and that
it had been necessary to pump her out at every watch.

He at once ordered the well to be sounded, and Snatchblock reported "two
feet of water in the hold;" he accordingly ordered the pumps to be
rigged, and set some of his own people to work them. Pedro again came
aft, and assured him that he felt certain he could pick out a score or
more of blacks who could be trusted on deck, and that they would
willingly take the duty, glad to escape from the confinement of the
hold.

"We will try them," said Terence, and in a short time Pedro sent up the
number he had mentioned, all of them well-made, stalwart negroes. The
scant clothing they wore exhibited, however, how much they had suffered
by confinement, even during their comparatively short run across the
Atlantic. Half of them quickly understanding what was required set to
work with a will, being relieved by their companions. By their
exertions the brigantine was at length almost freed from water. During
the night it had, however, again gained on the pumps, and the weather
coming on worse soon after daybreak Terence judged it prudent to bear up
for Bahia.

He was thankful to believe that he would soon be in smooth water, for
the poor slaves suffered dreadfully by the way the vessel tumbled about
in the heavy seas, and several of the weak ones were found to have died
during the night. The Brazilians hauled them out, without the slightest
exhibition of feeling, and hove the bodies overboard as if they had been
so many dead sheep. The heat and effluvium which arose from below were
almost unbearable, the instant the hatches, which had necessarily been
closed during the night, were taken off.

It was the first full slaver Desmond had ever been aboard.

"I have always heard the African coast abused, but I can only say that I
should be ready to go and serve there, for the sake of catching some of
these rascally slavers before they have had the opportunity of making
the poor blacks suffer so horribly, as they must do during the middle
passage," he exclaimed, as he warmed with indignation at what he
witnessed.

At last, a short time before nightfall, the brigantine entered the
harbour of Bahia, which is easy of access, and came to an anchor at some
distance from the town. Scarcely had she brought up than the weather
moderated, and Terence began to regret that he had not continued his
course for Rio; still he hoped that Murray, judging by the weather,
would tak