t
that has occurred on the coast.

The next day, to our great satisfaction, the _Opossum_ hove in sight.
Captain Idle, having taken our prisoners out of us, ordered us to
proceed forthwith with the negroes to Sierra Leone for adjudication.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

BLOWN OFF THE COAST--WALLER'S KINDNESS TO THE NEGROES--RUN SHORT OF
PROVISIONS AND WATER--VESSEL LEAKING--AMERICAN HARD-HEARTEDNESS--
WALLER'S NOBLE RESOLVE--BEACH BAHIA--AUDACIOUS TRICK OF BRAZILIAN
SLAVE-DEALERS.

We had parted from the _Opossum_ about a couple of days, when we
observed signs of one of those terrific easterly gales which sometimes
blow off the coast of Africa. Waller, from his previous experience,
knew them, and remarked them in time, so that we were able to get all
snug to meet the wind when it came. On a sudden the hitherto calm
leaden water was covered with a foam-drift, like the fine sand swept
across the stony desert. The only sail we had set was a close-reefed
topsail and storm-jib; the helm was put up, and away she flew before the
gale, swift as the albatross on its snowy wing. Away, away we sped, and
soon, leaving the African coast far astern, were ploughing the water of
the South Atlantic. The _Zerlina_, though a beautiful model, as are
most of her class, was flimsily built, and far from a good sea-boat,
speed only having been cared for in her construction. As we got away
from the land, we met a good deal of sea, in which she laboured much;
and Ned Awlhole, one of the carpenter's mates, who was acting carpenter,
came one afternoon with a very long face into the cabin, where Waller
and I were sitting at dinner, to inform us that she was making far more
water than was satisfactory.

"Get the pumps rigged, then, and we must try and keep her clear till we
can manage to beat back to Sierra Leone," said Waller, as coolly as if
it were a matter of slight importance.

"It is rather a serious thing this, is it not?" I observed. "I wonder
you make so light of it."

"Very serious; and on that account it behoves us, as officers, to keep
up our own spirits, and to cheer up the men," he replied. "I am sorry
to say also, that I very much fear we shall fall short of water before
we get into port, if this wind continues; and, with all these poor
blacks on board, that will indeed be a very serious thing. Good
seamanship may enable us to keep, the ship afloat, but God only can
provide us with water."

"What must we do, then?" I