ou will furnish the meeting with the requisite
information."

MR. WILTON. "Your mamma is very sharp upon me, George. Take warning
by my case, and do not interfere with the pilot."

GEORGE. "Ha, capital! Now, papa, Ferdinand Po!"

MR. WILTON. "Our sojourn there will be very brief; not because the
island is deficient in fertility, but simply because the society of
the natives would be intolerable to civilized noses. They are the
filthiest people in the whole world. Words cannot convey an idea of
their disgusting nature. They have long hair matted together with
red clay and palm oil. This composition has a most outrageous smell,
and with it they smear their faces and bodies. They are, generally
speaking, a stout, athletic, well made race of people, and
particularly harmless in their dispositions, though from their
appearance you would not imagine that to be the case, as each
individual is always armed with a spear about eight feet in length,
made of hard wood, and barbed at each end; which, added to their
fierce color and smell, would daunt the courage of a more
enlightened savage.

"St. Thomas's should have been first, as it is nearer the equator.
It is one of the four Guinea Islands; Prince's Island and Anaboa
will make up the number. I know very little of it, except that it
helps to furnish the Portuguese shipping with provisions and fresh
water. Now I have satisfied the demands of the meeting, and will
promise not to interfere again."

CHARLES. "I shall be rejoiced at your interference, sir, if it
always have the effect of bringing out your stores; and, now I am
pilot for a short time, I beg to state that I shall not require any
apology, should you interrupt _me_ in the discharge of my duty, but
be thankful for the same.

"Fernando Po. It is in the Bight of Biafra, the coast of which bight
is thus described by Dr. Bayle:--'This coast is forbidding in its
aspect, dangerous to approach, repulsive when examined, and
disgusting when known.' There: that is not a very inviting account:
had we not better sail on? Who cries forward?"

"Forward all," exclaimed Mr. Stanley; and Charles was about to
proceed, when George interrupted him to inquire if the chimpanzee
were not a native of these parts.

MR. STANLEY. "Yes, my boy; it is found not very far from the
equator."

GEORGE. "Is it not the largest ape in Guinea?"

MR. STANLEY. "Right again. I will tell you all I know about the
gentleman. Its height is four feet,