LEAVE ANNOBONE. 
65 
lie close to the beach, and by leading a hose from the 
little rivulet, the water was easily pumped into the 
barricoes without landing them. 
This bay is subject to frequent and variable puffs 
of wind, and as the anchorage is close to the shore, 
great care should be taken not to “ foul the anchor 
being very “ steep-to” a vessel would be on the 
rocks before another could be dropped. The cliffs, 
bold and beautiful, are intersected by numerous 
basaltic veins. The valley is richly wooded, and 
appears to be much more diversified than even that 
of St. John’s, which we so much admired. The 
mountains on the south side rise perpendicularly from 
the sea in a pyramidal form. 
Having completed our water, we sailed in the 
afternoon for the Island of Ascension, after eight 
days passed most agreeably at this interesting little 
island, which will always be a bright spot in our 
recollection ; as, although we had lost one man here, 
— the last, — who was originally of a very weakly con- 
stitution,— and had suffered several relapses, — yet 
all the others rapidly recovered their health and 
spirits. The weather, with the exception of a little 
rain, was uninterruptedly fine, and the temperature 
not only agreeable, but every one seemed to feel a 
consciousness that exposure to the sun would not be 
so injurious as we had hitherto found it to be. We 
coasted along this bright isle, opening a succession of 
little valleys, with fine outlines of steep mountains, 
VOL. II. 
F 
