312 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



companion-ladder, to prevent any one coming on 

 board who was not known to have business, for 

 long experience had made him aware of the 

 character of his visitors, whom he denounced "as 

 the most thieving scoundrels on earth, who would 

 carry even away the belaying-pins if they could 

 find nothing else to lay their hands upon." Every 

 one on the Coast has the same opinion, and the 

 anchor had not been down ten minutes before I had 

 ample proof of their knavery. The Judge of the 

 Mixed Commission, Mr. Skelton, and his wife — 

 who had come with us from Madeira — invited 

 Freeman and ' I to put up with him during the 

 three days the steamer remained at Sierra Leone, 

 and as I entered my cabin to get up a travelling 

 bag, I saw a naked arm protruding from the bull's- 

 eye port, which had been left open for ventilation, 

 and endeavouring to unfasten a small looking-glass 

 that was hanging over the wash-stand. I imme- 

 diately pinned the wrist, and " put the screw on " 

 by twisting it round, until the fellow roared and 

 bellowed with pain, howling out *' O gor amighty ! 

 I done lib ! I done lib — dis bad palaver." When 



