gacious seaman, and an obliging and agreeable
companion."

Before I left the counting-house, Mr Swab called me into his little
den, into which he was wont to retire whenever he had any private
business to transact, although he generally sat in the outer office,
that he might keep an eye on the clerks and see that there was no
idling.

"My dear boy," he said in a kind tone, "I have had a talk with Harry,
and now I want to speak with you, and I'll say to you what I said to
him: Work together with a will; do not let the slightest feeling of
jealousy spring up between you, and give and take. If he is right one
time, you'll be ready to follow him the next; while, if your opinion
proves correct, he will be ready to follow you. I am sure you will both
act as you consider best for the interest of the firm; and remember
there is One above who sees you, and you must do nothing which He
disapproves of--your conscience will tell you that. You are to be
engaged in a lawful traffic. If carried on fairly, it must of necessity
tend to advance the interest of the Africans. We did them harm enough
formerly when we were engaged in the slave trade, although I for one
didn't see it at the time, and was entirely ignorant of the horrors it
inflicted on the unfortunate natives. If I thought at all, I thought
they exchanged barbarism for civilisation; and what are called the
horrors of the middle passage were not so great in those days as they
are now, when the traffic has become unlawful. We had roomy vessels,
the slaves were well-fed and looked after; and the master had no fear of
being chased by a man-of-war, so that they could wait in harbour when
the weather was threatening, and run across the Atlantic with a
favourable breeze. You will very likely see something of the business,
and hear more of it while you are up the rivers; but you must in no way
interfere, either to help a slaver by supplying her with goods,
provisions, or water, or by giving information to the man-of-war of her
whereabouts, unless the question is asked, and you will then tell the
truth. And now about your personal conduct. You must do all you can to
keep your health. Be strictly sober. Do not expose yourself to the
heat by day nor to the damp air by night, which is, I understand, more
likely to prove injurious than even the sun's rays. Never lose your
temper with the natives, or any one else, for that matter; and, from
what I can learn, you are often li