APPENDIX III. 



505 



RESUME. 



I fell in with the coast of Africa in lat. 9" 30' ^N". on 

 the 25th January, and from hence southward examined 

 it as well as circumstances would permit. On the 7th 

 February I anchored in Patta Harbour, and unfortunately 

 found the country distracted by civil dissensions, origin- 

 ating from two rival cousins, who each laid claim to the 

 Sooltauship. I found out the most popular, which hap- 

 pened to be the youngest, and on him I waited with my 

 government letters, accompanied by Lieut. Hardy com- 

 manding the Sylph, and Mr AVhigham, my surgeon, 

 I must have been three or four hours reaching town, 

 and after as long a detention there, and receiving some 

 menacing insults, which will be particularly detailed on 

 my return, I escaped from these wretches and reached the 

 ship, much fatigued, some time after midnight, having 

 been six hours in the boat returning. Finding the 

 disposition of the natives precluded the success of any 

 inquiries I had to make, it was deemed advisable to quit 

 the port ; but another diflBculty arose, which points out 

 the cunning treachery of these people : we were now 

 told the vessel could not go out through the S. Chamiel 

 (the only condition on which I entered the harbour), 

 but must warp out the way we came in (a thing im- 

 possible against the prevailing wind and sea), or that we 

 must wait the chanofe of monsoon. Detectinof their du- 

 pKcity, I seized and detained two natives, who were 

 concerned in bringing us in, and after two or three days 

 spent in buoying off a channel unknown to them, with the 

 top of high-water spring tides, grounding occasionally, 

 we got the vessel providentially through the banks, 



