^3^ >

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

■5.0

lis |25
1^

I.I

M 12.0

1.8

PhotDgraphic

Sciences
Corporation

1.25

jjU

^ 6" -

►

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80

(716) S73-4S03

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHIVI/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / InstJtut Canadian de microreproductlons historiques

Technical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa

Tha Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha baat
original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia
copy which may ba bibiiographieally uniqua.
which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha
raproduction, or which may significantly changa
tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow.

nColourad eovara/
Couvartura da coulaur

r~1 Covars damagad/

D
D

Couvartura andommagia

Covars restorad and/or laminatad/
Couvartura rastaurte at/ou pgtlliculte

r~1 Covar titia missing/

La titra da couvartura manqua

Colourad maps/

Cartas giographiquaa an coulaur

Colourad ink (i.a. othor than blua or black)/
Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noirat

r~n Colourad platas and/or illustrations/

Planchas at/ou illuatrations an coulaur

Bound with othar matarial/
RalM avac d'autraa documants

Tight binding may causa shadows or distortion
along intarior margin/

La r9 liura sarria paut causar da I'ombro ou da la
distorsion la long da la marga intAriaura

Blank laavas addad during restoration may
appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar possibla. thasa
hava baan omittad from filming/
II sa paut qua cartainas pagaa blanchaa ajoutias
lors d'una rastauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta.
mais. lorsqua cala Atait possibla. cas pagas n'ont
pas it* filmtes.

Additional commants:/
Commantairas supplAmantairas;

L'lnv^titut a microfilm* la maillaur axampiaira
qu'il lui a iti possibla da sa procurar. Las ditails
da cat axamniaira qui sont paut-Atra uniquas du
point C:m vua bibliographiqua, qui pauvant modifier
una image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une
modification dans la mithoda normale de filmaga
sont indiqute ci-dessous.

T
t(

pn Coloured pages/

Pagaa da coulaui

Pagas damaged/
Pages endommagias

□ Pages restored and/or laminated/
Pagas rastaurAas at/ou palliculies

Pagas discoloured, stained or foxed/
Pages dicolorAes. tachaties ou piquAes

Pages detached/
Pages ditach^s

Showthrough/
Trinsparancs

Quality of print varies/
QuaSiti in^gala de ('impression

Includes supplementary material/
Comprend du matiriel supplimentaira

ca
a

rn Only edition available/

Saula Mition disponible

Pagas wholly or partially obscured by errsKS
slips, tissues, etc.. have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Lea pages totalament ou partieilement
obscurcies par un fauillet d'errata. une pelure,
etc.. ont M filmies i nouveau de facon i
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

T
P

fl
a
a

8
1
V

a
b

rl
r(
n

Thia item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est film* au taux da reduction indiqui ci-desaoua.

10X 14X 18X 22X

26X

30X

12X

16X

20X

24X

28X

32X

TIm copy fllmtd h«r« hM b««n raproduc«d thanks
to ttw gonorosity of:

D. B. Waldon Library
Univaraity of Wettam Ontario

L'oxomplairo filmi fut roproduit grico A la
gAniroaiti da:

D. B. Waldon Library
Univaraity of Wattam Ontario

Tha Imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat quality
poaaibia eonaidaring tha condition and lagibility
of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha
filming contract apacifteationa.

Laa imagaa suhrantaa ont AtA raproduitaa avac la
plua grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at
da la nattatA da I'axamplcira f iim/i. at an
conformitA avac laa conditiona d<j contrat da
filmaga.

Original copiaa in printad papar covara ara flimaci
baginning with tha front eovar and anding on
tha iaat paga with a printad or iiiustratad impraa-
•ion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. Ail
othar original copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha
first paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa*
•ion, and anding on tha Iaat paga with a printael
or illuatratad impraaaion.

Laa aKamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura an
papiar aat ImprimAa sont fiimAa an commandant
par la pramiar plat at an tarminant aoit par fa
damlAra paga qui comporta una amprainta
d'impraaaion ou d'iliuatration. aoit par la sacond
plat, aaion la caa. Toua laa autraa axampiairaa
originaux aont fiimAa an commandant par la
pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta
dimpraaaion ou d'iliuatration at an tarminant par
la damlAra paga qui comporta una talla
amprainta.

