LEAVE ASCENSION. 
379 
lay from seventy to eighty eggs at a time, and repeat 
this operation two or three times in a season. The 
eggs are an inch and a half in diameter, and covered 
with a soft semi-calcareous shell. 
A week was spent very pleasantly at Ascension, 
Captain East, R.N., and the officers of the island 
under his command doing their utmost to make our 
stay amongst them agreeable. However, after com- 
pleting with stores, there was nothing further to 
detain us ; so on the morning of April 3rd we pro- 
ceeded on our voyage, and, when in the offing, 
remained a few hours, swinging ship, both for azi- 
muth and magnetic corrections. On its conclusion a 
course was shaped north for the Cape de Verde 
Islands, distant some 1800 miles. 
Sounding and trawling were frequent on our course 
over an average depth of 2000 fathoms; crossing 
the Equator on the 7th April, for the sixth time. 
Previous to this, in latitude 4° 10' south, we lost the 
south-east trade-wind, and for more than a week 
afterwards we were steaming through a tedious and 
depressing region of calms and squalls of rain off the 
African coast. Its effect on the health and spirits of 
us all was most enervating; the oppressive and damp 
heat made it one of the most unpleasant parts of the 
cruise ; calms and head-winds accompanied us each 
day. At length the island of Santiago was in sight, 
and early on the morning of the 16th April we 
anchored off the town of Praya. From what could 
