342 SUPPLY OF PROVISIONS. 



a great many goods, they sell the oil which is his 

 to the Bonny traders at Brass, receiving their 

 goods in return. It is well known that Bonny a few 

 years back could scarcely fill one vessel with oil ; 

 but at present there are from seven to nine annu- 

 ally in the river ; while the Nun, from its proxi- 

 mity to the Eboe country, is likely to produce 

 larger quantities of oil. King Gun, King Jac- 

 ket, and one or two others at Brass, are the best 

 and most honest traders. King Boy ought not 

 to be trusted too far, for I believe him to be 

 a wicked, designing, and treacherous villain. 



February came, and we had no accounts of the 

 steamers : our provisions had become very short, 

 when the William Rathbone was passing the 

 bar on her way to Bonny. Our long-boat being 

 out at the time, we boarded her, and Captain 

 Moore very kindly supplied us with a few ac- 

 ceptable articles. 



About the 5th of March, Captain Mitchell, 

 who incautiously exposed himself to a violent 

 tornado and afterwards neglected putting on 

 dry clothes, was taken violently ill. During the 

 last month I had caused a house to be built on 

 Columbine Island, at the mouth of the river, 

 open on all sides to the sea-breeze, for two or 



