ich stood five feet high, two dozen fowls, and some
Muscovy ducks. My feelings were quite overcome by so much genuine
kindness, and I shall ever retain it in grateful recollection, and I have
real pleasure in recording it in this narrative.

I must not omit to inform my readers that during the time I was at Bence
Island, which was the great mart for slave dealing, forty of those
unfortunate beings arrived, most of them half famished. The principal
merchant, who was a mulatto, told me that the greater part of them had
been pledged for rice, which is the principal food in Africa, that they
had not been redeemed at the time appointed, and in consequence had become
the property of those who supplied the food. The remainder were those
taken prisoners in the skirmishes occasioned by their trespassing on each
other's ground, particularly on the rice patches when the grain was nearly
ripe. A black woman offered me her son, a boy about eleven years of age,
for a cob--about four-and-sixpence. I gave her the money, and advised her
to keep her son. Poor thing! she stared with astonishment, and instantly
gave me one of her earrings, which was made of small shells. It was like
the widow's mite, all she had to bestow. We were soon under sail, and next
morning Africa was as a dream; it was no longer seen.

During the passage in fine weather I myself or some of the officers
visited the Guinea men, and found them orderly and clean, and the slaves
healthy. On the seventh week we arrived at Barbadoes, saw Lady Rodney,
Sally Neblet, and several more of the true Barbadian born, drawling,
dignity ladies, who entreated in no very dignified manner to "hab de
honour for wash for massa captain." I gave the preference to the relict of
Lord Rodney, as she was the oldest acquaintance, and remembered me when I
was "a lilly piccaninny midshipman." I paid my respects to the Admiral,
Sir Alex. Cochrane, who asked me to dinner, where I met the Governor and
some more bigwigs. The Admiral's secretary, Maxwell, who appeared to have
a snug berth in the country, requested me to dine with him the day after,
and he sent a kittereen, or one-horse gig, for me. I met at dinner some
brother officers and a few military men. Our entertainment did credit to
the donor, who appeared a hospitable, frank kind of man. In the evening I
went on board, and next morning received a chest of money for the troops
at Tobago. At noon we cheered the flagship and sailed. On the evenin