and supported by his attendants, made his
way on deck, whence he was lowered in no very dignified state into his
canoe. He was followed on shore by the captain and two of his officers,
and a boat's crew well-armed. I observed that the schooner's guns were
run over to the side nearest the village, which they thus completely
commanded. As he was shoving off Stanley begged that he and I might be
allowed to accompany him. David evidently wished to go, but told me
that he would remain for the protection of his sisters.

"I do not quite like the look of things," he said; "and take care that
you and my brother do not go far from the shore."

I said I would be cautious, and persuade Stanley to follow his advice.
Scarcely had we landed when there appeared, coming through the woods, a
long line of men, women, and children, walking one behind the other. As
they drew nearer I saw that they were bound together with rough ropes
fastened tightly to their necks by collars. At intervals at their sides
walked several savage-looking blacks, with muskets on their shoulders
and thick whips in their hands. There were a dozen or more huts built
of bamboo, the walls and roofs covered with the leaves of the palm-tree.
Some were of good size, from twenty to fifty feet in length, and of
considerable breadth. At the further end of the village was another,
three or four times the size of the largest. Stanley and I made our way
towards it, but the disagreeable odour which proceeded from it as we
approached almost drove us back. We persevered, however, and on looking
through the door our indignation was excited to find that it was full of
human beings--a dense mass, packed almost as closely as they could
exist. They were sitting down in rows, and on a nearer examination we
discovered, to our horror, that they were secured to long bars which ran
across the building. Below were rough benches on which they might sit,
but they could only move a foot or two to the right hand or the left.
There were men, women, and children. Many of the poor little creatures
were crying bitterly, while their mothers were moaning and weeping, as
they tried to comfort them. Some of the men were trying to sing, as if
to show indifference to their sufferings, but the greater number sat
supporting their heads on their knees, with looks expressive of despair.
Outside were several savage-looking negroes armed with muskets, who
every now and then took glances through