It is true, I
ascertain nothing _visibly_; but, thank God! I possess most exquisitely
the other senses, which it has pleased Providence to leave me endowed
with; and I have reason to believe that my deficiency of sight is to a
considerable degree compensated, by a greater abundance of the power of
imagination which presents me with facility to form _ideal pictures_
from the description of others, which, as far as my experience goes, I
have reason to believe constitute fair and correct representations of
the objects they were originally derived from. It must be recollected
that I have formerly enjoyed the power of vision; and, although my
colourings may occasionally be too weak or too vivid, it is fair to
infer that the recollections of my former experience are sufficient to
prevent me from running into gross inaccuracies or incongruities. Place
me, as some have suggested, in the situation of the man in the farce,
and carry me in a limited circle around the same point, under the
assurance that I was travelling to distant and ever-changing scenes,
and support the stratagem by every circumstance calculated to give it
the fullest effect; it would never impose upon me: for the tact which
nature and experience have given me, and the inconceivable acuteness of
perception I derive from it, would immediately detect inconsistencies
scarcely appreciable by others, and at once overturn and expose the
deception which was being practised.

At 3 o'clock in the afternoon I left the Eden for King Cove, at which
place we found a few natives, who assembled on our landing. Anderson,
the interpreter, had been appointed to conduct me, but Mr. Jeffery
kindly accompanied me for the first half mile, in expectation of
leaving me in the care of a chief of our acquaintance. However, before
we had proceeded far, the assemblage of natives had become so great,
and their importunities to purchase palm-wine and other commodities so
annoying, that I was glad when he returned, under the expectation that
his separation from me would prove, as it did, a diversion which, by
drawing off a considerable part of the natives, would permit me to
continue my journey with less interruption. I now advanced with
Anderson as fast as the paths would admit, being anxious to arrive at
our point of destination that evening; my companion, however, was
desirous of passing the night at the hut of a chief in the
neighbourhood of the beach, and endeavoured to dissuade me from