PROFESSOR SMITH'S JOURNAL. 2&3 



At noon we went all upon deck on hearing the Captain 

 haihng some canoes that were in sight. They soon came 

 along-side. This circumstance, more than the aspect of 

 the country, reminded us of the place in which we were. 

 On looking at the hollow trunks of which their canoes 

 were made, each pushed forwards by two or three naked 

 negroes, who stood upright in them, the figures resembling 

 those I had seen in South-sea voyages were brought to 

 my mind. The canoes were from twelve to fourteen feet 

 in length, and from one to one foot and a third in breadth, 

 and about as much in depth ; the upper part of the sides 

 were somewhat bent outwards, the bottom was flat, and 

 both ends pointed. The oars were made of a rounded 

 flat piece of wood, fastened to a staff. A half-dressed 

 negro addressed us in English, and appeared very much 

 pleased by being answered in the same language, and in- 

 vited on board. He called himself Tom Liverpool, and 

 said he was the interpreter of the Mafook, whose visit he 

 came to announce ; but he appeared to be greatly astonish- 

 ed on being told that we were not come for the sake of 

 trade. The Mafook came soon after in an European 

 boat, bearing a small white flag, and he had an umbrella 

 over his head. He welcomed us in the Eno-lish lansruaffe. 

 They were all invited into the cabin, and the conversation 

 became general, partly in broken English, and partly in 

 somewhat better French. They were very much alarmed 

 on hearing from us, that hereafter no other nation except 

 the Portuguese, could carry on the slave-trade with them ; 

 and one of them, considering the King of England as the 



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