ill-digested statutes of the Admiralty Court; for these, however partially adapted to the ages through which they have been endured, are confessed to be utterly unfit for grappling with the present state of commerce and navigation. As the arguments for furbishing up this farrago are more specious than_valid, arrangements must be made, as sweeping as those by which Louis XIV. quashed the troublesome compound of quibbles and quiddities which debilitated the marine strength of France, when he politically gave his country an entire new body of mercantile and naval laws.

Authority and precedent are the avowed foundations of our Admiralty jurisprudence; yet new decisions of individual judges, grounded upon fanciful analogies to some former case, are constantly erected into maxims of law; and an adherence to remote sources of authority, in opposition to the plain standard of reason and common sense, involves every fresh question in inextricable confusion. While the stability of the law is relied upon in theory, its uncertainty in practice is notorious; and in fact, decisions depend more upon the personal character of the judge, than upon any fixed or ascertained principles. Thus right or wrong become subordinate considerations; the question is, not what is just, but what is law! and that law is not to be found in any written enactment, but in the ever-varying opinion of presiding judges.

When we hear ignorant men murmuring about "good old times," and the like, we hardly know what they are driving at, except that the simplicity of the cry creates a smile. Do they wish for the times of religious intolerance, of political persecution, of forced service, of burnings for witchcraft, of such trials and executions as those of Raleigh and Doughty? It is clamoured by some of the scribes of "the Press," on the topic in question, that the ancient Rules and Customs of the sea are quite sufficient for the well-being of the merchant service. We should be glad to know which of those "Rules and Customs" appeared to them so efficient. They could hardly mean the obsolete rigmarole for coasting craft, contained in the Rhodian and Oleron laws; still less can they allude to those of Wisbuy, or of the Hanse Towns, because they are mere fudges from the former. Few, we think, would desire the restoration of the discipline which, as the Harleian MSS. inform us, was prevalent in the golden days of Queen Elizabeth, when ducking, keel-hauling, beaching, and cutting off hands, were amongst the minor punishments; and when it was deemed propitious of fair winds, to have all the "shippe-boys" soundly flogged every Monday morning. According to this summary code, "If anye one slept in his watche, for the first time he was to be headed with a bucket of water; for the second time, he was to be haled upp by the wrysts, and to have two buckets of water poured intoe his sleeves; for the third time, he was to be bounde to the mayne-mast with plates of iron, and to have some gunn chambers, or a basket of bulletts tied to his armes, and so to remaine at the pleasure of the captaine; for the fourth time, he was to be hanged at the boltsprite with a can of beere and a biscott of breade, and a sharpe knife, and soe to hange, and chuse whether he woulde cutt himself downe, and fall intoe the sea, or hange still and starve." Here's a pretty alternative! Why modern blacklisting, polishing, swab wringing, and diluting of grog-the cat-the rope's end-the bilbo-the scraper-the bear--the holy-stone-are to this as a mosquito-bite is to an ulcer!

SURVEY OF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA IN 1825-6.*

THE harbour of Angola is very extensive, with a great depth of water. I should, however, recommend all European vessels not to anchor within one mile and a half of the town; for, as the nights are in general calm and oppressively hot, the sea-breeze becomes of the utmost importance, and by lying close under the island, it may be enjoyed with some degree of regularity. Numerous fortifications command the bay at every point. The strongest and principal garrison is situated on the brow of a hill on one side of the town, mounting nearly eighty guns. In addition to this are three others; one built on a rock communicating with the main land by a drawbridge, having also a very strong battery of sixty-four guns, commanding the harbour in every direction. The town of Angola is the most extensive settlement which the Portuguese possess on this coast. When approached from the southward it presents rather a grand and pleasing appearance, being situated on an eminence, surmounted by the garrison before mentioned. The houses are of stone, spacious and substantial, as Portuguese dwellings on this coast generally are; regularly and even tastefully built, with several churches and a cathedral. The market is tolerably supplied during the season, but filthy in the extreme. It is singular they do not take a greater pride in this one particular, for I believe, from the principal market-place of Lisbon, to that of their smallest settlement, they are noted for the dirty state of their towns, and the various offensive effluvia which they constantly inhale. Numerous military are stationed here; the privates composed chiefly of convicts from Portugal; many of the officers are also sent to this country for trifling offences committed at home. Two instances came to my knowledge, the one was merely for murdering a padrè, the other for putting a sister, who was a bit of a shrew, upon the fire, which was the natural cause of her becoming a cinder. For these trifling offences, being men of some interest, they suffered the penalty of transportation, and here appeared to enjoy themselves despite of padrès and sisters! Many of them are, however, most gentlemanly men and good officers, having served, in several instances, with our army when on the Peninsula. We invariably experienced the greatest politeness and attention from them whenever we were on shore.

