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at all until relieved. I had, however, all the officers of the garrison he could spare, and in the evening they went away, apparently very well pleased with their entertainment.

'The climate of Benguela is considered extremely unhealthy, more especially at this season of the year, on account of the want of rain, and the heat of the weather. I am inclined, however, to think that the mode of living of the inhabitants is the cause why they feel serious effects of climate on their constitutions. They are so afraid of the heat of the sun, and the slightest exposure to it, that they never take any exercise whatsoever, and yet they live in the most full and gross manner on animal food of all kinds, except fish, which nothing can prevail on them to touch, as they told us they considered them a sort of poison, and advised me by all means to prevent the ship's company from eating any. I have sometimes before met with these local antipathies to fish, but seldom found them to have any rational foundation, and therefore, as the bay seemed to be absolutely alive with fish of all kinds, we sent to haul the seine every morning, and always caught more than all hands could devour; nor was there a single instance of any person's health suffering by eating them. The temperature in the heat of the day, in my cabin, never exceeded 79°; and as there was a regular, fine, fresh sea-breeze from about ten or eleven o'clock in the forenoon, till about seven or eight in the evening, it was not so

very hot even in the sun as the Portuguese seemed to think, and in the shade it was quite cool enough. From what little I saw of this place, I should have a favourable opinion of the climate, if this be the unhealthy season. The nights were pleasantly cool, though generally quite calm. The Portuguese told me that the best time of the year for ships to visit Benguela is from the month of May till October, when the weather is very cool, and agreeable to the constitutions of Europeans; and as to blowing weather in the bay at any time of the year, such a thing was never heard of. The Europeans at this settlement seemed to be very few in number, and among them there was not one Portuguese woman, as the climate, they said, was always fatal to women and children. The fort and town are situated at a short distance from the beach, without a tree near any of the houses to shelter them from the sun. For an extent of about six or eight miles from the water-side up to the base of the rising hills, the land is level all along the shore, and inhabited by a numerous race of negroes, who seem to live very comfortably and in peace, under the rule of the Portuguese, though very few of them, as I was informed, have been converted to Christianity.

The soil is rich, producing almost every fruit to be met with within the Tropics, in the greatest perfection and abundance, as well as some of the finest grapes I almost ever saw. Bullocks, hogs, very fine goats, sheep and poultry of all kinds, are

excellent and abundant; so that any ship making an Eastern passage to the Cape, or going out to India, might get well supplied here. The only objection is the trouble of getting water. That article, indeed, can only be got by bringing it up out of wells, which are too far from the beach for any Europeans to be employed to fill it or roll the casks down to the beach, except it were done in the night time. We took in about ten or twelve tons for stock, but it was all filled and sent off by the Governor's order and slaves.

The chief, indeed almost the only, staple of trade at Benguela is slaves; but the Governor informed me, that since the Abolition Acts had been passed by the Legislature of Great Britain and other powers, it had dwindled away to nothing, as no purchasers now came for the thousands that could be collected. To my astonishment he told me that not only the Africans, living among and under the government of the Europeans, on the several parts of the coast of Africa, but all those of the interior nations, from whom the slaves are procured, were sorry that the slave-trade had been abandoned by any of the white people, and that they were much distressed by it, for they could now get no sale for the slaves they brought in, nor procure, as they used to do, in exchange for them, the various articles of European manufacture, which our ships used to bring, and of which they now exceedingly felt the want. assured me, also, that though it is true the abolition had rendered the wars among the Africans in the

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interior less frequent, (as they were, he was convinced, sometimes undertaken for the express purpose of making slaves of those whom they took prisoners,) yet they were now become shockingly sanguinary; for finding they got no sale for their slaves when brought in to the Europeans, they put them all to death, to get rid of them. I have no doubt but this may be all very true; for a prime slave could be purchased at Benguela for about £6, when I was there, and sometimes they were as low as £3. I was surprised to see at this place neither horses, mules, nor asses, and was informed, when I asked the reason, that though horses had frequently been brought to Benguela, yet from some cause or other, which they could not discover, they were always very shortly taken ill and died.

'There was no surf on the beach, and we at all times landed without inconvenience.

'The bay of Benguela, from the extreme given points, is, I suppose, about eight miles in extent ; and its depth, from a transit line through these points, may be about two or two and a half miles to the beach.'

After touching at St. Helena, on the 11th of February, Captain Heywood returned to Rio Janeiro on the 17th of March; and on the 18th of April received orders from the Admiralty to go to the Plata, to defend the British commerce in that river from any unjust effects of commotion.' There were doubts whether the person at Monte Video,

(General Elio,) then executing the functions of Viceroy, had received, before he left Spain, full and necessary appointment to that post. On this important point, Captain Heywood was unable to obtain satisfactory information. A civil war was at this time raging between the Viceroy and the Junta, the former of whom was established at Monte Video, the latter at Buenos Ayres, from which it was expected the British subjects and merchants might be sufferers.

It will readily be seen that this service was one of great delicacy and difficulty. A few extracts from Captain Heywood's diary will display the admirable mixture of firmness and courtesy, of prudence and candour towards all parties, by which he caused the British flag to be respected by the Spaniards, and his own character to be universally esteemed. He excited in the English merchants feelings of the warmest gratitude. Bent solely upon the discharge of his duty, with no selfish aim, and actuated by the highest principles of honour and benevolence, he held himself ready for every species of service which his situation and means permitted him to afford to all parties within the sphere of his influence, whether foreigners or countrymen; and it will be seen in the sequel of the Memoir how highly and justly his character was appreciated.

On the 2d of May, 1811, Captain Heywood arrived at Monte Video, and immediately waited on Don Xavier Elio, (with Capt. Elliott, who was al