48 THE AFRICAN TRADER,

one or two others, not even the sick men seemed
concerned about their souls. The only consolation
which those in health could offer to them, was the
hope that they might recover. ‘ Cheer up Dick,’ or,
‘cheer up Tom, you'll struggle through it, never
say die—you will be right again before long old
boy,’ and such like expressions were uttered over
and over again, often to those at their last gasp,
and so the poor fellows went out of the world be-
lieving that they were going to recover and enjoy
once more the base pursuits and unholy pleasures
in which their souls’ delighted. Alas, I have often
though what a fearful waking up there must have
been of those IJ had thus seen taking their de-
parture from this world, yet the rest of us remained
as hardened, and in most cases as fearless, of con-
sequences as before.

The death of the first mate, which very soon
occurred, made the second mate, I perceived, some-
what more anxious than before about himself. The
first mate had been a strong healthy man, and had
often before been out on the coast, while the se-
cond mate was always rather sickly, and this was
his first visit to the shores of Africa. Whether or
not his fears had an effect upon him, I cannot say,