26th, Saturday. At daylight we could see nothing either of the boat or land, having lost sight of both during the night. Standing in, we again saw the coast about 7 in the morning. Its appearance was similar to what we sailed along the preceding day, only it was more flat, and considerably lower,[[89]] but equally barren. Kept our way along shore at the distance of about 6 or 8 miles, in from 10 to 25 fathoms, sand and shells. A little before sunset we hove to in 25 fathoms, and were again very successful in fishing. At 6 P.M. made sail, still keeping a respectable distance from the shore. The weather clear and warm, with steady easterly winds, the thermometer at 79½°. Lat. 7° 10′ N.; long. per chron. 49° 42′ 30″ E.
27th, Sunday. Continued our way along the coast three or four miles from the shore, in from 20 to 25 fathoms, sand and gravel, with a very strong current[[90]] in our favour. The land opposite us to-day was low and even, and had somewhat a better appearance than any we had for some days before seen. Green spots were here and there observable, and we could distinguish on the shore several natives and a few cattle, but of what description we were not near enough to ascertain. Fish still continued to be caught in great abundance. About 3 P.M. saw higher land[[91]] ahead, which we took to be Cape Bassas ([Note 2]), the position of which, though described to be a very dangerous place, had never been accurately laid down; we were therefore anxious to determine it, and to have an opportunity of doing so properly, kept working to windward that we might not pass it during the night. Winds still easterly with warm weather. The thermometer at 79½°. Lat. 5° 37′ N.; long. by lunar at 8 P.M. 49° 20′ E.; variation per amplitude 8° 40′ W.
28th, Monday. Passed the elevated land seen yesterday afternoon, and at 2 P.M. Cape Bassas was abreast of us, distant a few miles. The real situation of this cape we had difficulty to determine, for the land along, low and smooth, had so much sameness in appearance, and that forming the cape itself so little remarkable from the rest, that had we not observed the coast to recede considerably on each side, making opposite to us an evident projection or headland, we should still have remained in great uncertainty respecting it. At 5 or 6 miles’ distance from the shore struck soundings in 19 fathoms, hard ground, and we had still a strong current in our favour, but we observed little or no rippling about the ship. The position of the cape ([Note 3]) according to the mean of several good observations is in N. lat. 4° 44′, and long. 48° 17′ E., variation per azimuth 9° 7′ W. After ascertaining the situation of this cape[[92]] we stood to windward during the night. To-day the weather continued fine with a moderate easterly wind, the thermometer at 78°. Lat. observed at noon 4° 59′ N.
29th, Tuesday. Stood in again and steered along the coast to the southward of Cape Bassas at the distance of three miles in from 10 to 20 fathoms sand and shells. The land here was white and sandy, but in several places there was apparently tolerable pasturage ground, on which were seen several small groups of huts and some pretty numerous herds of cattle. By the number of people observed on these spots this tract seemed better frequented; but its general appearance was similar with that to the northward of the cape. During the preceding night a considerable dew had fallen, and the weather to-day was damp and cloudy, the thermometer at 78½°. As the supposed site of the river Doara[[93]] ([Note 4]) was near at hand, the examination of which formed one of our principal objects, it became desirable to avoid passing any part of the coast in the night, but towards the evening the wind unfortunately began to blow very fresh with a heavy swell, and being on bad holding ground, we were once more reluctantly compelled to work to windward. Lat. observed at noon 4° 14′ N.; long. by lunar at 2 P.M. 47° 42′ E.; variation per azimuth 9° 15′ W.
30th, Wednesday. Continued steering S.W. about 2½ miles from the land, in from 7 to 10 fathoms, white sand and coral, the Sylph keeping her course half way between us and the shore in regular soundings of 6 and 7 fathoms. This day’s sail presented the same barren prospect as the coast we had already traced; it was still low and sandy, remarkably white, and to all appearance completely desert; neither huts, people, nor cattle of any description to be observed. The shore was in many places rocky, and a high surf beat over it. At 2 P.M. breakers appeared ahead, distant less than 2 miles, and a little beyond them, low land, which seemed to be an island; to weather these it became necessary to haul off shore, and immediately after taking this precaution, the wind began again to blow exceeding fresh, with a very heavy swell, which forced us to continue standing out to sea during the whole night. Weather still damp and cloudy, and the thermometer at 79½. Lat. observed at noon 3° 30′ N.; long. by chron. 47° 25′ E.
31st, Thursday. The wind increased to a gale and blew furiously during the whole day and following night, attended with a tremendous heavy swell, which prevented us from approaching the shore near enough to see anything distinctly; we could only remark that the land seemed to be higher than what we had lately seen. Weather still damp and cloudy, and the thermometer at 79°. Lat. observed at noon 2° 44′ N.; long. by chron. 46° 5′ E.; variation by amplitude 10° W.
