und at one
place. Thus we went on to _Villalonga_ where we anchored. The 3d we came
to Rio de Lagoa, or Lagos Creek, where our merchants went to land,
finding 3 fathoms on the bar, but being late they did not go in. There
is to the eastward of this river a date tree, higher than all the other
trees thereabouts. Thus we went along the coast, anchoring every night,
and all the shore was full of trees and thick woods. The morning of the
6th was very foggy, so that we could not see the land; but it cleared up
about three in the afternoon, when we found ourselves off the river
Jaya; and finding the water very shallow, we bore a little out to
seawards as we had done in the former voyage, and came to anchor in five
fathoms. We set sail again next day, and came about noon abreast the
river of Benin, where we anchored in four fathoms.

The 10th our captain went to land with the boat at 2 P.M. All this week
it was very foggy every day till 10 o'clock A.M. and hitherto the
weather had been as temperate as our summer in England. This day we
anchored in the road in 4 fathoms, the west point bearing from us E.N.E.
The 21st, being a fair temperate day, Mr Hassald went up to the town of
Gato to hear news of our captain. The 23d came the caravel[319] in which
was Samuel, bringing 63 elephants teeth and three bullocks. The 28th was
a fair temperate day, but towards night we had much rain with thunder
and lightning. This day our boat came on board from Gato. The 24th
February, we took in 298 serons or bags of pepper, and 4 elephants
teeth. The 26th we put the rest of our goods on board the caravel, in
which Mr Hassald went up to Gato. The 5th March the caravel came again,
bringing 21 serons of pepper and 4 elephants teeth. The 9th April our
caravel came again on board with water for our return voyage, and this
day we lost our shallop or small boat. The 17th was a hazy and rainy
day, and in the afternoon we saw three great water spouts, two to
larboard and one right a-head, but by the blessing of God they came not
to our ship. This day we took in the last of our water for sea store,
and on the 26th we victualled our caravel to accompany us. The 27th we
set sail on our voyage homewards.

[Footnote 319: It is not mentioned how they came by this caravel.--Astl.
I. 204. b. Probably the pinnace that attended them in the voyage, for
the purpose of going up the shallow rivers.--E.]

The 24th May we were 37 leagues south of Cape Palmas. The 1st