580 
CONGO EXPEDITION. 
more gracious ; and intimated, that, to prolong 
his enjoyment in the company of the English, he 
would remain on board all night. It was here 
understood, that the charms of social intercourse 
should be enlivened by those of a bottle of brandy ; 
of which liquor he and his attendants most copi- 
ously partook. The evening being thus agreea- 
bly spent, he favoured the English, to their great 
dissatisfaction, with his company during five suc- 
cessive days. A breeze, however, having sprung 
up, the Africans were obHged, with much regret, 
to take their departure for the coast. 
The vessels continued to make a slow progress 
northwards till the 5th, when they passed sud- 
denly from a depth of 18 fathoms, to a place 
which could not be sounded with 150 fathoms. 
This shewed them to be in the deep channel of 
the Congo, and they had then no alternative but 
to steer across to the other side. Having an hour's 
favourable breeze, they found themselves suddenly 
in ^3 fathoms. They were then off Shark Point, 
the Mafook of which soon made his appearance. 
He is described as a most ragged dirty looking 
wretch, having his naked body covered with a 
tattered pelisse of red velvet, edged with gold 
lace. Notwithstanding these outward deficien- 
cies, he seemed to consider himself as possessing 
an intrinsic dignity, equal to that of the greatest 
monarchs j and he shewed high discontent with 
