re than skin and bone when he
was brought on board. He had actually been twenty-two days at sea when
we found him.

Note. The narrative is true, and is given exactly as described in the
original account.

In the course of a few days he had completely recovered his strength,
and seemed very well satisfied with his lot. As he was a smart, active
fellow, he was entered as one of the seamen of the _Bussorah Merchant_.
He knew a little English already, and quickly picked up more. He was
thus well able to understand the orders given him. He did not appear to
be a favourite with the men. He was evidently retiring and unsociable.
Perhaps he had been so long subjected to ill-treatment from others, that
he was unwilling to place confidence in those among whom he was cast,
until he had ascertained that they were well-disposed towards him. I
observed, however, that Ali was constantly speaking to him, but I rather
doubt that their words were very intelligible to each other, as English
was the only common language they possessed. Ali knew it very
imperfectly, and Macco still less. More than once I observed Ali's
quick, piercing, fierce eyes fixed on him attentively, as he appeared to
be endeavouring to impress some matter on his mind. Macco's look all
the time was passive, and he either did not comprehend what was said, or
was uninfluenced by it.

One night, when it was my watch on deck, I had been standing looking out
on the forecastle, when I heard a voice near me say, "When you step aft,
Massa Walter, I got word to whisper in your ear." It was Potto Jumbo
who spoke. I had thought that he had been in his bunk asleep.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I tell presently--not here, though," he answered, gliding away from me,
and going over to the other side of the deck, where he stood, as if
looking up and admiring the stars which glittered above our heads.

As soon as I could leave the forecastle, I went and stood near the
gangway, where the black cook soon joined me.

"I no like what going forward on board, forward there," and he pointed
to the fore-peak. "Dat Ali Tomba one big rascal. He go talky talky to
de men, and try to make dem mutinous like hisself."

"But what can he have to complain of?" I observed; "the crew seem all
well treated."

"Dere it is dat make me angry," said Potto. "He come to me one day, he
say, `Potto Jumbo, you black slave, you peel potato for white men; dey
make you do what dey like. Why