30 THE AFRICAN TRADER.

mode of proceeding, At length we found that the’
amount of produce, brought off from day to day,
rapidly diminishing, while the natives began to
demand higher prices than at first. We accord-
ingly stood down the coast towards another native
town, with the inhabitants of which we began to
trade in the same way as before.

From the time we first came into these latitudes
we kept a bright look out night and day. I asked
old Radford what was the use of doing this when
we were engaged in a lawful commerce, which
must of necessity prove an advantage to the
negroes, ‘ Why, you see, Harry, there are other
gentry visit this coast with a very different object
in view,’ he answered. ‘For the Spaniards and
Portugese, especially, come here to carry off the
unfortunate inhabitants as slaves, and sometimes
the villainous crews of their craft, if in want of
provisions and water, will help themselves, without
ceremony, from any merchantman they may fall
in with. And should she have a rich cargo on
board, they have been known, I have heard say, to
make her people walk the plank, and sink or burn
her, so that no one may know anything about the
‘matter.- Now our skipper has no fancy to be