merce along the coast takes place, and of this, the Ashantees, who
are the inland nation, wish to partake. Your being in the roads will in
some measure check them." I promised to visit the roads as often as my
other duties would permit me, and if necessary assist with the marines.

CHAPTER XIX.

WEST COAST ADVENTURES.

Cruise along West African coast--Dine with Danish consul at Cape
Coast Castle--Ordered to Sierra Leone--A trip inland--We proceed to
the Los Islands--A trip up the River Pongo--Quell disturbance on a
slaver--A dinner with a native prince--His presents.

After remaining a few days, during which time nothing transpired that
required our presence, we again weighed and sailed along the coast towards
the Bight of Benin. We experienced frequent calms with much squally
weather, attended with vivid lightning and heavy rain. Finding a current
setting round the bight to the eastward, we were obliged to carry a press
of sail to act against it, and were nearly three weeks working up from
Cape St. Paul's to Dix Cove, where we anchored. On this part of the coast,
particularly Dix Cove, you may land without the assistance of a canoe, as
the surf is not so rolling or so high. There is a small English settlement
here, which I visited, and dined with the principal settler. The town is
small and not worth a description. We procured a quantity of oranges and
cocoanuts, and I had the opportunity of witnessing the native dancing. A
tom-tom, or rough kind of long drum, is beaten by two men, to the noise of
which (for it was anything but music) they keep time. The dancers,
particularly the women, appeared by their gestures and movements to be in
a state of delirium; they certainly were much excited, and kept up such a
continued howl that I soon took my departure.

As I turned round I came in contact with a most pitiable object--a sickly,
dead-white coloured native. I had heard of such beings, but had never seen
one. He was about five feet five inches high, and very thin; his features
were rather more prominent than those of a negro, his eyes were very
small, very weak, and of a reddish hue. He appeared by his manner to be an
idiot. He held out his hands to me in a supplicating manner. I gave him a
small piece of money; he looked earnestly in my face, and mixed with the
crowd. On returning to the town I passed three females with di