In returning we kept on the
bank of the rivulet until it swelled into a small river. The ground then
became thickly beset with jungle and swampy.

By five o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at the fall, which, by
measurement, was one hundred and seven feet perpendicular, and about
forty-two wide without a break--it was a beautiful sight. We dined on a
large rock about a quarter of a mile from its base, and even at that
distance our clothes were damp from its spray. We discovered a large rock
of granite from which issued a small stream of water that became tributary
to that of the fall. We also saw two brown monkeys, one of which was shot.
Some of the blacks brought it with them; it was of the small kind, and
they told me it was good eating.

We arrived at the Fort at three o'clock the next morning, when I was
suddenly attacked with a severe headache and a violent fit of the bile. As
this was nothing new to me, I kept myself quiet, and Nature was my best
physician. The slave convoy for the West Indies, I found, consisted of
three ships and a brig, with about eleven hundred slaves. As the rice
season was backward, I was petitioned by the merchants to postpone the
convoy a fortnight, to which I consented, and made a short cruise off the
Los Islands, where I anchored and made an excursion up the Rio Pongo. I
passed a small English settlement near its mouth, not fortified, at which
I landed, and was informed that a slave ship belonging to Bristol was in a
state of mutiny, and that her surgeon was confined in irons. As she was
lying about twenty miles farther up the river, and we had to pull that
distance under a burning sun, I thought it no joke. However, as there was
no alternative, we made up our minds to bear it, and reached her after a
fatiguing four hours' pull. I found her a rakish-looking vessel with her
boarding netting triced up. On gaining her deck I inquired for her
captain. "He is on shore," was the answer. "Who are you?" said I to the
spokesman. "The chief mate," returned he. "Turn your hands up and let me
see what sort of stuff you are made of. You look very privateerish
outside." Nine men made their appearance, some of whom looked sickly.
"These are not all your crew; where are the remainder?" "On shore, sir?"
"Where is the surgeon?" "On shore also." "Show me the ship's papers." "The
captain has them." "Now," said I, "I tell you what, Master Mate, I am
going on shore to have some conversation with the Africa