My circumftances and profpects on arriving. in Charleston by no means equalled my wants or expectations. Difappointed hopes, and the still predominating turn of my difpofition, prompted me to new pursuits, urged on by: the more potent ftimulus of neceffity, and my efforts were redoubled, but without fuccefs. While in this unfettled ftate, an offer was made me of a situation on board a Guinea Trader; the fhip had been delayed through the want of a fupercargo. I was fufficiently qualified, and happy did I confider myfelf in obtaining a fituation reputable in its nature and highly profitable in profpect.

We failed from Charleston the 1ft of Dec. 1793, on board the ship Charleston, J. Connelly mafter, burthen 400 Tons; and after a paffage partly boisterous, and frequently becalmed for feveral days, we made the isles of Delos on the 17th January 1794.

These islands are nine in number, and afford harbours and fafe anchorage in deep

water for fhips of any burthen; they are fix leagues from the main land of Africa, in 12 deg. 30 min. fouth lat. they are inhabited by French and English factors, who find their account in living on those islands in preference to the main, particularly from the circumstances of accommodation for their fhips, which lye here with the greatest safety in all weathers, and that their flaves cannot eafily escape. The flaves are in those islands fuffered to go at large, without chains, contrary to the customs on the continent. The furface of the islands is barren and rocky, but there is abundance of fine fresh water; and provisions are procured with facility.

From the factors here we learned that the Ebo and Golo Kings had been at war, the latter of whom having been defeated, and a great part of his army had fallen into the hands of the conqueror, they therefore advised us to proceed for the Reyo-pongo river, about 25 leagues fouth weftward, and from thence the access to the Ebo nation would be eafily

B

My circumstances and profpects on arriving in Charleston by no means equalled my wants or expectations. Difappointed hopes, and the still predominating turn of my disposition, prompted me to new pursuits, urged on by: the more potent ftimulus of neceffity, and my efforts were redoubled, but without fuccefs. While in this unfettled ftate, an offer was made me of a fituation on board a Guinea Trader; the fhip had been delayed through the want of a fupercargo. I was fufficiently qualified, and happy did I confider myfelf in obtaining a fituation reputable in its nature and highly profitable in prospect.

We failed from Charleston the ift of Dec. 1793, on board the ship Charleston, J. Connelly mafter, burthen 400 Tons; and after a paffage partly boisterous, and frequently becalmed for feveral days, we made the ifles of Delos on the 17th January 1794.

Thefe iflands are nine in number, and afford harbours and fafe anchorage in deep

water for fhips of any burthen; they are fix leagues from the main land of Africa, in 12 deg. 30 min. fouth lat. they are inhabited by French and English factors, who find their account in living on thofe iflands in preference to the main, particularly from the circumstances of accommodation for their fhips, which lye here with the greatest fafety in all weathers, and that their flaves cannot eafily escape. The flaves are in those islands fuffered to go at large, without chains, contrary to the customs on the continent. The furface of the islands is barren and rocky, but there is abundance of fine fresh water; and provifions are procured with facility.

From the factors here we learned that the Ebo and Golo Kings had been at war, the lat ter of whom having been defeated, and a great part of his army had fallen into the hands of the conqueror, they therefore advised us to proceed for the Reyo-pongo river, about 25 leagues fouth weftward, and from thence the access to the Ebo nation would be eafily

B

fecured, by a paffage up that river and from thence by land, about three hundred miles from the mouth of this river; they furnished us with further directions, and affured us of a certain and good trade.

Agreeably to this information, we provided ourselves with fuch neceffaries as the factors could afford us, and proceeded for the Reyopongo, which we made on the 5th of February, and after chufing a proper fituation, came to anchor in a handfome harbour within the northern bank, three leagues from the mouth of the river, clofe to the fhore, in view of a luxuriant country, low, and thinly covered with fcattered woods, and picturefque collections of reed. The oppofite fide of the river appearing in perspective, more bold and rifing in proportion to its diftance.

The country bore the appearance of being frequently overflowed, which we afterwards learned to be the cafe; the banks were however covered with the most exuberant