CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 171 



and three strings of beads. I now found that Prince Schi 

 (ahas Simmons) had deserted, and taken with him four of 

 the best men I had brought from Embomma, as porters; and 

 just as I was setting off, the Chenoo and all his posse came 

 to me, to let me know that my interpreter had violated 

 their customs, and his own word, havino; bargained with 

 two of the head gentlemen for their wives (one, the first time 

 I was at Cooloo, and the other the night preceding), for 

 two fathoms a night, which having no means of paying, he 

 had concealed himself, or ran oft' to Embomma. Though 

 sufficiently irritated, I could not forbear smiling at their 

 manner of relating the circumstance, as well as at their 

 expectations, that I would either pay to the husbands the 

 stipulated price, or permit them to seize Simmons, and sell 

 him as a slave. In order to avoid either of these alternatives, 

 I promised that, on my return, I would arrange the affair 

 amicably ; with which, after a long palaver, which cost me 

 some brandy, they were obliged to be satisfied. 



Having thus lost my interpreter, I Avas obliged to 

 offer very high terms to the only person with me, who could 

 supply his place ; a man whom we had picked up at 

 Embomma, and employed as one of the boats crew, 

 but who, having been in England five years, spoke the lau- 

 guage as well as Simmons, and his own much better; I 

 therefore at once promised him the value of a slave and other 



