to-day, I stepped back and measured my length across the gunroom
skylight, which, fortunately for me, had a piece of wood lengthways in
the middle of it, to rest the sashes on, or I must have paid the
officers a visit in their mess-room in a very unceremonious manner; I
had however the good luck to escape with a slight bruise.

_Sunday, 2d_.--At six in the morning we got soundings in 50 fathoms of
water, and at eight in 29 fathoms. Lat. 8° 29' N. lon. 13° 56' W. Cape
Sierra Leone S. 81° E. distant thirty-six miles. At three in the
afternoon we saw the land, and at the same time a schooner, (which we
afterwards learned was the Joseph and Mary from Sierra Leone bound to
England.) Soon after this we saw the brig Ark coming out of the harbour
of Sierra Leone, which returned into port on the 7th, and sailed again
on the 14th of the same month. This brig had the Aid-de-camp of the
late Sir Neil Campbell on board, who died nearly three weeks before our
arrival, and this officer was the bearer of despatches relating to Sir
Neil Campbell's death, &c. Shortly before midnight we anchored off the
town of Sierra Leone in 14-1/2 fathoms water, and found that our
consort the Diadem transport had arrived only a few hours, although she
left St. Jago three days before we started. We had not any visitors
from the shore that night, in consequence of the lateness of the hour
at which we came to anchor; but we had a great number on the following
day to make up for it.

_Monday, September 3rd_.--At 7 in the morning Mr. Lewis, the agent;
victualler, came on board to see Captain Owen, and some of his old
friends, whom he had previously known on board H.M. ship Leven. This
gentleman, however, had another motive for coming on board at so early
an hour; he had felt unwell for several days, and having boasted a good
deal about his infallible method of keeping off the fever, namely, by