d
sentenced to receive fifty lashes with the cat that was kept for such
a purpose, and all without any inquiry being made. In vain did the
unfortunate man protest his innocence. A swarthy Kroot-boy from Cape
Coast laid the cat on his brown shoulders right willingly, for he also
was an enemy of Sooka's; and in a few minutes the poor fellow's flesh
was cut and scored as if by a knife.

After the flogging was over Mr. Bransome amused himself by getting out
his rifle and firing fancy shots at Sooka, still tied to the post; that
is, he tried to put the bullets as close to the poor wretch as he could
without actually wounding him. To a negro, with his dread of firearms,
this was little short of absolute torture, and at each discharge Sooka
writhed and crouched as close to the ground as he could, while his
wide-opened eyes and mouth, and face of almost a slate colour, showed
how terribly frightened he was. To Mr. Bransome it appeared to be
fine sport, for he fired at least twenty shots at the man before he
shouldered his rifle and went indoors. Jackson said nothing to this
stupid exhibition of temper, but as soon as it was over he had Sooka
released; and I knew he attended to his wounds himself, and poured
friar's balsam into them, and covered his back with a soft shirt--for
all which, no doubt, the negro was afterward grateful. Whether Mr.
Bransome got to know of this, and was offended at it, I do not know, but
shortly afterward he ceased to live with us.

There was between the factory and the sea, and a little to the right of
the former, a small wooden cottage which had been allowed to fall into a
dilapidated state from want of some one to live in it. This Mr. Bransome
gave orders to the native carpenters to repair and make weather-tight;
and when they had done so, he caused a quantity of furniture to be
brought from St. Paul de Loanda and placed within in it. Then he
transferred himself and his baggage to the cottage.

Jackson displayed complete indifference to this change on the part of
the agent. In fact, there had been, ever since the arrival of the latter
upon the Point, and in spite of apparent friendliness, a perceptible
breach, widening daily, between the two men. As to the reason of this I
had my own suspicions, for I had made the discovery that Jackson had for
some time past been drinking very heavily.

In addition to the brandy which we white men had for our own use, I had,
to my horror, found out that he was