Folios 284-285: James Bowen, HMS Argo, Spithead. Advising of his arrival at this...

Folios 284-285: James Bowen, HMS Argo, Spithead. Advising of his arrival at this anchorage after a passage of 38 days from Barbados. His letters of 20 December 1801, left with the Governor of Cape Coast to be forwarded asap, and a duplicate set dated 19 January 1802 sent with the Union rice ship, if they have arrived, will have informed them of his proceedings from leaving Madeira to that date. After leaving the rice ships they went south on the usual track of African coast ships bound for the West Indies. On 22 January they touched at Ferdinand Noronha for fresh beef and other provisions, but the surf ran too high to get water off. The governor, Don Jose Gomorange, was 'very civil and attentive' and gave all the information he could. Several ships had recently passed to the north but he had not seen a cruiser for some time. They sailed for Barbados, arriving 6 February. Prices being very high there, he completed his provisions from HMS Tamer and the Gaiete. The Tamer sailed that evening for Martinique. They sailed on the 9th, leaving the Gaiete in Carlisle Bay, waiting with a dispatch from Rear Admiral Totty, for Rear Admiral Campbell. Sends a report on the Company forts and settlements on the coast of Africa, except for Whydah, which he heard was demolished, and its guns lying in a field - there being no trading ships in the Road and the only white person being three miles inland, to get any information he would have had to land and pay 'what the King of Dahomy calls custom', a sum amounting to the price of 14 slaves. He declined. HMS Wasp not having appeared before he left the coast, he left orders there for Captain Bullen to follow him to Barbados, where he should put himself under the orders of the Admiral or CO there.

Folios 286-287: enclosure with folios 284-285, Carpenter John McLachlan's list of the Argo's defects dared 19 March 1802 - seems quite severe, 'she makes a deal of water, and is pumped twice every watch' etc.