de ramparts afford a shady walk,
commanding lovely views of the town and harbour beneath, and the noble
amphitheatre of mountains above. Sierra Leone would be delightful but
for its climate and the fevers which it brings.

The 'Sunbeam' left Sierra Leone at sunset on November 15th under
steam. The North-east Trades were picked up in latitude 11 deg. N. A call
of a few hours was made at Porto Praya on November 19th. The French
frigate of instruction for cadets, the 'Iphigenie,' a heavily rigged
ship of 4,000 tons displacement, had anchored on the previous day.
Porto Praya wears the air of decay so commonly observable in foreign
settlements under the Portuguese flag. The country is fertile, but
progress is checked by the great weight of taxation, the public income
being misapplied in keeping the unemployed in unprofitable idleness.
We noticed a considerable number of able-bodied men hoeing weeds in
the public square.

We found three kind Englishmen leading a life of exile, in charge of
the station of the West African Telegraph Company. St. Vincent, the
only island of the Cape de Verdes which has any trade, is a coaling
station much used by steamers on the South American route.

On the day after leaving Porto Praya the 'Sunbeam' lay becalmed under
the lee of St. Antonio. The anchorage used by us in 1876 was in view,
as was also the house and plantation of which a drawing is given in
my dear wife's 'Voyage in the Sunbeam.' There were many sad
reminiscences as the former track of the 'Sunbeam' was crossed. On
November 29th, without warning from the barometer, a strong gale
commenced from the east, and lasted without intermission for four
days. Under low canvas and close-hauled, the 'Sunbeam' gallantly
struggled forward, making 130 knots, on November 29th, and on the
three following days 112, 57, and 92 knots respectively. While hove-to
in this gale the canvas was severely punished. All the lower sails
were more or less damaged, and sail was reduced to storm trysails. Two
large barques were passed lying-to under lower main topsails and mizen
storm staysails. At dawn on December 2nd Fayal was sighted.

[Illustration: Barque Hove-to]

The gale was blowing dead on shore at Horta, and it was preferable to
run for shelter under the lee of the island. As we closed the land,
grand effects were produced by the clouds and mist driving before the
gale down the green slopes of the mountains to the dark cliffs of lava
and basalt, o