On Hamed's questioning the liberated slaves, it was discovered that Snatchblock had been right in his suspicions that the Arabs had told them, in order to induce them to escape on shore, that if captured by the white men they would be cooked and eaten. They stated that the dhow had been crammed full of slaves, many of whom had been drowned in their attempt to reach the shore, while it was probable that a still larger number would perish before they were again put on board another slave-ship by their cruel masters. Had anything been necessary to induce the officers and crew of the _Opal_ to exert themselves in putting down the horrible traffic, the state of these poor negroes, and the account they gave, would have been sufficient to stir them up. One of the men and two of the children, notwithstanding all the care taken of them, died before morning. The rest quickly recovered, their skins filling out perceptibly every day with the good food they received. CHAPTER FOUR. ORDERED AGAIN TO ANGOXA--ISLAND OF MAFAMALE--SEINE FISHING--DESMOND'S VICTORY OVER THE FISH--THE CARPENTER TRIES HIS HAND, BUT CATCHES A TARTAR--LIFE ON THE ISLAND--JERRY BIRD'S "KETTLER"--SECOND BOAT EXPEDITION--LIGHTNING IN THE TROPICS--UP THE RIVER--CAPTURE AND BURNING OF A DHOW--LAND FOR PROVISIONS--TREACHERY OF NATIVES--ADAIR AND DESMOND MADE PRISONERS--ADAIR TURNS THE TABLES ON THE OLD CHIEF. The corvette lay becalmed, lapping her sides in the shining water, as the glass-like undulations under her keel rolled her now to starboard and now to port, the sun striking down and making the pitch bubble up out of the seams of her deck. No sail was in sight, but still a bright look-out was kept. In case any slaver bringing up a breeze might attempt to slip by inshore of her, the boats were in readiness to shove off in chase. "A steamer to the nor'ard, sir," shouted the look-out to the second lieutenant, who reported the same to the commander. All hands were quickly up on deck. She was probably a British cruiser, perhaps bringing news for them--a mail _via_ the Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea. At last, after various conjectures as to what she was, the _Busy Bee_ made her number, and paddled up in a way which made the crew wish that they possessed similar means of locomotion. She blew off her steam when close to them, and a boat from her side brought her commander on board. He was the bearer of despatches from the commodore.