Friday, 26th.—­After a four days’ passage across the Gulf of Guinea, at seven o’clock this morning, we saw the island of Fernando Po, bearing S.E.  This island can be seen from a considerable distance, being distinguished by some very high 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 imagined,—­and the consideration reflects the highest honour on the humanity of our Government,—­that the adoption of the measure would tend materially to diminish the sufferings of the miserable objects of human traffic—­the unfortunate slaves—­who too frequently sank under the confinement and disease incidental to a protracted voyage to Sierra Leone, before their liberation could be legally accomplished.