70 THE AFRICAN TRADER.

another creature. The captain also seemed to re-
vive rapidly under its influence, and I began to
hope that he would ultimately recover. :

I eagerly watched the sparkling lines of white
foam as the ocean waves, meeting the ebbing cur-
rent of the river, broke across the bar. How I
longed for the evening, when the land breeze would
again fill our sails, and carry us out into the open
bounding ocean. It seemed to me that then all
difficulty would be passed, and we should only have
to shape our course for England, and steer on till
we should reach it.

The captain, unwilling again to go below, sat all
day on deck under an awning, ready for the moment
when we might venture to weigh anchor. It came
at last. Just before sunset the hot wind began to
blow. Although the bar still wore a threatening
aspect, the pilot declared that, without fear, we
might venture over it.

Not a moment was lost, on we stood towards
it. In a short time foaming breakers were hissing
and bubbling around us. Once more I felt the
vessel rising to the heaving wave, and welcomed
the showers of spray which flew over her deck.
On she sped, but very slowly; now she sank