AMERICAN EXPEDITION. 345 



tion were highly discreditable to the parties who 

 engaged them. A great objection is felt by Ame- 

 rican seamen to the coast of Africa. I was assured 

 by both men and officers, that when they were 

 engaged, it was under the impression that the 

 vessels were for the whale-fishery, and that the 

 casks put up in shakes were for the purpose of 

 containing the blubber oil ; and it was not until 

 they were actually on the coast of Africa that 

 they knew their destination. The captain and 

 supercargo had a copy of Lander's chart on a 

 large scale, and were very sanguine of getting 

 up the Niger into the Eboe country with the 

 brig ; a thing utterly impossible ; for, in the whole 

 distance of the first twenty miles up, there is in 

 some parts only one fathom and a half water. 

 However, the captain felt convinced he could go 

 up the river, and proceeded up for the purpose 

 of examining it in his whale-boat. He had not 

 gone far, before he was satisfied that to take the 

 brig up was impossible. 



The supercargo, who had been on some part of 

 the coast before, went to Brass Town to King 

 Jacket. The king promised him protection, and 

 returned to the ship along with him ; and having 

 obtained a great many goods from the Americans 