Tha Iaat racordad frama on aach microflcha
•hall contain tha aymbd —wC moaning "CON-
TINUED"), or tha aymboi ▼ (moaning "END"),
whichavar appliaa.

Un daa lymbolaa suivanta apparattra sur la
damlAra imaga da cliaqua microflcha, aaion la
caa: la aymbda •^ aignifla "A SUIVRE". la
•ymbola ▼ aignifla "FIN".

IMapa, plataa, charta. ate, may ba flimad at
diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too iarga to ba
antiraiy included in ona axpoaura ara flimad
baginning in tha uppar iaft liand comar, laft to
right and top to t>ottom. aa many framaa aa
raquirad, Tha following diagrama illuatrata tha
mathod:

Laa cartaa, planchaa. tablaaux, ate, pauvant Atra
flImAa A daa taux da rAduction diff Aranta.
Loraqua la document aat trap grand pour Atra
raproduit an un aaui clicliA, ii aat filmA A partir
da I'angia aupArlaur gaucha, da gaucha A droita,
at da haut an Inw, an pranant la nombra
d'imagaa nAcaaaaira. Laa diagrammaa suhranta
illuatrant la mAtlioda.

1 2 3

f:.\\

5f !

|si?-

••1

- 2-

c^ f ' 7 ^

'4^%

BY SHEEB PLUCK.

'.■:ji^:.A

BY SHEER PLUCK

A TALE OF THE ASHANTI WAR.

G. A. HENTY,

Author of " With Clive in India;" " Under Drake's Flag; " " In Freedom'! Cauae;"
" The Young Carthaginian;" " Facing Death ;" &c.

WITH EIQBT FULL-PAOE ILLUSTRATIONS BY GORDON BROWNE.

GLASGOW :
BLACKIE & SON, Limited.

TORONTO :
WILLIAM BRIGGS, 29-33 Richmond St. West.
The COPP, CLARK COMPANY, Limited, 9 Front St. West.

Entbeto according to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year on«
thousand eight hundred and nlnety-Beven, by Blaokib tt So», Limited, in tb«
OfBoe of the Minister of Agriculture.

679119

CONTENTa

CHAP. PAOl

L A Fishing Excursion,

IL A Mad Von 23

III. A Tough VAhN, 87

IV. A Rising Tidb 68

V. Alonb in thb Worlo, . 67

VI. Thb First Step, 82

VIL An Old Friend, . . . ' 97

VIII. To THB Dark Continent, Ill

IX. Thb Start Inland 125

X. Lost in thb Forbst, 138

XL A Hostile Tribe, 152

XII. A Negro's Stobt, 168

XIII. A FuomvE Slave, 182

XIV. A Christian Town, 196

XV. Thb Amazons of Dahomey, 210

XVI. Captives in Coomassib, 226

XVIL The Invasion of Fanti Land, 240

XVIII. The Attack on Elmina, 256

XIX. The Tide Turned, 270

XX. The White Troops 285

XXL The Advance to the Prah 309

XXIL The Battle of Amoaful, 328

XXUL The Capture or Coomassib, 886

ILLUSTRATIONa

Paqi
Out with the Scouts, • • • • • ProiUUpUee, 817

Blown out to Sba, ••••••••21

Alone in thb Wobld, 72

"Lad, tou abk a WondebI** • • • • t • 91

Lost in thb Fobbbt, •••••••• 149

Sam escapes fbou the Man-hunteb8| • • • • 197

The Death of Mb. Ooodenough, • • • • * 246

*WH0 aOEB THEBE?** . . • • . . 2bl

V^rtanJErjrfLin^go^gKitSr^m n**g Ji^isriaiaaigr^iTai|3n

BY SHEER PLUCK:

A TALE OF THE ASHANTI WAR.

CHAPTER L

A FISHING EXCURSION.

OW, Hargate, what a fellow you are! I've
been looking for you everywhere. Don't
you know it's the House against the Town
boys. It's lucky that the Town have got
the first innings; they began a quarter
of an hour ago."
"How tiresomel" Frank Hargate said. "I was watch-
ing a most interesting thing here. Don't you see this
little chaffinch nest in the bush, with a r ^wly hatched
brood. There was a small black snake threateniug
the nest, and the mother was defending it with quiver-
ing wings and open beak. I never saw a prettier
thing. I sat quite still and neither of them seemed to
notice me. Of course I should have interfered if I
had seen the snake getting the best of it. When
you came running up like a cart-horse, the snake

^%:::

A CRICKET-MATCH.

glided away in the grass, and the bird flew off. Oh,
dear! I am sorry. I had forgotten all about thd
inatch."

