Page:A pilgrimage to my motherland.djvu/18



LIVERPOOL TO LAGOS.

Bathurst—Sierra Leone—Malignant Fever—Cape Palmas—Cape Coast Castle—Acra, English and Dutch. O N the 24th June, 1859, I departed from Liverpool on board the African S. S. "Ethiope," Capt. French. On the 2d of July we arrived at Funchal, Madeira; the 4th was spent at Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, four days after leaving which we came in sight of Cape Verde, Africa; the next day we anchored in the port of Bathurst on the Gambia. This little town is built on one of those great deposits of sand commonly found on the Deltas of large rivers. It is said to be surrounded by very unhealthy influences, although the American Consul, with whom I enjoyed an hour's conversation, assured me that he had not known a case of fever among the white inhabitants of the place for six months. The trade is chiefly in ground-nuts, (Arachis Hypogea.) Except perhaps Freetown, there is not a better looking place