DAMP CLIMATE. 
151 
cumstances would permit.* I mention this on purpose 
that, in case my collection should come into other hands, 
I may not he accused of negligence. I have sacrificed 
every convenience to give rooms, and spared no trouble 
to overcome the dampness of the ship and the atmo- 
sphere, hut without success. The general arrangements 
of a man-of-war do not allow much chance for such 
experiments. When will the time arrive when expedi- 
tions, whose results must depend on the obseiwations of 
naturalists, will afford them the necessary and appropriate 
support ? At present, the vessels are fitted up for other 
purposes, and it is left to chance to discover a little nook 
for the philosopher.* I was now obliged to devote the 
two days that we still remained at Accra to the drying 
of my collection, that all might not be lost.” 
Accrah or Accra, is the most eastern of the British 
factories on the Gold Coast, and as far as the eye is 
concerned, is the worst situated, being built on even 
lower ground than Cape Coast Castle ; but there is less 
of the thick underwood which prevails near the latter, 
and more general attention is paid on the part of the 
natives, to keep the superfluous vegetation under. 
The Danes have a factory (Christiansberg) at a short 
distance from ours, which is said to he well regulated, 
and business is rather on the increase. The small one 
belonging to the Dutch is unimportant. 
* To this Captain Allen strongly bears testimony. One great cause 
of the lamented doctor’s disappointment, was his excusable ignorance 
of the amount of available space in a man-of-war. 