"I never saw such a fellow as you are, Hargate.
Here's the opening match of the season, and you, who
are one of our best bats, poking about after birds and
Bnakes. Come along; Thompson sent me and two
or three other fellows oif in all directions to find you.
We shall be half out before you're back. Wilson
took James's wicket the first ball."

Frank Hargate leaped to his feet, and, laying aside
for the present all thoughts of his favourite pursuit,
started off at a run to the playing field. His arrival
there was greeted with a mingled chorus of welcome
and indignation. Frank Hargate was, next to Thomp-
son the captain of the Town eleven, the best bat
among the home boarders. He played a steady rather
than a brilliant game, and was noted as a good sturdy
sticker. Had he been there, Thompson would have
put him in at first, in order to break the bowling of
the House team. As it was, misfortunes had come
rapidly. Ruthven and Handcock were bowling splen-
didly, and none of the Town boys were making any
stand against them. Thompson himself had gono in
when the fourth wicket fell, and was still in, although
two wickets had since fallen, for only four runs, and
the seventh wicket fell just as Frank arrived panting,
on \}yf^ ground.

"Confound you, Hargate!" Thompson shouted,
"where have you been? And not even in flannels
yet."

"I'm very sorry," Frank shouted back cheerfully.

AN UPHILL GAMS.

" and never nund the flannels, for once. Shall I come

• All

in now?

" No,** Thompson said. "You'd better get your wind
first Let Fenner come in next."

Fenner stayed in four overs, adding two singles as
his share, while Thompson put on a three and a two.
Then Fenner was caught. Thirty-one runs for eight
wickets! Then Frank took the bat, and walked to
the ground. Thompson came across to him.

" Look here, Hargate, you have made a nice mess
of it, and the game looks as bad as can be. Whatever
you do, play carefully. Don't let out at anything that
comes straight The great thing is to bother their
bowling a bit They're so cocky now, that pretty
near every ball is straight on the wickets. Be content
with blocking for a bit, and Handcock will soon go
off. He always gets savage if his bowling is collared."

Frank obeyed orders. In the next twenty minutes
he only scored six runs, all in singles, while Thompson,
who was also playing very carefully, put on thirteen.
The game looked more hopeful for the Town boys.
Then there was a shout from the House, as Thompson's
middle wicket was sent flying. Childers, who was the
last of the team, walked out.

" Now, Childers," Thompson said, " don't you hit at a
ball. You're safe t: be bowled or caught if you do.
Just lift your bat, and block them each time. Now,
Frank, it's your turn to score. Put them on as fast as
you can. It's no use playing carefully any longer."

Frank set to to hit in earnest He had now got his
eye well in, and the stand which he and Thompson had
made together, had taken the sting out of the bowling.

RUNNING UP A SCORE.

The ball which had taken Thompson's wicket was the
last of the over. Consequently the next came to him.
It was a little wide, and Frank, stepping out, drove it
for four. A loud shout rose from the Town boys.
The?e had only been one four scored before, during the
innings. Off the next ball Frank scored a couple,
blocked the next, and drove the last of the over past
long leg for four. The next over Childers strictly
obeyed orders, blocking each ball. Then it was
Frank's turn again, and seven more went up on the
board. They remained together for just fifteen min-
utes, but during that time thirty-one had been added
to the score. Frank was caught at cover point, having
added twenty-eight since Thompson left him, the other
three being credited to Childers. The total was eighty-
one — ^not a bad score in a school match.

"Well, you've redeemed yourself," Thompson said,
as Frank walked to the tent " You played splendidly,
old fellow, when you did come. If we do as well next
innings we are safe. They're not likely to average
eighty. Now get on your wicket-keeping gloves.
Qreen and I will bowL"

The House scored rapidly at first, and fifty runs
were put on with the loss of four wickets. Then mis-
fortune fell upon them, and the remaining six ioG. for
nineteen. The next innings Frank went in first, bnt
was caught when the score stood at fifteen^ Thomp-
son made fourteen, but the rest scored but badly, and
the whole were out for forty-eight

The House had sixty-one to get to win. Six
wickets had fallen for fifty-one runs, when Thompson
put Childers on to bowl. The change was a fortunate

