dressed in blue serge, with a gold-headed
long cane in his hand, the badge of his office. He informed the Governor
there was a large alligator at the bottom of the lake, and that if he
would provide him with a white fowl and a bottle of rum, his people might
possibly lure him out. About an hour expired when we heard a bustle not
far distant, and a man came to apprise us that the alligator was in the
town, that a marabout, or priest, was ready to fetich it, and only waited
for us. We had not proceeded more than twelve yards from the fort when we
saw the reptile, which was about eighteen feet long, in full trot after a
man who held the unfortunate fowl destined to be the victim. As soon as we
approached he turned short round. The reptile, with his upper jaw nearly
thrown on the back of his head, was some time in turning, owing to its
length and the shortness of its legs, and was again in chase of the man
who held the fowl. The marabout now came after it, and when close to its
tail, threw the rum over it, mumbling some strange sounds. It was then
considered sacred, and death would have been the punishment of those who
hurt it. Before it came to the margin of the lagoon, the man with the poor
fowl, which was more than half-dead with fright, slackened his pace, and
threw it into the alligator's mouth. The reptile then made for the water,
sank to the bottom, and ate the miserable bird. We returned to dinner,
which consisted of a hearty welcome, some excellent fish, fowl soup,
boiled fowl with ham, and a roasted saddle of kid, with yams and
plantains, pine-apples and oranges, madeira and sherry. In the evening I
took leave of my hospitable host and repaired on board, and the following
morning put to sea.

After cruising for six weeks in chase of the wind--for we saw nothing
during that period except two slave ships from Liverpool, from whom we
procured a few indifferent potatoes--we again anchored off Cape Coast. I
went on shore and paid my respects to the Governor, General Tourenne, in a
new character. I had once dined with him when lieutenant of the frigate;
he did not recollect me, but requested me whenever I was disposed to take
up my residence at the Castle, and to consider it my home during the time
I remained on the station. "The Ashantee, or Assentee nation have,"
continued he, "been very troublesome of late and have declared war against
the Fantee nation, who are under our protection, as it is through them all
the com