ual--that was one comfort; but, the irksomeness of our
life was almost unbearable, and we all longed for something to happen,
no matter what, to break the monotony of our perpetual patrol.

Of course, we did come across some dhows, one in particular, a large
`bagala,' a craft with a high square stern, and a prow like a goose-
neck; while her poop resembled that of a Chinese junk, being only a
trifle clumsier--if possible.

We overhauled this hooker between Zanzibar and Pemba; and, as she was
making for the latter island, where cloves are grown and a large number
of slaves employed in their cultivation, the trade being the most
important on the coast, we naturally thought we were going to make a big
haul and get no end of bounty for the capture of the dhow.

But, as luck would have it, when we boarded her, not a single nigger was
aboard, nor was there any sign about her to show that she was fitted out
for the contraband business, there being no second bamboo deck betwixt
her hold and the upper one, which the slavers always have; and, though
we rummaged her fore and aft, we could not tumble upon the special stock
of rice and barricoes of water, which are always carried for the
accommodation of the ebony passengers, if they have any.

No, all was in order; her `reis,' or skipper, a swarthy Arab, with the
most diabolical expression I ever saw on human face, showing us his
clearance paper, which had the stamp of the British Consulate, and
described that he was bound on a trading voyage to Muscat.

So we had to let him pass, the old rascal of a `reis' grinning over her
stern at us as the bagala made off, running before the wind; the hook-
nosed Arab looking as pleased as Punch, and yet having a sort of sly,
malicious twinkle in his eye, like that `Old Nick' probably puts on
`when he catches a churchwarden robbing a till,' as Larrikins said.

No wonder the old slave-dealer sniggered to himself; for we heard
afterwards that he put in at Pangani the same night, after we were out
of sight, beating down to the southward, and succeeded in running a
cargo of the usual sort, the proceeds of the trip enabling him to retire
from business and set up as a holy man for the rest of his life.

Beyond boarding this dhow, though we saw some others at a distance which
we were unable to forereach on, the beggars being too handy on a wind,
we did not have a single exciting incident for the three months or more
that we were detached from ou