A TIE.

on& Ruthven's stumps were lowered at the first ball
Handcock was caught off the second. The spirits of
the Town boys rose. There were but two wickets
more, and still ten runs to get to win. The House
played cautiously now, and four overs were sent down
without a run. Then off a ball from Childers a four
was scored, but his next ball levelled the outside
stump. Then by singles the score mounted up until a
tremendous shout from the House announced that the
game was saved, sixty runs being marked by the
scorers. The next ball, the Town boys replied even
more lustily, for Childers' ball removed the bails, and
the game ended in a tie. Both parties were equally
well satisfied, and declared that a better game had never
been played at Dr. Parker's. As soon as the game was
over Frank, withe it waiting to join in the genera!
talk over the game, put on his coat and waistcoat and
started at a run for home.

Frank Hargate was an only son. His mother lived
in a tiny cottage on the outskirts of Deal. She was a
widow, her husband, Captain Kar^^M, having died a
year before. She had only her pension as an officer's
widow, a pittance that scarce sufficed even for the
modest wants of herself, Frank, and her little daughter
Lucy, now six years old. " I hope I have not kept tea
waiting, mother," Frank said as he ran in. " It is not
my beetles and butterflies this time. We have been
playing a cricket-match, and a first-rate one it was.
Town boys against tl e House. It ended in c tie."

" You are only a quarter of an hour late," his mother
said smiling, "which is a great deal nearer being
punctual than is usually the case when you are out

FRANK'S HOME.

with your net. We were just going to begin, for 1
know your habits too well to give you more than a
quarter of an hour's law."

" I'm afraid I am horridly unpunctual," Frank said,
" and yet, mother, I never go out without making up
my mind that I will be in sharp to time. But some-
how there is always something which draws me
away."

" It makes no matter, Frank. If you are happy and
amused I am content, and if the tea is cold it is your
loss, not ours. Now, my boy, as soon as you have
washed your hands we will have tea."

It was a simple meal. Thick slices of bread and
butter and tea, for, Mrs. Hargate could only afford to
put meat upon the table once a day, and even for that
several times in the week fish was substituted, when
the weather was fine and the fishing-boats returned
well laden. Frank fortunately cared very little what
he ate, and what was good enough for his mother was
good enough for him. In his father's lifetime things
had been different, but Captain Hargate had fallen
in battle in New Zealand. He had nothing besides
his pay, and his wife and children had lived with him
in barracks until his regiment was ordered out to New
Zealand, when he had placed his wife in the little
cottage she now occupied. He had fallen in an attack
on a Maori pah, a fortnight after landing in New
Zealand. He had always intended Frank to enter the
military profession, and had himself directed his educa-
tion so long as he was at home.

The loss of his father had been a terrible blow for
the boy, who had been his constant companion when

HIS EARLY TRAINING.

off duty. Captain Hargate had been devoted to field
sports and was an excellent naturalist. The latter taste
Frank had inherited from him. His father had brought
home from India — where the regiment had been sta-
tioned until it returned for its turn of home service
four years before he left for New Zealand — a very large
'quantity of skins of birds which he had shot there.
These he had stuffed and mounted, and so dexterous
was he at the work, so natural and artistic were the
groups of birds, that he was enabled to add considerably
to his income by sending these up to the shop of a
London naturalist. He had instructed Frank in his
methods, and had given him one of the long blow-guns
used by some of the hill tribes in India. The boy had
attained such dexterity in its use that he was able with
his clay pellets to bring down sitting birds, however
small, with almost unerring accuracy. These he stuffed
and mounted, arranging them with a taste and skill
which delighted the few visitors at his mother's cottage.
Frank was ready to join in a game of football or
cricket when wanted, and could hold his own in either
But he vastly preferred to go out for long walks with
his blow-gun, his net, and his collecting boxes. At home
every moment not required for the preparation of his
lessons was spent in mounting and arranging his
captures. He was quite ready to follow the course his
father proposed for him, and to enter the army. Captain
Hargate had been a very gallant officer, and the des-
patches had spoken most highly of the bravery with
which he led his company into action in the tight in
which he lost his life. Therefore Mrs. Hargate hoped
that Frank would have little difficulty in obtaining u

; I

mS LOVB OF NATURAL HISTORT.

commission without purchase when the time for hia
entering the army arrived Frank's desire for a
military life was based chiefly upon the fact that it
would enable him to travel to many parts of the world,
and to indulge his taste for natural history to the
fullest. He was but ten years old when he left India
with the regiment, but he had still a vivid recollection *
of the lovely butterflies and bright birds of that
country.

