when I espied a large, old fashioned chair, covered with silk, and probably a relic from some French vessel. Into that I curled myself, and was rejoicing in my shelter, when a new, and to me, much more formidable source of alarm, presented itself. A loud rustling in the thatch told me, that the torrents of rain had dislodged the rats; and down they poured into the room, running to and fro, and scrambling up and down the sides, with the greatest rapidity. The only thing within reach, which had a chance of being useful on such an occasion, was a shoe, and there I sat, ready with my weapon, till I procured some help, and the storm had ceased. I then crept within the bamboo musquito curtains, but fortunately "slept upon my arms;" for in about half an hour I was awoke by a scratching outside my curtains. I guessed the cause, and rising quickly, with my shoe hurled the rogue to the ground. Five times was I disturbed in this manner, and day-light alone restored me to the full possession of my chamber. It must not be imagined that my presence created universal gladness; for several new slaves from the interior declared I was an evil spirit, and that death must instantly befal them if they looked at me. I was not aware that they had never even seen a white person, and I consequently thought there was some affectation mingled with their alarm. I tried to conciliate them by bribes and coaxing; but my efforts being unsuccessful, I went softly behind one of the girls, and seizing her by the ears, quickly turned her head round close to mine. She gave a fearful shriek, and fainted; D D and, being now convinced the terror was real, I was sorry for my trick, especially as the poor thing continued very ill the whole day. As if in judgment upon me, I underwent nearly the same feelings a few hours after. I was, as I supposed, alone in the sitting room, and crossed to the opposite side to fetch my gloves, when suddenly something sprung on me from behind with a fearful grasp and howl. I expected, at least, to see the open jaws of a lion, and I am not sure that I was less frightened, when I found it was the white negro. The yell which I uttered, soon procured aid, and I was immediately rescued from the maniac's clutches. It seemed, that he had not, owing to his defective sight, seen me perfectly to that moment, and his astonishment made him frantic. He was sent away, and would have been punished, had I not pleaded for his pardon; but he was carefully kept from my view during the rest of my stay at Naängo. On returning to the vessel, I found a gallant little schooner lying alongside; she was manned by blacks, and the owner and commander was a tall Portuguese mulatto, richly adorned with gold. He remained with us two days, evidently prying into every corner of the ship, and often asking questions of the sailors. Our captain, who was an unsuspicious person, told him his plans and suffered him to depart in his debt. Soon after he left us, the larger portion of the crew went a little way up the country, and entered the creeks with their boats to expedite the arrival of the cargo; and the next morning, we were surprised by the appearance of several canoes, filled with a new set of men from the neighbouring kingdom of Kaylee. They came on board to trade, they said, but stationed themselves very quietly on the deck. These people are known to eat human flesh; and being curious to see them, I placed myself, with a book, close to the companion door. Their lowering looks and sullen appearance, however, made me desirous to avoid them, but my anxiety was chiefly excited for the safety of a little cousin, who was going to England under my care. Towards the end of the second day I heard a great bustle over my head, and the steward rushed into the cabin, calling for help, "for the Kaylees and Empoöngwas were fighting." The child had slipped away, and in great alarm I flew up the stairs and secured him. I was thus made an unwilling spectator of the scene; the deck was swimming with blood, and blacks and whites were all engaged together; the Kaylees were very active with their long knives, the officers were busy with their swords and pistols, and the men had seized their tools. After a desperate conflict, the Kaylees were overpowered, their wounded were thrown into the canoes, and the unhurt were bound fast together, and lashed to different parts of the ship. Messengers were instantly despatched for the rest of our crew, who returned with a strong reinforcement of Empoöngwas. The Kaylees were then suffered to depart, and close watch was kept night and day, as long as we remained in the river. We afterwards found out, that it had been a plot of the Portuguese mulatto, Yellow Gaston, as he was called, to take the vessel, in which case we should all have been massacred, and the ship would have been stripped of every thing valuable, and then sunk. Three years before, it appears, this man, with the assistance of the Kaylees, had destroyed an English vessel and her crew, which had been previously thinned and weakened by sickness. season. The heat now became so intense, that with a treble and wet awning over my head, I could not go on deck during the day; the storms became more frequent, and every thing announced the near approach of the rainy Our men too fell sick, and although we still lingered in the hope of a better cargo, our captain was obliged to prepare for departure. Our first mate, a very able seaman, and an obliging person, died while I was supporting him; a common sailor soon followed him; our carpenter was seized with a deadly fever, and our excellent and active steward took to his bed. All hands were then set to work to repair the mast which had been shivered by lightning. We buried our dead on a fairy-looking island in the river; and a Spanish pirate anchoring near us in the night, we fired our farewell salute to Tom Lawson before dawn, crowded all sail, and with wind and tide in our favour, by midday we were far on our way "to catch the south-east trades." On the morrow, being out of sight of land, we were forced to consign our poor carpenter to a watery grave. THE BOON. There is a story told somewhere of a European, who unfortunately fell into the hands of one of those African tribes that are made the subject of that infamous traffic, the Slave Trade. Naturally enough, he gave himself up for lost; when, unexpectedly, he was one day set at liberty by a young Negro girl. He used every means in his power to express his gratitude to her, but she refused to accept anything. All she requested was, that if, on his return to his own country, an opportunity should occur of doing a kindness to a Black Man, he would remember her, and do it for her sake. It appeared, that some years before, her father had been carried away into captivity, and she fondly wished to secure him a friend among the White Men. A. SAY, maiden, say what my gift shall be- B. Base ore we buy, and we sell with thee, A. Say, maiden, say what my gift shall be - B. Too bright is its gaudy glare for me, A. Say, maiden, say what my gift shall be- B. More sweetly far will they bloom for me, |