Vengeance), with Signor
Begaro, who was sailing-master of the Voador, slave-schooner, taken by
Lieutenant Badgeley, in the Eden's boat, in company with the African,
schooner. This gentleman had prevailed on his countrymen to accommodate
him on board, for a passage to the Brazils, however, they had first to
procure their cargo of slaves; and told us, that they were going
southward of the line for them, but we thought, if that were the case,
they would not have come to the northward of the line, merely to get
provisions.[40] From this circumstance, we suspected it to be their
intention to go to the Camaroon, or some other river in that direction,
where slaves are not above one-third of the price that they are to the
south of the line, and where children (which they always prefer to
adults) are also more easily procured. Could I have believed their
assurance that they were southward bound, I should have endeavoured to
have made arrangements with the captain to take me with him, being
anxious to get to St. Paul de Loando, for the purpose of visiting
different parts of Angola, and in which view I had prepared myself with
a letter of introduction to the Viceroy of that country, from a
distinguished person in England: but although I had been about seven
months at Fernando Po, and other parts of the Bight of Biafra, I had
never met with an opportunity for proceeding to Angola; I was therefore
obliged to leave that place out of my plan, and to make the Brazils the
next point in my route; with this intention I thought it most desirable
to return to Sierra Leone with Captain Owen, where I might meet with a
captured slave-vessel, that had been bought up by the agents, to be sent
to some part of the Brazils, from whence there would be no difficulty in
my ultimately reaching Rio de Janeiro.

Captain Owen had a Portuguese Abbe, Signor Begaro, and some of his
officers, to dine with him to-day.

_Tuesday, 17_.--As it was Captain Owen's intention to visit Ascension
before he went to Sierra Leone, we parted company with the Emprendadora,
desiring Lieutenant Robinson to make the best of his way to the latter
place; she accordingly sailed this morning at daylight, passing round to
leeward of the island, while we followed soon after, with the intention
of working to windward.

_Wednesday, 18_.--We had a fine fresh breeze, veering between S. and
S.W., and kept our course to the westward. Lat. 1 deg. 0'. N. On getting
into the open sea, we