Every description of provisions was at this time selling for the most exorbitant prices; even water is very scarce, on account of having no springs or rivers in the neighbourhood. In order to obviate this inconvenience, a number of large boats are constantly employed in fetching it from Bengo River, which is about nine miles to the northward, and upon them the town and ships depend entirely for their supply. We were informed that every description of tropical fruit was abundant here during the summer months; and the oranges are said to be finer at this place than any other along the coast. We had not, unfortunately, an opportunity of judging, in consequence of the rainy season having set in. The only thing we found at all plentiful were herrings, which our people caught so fast, that we were compelled to throw them overboard by boatsfull. The zoological productions in the

* Continued from page 463.

immediate vicinity are lions, tigers, hyenas, wolves, zebras, and elephants, of a prodigious size. The soldiers have also some pretty horses of a Spanish breed. A great variety of serpents, scorpions, and numerous venomous insects bring up the rear, to give their gentle torments, if you be fortunate enough to escape the more ferocious violence of the larger inhabitants.

The unblushing effrontery with which the slave-trade is here carried on, surprises the unsophisticated eye of a European. The civilized inhabitant of an enlightened country naturally wonders how the sovereign of a Christian state can thus openly violate every tie of humanity and affection! The throne's lustre is tarnished by the tears of misery, and the King who countenances so inhuman a traffic, will tremble when called to receive that mercy which he showed to others. His hands will be too deeply stained by the blood of his victims, to hope that years of penitence and tears can ever wash it out! Is it not a stigma on the Powers which rule Europe, that they permit those who are compelled to obey, thus to obtain riches by breaking every law of religion and Nature? Twenty-four ships were at this time lying in the harbour of Angola waiting for cargoes of human misery. One brig, of not more than 180 tons, had on board above four hundred slaves, with which she went to sea! thus closely packed, to be tossed about probably for weeks, before they tasted the comparative, but sterile happiness of domestic slavery!

Having remained here for about a week, and completed a survey of the bay, we worked-out and proceeded to the northward. As we met with many contrary currents outside, and the wind was very light, we made but little progress for some days; this gave us an opportunity of observing the coast, which presented a particularly beautiful appearance, being thickly wooded, and varied with numerous hills, valleys, and rivers. We were led to suppose this line of country was plentifully inhabited, as every night we could perceive fires extending over a great distance.

About four days after leaving Angola, we arrived off a small place called Ambriz, where we found five vessels at anchor under Brazilian colours. This town is situated on a hill, which forms the south point of the bay, from which it takes its name: a reef extends some distance out from the land, affording good shelter for boats. This place is also supported by the slave-trade; and as there are no Portuguese inhabitants, the traders obtain them at a lower price than at other towns along the coast.

In the bay, a little above the town, is the mouth of a small river, which runs through a very extensive and fertile valley, presenting a most beautiful piece of scenery, the distant hills forming a rich and abrupt back-ground. Having passed the town of Ambriz, we came upon a very remarkable range of hills, covered with immense blocks of granite, looking, at a distance, like a number of large stone buildings, one performing the part of a church with much propriety, being formed by a large mass towering over all, in the shape of a modern steeple.

We passed numerous villages, which appeared thickly inhabited; from one we saw a boat standing off shore apparently full of people, and when she passed close under our stern, we found that she was loaded heavily with slaves. It appeared that she belonged to one of

the ships lying at Ambriz, where she was then going, having come from Kabenda, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles. These wretched beings had thus been exposed in an open boat for about ten days, writhing beneath a burning sun, without a particle of covering to protect their parched and ulcerous skins from the maddening bite of the musquito! We could only regret that we were not authorized to take them from their inhuman masters, and give them once more to their homes and liberty. The general face of this coast is a kind of red sand-stone cliff, from sixty to one hundred feet in height, parts of which are curiously excavated by the never-ceasing inroads of its boisterous assailant; numerous caves and fissures offer splendid accommodations to the various amphibious monsters that abound here. We frequently saw fires along the beach at night, probably with the intention of enticing us on shore, which is a very common custom on the east coast. The natives appear to live in a great measure upon fish, as a great many canoes were constantly seen near every village in the act of fishing.

