"It is true I did not feel perfectly easy at this severe rebuke, and
under such taunting reproaches; but I refrained from giving utterance
to a single thought till after he had concluded his abuse and
anathematizing. Had a spirited person been in my situation, he might
have knocked him down, and might have had his head taken off for his
pains, but as for me, all such kind of spirit is gone out of me
entirely. Besides we had, though unintentionally, deceived King Boy,
and I also bore in mind the kindness which he had done us, in
ransoming us from a state of slavery. Most of what he had asserted
was most unquestionably true, and in some measure, I was deserving
his severest reprehension and displeasure.

"The fury of Boy having been somewhat appeased by my silence and
submission, as well as by his own extraordinary and violent
agitation, I ventured mildly to assure him, on the strength of my
brother's letter, that his suspicions were entirely groundless, that
Mr. Lake had certainly a _will_ or inclination to enter into
arrangements with him for the payment of his just demands, and that
when he should convey our people and myself to the Thomas, every
thing would be settled to his complete satisfaction. He half
believed, half mistrusted my words, and shortly afterwards quitted
the apartment, threatening, however, that we should not leave Brass
till it suited his own pleasure and convenience.

"It is really a most humiliating reflection, that we are reduced to
the most contemptible subterfuges of deceit and falsehood, in order
to carry a point which might have been easily gained by
straightforward integrity. But the conduct of Lake has left us no
alternative, and whatever my opinion of that individual may be, he
surely must be destitute of all those manly characteristics of a
British seaman, as well as of the more generous feelings of our
common nature, to be guilty, on a sick bed, of an action which might,
for aught he knew or cared, produce the most serious consequences to
his unfortunate countrymen in a savage land, by exposing them to the
wretchedness of want, and the miseries of slavery, to mockery,
ill-usage, contempt, and scorn, and even to death itself.

"November 20th. King Boy has not visited us to-day, though we have
received the customary allowance of four yams from his women. In
addition to which, Adizzetta made us a present of half a dozen this
morning, as an acknowledgment for the benefit she had derived