esting, if any circumstance should
place general De Caen within his power, that he would be pleased to
demand my journal from him, and cause it to be transmitted to the
Admiralty. I went on shore next morning and waited upon colonel sir
Edward Butler, the commanding officer at Simon's Town; and learning that
an India packet had put into Table Bay, on her way to England, made
preparation for going over on the following day. At noon, however, a
telegraphic signal expressed the admiral's desire to see me immediately;
and as the packet was expected to stop only a short time, I hoped it was
for the purpose of embarking in her, and hastened over with horses and a
dragoon guide furnished by the commandant; but to my mortification, the
packet was standing out of Table Bay at the time I alighted at the
admiral's door, and no other opportunity for England presented itself for
more than six weeks afterward.

During the tedious time of waiting at Cape Town for a passage, I received
much polite attention from His Excellency the earl of Caledon, and Mr.
Alexander, secretary to the colony; as also from the Hon. general Grey,
commander of the forces, commissioner Shield of the navy, and several
other civil and military officers of the Cape establishment. I made
little excursions to Constantia and in the neighbourhood of the town; but
feared to go into the interior of the country lest an opportunity, such
as that which the India packet had presented, might be lost. Towards the
latter end of August [AUGUST 1810], captain Parkinson of the army and
lieutenant Robb of the navy arrived from commodore Rowley's squadron,
with intelligence of the island Bourbon being captured; and a cutter
being ordered to convey them to England, I requested of the admiral and
obtained a passage in her.

SEPTEMBER 1810

We sailed from Simon's Bay on the 28th August, in the Olympia, commanded
by lieutenant Henry Taylor; and after a passage of fourteen days,
anchored in St. Helena road on the afternoon of September 11; and having
obtained water and a few supplies from the town, sailed again the same
night. On the 16th, passed close to the north side of Ascension, in the
hope of procuring a turtle should any vessel be lying there; but seeing
none, steered onward and crossed the Line on the 19th, in longitude 191/2 deg.
west. The trade wind shifted to the S. W. in latitude 5 deg. north, and
continued to blow until we had reached abreast of the Cape-Verde Islands,