peaks. At four in the afternoon,
the wind fell away nearly to a calm, when we found ourselves close in
with the land, and a current carrying us still closer; however,
fortunately, a light breeze sprung up, when we were glad to stand off
for the night. On the following morning (_Saturday, 27th_) we made
towards the land, sailing along the coast, which presented the most
picturesque, scenery that could well be imagined, until we anchored in
Maidstone Bay, at half past three in the afternoon, 12 fathoms
water--black mud.

[Illustration: ISLAND OF FERNANDO PO]

The island of Fernando Po, situated off the western coast of Africa, in
the Gulf or Bight of Biafra, between 3 deg. and 4 deg. N. latitude, and
8 deg. and 9 deg. E. longitude, is about one hundred and twenty miles
in circumference. It is generally believed to have been discovered in
the year 1471, by a Portuguese navigator, who gave it the name of Ilha
Formosa, or the Beautiful Isle, afterwards changed for that of its
discoverer, which it now retains. The Portuguese first established a
settlement upon it which they, however, abandoned, and subsequently
transferred the right of possession to Spain, receiving in exchange the
Island of Trinidad, off the coast of Brazil.

In the year 1764, a new settlement was founded by Spain, which, after a
lapse of eighteen years, was also abandoned, for causes which have not
been satisfactorily explained, although it is generally believed that a
series of misunderstandings with the natives took place, which
principally produced that result.[29]

Since this period the island has been left to its native inhabitants,
excepting that various European, and particularly English vessels, have
occasionally touched at it for the purpose of procuring water and yams;
the latter of which it grows the finest in the world, and which the
natives were accustomed to barter for pieces of iron.

At length, a variety of considerations determined the British
Government to attempt a new settlement on this island; these it may be
proper briefly to state.

In the first place, the convenient situation of the island, at the
distance of only twenty miles from the main-land of Africa, and in the
immediate neighbourhood of the mouths of the many large rivers which
pour their waters into the Gulf of Biafra, appeared to afford a most
eligible point for checking the slave-trade, of which this position may
be considered the very centre.

Secondly, it, was i