ed this afternoon from intermittent fever.

_Thursday, 17_.--At daylight, the African, steam-vessel, got up her
anchor and steam; when she stood out of the bay and parted company for
England, intending to call at Sierra Leone, for a fresh supply of coals.
She was under the command of Lieut. Vidal, who was charged with
despatches relating to the proceedings of the settlement, &c. Mr.
Bremner, master of the Eden, as well as several invalids, went home
passengers in her: and I availed myself of the opportunity of sending
home numberless specimens of articles used by the natives, amongst which
were the following--the model of a canoe, spears, fishing lines, and
stone slings, made from the fibre of the bark of a tree, bracelets,
armlets, and other trifling ornaments worn about their person; a knife,
made out of an iron hoop, and fitted into a wooden handle; a bell-shaped
wooden rattle, some small boxes, made of split cane, monkey skins, &c.
&c.

A building, composed of the frames of two small houses, each twenty feet
square, having been erected, near Point William, for an hospital, it was
this day reported to be ready for the reception of the sick, and 17
seamen of the Eden, with bad ulcers, were sent on shore to occupy it,
leaving 15 on board with the same complaint, besides a few fever cases;
there were also eight more ulcer cases that had been on shore for some
time under a tent, near Point William. This situation was chosen by
Capt. Owen for the hospital, as it was near the extreme point of a small
peninsula, on which the prevailing wind blows transversely, therefore,
if any spot on the settlement, or near the sea-shore of any part of the
island was healthy, it is reasonable to suppose that this would be. The
house consisted of only one floor, with a good broad verandah all round
it, shingled in the same way as the roof of the house.[33]

_Friday, 18_.--This morning, one of the African Corps followed the
example of our interpreter, Anderson, with this difference, however,
that when he ran away, he took his musket and accoutrements with him. I
do not see what advantage they proposed to themselves by going amongst
the islanders, as they did not speak their language, and could not
expect to procure the means of support, without working hard for it. The
only point in their favour was, that they were of the same colour.

This afternoon the Eden's boats were sent after a vessel in the offing,
which proved to be a sloop lade