Notwithstanding its shallow entrance, it is the best natural port in Southeastern Africa, but now, alas! lost to the English.
Six hours later we anchored opposite a sandbank on which stood a dilapidated fort and a dirty settlement known as Lorenzo Marquez, where the Portuguese kept a few soldiers, most of them coloured.

I pass over my troubles with the Customs, if such they could be called.

Suffice it to say that ultimately I succeeded in landing my goods, on which the duty chargeable was apparently enormous.

This I did by distributing twenty-five English sovereigns among various officials, beginning with the acting-governor and ending with a drunken black sweep who sat in a kind of sentry box on the quay.
Early next morning the Seven Stars sailed again, because of some quarrel with the officials, who threatened to seize her--I forget why.

Her destination was the East African ports and, I think, Madagascar, where a profitable trade was to be done in carrying cattle and slaves.