Page:Blanchard on L. E. L.pdf/158

158 by which the course is steered; it is such a speck of light for the safety of the whole to depend upon. The colour of the sea is lovely. . .  .  . we had a slight tornado last night, the lightning was splendid, the thunder appeared to me much louder than I had ever heard; it was at night, and I was luckily on deck; it was very striking—the sudden stir on the deck that had been so still—the men who start up, you cannot tell from whence, and the rapid furling of the sails! . ..

"Friday, August 10. We can now see the land. All I can say is, that Cape Coast must be infinitely worse than my worst imaginings, if it does not seem paradise after the ship. .  .  .  The sea appears to me the most monotonous view in the world—the first impression is grand; and the waves, with the sun upon them, the loveliest purple imaginable;—the moonlight too—on one side a tremulous track of silver, the other dark, but lighted with pale gleams of some phosphoric fire; but it is always the same.—.  .  .  .  I shall indeed be glad to land. I trust, from the very first, I shall be able to lay down a regular plan of employment.  .  .  .  .  Cape Coast Castle! Thank goodness, I am on land again. Last night we arrived; the light-house became visible, and from that time, gun after gun was fired to attract attention, to say nothing of most ingenious fireworks invented on the spur of the moment. A fishing-boat put off, and in that, about two o'clock at night, Mr. Maclean left the ship, taking them all by surprise, no one supposing he would go through the surf such a foggy and dark night. I cannot tell you my anxiety, but he returned safe, though wet to the skin. We found the secretary dead, poor young man! so that everything was in utter confusion."