CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 89 



on the 18th 5 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 kino'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 cbvered with mangrove, intersected by creeks, the first 



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