286 THE BIMBIA PILOT. 



ing his calling on board a Spanish slaver, he was 

 carried off with his canoemen, — a method of pro- 

 ceeding by no means rare. The vessel was cap- 

 tured off the Havana by one of our cruisers, 

 and he represented himself as Prince William of 

 Bimbia. This story was so plausibly told, and 

 he won the good feelings of the officers to such a 

 degree, that he not only escaped the apprentice- 

 ship (as it is called, by way of burlesque, I sup- 

 pose) to a Spanish master, but was favoured 

 with a passage in the gun-room to Portsmouth. 

 From thence he went to London, and was a lion 

 for a short time, — was converted, baptized, and, 

 after making promises to his patrons of his in- 

 fluence if ever they sent vessels to trade in his 

 dominions, took a passage in the William Harris, 

 transport, to Fernando Po, promising her com- 

 mander a handsome remuneration in ivory upon 

 his arrival. The imposture was of course im- 

 mediately discovered ; and he now figures in his 

 old capacity as pilot, and is only to be distin- 

 guished from his untravelled countrymen by an 

 increase to his original stock of roguery and 

 vice. 



On our return from our walk, I was gratified 

 by an exhibition of maternal affection, which, I 