February 1st, Friday. The wind moderating, we continued our course along the coast in very irregular soundings of from 10 to 65 fathoms, rocks and gravel. At 9 A.M. the mosques of Magadosho were seen bearing W.S.W. distant 9 or 10 miles. The late gale has therefore carried us farther to the southward of the reported mouth of the Doara—a mortifying circumstance, and to us a very severe disappointment, for we had promised ourselves much gratification in exploring that river—so interesting, and at the same time so little known. At noon Magadosho bore W.N.W. of the ship two or three miles; here we sounded, but could find no ground with a line of 80 fathoms. The town, which is large and irregular, is situated on an uneven sandy piece of ground close to the beach; the land behind considerably lower than that on either side. The houses resemble those seen in the towns on the coast of Arabia and Persia, and are apparently built of stones and mud, of a low, square form, with small doors and windows, and have all flat roofs. The most conspicuous objects are the mosques already mentioned; there are four of them; three of which are placed in the town, the other among some straggling buildings, a little to the northward. The land both to the N.E. and S.W. is of a reddish colour, thickly covered with black spots, and upon them some low-spreading trees, which have a very uncommon appearance. About ten miles to the southward is a remarkable white sandy hill, which, with the red hills already mentioned, are excellent marks in approaching Magadosho. The sea-shore immediately opposite the town is sandy and guarded by a reef, which, running from the rocks on the N.E. to the S.W. end of the town, extends to about a quarter of a mile from the beach; within the anchorage is said to be excellent. To the S.W., as to the N.E., the shore is in many places low and rocky, forming what has been described as islands ([Note 5]). We were doubtful of this, but did not go near enough to ascertain. We observed a large village on the northernmost of these supposed islands, a few miles south of Magadosho. Having determined the position of the town, we were in hopes that we might at last be enabled to anchor, and pursue at leisure the inquiries we proposed to make here concerning some of the objects of our search, but our bad fortune continued to attend us, for the wind began again to blow very fresh, with an exceedingly heavy swell setting in towards the shore. Under these circumstances, we did not think it prudent to trust ourselves at anchor in an open unprotected roadstead with a reef of rocks under our lee; we therefore bore away along the coast to the S.W. of Magadosho till the evening, when we stood out to sea and passed a night more tempestuous than any we had hitherto experienced. The weather still damp, with heavy dews at night, thermometer at 78°. Lat. observed at noon 2° 4′ N.; long. by chron. at noon 45° 46′ E. According to us, Magadosho is situated in N. lat. 2° 3′,[[94]] and in long. by chron. 42° 43′ E.
2nd, Saturday. Being driven from Magadosho the preceding night, we intended if possible to make Meeya or Maiea,[[95]] a place laid down about 14 or 15 miles to the S.W. of Madagascar. At twilight, however, saw nothing of such a place, and were again forced to stand out to sea during the night, when we must have passed it; for at noon to-day we were off the town of Brava in N. lat. 1° 11′, and long. 44° 9′ E. This town is situated under some very high reddish land, spotted with black rocks, and has several small islands abreast of it at a very short distance from the shore, one of which, to the southward, opposite a white sandy patch of high ground, has a tower or lighthouse on it. The land between Magadosho and Brava is uniformly high, and has that remarkable reddish appearance already so often described. Our bad fortune still persecuted us; we could not anchor here for the same reasons that had prevented us at Magadosho; we therefore yielded to our fate, and again took refuge in a secure distance from the shore. The houses of Brava are similar to those of Magadosho. The weather continued unaltered, with the thermometer at 80°; N. lat. observed at noon 1° 14′.
3rd, Sunday. At noon we were in lat. 0° 5′ N. The land is low and woody. Proceeded along shore, looking attentively for a river ([Note 6]) described to discharge itself thereabouts: our search proving fruitless, at sunset came to anchor three or four miles from the shore in 12 fathoms, soft sand; the land abreast of the ship low, sandy, and rocky. Though the wind had much abated to-day, still, however, it blew fresh with a considerable swell, and the weather continued damp, with dew at night. Thermometer at 78½°. Lat. at noon 0° 5′ N.; long. 43° 11′ E.
4th, Monday. About midnight the Sylph parted from her anchor, got under weigh early in the morning, and at noon passed the River Dos Fuegos, or the Rogues’ River, and Juba[[96]] Irunjba, a village situated at its mouth, but at too great a distance to make any particular observations. The coast for a little north of this river to Patta is faced by one continued chain of islands, some of which are large and wooded, others very small. These islands are sometimes connected by reefs[[97]] of rocks, over which a large surf beats, and sandbanks surround them. The reefs run through their whole length, frequently extending a considerable way out to sea; in one place, about 20 miles south of Juba, even to 7 or 8 miles, opposite which is a remarkable high insulated rock in-shore, appearing like a square tower; here also the reef stretches a long way out—perhaps 5 or 6 miles. Though there are no soundings close to the edge of this part of the bank, the water was remarked to have a very white colour, resembling that often seen at the mouths of large rivers. The land on this part of the Continent is in general moderately high, and almost universally covered with wood; the shore shelves to a smooth sandy beach, which is guarded by the islands and reefs noticed. Steady moderate north-easterly winds, with fine weather, but damp, and dews at night. The thermometer at 78½°. Lat. observed at noon 0° 24′ S.