<ARTICLE> 6 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-2000 JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000 SEP-30-1999 <INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 0 0 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 505,203,593 467,462,930 <RECEIVABLES> 15,241,435 20,329,428 <ASSETS-OTHER> 4,780,236 2,949,906 <OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 19,582,860 18,870,264 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 544,808,124 509,612,528 <PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0 0 <SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 55,500,000 55,500,000 <OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 339,318,453 303,073,244 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 394,818,453 358,923,760 <SENIOR-EQUITY> 140,490 140,245 <PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 142,293,626 142,015,875 <SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 14,049,026 14,024,433 <SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 14,024,433 14,013,768 <ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 7,555,555 8,532,648 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 0 <ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 0 <ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 0 0 <NET-ASSETS> 149,989,671 150,688,768 <DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0 0 <INTEREST-INCOME> 40,757,648 30,992,042 <OTHER-INCOME> 4,900,539 4,781,493 <EXPENSES-NET> 34,258,471 26,348,294 <NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 11,399,716 9,425,241 <REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (2,998,693) 9,494,953 <APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 2,553,541 (3,208,033) <NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 11,173,323 15,502,498 <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> 20,204,894 13,642,543 <GROSS-EXPENSE> 0 0 <AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 0 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.68 10.74 <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