52 THE AFRICAN TRADER.

dozen Krumen, and two or three other black sea-
men, who are knocking about here, he added.
‘This fever has made us terribly short-handed;
but I hope the fellows who are sick will come
round when we are in blue water again. Tlarry,
go forward and see how they are getting on, and
send Tom Raven to me.’ Raven was one of the
two men who had hitherto escaped the fever, and
being a good seaman, had been promoted to the
rank of mate.

I went on deck, but saw neither him nor Grin-
ham, the other man. I made my way forward to
where the crew were berthed, under the topgallant
forecastle, expecting to find them there. Grinham
was in his berth; he and two other poor fellows
were groaning and tossing with fever, but the rest
were perfectly quiet. I thought they were asleep.
What was my horror, on looking into their berths,
to find that their sleep was that of death !

‘Water, water,’ murmured Grinham. Iran and
fetched some, and as I gave it to him I asked
where Raven was. ‘I don’t know,’ he answered,
somewhat revived by the cool draught. ‘It’s his
watch on deck. He said he felt a little ill when he
relieved me.’