The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-20 00:00:00

ARRIVAL OF THE PROMETHEUS FROM

THE COAST OF AFRICA.

Poxysuottu, lax. 19.
The Prometheus, 5, steam sloop, Commander Foote,
arrived at Spithead at 4 o'clock this afternoon, from the
coast of Africa, having made a very fine passage. She left
Sierra Leone en the 27th of December, where were her
Majesty's ships Penelope (with the flag of Rear-Admiral
Bunco), the Firefly, Polyphemus, Bloodhound, Ferret, and
Pluto. The mail steamer Propontis had arrived there on
the 26th of December. She reported having met with the
Linnet, 6 guns, at Tenerife, on the 23rd of Decem-
ber; the latter having experienced very bad
weather. Commander Heseltine, of the Britemart, was
senior officer in the Bight. He had with him the Cygnet
and Alecto. On the south coast were the Harlequin,
Waterwitch, Volcano, and Spy. The slave trade is re-
ported as extinguished, the Prometheus having only taken
two prizes in her commission of two years and a half.
The Prometheus put into Tenerife on the 7th inst., and
sailed again on the 11th with mails for England. She has
brought home invalids, among whom are Lieutenant S. W.
Towsey, first of the Firefly. She has a small quantity of
gold dust and some ivory, &c., on board, which she brings
from Lagos. She has had much sickness on board, having
lest during her commission one officer and three men,
besides having sent some 60 men to the hospital.
The intelligence from the coast by this arrival informs us
that the boats of the Polyphemus, 6, Commander
Phillips, had landed a party of men from that ship in the
river Shebat., near Lagos, and bad burnt the villages on its
banks on account of some acts of piracy.
Just prior to the Prometheus leaving the coast Com-
mander Foote had returned from • mission to Abbra-
koutah, the object of which was to open up friendly rela-
tions with that people. This mission was perfectly success-
ful, and holds out the prospect of much good feel-
ing on the part of the Abbrakoutans towards the
British. All the chiefs Commander Foote had met
had displayed much gratification at the visit, ex-
pressing themselves in the most favourable terms towards
the whites, and • desire to cultivate their company and
good will. They had given up the slave trade, and were
giving every encouragement to the missions that were
being sent to them trom the coast. Abbrakoutah is 30 miles
to the north of Sierra Leine, the route to it lying through
a most delightful and productive country, which is stated to
be capable of growing cotton, &e., in very large quantities.
Dr. Irving, of the Prometheus, accompanied Commander
Foote on this mission, and has collected the requisite mate-
rials for a work descriptive of the capabilities of the country
and the characteristics of the people of Abbrakoutah, a place
which bids fair to open a wide field for the civilisation of
the interior of this portion of Africa.
They were, however, engaged in a war with Addis, a
town to the north of Badagny ; having there an army of
20,000 men who were occupied in storming that place. The
King of Dahomey was, however, reported to be on the
point of attacking his old enemies the Abbrakoutans, hav-
ing an army collected for that purpose.
Trade is reported as brisk at the different ports on the
coast; considerable exportations of geld dust, ivory, gum,
&c., taking place.