eirs, and interpretation is unfavourable to the
contagion of social felicity. Nevertheless, it was highly diverting
to watch the influence of the palm wine on their looks, language, and
ideas. The flushed countenance is invisible in a black lady, but then
she has the liquid and unsettled eye, the proneness to talk with
irresistible garrulity, the gentle simper, or the bursting laugh at
any trifle, or at nothing at all; and to wind up the list of
symptoms, she has that complaisant idea of her own good points, and
superior qualifications, which elicit her own approbation, without
exciting the applauses of her associates, and which distinguishes the
inexperienced male reveller in every part of the globe. All these
were observable in their talkative little friend, as well as in her
companions. It was also a relief to contemplate from their resting
place, the peace and harmony of the little party before them, so
entirely different from the boisterous one without; because it gave
them a comfortable sense of their own security, which they should not
certainly have entertained, had they been left to their own
reflections, and when, after a good deal of turning and restlessness
they at length fell into a disagreeable and unrefreshing dose, and
were attacked by that hideous phantom, nightmare, which was often the
case; starting up in fright from the assassin's knife, which they
could scarcely persuade themselves to be unreal; it was pleasant to
fix their eyes upon their comical little visitor, with her round
shining face, and her jolly companions; all apprehension of mischief
immediately vanished, and a truly pleasing effect was produced upon
their minds and spirits. The breaking up of the party on the outside,
was a signal for their friends also to depart. When rising from her
mat, the mistress, after shaking hands, wished them good night in a
thick tremulous tone, and waddled out of their yard in a direction,
which Hogarth denominates the line of beauty, she returned home to
her husband, who was a valetudinarian. Thus passed their evenings,
and thus much of their solitary Eboe friend.

CHAPTER XL.

In addition to the value of twenty slaves, which the king of Eboe
demanded from them, they now heard that King Boy required the value
of fifteen casks of palm oil, which is equal to fifteen slaves, for
himself, and as payment for the trouble he and his people will have
in conducting them to the English vessel. He said, that he