508 PASSAGES OVER THE ATLANTIC. 



lime (or other disinfectant), and the seamen's clothes and bedding kept 

 well aired. Attending tc these precautions will be found the best means 

 of preserving health. 



Here I may observe that fresh stock of all kinds is very scarce and very 

 dear in these rivers, so that vessels bound to Bonny or New Calabar would 

 do well by procuring their fresh stock and corn to windward, either on the 

 Krou Coast, Frisco, Cape Lahou, the various settlements on the Gold 

 Coast, or at a smaU village on the sea coast, near Cape St. Paul, called 

 Dokko, or Occo (? Weh). At these places stock of all kinds i» abundant, 

 and very cheap when obtained in barter. 



Current. — I had almost omitted putting the mariner on his guard 

 against the effect of the strong Easterly current that runs from Terra 

 Formosa to Old Calabar. This current runs with greater or less velocity 

 almost throughout the year, except in or about the Harmattan season, 

 when it occasionally sets to the Westward and W.S.W. Vessels that have 

 advanced much to the Eastward of Terra Formosa, and cannot see Foch6 

 Point before night, should anchor, in order to prevent the effect of the 

 current ; but in squally weather, or the wet season, it may be as well to 

 work to windward, heaving-to occasionally during the night, according to 

 circumstances ; a depth of 9 or 10 fathoms is quite close enough to stand 

 inshore during the night ; when in 6 fathoms the surf oan be very dis- 

 tinctly heard. 



When once to leeward on this coast, getting up to windward again is 

 attended with much trouble and difficulty. I may here remark, that too 

 much attention cannot be paid to the lead upon any part of the coast of 

 Africa, as the current frequently sets directly in upon the land ; and from 

 careful observation, upon the Windward Coast, I can confidently assert 

 that the thermometer is no guide whatever on approaching the land. In 

 more than 100 experiments upon the surface water, I could never detect 

 any sensible difference in the temperature when sailing toward the land 

 from no bottom into 45 and 40 fathoms, and then into 14 or 15 fathoms, 

 on the Krou Coast. In the dry season there is little difference hereabout 

 in the temperature of the air and water ; the former averaging 77° to 81" 

 (in the shade), and the latter 74° or 75° Fahrenheit. 



The Homeward Passage, through the Bight of Biafra, presents no par- 

 ticular feature to the attention of the navigator, if I may except the strong 

 N.E. currents that almost invariably prevail in it. All homeward bound 

 Vessels that do not intend calling at Fernando Po, should use every possible 

 exertion to pass to the Westward of the island, as a good board may be 

 then made to the Southward on the starboard tack. Except in the Har- 

 mattan or Tornado seasons, no advantage can be derived by standing close 

 inshore, as there are no land winds, and a near approach is, at any time, 

 very dangerous, as the whole of the coast, from Camaroons to the Gaboon 

 (except about Corisco), is generally bold-to, and the soundings in nowise 

 to be depended on. On this part of the coast there is no trade, and the 

 inhabitants are miserable naked savages. 



On getting to the Southward of Prince's Island, the very excellent direc- 

 tions of Mr. Finlaison may be followed with advantage. He says : — 

 '• Having arrived at the Southward of Prince's Island, if the ship will lie 



