st pair
of heels of her own, we should do our best to keep out of her way. You
see when once fellows take to slaving they go from bad to worse. I have
known something of the trade in my time, and it made my heart turn sick
to see the way in which they crowd hundreds of their fellow-creatures
down on the slave decks of their vessels, packed as close together as
herrings in a cask, for their run across the Atlantic to the Brazils or
Cuba. It may be, before we leave this coast, you will have the
opportunity of seeing for yourself, so I need not tell you more about it
now."

After this I was as vigilant as anyone on board in looking out for
suspicious craft,--for I had no fancy to be caught by a piratical
slaver, and be made to walk the plank, and have our gallant little
"Chieftain" sent to the bottom.

We continued cruising along the coast for some weeks, slowly exchanging
our cargo for African products.

At length Captain Willis got tired of this style of doing business. "I
am going to run up the river Bonny, Harry, where we are certain in time
to get a full cargo of palm oil, though I would rather have filled up
without going into harbour at all, for the climate, I own, is not the
healthiest possible, and we may chance to have a touch of sickness on
board."

He spoke, however, in so unconcerned a way that I had no serious
apprehensions on that score.

I had not forgotten my promise to Mammy, and had asked all the blacks I
could manage to speak to if they could tell me anything of Cheebo. I
need scarcely say that my question was received with a broad grin by
most of them. "Plenty Cheebos," was the general reply. "Dat black
fellow Cheebo; and dat, and dat, and dat Quamino," was added, when I
said that such was the name of the father of the Cheebo of whom I was in
search, but none of them answered the description of poor Mammy's son.
At length I felt very much inclined to give up my inquiries as hopeless.

CHAPTER THREE.

WE ENTER A RIVER.--ITS SCENERY DESCRIBED.--RECEIVE A VISIT FROM THE
KING, AND TRADE WITH THE NATIVES.--THE PRODUCTS OF AFRICA, FOR WHICH WE
TRADE, MENTIONED, AND THE CURIOUS MODE IN WHICH TRADE IS CONDUCTED.--
FEVER BREAKS OUT ON BOARD, AND SEVERAL OF THE CREW DIE.--SAD END OF POOR
BOB.--THE BOATSWAIN AND MATES ATTACKED WITH FEVER.--MORE DEATHS.--THE
CAPTAIN'S UNWILLINGNESS, NOTWITHSTANDING THIS, TO LEAVE THE RIVER TILL
HIS CARGO IS COMPLETED.

Standing in towards the coast with the s