His father had been at pains to teach him that a
student of natural history must be more than a mere
collector, and that like other sciences it must be
methodically studied. He possessed an excellent
library of books Upon the subject, and although Frank
might be ignorant of the name of any bird or insect
shown to him he could at once name the family and
species.

In the year which Frank had been at school at Dr.
Parker's he had made few intimate friends. His habits
of solitary wandering and studious indoor work had
hindered his becoming the chum of any of his school-
fellows, and this absence of intimacy had been increased
by the fact that the straitness of his mother's means
prevented his inviting any of his school-fellows to his
home. He had, indeed, brought one or two of the boys,
whose tastes lay in the direction of his own, to the house
to show them his collections of birds and insects. But
he declined their invitations to visit them, as he was
unable to return their hospitality, and was too proud
to eat and drink at other fellows' houses when he
could not ask them to do the same at his own. It
was understood at Dr. Parker's that Frank Hargate's

(90O)

NO FAUSB PRIDB.

people were poor, but it was known that his father
had been killed in battle. There are writers who
depict boys as worshippers of wealth, and many
pictures have been drawr of the slights and indignities
to which bo3r8, whose means are inferior to those of
their school-fellows, are subject. I am happy to believe
that this is a libel. There are, it is true, toadies and
tuft-hunters among boys as among men. That odious
creature, the parasite of the Greek and Latin plays,
exists still, but I do not believe that a boy is one whit
the less liked, or is ever taunted with his poverty,
provided he is a good fellow. Most of the miseries
endured by boys whose pocket-money is less abundant
than that of their fellows are purely self-inflicted.
Boys and men who are always on the look-out for
slights will, of course, find what they seok. But the
lad who is not ashamed of what is no fault of his own,
who frankly and manfully says, " I can't afford it," will
not find that he is in any way looked down upon by
those of his school-fellows whose good opinion is in the
smallest degree worth having.

Certainly this was so in the case of Frank Hargate.
He was never in the slightest degree ashamed of say-
ing, "I can't afford it;" and the fact that he was the
son of an officer killed in battle gave him a standing
among the best in the school in spite of his want of
pocket-money. Frank was friends with many of the
fishermen, and these would often bring him strange
fish and sea creatures brought up in their nets, instead
of throwing them back into the sea.

During the holidays he would sometimes go out
with them for twenty-four hours in their fishing-boats.

(SOO) B

A FISHING BXCUKSION.

His mother made no objection to this, as she thought
that the exercise and sea air were good for his health,
and that the change did him good. Frank himself
was so fond of the sea that he was half disposed to
adopt it instead of the army as a profession. But his
mother was strongly opposed to the idea, and won him
to her way of thinking by pointing out that although
a sailor visits many ports he stays long at none of
them, and that in the few hours* leave he might oc-
casionally obtain he would be unable to carry out his
favourite pursuits.

" Hargate," Ruthven, who was one of the oldest of
the House boys and was about Frank's age, that is
about fifteen years old, said a few days after the match,
" the Doctor has given Handcock and Jones and myself
leave to take a boat and go out this afternoon. We
Tnean to start soon, after dinner, and shall take some
lines and bait with us. We have got leave till lock-up,
so we shall have a long afternoon of it. Will you
come with us?"

"Thank you, Ruthven," Frank said; " I should like
it very much, but you know I'm short of pocket-money,
and I can't pay my share of the boat, so I would rather
leave it alone."

"Oh, nonsense, Hargate I" Ruthven answered; "we
know money is not your strong point, but we really
want you to go with us. You can manage a boat
better than any of us, and you will really oblige us if
you will go with us."

" Oh, if you put it in that way," Frank said, " I shall
be glad to go with you ; but I do nqt think," he went
on, looking at the s^y, " that the weather Joojcg very

GOOD SPORT.

settled. However, if you do not mind the chance of a
ducking, I don't."

"That's agreed then," Ruthven said; " will you meet
us near the pier at three o'clock?"

" All right. I'll be punctual."

