<ARTICLE> 6 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1999 <INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 171,389,349 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 204,123,030 <RECEIVABLES> 799,021 <ASSETS-OTHER> 25,496 <OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 204,947,547 <PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0 <SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 97,678,616 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 97,678,616 <SENIOR-EQUITY> 29,102,040 <PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 78,166,891 <SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 4,954,304 <SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 4,954,304 <ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 <ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (3,636,595) <OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 <ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 32,733,681 <NET-ASSETS> 107,268,931 <DIVIDEND-INCOME> 226,064 <INTEREST-INCOME> 931,023 <OTHER-INCOME> 18,750 <EXPENSES-NET> 1,416,722 <NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (240,885) <REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2,932,804 <APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (11,578,016) <NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (8,886,097) <EQUALIZATION> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0 <SHARES-REINVESTED> 0 <NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (8,886,097) <ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0 <ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 <OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 536,345 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 718,170 <GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,416,722 <AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 111,711,980 <PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 23.45 <PER-SHARE-NII> (0.05) <PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.75) <PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0 <PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0 <RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 21.65 <EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.27 <AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 40,179,444 <AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 8.11