This gentleman says there are very few white people in the Cape Verd Islands; that he did not see more than five or six at St Jago, including the governor, commandant, and company's agent; and that in some of the islands even the governors and priests are taken from among the blacks. He draws a moving picture of the wretched condition of these forlorn islanders, under the indolent and yet oppressive government of the court of Lisbon. Mr G.F. be it known, was peculiarly sharp-sighted in discovering, and vehement in inveighing against, every impolitic violation of human liberty. In the judgments of some persons, he had imbibed too readily the intoxicating beverage of revolutionary France. Many strong heads, it is certain, were not proof against its effects.--E. [5] "Before leaving Port Praya, Captain Cook invited the governor- general and the commandant to dinner, and we staid on board in order to act as interpreters on this occasion. The captain sent them his own boat; but when it came on shore the governor begged to be excused, because he was always affected with sickness on board any vessel, whether at sea or in harbour. The commandant promised to come, but having at first neglected to ask the governor's leave, the latter retired to take his _siesta_, (or afternoon's repose,) and no one ventured to disturb him."--G.F. [6] "The heavy rains entirely soaked the plumage of a poor swallow, which had accompanied us for several days past; it was obliged, therefore, to settle on the railing of the quarter-deck, and suffered itself to be caught. From the history of this bird, which was of the common species, we may deduce the circumstances that bring solitary land-birds a great way out to sea. It seems to be probable, that they begin with following a ship, from the time she leaves the land; that they are soon lost in the great ocean, and are thus obliged to continue close to the ship, as the only solid mass in this immense fluid expanse. If two or more ships are in company, it is also easy to account for the expression of _meeting with_ land-birds at a great distance from land, because they may happen to follow some other ship from the shore, than that which carries the observer; thus they may escape observation for a day or two, or perhaps longer, and when noticed, are supposed to be _met with_ at sea. However, great storms are sometimes known to have driven single birds, nay, vast flocks, out to sea, which are obliged to seek for rest on board of ships at considerable distances from any land. Captain Cook very obligingly communicated to me a fact which confirms the above assertion. "Being on board of a ship between Norway and England, he met with a violent storm, during which a flight of several hundred birds covered the whole rigging of the ship.