of these natives live in a surf that would 

 have swamped any European boat : perhaps the 

 number of paddles which they have, and the dex- 

 terous manner of using them, may in some mea- 

 sure account for it. 



At four in the afternoon the Columbine hove 

 in sight. I sent word to her commander, as she 

 neared us, to bring his vessel up in six fathoms, 

 with the river open to the N. E. On his arrival 

 we found that he had missed the Alburkah the 

 same night that he left Cape Coast. 



Captain Harries became worse, and Dr. Briggs 

 appeared very anxious about him. 



At four o'clock on the morning of the 18th, I 

 retired to rest, worn out both in mind and body, 

 having remained by Harries the whole night. In 

 two hours afterwards I was called by Dr. Briggs, 

 and found Harries dying in his arms. He ex- 

 pired half an hour after I went to them, without 

 a struggle. At ten o'clock in the forenoon, the 



