tannic Majesty's sloop of war L---- was in the neighborhood, and
landed three of her officers at my quarters to spend a day or two in
hunting the wild boars with which the adjacent country was stocked.
But the rain poured down in such torrents, that, instead of a hunt, I
proposed a dinner to my jovial visitors. Soon after our soup had been
despatched on the piazza, there was a rush of natives into the yard,
and I was informed that one of our Bush chiefs had brought in a noted
gambler, whom he threatened either to sell or kill.

It struck me instantly that this would be a good opportunity to give
my British friends a sight of native character, at the same time that
they might be enabled, if so disposed, to do a generous action.
Accordingly, I directed my servant to bring the Bushman and gambler
before us; and as the naked victim, with a rope round his neck, was
dragged by the savage to our table, I perceived that it was Soma, who
had formerly been in my service on the coast. The vagabond was an
excellent interpreter and connected with the king, but I had been
obliged to discharge him in consequence of his dissipated habits, and
especially for having gambled away his youngest sister, whose release
from Gallinas I had been instrumental in securing.

"I have brought Soma to your store-keeper," said the Bushman, "and I
want him to buy the varlet. Soma has been half the day gambling with
me. First of all he lost his gun, then his cap, then his cloth, then
his right leg, then his left, then his arms, and, last of all, his
head. I have given his friends a chance to redeem the dog, but as they
had bought him half a dozen times already, there's not a man in the
town that will touch him. Soma _never_ pays his debts; and now, Don
Teodore, I have brought him here, and if _you_ don't buy him, I'll
take him to the water-side and _cut his throat_!"

There,--with an imploring countenance, bare as he came into the world,
a choking cord round his throat, and with pinioned arms,--stood the
trembling gambler, as I glanced in vain from the Bushman to the
officers, in expectation of his release by those philanthropists! As
Soma spoke English, I told him in our language, that I had no pity for
his fate, and that he must take the chances he had invoked. Twenty
dollars would have saved his life, and yet the British did not melt!
"Take him off," said I sternly, to the Bushman, "and use him as you
choose!"--but at the same moment, a wink to my i