BAR OF THE NUN RIVER. 309 



The day after our arrival at Cape Coast, I 

 found that Dr. Briggs had three officers and se- 

 veral men sick in the Quorra, and had landed a 

 man named Morgan in the care of the surgeon 

 of the fort, who afterwards died. The Colum- 

 bine had two sick on board at the same time, and 

 in the Alburkah we had the chief mate and four 

 men sick. 



In crossing the bar of the Nun river, the 

 Alburkah was drifted by the current over to the 

 eastern breakers, and was in great danger of be- 

 ing lost. Being much in want of fuel, we were 

 compelled to burn every disposable spar we could 

 find : even the jib-boom of the vessel, and boxes 

 of all kinds were condemned to the flames in 

 order to obtain sufficient steam to enter the 

 river. By this means we succeeded in doing so, 



some obscure part of the vessel. When asked to state!»how he 

 felt, he would reply that he was quite well, and denied that he 

 suffered any pain. About the third day he became delirious ; 

 and from the fourth to the ninth day, death put an end to 

 his sufferings. The three patients alluded to were cupped 

 and blistered, their heads were shaved, and cold lotions 

 were applied, purgatives administered, and afterwards five 

 or ten grains of calomel given every four or six hours, until 

 ptyalism was slightly produced. Smith being a robust man, 

 was bled to thirty ounces, and lived several months after- 

 wards. He died up the river, of dysentery. 



