MR. JORDAN TAKEN ILL. 113 



at half speed. The engine was immediately re- 

 versed, and in half an hour we backed off, but 

 not before getting the carriage-guns and chain- 

 cables aft on the poop, to bring her down by the 

 stern. While aground, we had three and a half fa- 

 thoms under the stern, and only three feet under 

 the bows ; the bar of mud and sand being worn 

 almost perpendicular on one side by the current. 

 In the course of the afternoon the vessel was 

 surrounded by canoes, with goats, yams, plan- 

 tains, and bananas for sale. On firing the even- 

 ing gun, as usual, it was amusing to see the 

 general rush for the shore : they seemed perfectly 

 to understand the foxhunter's motto, '^ Every 

 one for himself, and God for us all." 



At ten A. M. of the 11th, we came to an 

 anchor, close to the western bank of the river, 

 in eight fathoms. I was sorry to hear that Mr. 

 Jordan, in the Alburkah, was attacked with 

 symptoms of fever. He was immediately removed 

 by Dr. Briggs into the Quorra ; and in the course 

 of the evening the Doctor reported to me that 

 four of my own crew were attacked with the same 

 symptoms. They were apparently of a slight 

 nature ; but, after witnessing poor Harries's ill- 

 ness, I became alarmed at anything. 



VOL. I. I 



