10 
^^Namaqua," also bound for Cape Town, and intended to 
run up and down the west coast, and bring ore from the 
copper mines to Cape Town, to be trans- shipped to the 
ocean steamers. The beat was overpowering in tbe cabins 
and saloons, and many of the passengers preferred sleeping 
on deck, but they had to turn out at such an early hour in 
the morning for the crew to swab the decks, that I preferred 
the heat and my bunk. We sighted Cape Verd, our first 
view of Africa, on the 1 6th, but did not pass near enough 
to see at all what the shore was like. Some enterprising 
spirits tried to get up theatricals, but they fell through, 
owing to the ladies declining to take the parts allotted to 
them. Thermometer 87 in the cabins. Felt very thankful 
I wasn't a stoker. Since crossing the line, we have been 
steaming against a strong south-east trade, and the ship's 
run has considerably diminished, so that our chances of a 
quick passage are small, especially as we had almost a calm 
north of the line, instead of getting the benefit of a north- 
east trade wind. The '^fire bell" sounding to-day, caused 
a little excitement amongst some of the passengers, who 
thought it was rung in earnest, but their alarm soon 
disappeared, as it was merely rung to practice the crew in 
falling in rapidly at their proper stations by the boats, &c. 
March 25th. Arrived at St. Helena, where we stopped 
for some hours. Went ashore with E., and enjoyed 
stretching our legs on land again. We found a difiiculty 
in getting a carriage to take us to the Tomb and 
Longwood, as some other ship had arrived before us, 
and secured the few traps the town can boast of; so E. 
sat down by the road side, while I and Kemp walked out 
to the Tomb, about three miles off. Time was short, and 
the sun very hot, so I did not reach Longwood, but was 
contented with a distant view of it from the opposite hill. 
The island wretchedly barren and poor looking, with a 
population that seemed to be composed of individuals from 
