CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 61 
in muddy ground were two toad fish ( Diodon) and several 
eels, one of which measured in Jength 4 feet 10 inches and 
in circumference 7 inches. 
On the 30th June we anchored in the evening off Ma- 
lemba point, in 15 fathoms, and on the morning of the Ist, 
were surprised by a visit from the Mafook or king’s 
merchant of Malemba, accompanied by several other negro 
gentlemen, and a large cortege of attendants in an Euro- 
pean built four-oared boat and two canoes, one of which 
latter preceded the boat to announce the great man, and 
the officer in her introduced himself by letting us know, 
that “ he was a gentleman, and his name was Tom Liver- 
pool.” The first question put by the Mafook on_ his 
J 
coming on board was “ if we wanted slaves ;” nor could we 
for a long time convince him in the negative, observing 
that we were only merchant ships, and particularly from 
our numerous boats. Having at last made him understand 
the motives of the expedition, and informed him that no 
nation but the Portuguese were now permitted to trade in 
slaves ; he very liberally began to abuse the sovereigns of 
Europe, telling us that he was over-run with captives, whom 
he would sell at half their value, adding, that the only 
vessel that had visited Malemba for five years was a French 
ship about a year before this time ; and according to him; 
