We closed the year 1849 by visiting Bonny, to see what could be done about founding mission stations in that country, as King Peppel seemed to desire. Here we may advert to the loss of our mate, Samuel M'Ewan, who, a short time previously, had left the service of the mission to return home. He had done so when at Fernando Po with the schooner, with the captain's consent indeed, but without our knowledge. We all were sorry to lose him, for he was a very worthy, pious young man; and we blamed the captain for giving him his discharge, without affording us an opportunity of dissuading him from his purpose. It was satisfactory that he wrote, assuring me he had no complaint to make of any one; but he gave no reason for the step he took, except his anxiety to see his widowed and beloved mother. There was, however, a tone of spiritual depression about his letter, which, with certain views he had expressed to myself, his tender feelings and gentle disposition, indicated that seafaring duties were not just then congenial to his state of mind. With great sorrow we heard afterwards that he never reached home alive. He suffered from a severe accident on board the vessel in which he had shipped for England; it was lost on the coast of Wales; and he died before reaching shore.

On our way to Bonny, we called at Clarence; and while there, the Rattler, which had been so lately at Calabar, came in to coal.