the necessary arrangements for pitching my tent where Captain Ross observed, galloped off to Plantation House, to pay my respects to the governor, Colonel Trelawney, R.A., who received us without formality, introduced us to his family, and mounting his horse, accompanied us to Longwood, to call on Lieutenant Smyth, in charge of the magnetic observatory. We were rather late, and met Mr. Smyth at the gate. Turning our horses, he walked a considerable distance in conversation with us; just long enough to make us regret that we were to part so soon. Enveloped in darkness, and roads rather doubtful, we did not return quite so expeditiously, reaching Plantation House about eight o'clock, and sat down to dinner, much, I fear, to the discomfiture of family arrangements. Duty compelling our return that evening, we remounted our horses soon after dinner, very much against our own inclinations, and not without many expressions of chagrin on the part of our kind host; and about midnight reached James' Town, where, by the hospitality of our good friend, Mr. Solomon, or rather the friend of the navy, we were comfortably housed. Our visit was repeated the day following, and on Monday, the governor, accompanied by his second daughter, chief-justice, (Wild,) and one or two friends, paid a visit to the Sulphur and Grecian, very much to our gratification. Our duties complete, we quitted shortly after daylight, I must say with great regret. Possibly had the Grecian remained, I might have stolen another day or two to make it a rating position, and shortened my stay at Ascension. Our visits of sunshine have been "few and far between" during the harassing period of our servitude, and when we meet with kindness, with such true honest English feeling in particular as that experienced at St. Helena, although "homeward bound," we did regret that our friendship was to terminate so suddenly. Captain Smyth breakfasted with me off the port, and our long explanations and tales of other times, rapidly recapitulated, and but half exhausted, (and who but sailors can participate in such revellings?) we parted with a hearty cordial grasp, to finish our stories at a future day. Shortly the beautiful, well-handled Grecian stole close on our lee-quarter, and hauling suddenly to the wind across our stern, slipped off with a last farewell, like a sea bird, whilst the Sulphur was bruising the blue sea in a most collier-like style. Our course was now directed for Ascension, and with a fine fresh trade we reached the anchorage about two A.M. on the fourth day. We found here the Albert, one of the unfortunate Niger expedition, commanded by Commander Fishbourne, awaiting further orders. He called on me the following morning, and afforded us all the late English news. Our operations were speedily completed at this island, and having embarked all the invalids anxiously awaiting passage, we took leave of the Albert on the evening of the 18th of May. Ascension affords but little to interest the casual observer. It has long been famed for the abundance of turtle, of which we did not fail to embark our due allowance: but with the exception of water, it rather looks for than affords supplies. Our progress from hence was tediously slow. I had intended to reach Porto Praya in the Cape de Verds, but the great delay which occurred between the limits allotted to the variables induced me to give up this plan, and stretch towards the coast of Africa, where I hoped to catch, as I had experienced on former occasions, a leading wind which would carry me up to the Azores. During our detention near the equator, we were fortunate in obtaining very large and perfect specimens of the helix janthina, as well as several rare and beautiful varieties of nautilus, hyalæa, and cleodora. About the beginning of June, in latitude 5° 30′ N., and longitude 16° 15′ W., we began to experience the tail of the tornadoes, and on the 3rd were visited by one in full force. At night the sea presented a very luminous appearance, and on the day following several varieties of medusa, some resembling large sepia, were obtained. On the 17th of June, we reached Cape Blanco, but, unlike the customary weather of the region, found ourselves tantalised by a misty calm. This, however, did not long continue. We succeeded in reaching off shore, and gaining the breeze, and on the 3rd of July passed the island of St. Michael's, Azores. On the 19th, passing through the Needles, we ran up and anchored at Spithead, when, having paid my respects to the admiral, Sir E. Codrington, I repaired to the Admiralty. The Sulphur was ordered to Woolwich, and paid off on the 2nd of August. The Lords of the Admiralty, in consideration of the long servitude of the crew of the Sulphur in such trying climates, during a period of nearly seven years, directed that those who had exceeded five years should be paid the increased wages due by recent regulation, and that half of the amount of slops during the Sulphur's voyage should be remitted. As circumstances have rendered the Marquesas of greater interest since the period at which I treated that subject, and I have had access to other materials since my return, I have added a fresh outline, which will be found in the Appendix to this volume. The urgent duties which have occupied my time since my return to England, and my immediate departure in command of a voyage of equal interest, necessarily prevents the completion of many interesting documents, which should have been attached to these volumes. The completion of these subjects will, |