CAPTAIN TUCKEYS NARRATIVE. 61 



in muddy ground were two toad fish ( Diodon) and several 

 eels, one of which measured in length 4 feet 10 inches and 

 in circumference 7 inches. 



On the 30th June we anchored in the evening oft' Ma- 

 lemba point, in 15 fathoms, and on the morning of the 1st, 

 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 

 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 Avith 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, 



