Our passage had been so extraordinarily rapid, owing to the
continued drunkenness of the captain and chief officers, by which I
was obliged to work the ship and take her in command, that we reached
Bpoopoo six weeks before we were expected, and five before the coffres
from the interior and from the great slave depot at Zbabblo were
expected. Their delay caused us not a little discomfort, because, though
we had taken the four English ships, we knew that Sir Byam Martin's
iron-cased squadron, with the "Warrior," the "Impregnable," the
"Sanconiathon," and the "Berosus," were cruising in the neighborhood,
and might prove too much for us.
It not only became necessary to quit Bpoopoo before the arrival of the
British fleet or the rainy season, but to get our people on board as
soon as might be. While the chief mate, with a detachment of seamen,
hurried forward to the Pgogo lake, where we expected a considerable part
of our cargo, the second mate, with six men, four chiefs, King Fbumbo,
an Obi man, and myself, went N.W. by W., towards King Mtoby'stown, where
we knew many hundreds of our between-deck passengers were to be got
together. We went down the Pdodo river, shooting snipes, ostriches, and
rhinoceros in plenty, and I think a few elephants, until, by the advice
of a guide, who I now believe was treacherous, we were induced to leave
the Pdodo, and march N.
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