m on board,
and he should have them as soon as he sent his boats. He stated that no
vessels, except those engaged in the slave-trade, had ever come into
this river, and that they only brought the cloth and other articles
usual in the trade; but that his assorted cargo had astonished the
people, and they were wild to possess things which they had never before
seen. They had offered slaves in quantities, but finding that he would
not take them in exchange, they had now brought down ivory and
gold-dust. He told me how glad he was that I had come, as the river was
very sickly, and was becoming more and more so every day; that out of
twelve men he had already four down with fever.

I inquired of him what that vessel was on the other side of us. He
replied it was a Liverpool slave-trader, and that the captain appeared
to be a very good sort of man; that he never indulged in liquor, nor was
given to profane language.

A few minutes afterwards the captain of the slaver came on board to pay
his respects, and I asked him down in the cabin, and gave him beer and
cheese, the two greatest luxuries in those climes. He appeared, as
Captain Irving stated, a very quiet, well-behaved, serious person, which
I was rather surprised at. When we repaired on deck, I observed, as the
vessel was close to us, that there were two very large dogs on board,
who, at the sight of the captain, bayed furiously. He told me that they
were Cuba bloodhounds and that he never went on shore without them, as
they were the most faithful and courageous animals, and he considered
that he was safer with them than with half a dozen armed men. Shortly
afterwards Captain Irving and he both took leave. As there were still
some hours of daylight, Captain Irving sent his boats for the goods, and
after that, as the evening fell, I went down below, as Captain Irving
requested I would do, and by no means remain on deck after sun-down, as
it was extremely unhealthy.

On the following day Captain Irving went on shore with his goods and
trafficked most favourably. Indeed, as we afterwards found out, he had
procured in exchange more ivory than his vessel would hold, besides much
gold-dust. The day after, I went on shore with Captain Irving to call
upon the king, as he called himself. He was seated in front of a hut
made of palmetto leaves, with a lace coat on, but no other garment
whatever, so that he made a curious appearance. After a little
conversation, I we