to accompany him, and they started in a
leaky boat towards the place where they
thought he had fallen, and continued to pull
in search of him for about an hour, but in
vain. At last, when they were about to give
him up for lost, they discovered him on the
point of sinking, in an exhausted condition.
They got him into the crazy boat, which was
half-full of water, and made towards the ship ;
two men constantly bailing, two men pulling
for their lives, Hugh Crow steering, and the
poor black lying on the stern-seat nearly
dead. This circumstance made our future
captain a great favourite with the poor
grateful blacks.

In seventeen hundred and ninety-two, laws
were made for the better regulation of the
African trade, of which Hugh Crow and
every person acquainted with the business
heartily approved. One of these laws was,
that only five blacks should be carried for
every three tons' burden; and Hugh Crow
thinks proper to pay an especial compliment
to Mr. Wilberforce, as one of the promoters
of these very proper regulations, for this
wise restriction.

The following entry goes to show what was
paid for negroes at Bonny, in eighteen
hundred and ten:

One piece of chintz, eighteen yards long.
One piece of baft, eighteen yards long.
One piece of chilloe, eighteen yards long.
One piece of bandanoe, seven handkerchiefs.
One piece of neccanee, fourteen yards long.
One piece of cashtoe, fourteen yards long.
One piece of photoe, fourteen yards long.
Three pieces of ramatts, forty-five handkerchiefs.
One large brass pan.
Two muskets.
Twenty-five kegs of powder.
One hundred flints.
Two bags of shot.
Twenty knives.
Four iron pots.
Four hats.
Four caps.
Four cutlasses.
Six bunches of beads.
Fourteen gallons of brandy.

The articles cost about twenty-five pounds,
and in no case were negroes procured, as
many have supposed, for nothing.

The diet-scale and regulations of the slaves
upon the sea-passage in Hugh Crow's vessel
were thoughtful, and calculated to promote
the health and cleanliness of all on board.
They frequently bought from the natives
considerable quantities of dried shrimps to
make broth, and a very excellent dish they
made, mixed with flour and palm-oil, and
seasoned with pepper and salt. Both whites
and blacks were fond of this mess. In addition
to yams, they gave them, for a change,
fine shelled beans and rice cooked together,
and this was served up to each individual
with a plentiful proportion of the soup. On
other days their soup was mixed with pickled
yams, cut up thin and boiled with a proportion
of pounded biscuit. For the sick were
provided strong soups, and middle messes,
prepared from mutton, goat's flesh, fowls, &c.,
to which were added sago and lilipees, the
whole mixed with port-wine and sugar.
With regard to the personal comfort of the
blacks, on their coming on deck about eight
o'clock in the morning, water was provided
to wash their hands and faces, a mixture of
lime-juice to cleanse their mouths, towels to
wipe with, and chew sticks (pieces of young
branches of the common lime) to clean their
teeth. A dram of brandy bitters was given
to each, and clean spoons being served out,
they breakfasted about nine o'clock. About
eleven, if the day was fine, they washed their
bodies all over, and after wiping themselves
dry, were allowed to use palm-oil, their
favourite cosmetic. Pipes and tobacco were
then supplied to the men, and beads and
other articles were distributed amongst the
women to amuse them ; after which they
were permitted to dance and run about the
deck to keep them in good spirits. A middle
mess of bread and cocoa-nuts was given them
about mid-day, The third meal was served
at about three o'clock, and after everything
was cleaned out and arranged below for their
accommodation, they were generally sent
down below about four or five o'clock in the
evening, A thatched house was also built
on deck from stem to stern for the comfort
of the slaves, and the thorough ventilation of
the vessel.

Such a favourite was Captain Hugh Crow
with the blacks, that on one occasion when,
just as the vessel had left Bonny and sprung
a leak that they stopped up as well as they
could with pieces of beef, the negroes all
crowded round the Captain, shaking his hand,
and begging that they might be employed in
assisting the crew; and by their exertions
at the pumps kept the vessel afloat until
assistance arrived in the morning from the
coast. When an illness compelled the
Captain to stay some time in the harbour of
Bonny, he was invited on his recovery by
the kings and the great men to visit them
on shore, and spend a few weeks with them.
When he reached the town, all classes were
lavish with their presents to him, and the
children, amongst whom he was well known,
sang after him in the streets.

Captain Crow's voyages were not undertaken
without many and severe engagements
with French privateers, and on the twenty-
first of February, eighteen hundred, alter an
action of nine hours with one of these vessels,
he came off victorious, with the loss of two
slaves and with considerable damage to his
ship. When the French were finally beaten
off the Captain went down below to return
thanks for the victory, when the black women
crowded round him with tears in their eyes,
saluting him, and thanking their gods that
he had overcome the enemy. In a short time