I
1.[The felucca Midge was employed，along with the west coast of Africa.Her commander，having received information that a slaver was lying at some distance up a large river，had taken his ship up the stream to try to capture her.In an attack on a slaving settlement near the mouth of the river，the crew of the Midge were driven back，but succeeded in regaining their ship，which was anchored in mid-stream.The frigate being unable to cross the bar at the mouth of the river，washovering in the offing .]
2.“There is the Gazelle，sir，”said Clinker，the master-at-arms；“you see her top-gallant sails over the green bushes there，sir.”
The long jib-boom of the frigate appeared past themangrovesat the river‘s mouth，and gradually thebeautiful craft came into full view，rising and fallingon the long swell.She moved silently along，the bright green wave curling from her bows，as the cut-water slid gently through the heaving water.As we looked，a string of small round bundles，each apparently about the size of a man’s head，slid up to the main royal mast-head.The instant the upper-most reached the truck，a gun was fired，and at the same moment the round balls blew out steadily in so many flags.
3.“What signal now，Mr.Marline？”“The signal to weigh and stand out，sir.”
“Why，we can‘t-it is impossible；the swell on the bar puts it out of our power.”
“Very true，”said old Pumpbolt：“I，for one，won’t undertake to carry you over until there is less broken water at the river‘s mouth.”
4.While we were talking and laughing on deck，Mr.Marline came aft to us.“There are a good many dark specks passing and repassing above us in the upperreach of the river-yonder，sir，as far as you can see.Will you please to look at them，Mr.Sprawl？”
Sprawl took a long look，and then handed the glass to me.I could perceive a number of small black spots slowly descending the river.
Sprawl had also noticed this.“Why，Brail，those gentry seem mustering in some strength.There can-not be fewer than a hundred canoes paddling about there.What say you？”
5.However，we went to dinner；and we were in the very middle of it，when down came Wadding，the gunner.“Beg pardon，sir，”said the old seaman，“but these chaps are coming nearer than seems quite convenient.”
“Indeed！”said old Sprawl.-“We must keep a bright look-out here，Brail.”
We went on deck，and found that the report wasliterally true；but although the whole surface of theriver in the distance seemed swarming，still there was no warlike demonstration made，beyond the occasional descent of a fast-pulling canoe now and then，a mile or so below the main body.But they were always veryeasily satisfied in their reconnoitring，so far as we couldjudge，for the whole of them kept a wary distance.
6.It was now half-past four，and low water as near as could be.The bar astern of us-by this time，the breeze having taken off，we were riding to the ebb-was one roaring ledge of white breakers；but it was smooth water where we lay，the fall of the tide having completely broken the heave of the heavy swell that rolled in from the offing on the bar.The clouds had risen over the land，some large drops of rain fell，andaltogether we had strong prognosticationsnot a tempestuous evening.
7.Soon after sunset a thick haze began to mantle over the water，and continued to increase until you could scarcely see the length of the felucca.
We had been some time at quarters，the boats astern having been hauled up alongside，lest in the fog some of the canoes might venture near enough to cut the painters.But everything continued so quiet and still，that we were beginning to consider that our warlike preparations might not have been called for.
“These poor creatures will not venture down on us，after the lesson they had yesterday，”I said to Sprawl.
“Don’t you trust to that，”said one of the negro sailors.“I know something-ah，you shall see！”
8.“Men‘s”shouted Lanyard，after we had beenwaiting in silence for some time，“keep a bright look-out；there are native canoes cruising all about us，and close，too，in the thick mist there.Peer about，will you？Clear away both guns.Hush！what is that？”
“Notating，”said Sprawl；“I hear nothing but the rushing of the river，and the rubbing of the boatsalongside against the gunwale .”
“But I do，”said Mr.Marline.“There is the splash of paddles as plain as can be-there-”
“There，”said Binnacle-“there；”and at the very instant I saw the dark prow of one canoe emerge from the fog，the after-part being hid under the thick but moon-illumined haze.
9.Presently another appeared close to her，but lessdistinctly，both assuming a wavering and impalpableappearance，like two large fish seen，the one nearer and the other farther off，in muddy water.
“Mr.Marline，fire at that fellow nearest us.”
The moment the musket was discharged，the canoe backed into the fog again；but we could plainly hear the splash of a number of paddles rapidly plied，as if in great alarm.But even these sounds soon ceased，and once more all was still.