tain personally the
condition of my establishment.

Strange to tell, my invitation was accepted; and at noon a boat with a
white flag, appeared on the edge of the surf, conveying two officers
to my beach. The surgeon and first lieutenant were my visitors. I
welcomed them most cordially to my cottage, and as soon as the
customary refreshments were despatched, proposed a glance at the
dreadful _barracoons_.

As well as I now remember, there must have been at least five hundred
slaves in my two pens, sleek in flesh, happy in looks, and ready for
the first customer who could outwit the cruiser. I quietly despatched
a notice of our advent to the _barracooniers_, with directions as to
their conduct, so that the moment my naval friends entered the stanch
inclosures, full two hundred and fifty human beings, in each, rose to
their feet and saluted the strangers with long and reiterated
clapping. This sudden and surprising demonstration somewhat alarmed my
guests at its outburst, and made them retreat a pace towards the
door,--perhaps in fear of treachery;--but when they saw the smiling
faces and heard the pleased chatter of my people, they soon came
forward to learn that the compliment was worth a customary _demijohn
of rum_.

The adventure was a fortunate one for the reputation of New Sestros,
Don Pedro my employer, and Don Teodor, his clerk. Our establishment
happened just then to be at a summit of material comfort rarely
exceeded or even reached by others. My pens were full of slaves; my
granary, of rice; my stores, of merchandise.

From house to house,--from hut to hut,--the sailor and saw-bones
wandered with expressions of perfect admiration, till the hour for
dinner approached. I ordered the meal to be administered with minute
attention to all our usual ceremonies. The washing, singing,
distribution of food, beating time, and all the prandial _etceteras_
of comfort, were performed with the utmost precision and cleanliness.
They could not believe that such was the ordinary routine of slave
life in _barracoons_, but ventured to hint that I must have got up the
drama for their special diversion, and that it was impossible for
such to be the ordinary drill and demeanor of Africans. Our dapper
little surgeon, with almost dissective inquisitiveness, pried into
every nook and corner; and at length reached the slave kitchen, where
a caldron was full and bubbling with the most delicious rice. Hard by
stood a pot, simmering wi