IG 
■\VATK1UXG SHIPS. 
Upon our arrival at Porto Praya, on the 14tli of July, 
we proceeded to get in a supply of wood and water; while 
thus engaged, a limited opportunity only was offered us 
for making observations. I find the following remarks 
in my journal in regard to that port: — 
“ Soon after letting go the anchor, we proceeded to raft 
our water-casks and toW them on shore, where we em- 
}doyed negroes, the slaves of negroes^ to fill them and float 
them out to the boats. And here let me say a word in 
regard to ‘watering ship’ at this and other similar ports. 
“The process, though not at all impracticable, is at- 
tended by many disagreeable, often fatal, drawbacks. On 
account of the heavy and constant surf which lines their 
coasts, boats can only land at particular points ; and, when 
these points do not happen to be near a stream of fresh 
\vater, you have to land on the open beach. In this case 
it becomes necessaiy for boats with water-casks in tow to 
let go their anchors some distance outside of the surf, 
and then drop in towards this latter as far as is consistent 
with safety. The line by which the casks have been 
towed is then cast adrift, wdien the latter are quickly 
Avashed upon the beach, while the crew jump overboard, 
w'ade on shore, and roll them thi’ough the hot sand or 
over the slippery shingle to the watering-place. There 
they are filled, and, the bungs being tightly driven, they 
are rolled back to the beach, rafted together a second 
time, and finally tow^ed back to the ship, where several 
men in a boat pass slings around them, hook on the yard- 
tackle, and they are hoisted on board. 
“"We find but one small coasting-vessel at anchor, 
though the consul tells us that he has seen as many as a 
