light. The captain said, though an old whaler, he had never known of
sperm whales in that latitude before; and from the immense number, and
as they were frequently seen as we approached Africa many times on
different days afterwards, that he thought a new whaling point had been
discovered. Other whales were also seen frequently in these
latitudes--lazy, shy, "old bulls," which floated with their huge backs
and part of their heads out of water, so as to expose their eyes, when
they would suddenly disappear and as quickly appear again; but the great
quantity of _squid spawn_, the peculiar _mollusca_ upon which the sperm
whale feeds, made it ominous, according to the opinion of Captain Locke,
that a great new sperm whale fishery had been discovered, the spawn
being seen during several days' sail before and after observing the
great school.

NOTE.--I should not close this part of my report without stating that,
during the year 1858, Mr. Myers wrote to the Royal Geographical Society,
London; Thomas Clegg, Esq., Manchester; Dr. Livingstone, and perhaps
others, all over _my name_ as secretary and himself chairman. The
letters referred to were written (without my knowledge) by a son of Mr.
Myers; and I only mention the fact here because I am unwilling to claim
the honor of the authorship of correspondence carried on through a lad
of sixteen years of age.

IV

ARRIVAL AND RECEPTION IN LIBERIA

Arrival in Africa

Saturday, July 10th.--I landed on the beach at Grand Cape Mount,
Robertsport, in company with Messrs. the Hon. John D. Johnson, Joseph
Turpin, Dr. Dunbar, and Ellis A. Potter, amid the joyous acclamations of
the numerous natives who stood along the beautiful shore, and a number
of Liberians, among whom was Reverend Samuel Williams, who gave us a
hearty reception. Here we passed through the town (over the side of the
hill), returning to the vessel after night.

Monrovia

Monday, July 12th.--The roadstead of Monrovia was made about noon, when
I, in company with B. E. Castendyk, Esq., a young German gentleman
traveling for pleasure, took lodgings at Widow Moore's, the residence of
Rev. John Seys, the United States consular agent, and commissioner for
recaptured Africans.

On the day after my arrival, the following correspondence took place:

Residence of the United States Consular Agent Monrovia, Liberia,
July 12th, 1859

To His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Liberia: