<ARTICLE> 6 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-2000 JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-2000 JUN-30-1999 <INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 0 0 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 491,902,314 467,462,930 <RECEIVABLES> 19,004,062 20,329,428 <ASSETS-OTHER> 3,568,756 2,949,906 <OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 20,274,274 18,870,264 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 534,749,406 509,612,528 <PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0 0 <SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 55,500,000 55,500,000 <OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 324,879,401 303,073,244 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 380,379,401 358,923,760 <SENIOR-EQUITY> 140,434 140,245 <PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 142,201,682 142,015,875 <SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 14,043,434 14,024,433 <SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 14,024,433 14,013,768 <ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 12,027,889 8,532,648 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 0 <ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 0 <ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 0 0 <NET-ASSETS> 154,370,005 150,688,768 <DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0 0 <INTEREST-INCOME> 27,026,230 20,214,741 <OTHER-INCOME> 3,389,896 3,198,252 <EXPENSES-NET> 22,254,656 16,987,972 <NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 8,161,470 6,425,021 <REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,175,862) 635,834 <APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1,359,384 2,596,985 <NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 8,405,671 9,589,527 <EQUALIZATION> 0 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0 0 <SHARES-REINVESTED> 0 0 <NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 0 0 <ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0 0 <ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 0 <OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 0 <OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 0 <GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 13,136,281 8,801,305 <GROSS-EXPENSE> 0 0 <AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.95 10.67 <PER-SHARE-NII> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0 0 <RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 0 0 <EXPENSE-RATIO> 0 0