there is no communication by water with the Camaroons river, which seems to be totally distinct from the Calebar.  The canoes of the natives are the same sort as those of the Eboe people.  The river is full of crocodiles which are generally about twelve or fourteen feet long, and are very daring in their search of prey.  A short time previous to their arrival two deaths had been occasioned by them.  Sir John Tobin has a large store close to the river side, in which palm oil is kept for shipment on board the Liverpool vessels, and one evening an unfortunate native boy, tired with his day’s work, fell asleep on the shore.  In the course of the night an alligator attacked him, and was awakened by finding himself in the jaws of the monster; his struggles and cries were all in vain; the powerful creature lacerated him in a dreadful manner, and tore off one of his legs, with which he retreated into the water, and the remains of the unfortunate boy were found the next morning shockingly disfigured and weltering in blood, the death of the other was occasioned by his losing an arm in a similar manner.

Provisions are generally dear at Duke Town.  Bullocks fetch twenty dollars each, and those not of a very good quality.  Goats and sheep are valued at three dollars, ducks at half a dollar each, and fowls at half a dollar a pair.  Yams are cultivated by the natives very successfully, and are considered the best flavoured and finest of the country.  There are no cleared portions of ground on the banks of the river, and their cultivation of the yam and other vegetables is at a distance in the woods.

Since Lander’s first return to Fernando Po from the Calebar river, he accompanied Mr. Becroft twice to Duke Town in the Portia.  In this interval the Carnarvon, an English vessel had arrived with government stores from England for the establishment, and as she was going to Rio Janeiro for a cargo to take back, and there seemed to be no prospect at present of their getting away from Fernando Po by any other means, the Landers requested Mr. Becroft to conclude an agreement for their passage to that place, from whence they hoped to be more successful in finding their way to England.  About a week previously, the brig Thomas, in which they came from the river Nun, touched at the island on her way home from the Camaroons, her commander, Lake, supposing that they would take a passage with him.  They had now been upon the island seven weeks, and they would have preferred staying seven more, rather than put themselves into his power again.  They had experienced quite enough of his care and kindness, and therefore declined his offer of taking them.  After waiting three days at the island, he sailed about six o’clock in the afternoon, and had not got more than a mile from the anchorage, when a large vessel with long, raking masts, suddenly appeared from behind a part of the island, and was seen in pursuit of him.  They observed the vessel to fire several guns at him, which at length made him