CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 89 
on the 18th, the double boats were loaded and every thing 
ready to proceed up the river, but there being only a very 
faint sea breeze this day, we were obliged to continue at 
anchor. The Mafook Sina, or chief king’s merchant of 
Embomma, came on board this morning, but as I had been 
frequently deceived by gentlemen Mafooks, I received him 
so cavalierly that he quitted the Congo, and went on board 
the transport, where his quality being acknowledged by 
several natives then on board, he sent back his interpreter 
and head man to me, and on finding that he was really the 
person he pretended to be, I desired the transport to 
salute him with four guns, which made up for my first bad 
reception, and he visited me in the afternoon, bringing with 
him a retinue of twenty rascals, all of whom he expected 
to be gorged with brandy ; and as I knew he had great in- 
fluence at Embomma I endeavoured to gratify even his im- 
moderate wish, and lent him the Congo’s jolly boat to return 
to Embomma, and my own boat cloak to keep him warm. 
The 19th, there being no sea breeze, we continued at the 
same anchorage, but the next day were more fortunate, and 
succeeded in getting the Congo up abreast of Halcyon 
island (Zoonga Campendi). The banks of the river, along 
which we passed sometimes within a stone’s throw, are en- 
tirely covered with mangrove, intersected by creeks, the first 
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