n ransomed, and so it proved
to be; for the governor hearing that we were prisoners up the country,
had sent messengers offering the old king a handsome present for our
liberation. I afterwards found out that the price paid in goods
amounted to about fifty-six shillings a-head. The governor received us
kindly, clothed us, and sent us down to the ship, which was with a
full cargo in the road, and intending to sail the next day, and we
were received and welcomed by our messmates as men risen from the
dead.

We sailed two days afterwards, and had a fortunate voyage home to
Liverpool.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Liverpool Ladies are very civil to me--I am admitted
into good Society--Introduced to Captain Levee--Again
sail to Senegal--Overhear a Conspiracy to seize the Ship
by the Crew of a Slaver, but am enabled to defeat it--Am
thanked and rewarded by the Owner--Take a Trip to London
with Captain Levee--Stopped by Highwaymen on the
Road--Put up at a Tavern--Dissipated Town Life--Remove
to a genteel Boarding-House--Meet with a Government
Spy--Return to Liverpool.

As the captain reported me to be a very attentive and good officer,
although I was then but twenty-three years of age, and as I had been
previously on good terms and useful to the owner, I was kindly
received by him, and paid much more attention to, than my situation on
board might warrant. My captivity among the Negroes, and the narrative
I gave of my adventures, were also a source of much interest. I was at
first questioned by the gentlemen of Liverpool, and afterwards one of
the merchant's ladies, who had heard something of my adventures, and
found out that I was a young and personable man, with better manners
than are usually to be found before the mast, invited me one evening
to a tea-party, that I might amuse her friends with my adventures.
They were most curious about the Negro queen, Whyna, inquiring into
every particular as to her personal appearance and dress, and trying
to find out, as women always do, if there was any thing of an intrigue
between us. They shook their little fingers at me, when I solemnly
declared that there was not, and one or two of them cajoled me aside
to obtain my acknowledgment of what they really believed to be the
truth, although I would not confess it.

When they had tired themselves with asking questions about the Negro
queen, they then began to ask about myself, and how it happened