As we approached the Congo, the water for some distance was much discoloured. This is caused by the body of that immense river running so far into the sea. We felt the effects of it several miles before making Cape Padron, which forms the southern entrance. When we hauled round the Cape, we found the current setting strong against us, which scarcely allowed of our making any way. Having tried in vain for some hours to get a-head, we were at length compelled to anchor, when we found the current was running past us at the rate of about four miles an hour.

On the following morning two boats were sent away, for the purpose of measuring a base line, and to procure soundings. The one in which I went proceeded towards Cape Padron: as we came near the land, we saw several Natives, who appeared greatly alarmed at our presence. We tried every means to give them confidence, but could not prevail upon them to approach, fearing we should seize and carry them off; a species of depredation which is frequently practised upon this coast both by the Portuguese and French. Their plan is to go on shore and mix with the natives, to whom they are apparently very generous, giving them in the first instance all kinds of trinkets and baubles; when they imagine their suspicions are removed, they introduce spirits, which they commence drinking, and soon persuade their intended victims to join in their revelry. The effect upon their unaccustomed natures is speedy intoxication, when their treacherous friends entice them to their boats. Returning reason finds the once free savage groaning in chains, with a mind torn by recollections of those ties of nature and affection, which are thus so violently and for ever broken! Hundreds are in this manner annually entrapped into perpetual exile and slavery!

We made another attempt to gain the entrance of the river, but although a breeze was blowing sufficiently strong to send us five knots a-head, yet we lost ground at the rate of about three miles an hour. The pinnace, which had left the ship at the same time with me, was absent the whole night, in consequence of getting into a current at the mouth of the river, which carried her to the northward at the rate of about six knots an hour. On the following morning she contrived to

reach the ship, all hands being in a state of great exhaustion from the constant labour to which they had been exposed.

For four days we made numerous attempts to enter the river with the sea-breeze, and were as constantly drifted back to our starting place. On the fifth, the wind having increased, we contrived to get within half a mile of Shark Point, which forms the southern entrance, where we continued under all sail for several hours, during which time we did not get one inch a-head; and, as the wind was falling, we were compelled, in order to keep what we had gained, to come to an anchor. On the following morning, as the sea-breeze set in strong, we got under all sail, and in about six hours rounded Shark Point, where we found the water quite fresh; then proceeded slowly up the river, sometimes within twenty yards of the shore, in eight or nine fathoms. The width at the mouth is about three miles and a half, but it gets rapidly narrower upon ascending. A quarter of a mile off Shark Point we tried soundings with two hundred fathoms line without finding any bottom. After passing this point, the coast on both banks is composed entirely of mangroves, with the exception of a few sandy bays up some of the numerous creeks on the south side of the river. Before coming to an anchor, we observed a schooner lying about two miles higher up, under Portuguese colours. In the evening a boat was seen a short distance from the ship, with four black men in her; upon being hailed, one of the party said they were going to Kabinda, a distance of forty miles. Immediately after answering, they begged permission to come on board, when we found, by a few interrogatories, that she was a Portuguese boat sent by the above-mentioned schooner for the purpose of discovering our character and intentions. It appeared that she was in great alarm respecting a pirate, under Spanish colours, which had lately been committing devastations upon the slavers by coming up the river, when they had got a cargo, and robbing them of their slaves;-a species of piracy which, according to report, appeared by no means of uncommon occurrence upon this lawless coast. It forms a strange anomaly, that these spoilers should thus again be subject to the attacks of others so soon as they have obtained their prize-like the ferocious hawk, preying upon the smaller birds of the air-and immediately afterwards becoming himself a mouthful to the lordly eagle.

On the following morning,, as we were taking in wood and water, for which this is a very convenient place, several canoes came off with numbers of inhabitants. The costume of these people was entirely that of our first parents, with the exception of some of the nobility, who have picked up an occasional jacket. This they wear without any other garment than the bunch of leaves or old piece of dungaree round the middle. These are, perhaps, the most superstitious savages to be met with, relying almost entirely upon their charms for the success of every event of their lives. They are all abundantly supplied with them, and if they find one will not produce the desired effect, they substitute another, until the effect is produced! These creatures thought we admired their mode of conducting the ways of Providence, and wondered how "white man," who, they say, is very big in all tings, no make Feteish!" They are a fine race of blacks, but I believe very treacherous. Their strongest attachment appears to be towards

66