We are soon carried by the joint influence of breeze and current to the African side of the straits, and coast nearly along a wild shore formed of mountains, like those of Spain, of varied form and outline.  No churches, no villages, no marks of human hand are seen.  The chain of hills show a mockery of cultivation, but it is only wild heath intermingled with patches of barren sand.  I look in vain for cattle or flocks of sheep, and Anne as vainly entertains hopes of seeing lions and tigers on a walk to the sea-shore.  The land of this wild country seems to have hardly a name.  The Cape which we are doubling has one, however—­the Cape of the Three Points.  That we might not be totally disappointed we saw one or two men engaged apparently in ploughing, distinguished by their turbans and the long pikes which they carried.  Dr. Liddell says that on former occasions he has seen flocks and shepherds, but the war with France has probably laid the country waste.

November 16.—­When I waked about seven found that we had the town of Oran twelve or fourteen miles off astern.  It is a large place on the sea-beach, near the bottom of a bay, built close and packed together as Moorish [towns], from Fez to Timbuctoo, usually are.  A considerable hill runs behind the town, which seems capable of holding 10,000 inhabitants.  The hill up to its eastern summit is secured by three distinct lines of fortification, made probably by the Spanish when Oran was in their possession; latterly it belonged to the State of Algiers; but whether it has yielded to the French or not we have no means of knowing.  A French schooner of eighteen guns seems to blockade the harbour.  We show our colours, and she displays hers, and then resumes her cruise, looking as if she resumed her blockade.  This would infer that the place is not yet in French hands.  However, we have in any event no business with Oran, whether African or French.  Bristol is a more important subject of consideration, but I cannot learn there are papers on board.  One or two other towns we saw on this dreary coast, otherwise nothing but a hilly coast covered with shingle and gum cistus.

November 17.—­In the morning we are off Algiers, of which Captain Pigot’s complaisance afforded a very satisfactory sight.  It is built on a sloping hill, running down to the sea, and on the water side is extremely strong; a very strong mole or causeway enlarges the harbour, by enabling them to include a little rocky island, and mount immense batteries, with guns of great number and size.  It is a wonder, in the opinion of all judges, that Lord Exmouth’s fleet was not altogether cut to pieces.  The place is of little strength to the land; a high turreted wall of the old fashion is its best defence.  When Charles V. attacked Algiers, he landed in the bay to the east of the town, and marched behind it.  He afterwards reached what is still called the Emperor’s fort, a building more highly situated than any part of the town, and