d brig, therefore, early the next morning,
accompanied by the boats, proceeded off to the village, where they
brought up. The sea being tolerably calm, and there being no surf, as
they neared the shore six boats were at once manned and sent in to
inflict condign punishment on the heads of the transgressors.

The party, headed by Rogers and Adams, formed on the beach. Their
arrival had been observed by the natives, who, with tom-toms beating and
horns sounding, were drawn up in large numbers on the side of the hill
to defend their village. Jack gave the order to advance; the natives
stood for a few seconds--then, even before a single shot had been fired,
they turned tail and scampered off as fast as their legs could carry
them. The only volley fired brought a few down, and hastened the flight
of the rest, who were out of sight before the village was reached. Not
a human being was found in any of the huts, which were speedily set on
fire and burned to the ground, while a grove of trees growing near was
cut down--a far more severe punishment than the burning of the miserable
huts, which could be easily restored. This necessary though
unsatisfactory work being accomplished, the party returned on board, and
the corvette and brig, having received the captured slaves, made sail
for Zanzibar.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

ANOTHER DHOW CHASED--SLAVES THROWN OVERBOARD--DHOW CAPTURED--HER HOLD--
ZANZIBAR--"SPICY ODOURS"--A TRIP ON SHORE--THE SLAVE-MARKET--HORRORS OF
THE SLAVE-TRADE IN THE INTERIOR--A STORE IN ZANZIBAR--MURRAY AND ADAIR
PAY A VISIT TO THE SULTAN--SUMMARY JUSTICE.

Upwards of a fortnight had gone by since the corvette and brig last
weighed anchor. Neither of them had been idle; numerous dhows had been
chased, some of them overtaken and boarded. A large proportion of them
had been of necessity let go, from want of sufficient evidence to
warrant their condemnation. The corvette had captured two with slaves
on board, and continued her course with them; while the _Romp_ had
parted company, chasing a suspicious sail which made every effort to
escape. On being turned from the shore by the _Opal_, whose boats had
been sent after her, she had stood to the eastward.

She was a large craft, with an enormous spread of canvas, and the little
_Romp_ had to put her best foot foremost to keep her in sight. Jack
Rogers, however, was not to be disappointed of his prey. Setting every
stitch of canvas the brig could carry, he