Chap. XXVIIL AFRICAN SAILORS. 583 



mosphere that few "or no observations for position can be 

 taken. We were, however, at the time very anxious to 

 dispose of the Lady Nyassa, and, the only market we could 

 reach being Bombay, we resolved to run the risk of getting 

 there before the stormy period commenced ; and, after taking 

 fourteen tons of coal on board, we started on the 30th April 

 from Zanzibar. 



Our complement consisted of seven native Zambesians, 

 two boys, and four Europeans; namely, one stoker, one 

 sailor, one carpenter, whose names have been already men- 

 tioned, and Dr. Livingstone, as navigator. The Lady Nyassa 

 had shown herself to be a good sea-boat. The natives had 

 proved themselves capital sailors, though before volunteering 

 not one of them had ever seen the sea. They were not 

 picked men, but, on paying a dozen whom we had in our 

 employment for fifteen months, they were taken at ran- 

 dom from several hundreds who offered to accompany 

 us. Their wages were ten shillings per mensem, and it 

 was curious to observe, that so eager were they to do their 

 duty that only one of them lay down from sea-sickness 

 during the whole voyage. They took in and set sail very 

 cleverly in a short time, and would climb out along a boom 5 

 reeve a rope through the block, and come back with the rope 

 in their teeth, though at each lurch the performer was dipped 

 in the sea. The sailor and carpenter, though anxious to 

 do their utmost, had a week's severe illness each, and were 

 unfit for duty. 



It is pleasant enough to take the wheel for an hour or 

 two, or even for a watch, but when it comes to be for every 

 alternate four hours, it is utterly wearisome. We set our 

 black men to steer, showing them which arm of the compass 

 needle was to be kept towards the vessel's head, and soon 

 three of them could manage very well, and they only needed 



