The Lords of the Admiralty having given orders that I should have a free passage to any port of the west coast of Africa, and Lord Stanley having also provided me with letters of introduction to the governors of the different settlements at the Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Cape Coast, with orders to render me every assistance in their power, and being also furnished with letters by Mr. Bandinell, of the Foreign Office, to the different Commissariats on the coast, requesting them to render me assistance, I made preparations for my departure forthwith. The Geographical Society had kindly furnished me with the necessary instruments to make my geographical observations, and with the maps of Africa; and, in a generous and delicate manner which I shall never forget, presented me with a small sum of money. I now, therefore, merely waited for an official order to proceed by any vessel which might be directed to take me. This order soon arrived, and I went on board the _Cygnet_ brig of war, Captain Layton. I was received by the captain and the rest of the officers in the most cordial manner. After getting my luggage, however, on board, another order was forwarded from the Admiralty, transferring me to the _Prometheus_ steamer, Captain Hay, then under orders for the Gambia with money. Accordingly, my luggage was put on board the last-named vessel, and on Sunday afternoon, the 16th of June, 1844, I and my servant, William Stevens, went on board at Spithead, where the several vessels, the _St. Vincent_, _Prometheus_, and _Cygnet_, were riding at anchor near each other. I was received in a very kind manner by Captain Hay and Lieutenant M’Gregor, and the other officers of the _Prometheus_. I must not forget to mention that Captain Johnston assisted me in obtaining a knowledge of the sextant, and Lieutenant Raper presented me with a copy of his valuable work on “Practical Navigation.” Captain Johnston, moreover, came on board the _Prometheus_ at Portsmouth to request Captain Hay to make me as comfortable as possible, as well as my servant and my dog. At four o’clock on Monday morning, June 17th, we weighed anchor (with steam up), taking the _Cygnet_ in tow as far as Plymouth Sound. At a late hour on Sunday night Captain Hay unexpectedly received despatches ordering him to go to Tangiers and Gibraltar, at which I felt not a little disappointed, for I had fully expected to have an opportunity of visiting the island of Madeira, and of seeing my friend and countryman Mr. W. Gordon, whose kindness I had already experienced. However, my disappointment was fully compensated by being thus allowed to visit Tangiers, off which we anchored on the 23d. As Captain Hay had despatches for the Governor, I had an opportunity of going on shore for a few hours.