118 THE AFRICAN TRADER.

the black seaman ; although our plan has answered,
for your good natured-countrymen, by stopping to
pick up the negroes, have enabled us to escape
them. A few of the wretches were, to be sure,
picked off by the sharks.’

‘Did my friend, the black sailor, escape?’ I
asked eagerly.

‘As to that I cannot say,’ he answered, ‘ un-
doubtedly some escaped, or the corvette would not
have hove-to so often. But come, the supper is
on the table.’

I declared that I had no appetite; but he in-
sisted upon my going into the cabin, and said that
he should be offended if I did not. ‘It would be
better for you also to put an indifferent face on the
matter,’ he added.

‘Those of the officers who came to supper were
laughing and talking in good spirits, and, as far as
I could judge, seemed to be amusing themselves
at my expense. I, however, had the wisdom to
follow my friend’s advice, and showed no signs of
annoyance. I confess, too, that the sight of the
food quickly restored my appetite.

When supper was over my friend advised me
to go back to my cabin. ‘We shall be far