y soon had a cargo on board; but the day after we
sailed for the Havannah, the dysentery broke out among the niggers--no
wonder, seeing how they were stowed, poor devils, head and tail, like
pilchards in a cask. We opened the hatches, and brought part of them on
deck, but it was of no use, they died like rotten sheep, and we tossed
overboard about thirty a day. Many others, who were alive, jumped
overboard, and we were followed by a shoal of sharks, splashing and
darting, and diving, and tearing the bodies, yet warm, and revelling in
the hot and bloody water. At last they were all gone, and we turned
back to the coast to get a fresh supply. We were within a day's sail of
the land, when we saw two boats on our weather bow; they made signals to
us, and we found them to be full of men; we hove-to, and took them on
board, and then it was that we discovered that they had belonged to a
French schooner, in the same trade, which had started a plank, and had
gone down like a shot, with all the niggers in the hold.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Now, give the old gentleman the small change of that, while I just wet
my whistle."

Mustapha having interpreted, and the sailor having taken a swig at the
bottle, he proceeded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

We didn't much like having these French beggars on board; and it wasn't
without reason, for they were as many as we were. The very first night
they were overheard by a negro who belonged to us, and had learnt
French, making a plan for overpowering us, and taking possession of the
vessel; so when we heard that, their doom was sealed. We mustered
ourselves on the deck, put the hatches over some o' the French, seized
those on deck, and--in half an hour they all walked a plank.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I do not understand what you mean," said Mustapha.

"That's 'cause you're a lubber of a landsman. The long and short of
walking a plank is just this. We passed a wide plank over the gunnel,
greasing it well at the outer end, led the Frenchmen up to it
blindfolded, and wished them `bon voyage,' in their own lingo, just out
of politeness. They walked on till they toppled into the sea, and the
sharks did'nt refuse them, though they prefer a nigger to any thing
else."

"What does he say, Mustapha?" interrupted the pacha. Mustapha
interp