At the appointed hour the four lads met on the
beach. Ruthven and his companions wanted to choose
a light rowing boat, but Frank strongly urged them to
take a much larger and heavier one. "In the first
place," he said, " the wind is blowing off shore, and
although it's calm here it will be rougher farther out;
and, unless I'm mistaken, the wind is getting up fast.
Besides this it will be much more comfortable to fish
from a good-sized boat."

His comrades grumbled at the extra labour which
the large boat would entail in rowing. However, they
finally gave in and the boat was launched.

"Look out, Master Hargate," the boatman said as
they started; "you'd best not go out too far, for the
wind is freshening fast, and we shall have, I think, a
nasty night." The boys thought little of the warning,
for the sky was bright and blue, broken only by a few
gauzy white clouds which streaked it here and ther*^.
They rowed out about a mile, and then laying in their
oars, lowered their grapnel and began to fish. The
sport was good. The fish bit freely and were rapidly
hauled on board. Even Frank was so absorbed in the
pursuit that he paid no attention to the changing
aspect of the sky, the increasing roughness of the sea,
or the rapidly rising wind.

Suddenly a heavy drop or two of rain fell in the
boat. All looked up. " We are in for a squall," Frank

A HEAVY SQUALL.

exclaimed, " and no mistake. I told you you would
get a ducking, Ruthven." He had scarcely spoken
when the squall was upon them. A deluge of rain
swept down, driven by a strong squall of wind.

" Sit in the bottom of the boat," Frank said ; " this
is a snorter." Not a word was said for ten minutes,
long before which all were drenched to the skin.
With the rain a sudden darkness had fallen, and the
land was entirely invisible. Frank looked anxiously
towards the shore. The sea was getting up fast, and
the boat tugging and straining at the cord of the
grapnel. He shook his head. "It looks very bad,"
he said to himselfi " H this squall does not abate we
are going to have a bad time of it."

A quarter of an hour after it commenced the heavy
downpour of rain ceased, or rather changed into a
driving sleet. It was still extremely dark, a thick
lead-coloured cloud overspread the sky. Already the
white horses showed how fast the sea was rising, and
the wind showed no signs of falling with the cessa-
tion of the rain-storm. The boat was labouring at
her head rope and dipping her nose heavily into the
waves.

" Look here, you fellows," Frank shouted, " we must
take to the oars. If the rope were a long one we might
ride here, but you know it little more than reached the
ground when we threw it out. I believe she's dragging
already, and even if she isn't she would pull her head
under water with so short a rope when the sea gets up.
We'd better get out the oars and row to shore, if we
can, before the sea getr worse."

The lads got up ana looked round, and their faces

would
ipoken
f rain

"this
inutes,

skin,
nd the
dously
st, and
of the
r bad,"
ate we

heavy
into a
I, thick
idy the
ig, and
! cessa-
ring at
ito the

re must
B might
bed the
ragging
er head
yets up,
e, if we

ir faces

a\.^

MAKINQ FOR LAND.

H
S

grew pale and somowhat anxious as they saw how
threatening was the aspect of the sea. They had four
oars on board, and these were soon in the water and
the grapnel hauled up. A few strokes sufficed to show
them that with all four rowing the boat's head could
not be kept towards the shore, the wind taking it and
turning the boat broadside oa

" This will never do," Frank said. " I will steer and
you row, two oars on one side and one on the other.
I will take a spell presently. Row steadily, Kuthven "
he shouted ; " don't spurt We have a long row before
us and must not knock ourselves up at the beginning."
For half an hour not a word was spoken beyond an
occasional pheery exhortation from Frank. The shore
could be dimly seen at times through the driving niist,
and Frank's heart sank as he recognized the fact that
it was further off than it had been when they first
began to row. The wind was blowing a gale now, and,
although but two miles from shore, the sea was already
rough for an open boat "Here, Ruthven, you take
a spell now," he said.

Although the rowers had from time to time glanced
over their shoulders, they could not, through the mist,
form any idea of their position. When Ruthven took
the helm he exclaimed, "Good gracious, Frank! the
shore is hardly visible. We are being blown out to

sea.

"I am afraid we are," Frank said; "but there is
nothing to do but to keep on rowing. The wind may
lull or it may shift and give us a chance of making
for Ramsgate. The boat is a good sea;-boat, and may
keep afloat even if we are driven out to sea. Or if we

=sap

f. I

i
i

DRIVEN TO SEA.

are missed from shore they may send the life-boat out
after us. That is our best chance."

