Oct.] CAPE VERDS— DREADFUL SICKNESS. 343 



the Dibdin school. At his own dying request, he was buried according 

 to the customs of the British navy ; and his loss was sincerely felt and 

 lamented by every soul on board. 



Oct. 5th. — We arrived at Bonavista on Monday, the 5th day of Oc- 

 tober ; and at 6, A. M., came to anchor in English Roads, in three 

 fathoms of water, sandy bottom, mixed with coral. This island is one 

 of the Cape Verds, for a description of which the reader is referred to 

 the first and second chapters of rny Third Voyage. At 7, A. M., I went 

 on shore to see my old friend Don Martinez, who informed me that 

 we could not have any salt until Wednesday, the 7th, when we com- 

 menced taking on board eleven hundred bushels. 



Oct. 9tk. — On Friday, the 9th, at 7, P. M., we got under way, and 

 steered for St. Jago, where we arrived on the 10th, and came to anchor 

 at Porto Praya, at 6, A. M., in four fathoms of water, sandy bottom. I 

 immediately called on Mr. Merrill, the United States' consul, whom I 

 found to be sick, having been confined to his room for about three 

 months, with intermittent fever and ague, a disease which was then pre- 

 vailing at Bonavista, though not many cases had occurred in Porto 

 Praya. Though not able to attend to the duties of his office, this gen- 

 tleman rendered me every assistance in his power ; as did also Mr. 

 Gardner, an American merchant, who is the son-in-law of Don Marti- 

 nez. This gentleman is always very active in assisting Americans 

 who touch at this port for refreshments, and will never accept any com- 

 pensation for his trouble. 



Oct. 1 1th. — Having replenished our water-casks, and taken on board 

 a large supply of live-stock, fruit, and vegetables, we once more got 

 underway, on Sunday, the 11th of October, at 7, P. M., and steered 

 to the south, with a light breeze from north-east-by-east, and fair 

 weather. 



Oct. 12th. — On Monday, the 12th, we lost the north-east trade- 

 winds, in lat. 10° 40' north, long. 22° 30' west. For several days fol- 

 lowing our progress was retarded by successive or continued calms, 

 with very light variable airs, attended with heavy falls of rain. 



Oct. 25th. — This weather continued until we crossed the equator, 

 which was on Saturday, the 24th, in long. 22° 45' west ; and on the 

 following day we took the south-east trade-winds, from south-east-by- 

 south, and fair weather. On the same day eight of the crew were 

 taken sick with the intermittent fever ; and on the 26th the officers and 

 my wife were taken down with the same disease. 



Oct. 28th. — On Wednesday, the 28th, eleven men and my wife ' 

 were all lying, as I thought, at the point of death. My situation was 

 now truly deplorable and appalling ; on board of a vessel, in the mid- 

 dle of the ocean, expecting every moment to see the rest of the crew 

 reduced to the same helpless condition with their comrades, and the 

 gallant little Antarctic left to the mercy of the winds and waves, with- 

 out a hand to guide the helm or to tend the braces, and keep the sails 

 trimmed to the breeze. The prospect was gloomy in the extreme. 

 And then the patient suffering angel in the cabin, far removed from 

 the reach of a mother's or a sister's sympathy, and all those delicate 

 offices of affection which a female hand is best fitted to perform. 



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