In Search of an Unknown Race — page 234: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

220 VAN, ‘¢But I don’t understand it, nohow; ain't slavery abolished in the Sandwich Islands?” interrupted Smith. Captain Bates laughed, unpleasantly. ‘‘Well,” he drawled, ‘‘they don’t cai it slavery ex- actly, but it amounts to the same thing in the long run. Natives are kidnapped by the dozen in the South Seas, and run into Honolulu. The government winks at it, and the nigs, who can’t help ‘emselves, are ‘ let out’ at so much a head—say 2 hundred dollars—to the planters, who promise ’em that some day they'll be paid off and sent back. They don’t get back, though; they're worked till they break down, and that’s the last of ’em!” Van’s blood boiled with indignation, no less at the cruel scheme itself than the heartless way in which Bates had spoken of it. So then, in addition to her lading, the Rattler had siaves on board—was, in fact, a slaver ! But he had heard all he cared to, and now to get back to the ship and make his report. So far as he could see, there was no special watch being kept, and a surprise would be the easiest thing imaginable. As Van thus told himseif, he slipped back into the main channels and reached out for the boat painter. # was gone f Hardly believing it possibie, Van, getting down on all fours, groped excitedly under the channel pilates. It was all in vain. In his haste he had probably made a slippery hitch, which had worked loose while he was listening in the gangway, and let the boat go adrift. Of course there was but the one resource—to swim back to the ship. Erecting himself, Van began pulling Eomichbooksico