134 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
Unable to keep even for a short time this dreadful intelligence 
from Petherick^ I went on deck and asked him to refrain expressing 
his surprise ; for those about us^ though not understanding a word 
of English^ are quick to read countenances. Averting my face from 
Abd il Majid^s evil eyes_, I said^ ‘^^That man has brought down 
slaves^ and they are in his boat.^'’ Impossible ! are you sure was 
Petherick^s rejoinder. But a glance at my troubled face convinced 
him there was truth in the information I had received. He followed 
me into the cabin, and I told him all. He begged me to be patient, 
and to disarm suspicion he would continue his conference with Abd 
il Majid a short time longer. And so he returned on deck, and 
after chatting some moments more, he proposed to accompany Abd 
il Majid to his boat, to see in what condition she was. Anxiously 
I watched Petherick step on board the boat alongside, closely fol- 
lowed by Abd il Majid, who appeared gay and unconcerned ; he was 
speaking of two cheetahs or panthers on board one of the other 
boats which he had brought, and made a proposition to visit these 
animals. Icould hear PethericVs Badaen’^ (‘^^by-and-bye^-’), 
and for a short time he remained on deck, examining the cordage 
and speaking freely to all. He then went below — oh, what a time 
it seemed to me that he there remained ! At last he came up, Abd 
il Majid still with him. I saw from his face, pale with anger, that 
he had made a discovery ; but calmly he said to the rets, “ Take 
down your flag^^ (our dear English Union Jack). When it was 
within reach of Petherick, he seized it, and rolling it into a ball, 
flung it on board the Lady of the Nile,^^ crying passionately. 
Never more shall it be disgraced by floating o^er this boat again.^^ 
Then calling for a pair of handcuffs, he said to the livid-looking 
and abject Abd il Majid, Hold forth your hands. He did so with- 
out the least resistance, and Petherick placed upon them the fetters. 
