s
to the probability of extinguishing the slave-trade, their reply was,
that though in the creeks of Brazil it might be difficult, yet it had
grown a desperate adventure. Four vessels had been already taken on
the east coast of Africa this year; but the venture is so lucrative,
that the profits of a fifth which escaped, would probably more than
compensate the loss of the four.

On the east coast negroes are paid for in money or coarse cottons, at
the rate of eighteen dollars for men, and twelve for boys. At Rio
Janeiro their value may be estimated at L52 for men, L41, 10s. for
women, and L31 for boys. Thus, on a cargo of 500, at the mean price
the profit will exceed L19,000--

Cost price of 500, average fifteen
dollars, or L3 5s. each, L1,625
Selling price at Rio Janeiro, average
L41 10s., L20,730

While these enormous profits continue, it must be a matter of extreme
difficulty to suppress the trade, especially while the principals,
captains, and crews, have perfect impunity. At present, all that they
suffer is the loss of their cargo. But if enactments were made, by
which heavy fines and imprisonment were to be inflicted on the
merchants to whom the expedition could be traced, and corporal
punishment and transportation for life for the crews, and for the
captains service as common sailors on board our frigates, we should
soon find the ardour for the traffic diminished.

The voyage was slow from the frequent calms. By the 20th of April they
had advanced only to the tropic, 350 miles. From day to day the sick
among the negroes were dropping off. A large shark followed the ship,
which they conceived might have gorged some of the corpses. He was
caught, but the stomach was empty. When brought on the deck, he
exhibited the usual and remarkable tenacity of life. Though his tail
was chopped, and even his entrails taken out, in neither of which
operations it exhibited any sign of sensation, yet no sooner was a
bucket of salt water poured on it to wash the deck, than it began to
flounder about and bite on all sides.

Symptoms of fever now began to appear on board, and the Portuguese
cook died.

_April 29_.--A storm, the lightning intolerably vivid, flash
succeeding flash with scarcely a sensible intermission; blue, red, and
of a still more dazzling white, which made the eye shrink, lighting up
every object on deck as clearly as at mid-day. All the winds of heaven