CHAP. XLII. 
VOYAGE TO ENGLAND. 
After settling a variety of concerns, the sailing of 
a. fleet for England, under convoy of the Lion of 64 
guns, was announced for the 13th of February, on 
which morning I went on board the brig Venus, com- 
manded by Captain Kilgour, accompanied by several 
friends. We got under weigh about eight in the morn- 
ing, when my friends Messrs. Read, Duncan, Shep- 
pard, &c. took leave, and returned to the shore. Our 
fleet consisted of nine sail besides the Commodore. 
After passing the north side of Robin Island, we got 
into the open ocean with a fair wdnd, and soon lost 
sight of Cape-town, and before evening of Africa also, 
a country for the welfare of which I think I shall feel 
interested as long as I live— a country in which I have 
spent the most memorable months in my life, and I 
hope that good effects will ultimately be produced by 
my visit. 
On the next day, I had a very narrow escape while 
writing in the cabin, for by the pitching of the ship a 
