good survey of the bar, so as to get every inch of the water it was possible. This carefully done, we arrived alongside the ship, and no one was more surprised than the captain, when I told him I had come out to take his ship into the river, if he was ready. "Yes," he said; "if you will undertake to do it." "I will," I said. "You work your ship as I tell you, and we shall get in all right, I feel confident."
The order was given to loose all sails and heave anchor, which was done in a very short time. As the tide was near to being high, there was no time to be lost. We were soon under way, and our little craft, with all sails set, bounding for the bar. I had my channel to a nicety; over we went, to my astonishment, without a touch. The relief I felt when this was passed, I am unable to describe. In a short time the first ship that had ever entered Qua Iboe River from England direct was anchored off our factory. The natives crowded down to see this, to them, wonderful sight, and when I landed I was immediately carried on the shoulders of some of the crowd up to my house. The delight in the river that evening was great indeed; so much so, that I shall not easily forget that event.
Still, my troubles were not quite at an end, for while we had the ship in, we had no one to discharge her cargo; but "necessity being the mother of invention," I called the chiefs of the village together, and told them of my position. One boy was all I had, and the cargo must come out of the ship. "All right," they said, "show our people what has to be done; we will discharge the ship." Next morning our beach was alive with people, and by the evening of the next day she was completely discharged
