2 
CONDITlOlSr OF THE WILBERFORCE. 
officers, Mr. Harvey master, and Mr. Coleman assist- 
ant-surgeon. Our deck was completely covered fore 
and aft on the port side and a-midships with ham- 
mocks and hods. The starboard side was kept toler- 
ably clear for working the vessel, though a few were 
even there. They were protected as much as possible 
by means of awnings and curtains, yet when tor- 
nadoes came on, the rain could not always be excluded. 
No serious inconvenience however accrued, and it was 
far better they should be in the fresh open air than in 
the confined space allotted for the men, even if there 
had been room enough. Some officers were in the 
captain’s cabin and gun-room. 
Commander W. Allen was very unwell in the morn- 
ing, having been much exhausted by the late animated 
discussions ; so that when Captain Trotter, accompanied 
by Commander B. Allen, came on board to say farewell, 
and deliver his instructions, he found it necessary to 
leave them with Lieutenant Strange, to be given to 
William Allen when he should be better. The latter 
was much grieved at this separation from his esteemed 
friends and colleagues, with whom, until the recent 
occasion, there had been no difference of opinion. 
It was doubly painful to him thus to separate; for 
while admiring the generous zeal with which they 
determined on prosecuting the enterprise, he deeply 
regretted being precluded from the possibility of ac- 
companying them ; and he could not stifle the fear and 
presentiment of its fatal result, which were too surely 
