The Victoria returned from Old Calabar to-day.

Tuesday, 13.—­In the middle of the night, a heavy tornado came on; after which it continued to blow very hard from the eastward till noon, when the wind died away to a light breeze, and we had a very fine afternoon.  In the evening, the Horatio sailed for Old Calabar.

Wednesday, 14.—­A tornado in the middle of the night.

Friday, 16.—­A market opened to-day at Longfield, where our people were allowed to purchase what they pleased from the natives, paying a small duty for this privilege to the Colonial Government.  Hitherto an officer had been appointed to make the purchases, and distribute the articles, gratis, to the establishment.  The following were the rates of the impost:—­

s. d. 
For every Gallon of Palm-Wine  0  8
Ditto     Ditto  of Oil        0  2
100 Yams                       2  0
Fowl                           0  1-1/2
Sheep, or Goat                 2  0
Kid, or Lamb                   0  9

For my own part, I cannot perceive the policy of imposing duties upon such trifling articles, the whole of which would amount to a very inconsiderable sum, when collected, and it had the bad effect of rendering the people dissatisfied:  God knows, there were sufficient privations for those living in this infant colony, without imposing duties upon the few additional comforts of life, that were so scantily supplied by the inhabitants.

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[38] Ebony is plenty in this country, but the high duty that is
imposed upon its importation, renders it an unprofitable article in
the English market.  At Liverpool it sells for no more than L4 per
ton, the duty out of which is L2 per ton.

CHAP.  XIII.

Scarcity of Provisions in Fernando Po—­Diet of the Natives—­Their Timidity—­Its probable Cause—­The Recovery of a Liberated African Deserter—­Departure from Fernando Po—­Reflections on the Uses of the Settlement—­Causes of Failure—­Insalubrity of the Climate—­ Probabilities of Improvement—­Arrival off the mouth of the Camaroon River—­Chase of a Brigantine—­Her Capture—­Her suspicious Appearance—­ Slave Accommodations—­Pirates of the North Atlantic Ocean—­Prince’s Island—­Visit to the Governor—­Drunken Frolic of a Marine—­Provisions —­Delicious Coffee—­Account of the Town—­Population—­Varieties of Colour in the Inhabitants—­West-bay—­Inhospitality of the Governor and Merchants—­Visit to a Brazilian Brigantine—­Difficulty of obtaining a Passage to Angola—­Departure of the Emprendadora—­The Eden leaves Prince’s Island—­Crossing the Equinoctial Line—­Dolphin and Flying-fish—­Trade-winds—­Ascension Island at Daybreak—­Landing—­ Description of the Settlement—­Turtle—­Goats’ Flesh—­Abundant Poultry —­Island Game—­Aboriginal Foes—­Unfaithful Friends—­Gladiatorial Sports—­Privileges of Settlers—­Traffic—­Roads—­Water—­Culture of Soil—­Produce—­Vegetables—­Live Stock—­Population—­Employments—­Hours of Labour—­Recreations—­Departure from the Island—­Recollections of Ascension on a former Voyage—­Dampier, the Navigator—­The Variables—­ An Affidavit on Crossing the Line—­Change of Weather—­Dutch Galliot—­ Passage for the Brazils—­Parting of Friends