As for myself, I was at the time of life when enterprise was necessary
for my existence, and so keenly did I join in the slave-hunting mania
that I found it dangerous to land in the town of Rio for fear of
assassination.

My captain, seeing how enthusiastic I was in the cause, which promised
prize-money if not renown, encouraged me by placing me in a position
that, as a humble midshipman, I was scarcely entitled to, gave me his
confidence, and thus made me still more zealous to do something, if only
to show my gratitude.

Having picked up all the information possible as regarded the movements
of the slave vessels, we started on a cruise, our minds set particularly
on the capture of a celebrated craft called the 'Lightning,' a vessel
renowned for her great success as a slave ship, whose captain declared
(this made our mission still more exciting) that he would show fight,
especially if attacked by English men-of-war boats when away from the
protection of their ships.

I must mention that it was the custom of the cruisers on the coast of
Brazil to send their boats on detached service, they (the boats) going
in one direction while the vessels they belonged to went in another,
only communicating every two or three days. Proud indeed for me was the
moment when, arriving near to the spot on the coast where the
'Lightning' was daily expected with her live cargo, I left my ship in
command of three boats, viz., a ten-oared cutter and two four-oared
whale boats. I had with me in all nineteen men, well armed and prepared,
as I imagined, for every emergency. The night we left our ship we
anchored late under the shelter of a small island, and all hands being
tired from a long row in a hot sun, I let my men go to sleep during the