KE-ENTBES THE NIGER. 
32!) 
were some on the bar, although it was high-water. At 
length he had the gratification of seeing the ensign 
hoisted, the preconcerted signal of having passed the 
dangerous part in safety. Soon after this the vessel 
was lost sight of, in a heavy intervening shower of rain. 
The ‘Kite’ weighed at 11 o’clock, and proceeded to 
Prince’s Island, in order to obtain intelligence of the 
senior officer’s movements — we had a strong head- wind 
during our passage. 
July Uh . — In the evening, anchored in West Bay, 
Prince’s Island. Found by a memorandum which had 
been left there, for the guidance of the cruizers, that 
Captain Foote, after visiting the southern part of his 
station, would pass a month at Ascension. In the 
absence therefore of the proper authority, it was incum- 
bent on Captain Allen to make the necessary arrange- 
ments for conveying the remaining officers and men to 
England on his own responsibility, since it would have 
been incurring a fearful risk, nay almost certainty of 
much loss of life, to have kept them crowded in the 
little ‘Soudan,’ until the Commodore’s arrival. 
The only alternative was for Captain Allen to order 
the ‘Kite’ to receive all on board, and proceed home- 
wards. In this he was borne out by the Admiralty 
Instimctions, which authorized any vessel of the Afri- 
can Squadron to be devoted to this service, if none 
were about to sail for England. Moreover the ‘ Kite’ 
was in such a defective state, that she would not long- 
have been serviceable as a cruiser. While the peculiar 