In another quarter of an hour Ruthven was ready
to take another spell at the oar. "I fear," Frank
shouted to him as he climbed over the seat, " there is
no chance whatever of making shore. All we've got
to do is to row steadily and keep her head dead to
wind. Two of us will do for that. You and I will
row now, and let Handcock and Jones steer and rest
by turns. Then when we are done up they can take
our places." In another hour it was quite dark, save
for the gray light from the foaming water around.
The wind was blowing stronger than ever, and it
required the greatest care on the part of the steersman
to keep her dead in the eye of the wind. Handcock
was steering now, and Jones hdno: at the bottom of the
boat, where he was sheltered, at least from the wind.
All the lads were plucky fellows and kept up a sem-
blance of good spirits, but all in their hearts knew
that their position was a desperate one.

CHAPTER n

k MAD DOG.

« T^fev ON'T you think, Hargate," Ruthven shouted

in his ear, "we had better run before it?

It's as much as Handcock can do to keep

her head straight."

" Yes," Frank shouted back, " if it were

not for the Goodwins. They lie right
across ahead of us."

Ruthven said no more, and for another hour he and
Frank rowed their hardest. Then Handcock and Jones
took the oars. Ruthven lay down in the bottom of
the boat and Frank steered. After rowing for an-
other hour Frank found that he could no longer keep
the boat head to wind. Indeed, he could not have
done so for so long had he not shipped the rudder and
steered the boat with an oar, through a notch cut in
the stern for the purpose. Already the boat shipped
several heavy seas, and Ruthven was kept hard at
work baling with a tin can in which they had brought
out bait.

" Ruthven, we must let her run. Put out the other
oar, we must watx:h our time. Row hard when I give
the word."

J>'

i ^ , !

H^-

li I

STRAIGHT FOR THE GOODWINS.

The manceuvre was safely accomplished, and in a
minute the boat was flying before the gale.

" Keep on rowing," Frank said, " but take it easily.
We must try and make for the tail of the sands. I can
see the light-ship."

Frank soon found that the wind was blowing too
directly upon the long line of sands to enable him to
make the light-ship. Already, far ahead, a gray light
seemed to gleam up, marking where the sea was break-
ing over the di eaded shoal.

" I am afraid it is no use," he said. " Now, boys, we
had best, each of us, say our prayers to God, and
prepare to die bravely, for T fear that there is no hope
for us."

There w^as silence in the boat for the next five min-
utes, as the boys sat with their heads bent down. More
than one chokin^c sob miorht have been heard, had the
wind lulled, as they thought of the dear ones at home.
Suddenly there was a flash of light ahead, and the boom
of a gun directly afterwards came upon their ears.
Then a rocket soared up into' the air.

" There is a vessel on the sands," Frank exclaimed.
"Let us make for her. If we can get on board we
shall have a better chance than here."

The boys again bent to their oars, and Frank tried
to steer exactly for the spot whence the rocket had
gone up. Presently another gun flashed out.

'•* There she is," he saicL " I can see her now against
the line of breakers. Take the oar again, Ruthven.
We must bring up under shelter of her lee."

In another minute or two they were within a hun-
dred yards of the ship. She was a large vessel, and

A TEMPORARY REFUGE.

lay just at the edge of the broken water. The waves,
as they struck her, flew high above her deck. As the
boat neared her a bright light suddenly sprang up. The
ship was burning a blue light Then a faint cheer
was heard.

" They see us," Frank said. " They must think we
are the life-boat. What a disappointment for them*
Now, steady, lads, and prepare to pull her round
the instant we are under her stern. I will go as near
as I dare."

Frank could see the people on deck watching the
boat. They must have seen now that she was not the
life-boat; but even in their own danger they must
have watched with intense interest the efforts of the
tiny boat, adrift in the raging sea, to reach them
Frank steered the boat within a few yards of the stern.
Then Jones and Ruthven, wno v^ere both rowing the
same side, exerted themselves to the utmost, while
Frank pushed with the steering oar. A minute later,
and they lay in comparatively still water, under the
lee of the ship. Two or three ropes were thrown
them, and they speedily climbed on board.

"We thought you were the life-boat at first," the
captain said, as they reached the deck; "but, of course,
they cannot be here for a couple of hours yet."

" We were blown off" shore, sir," Frank said, " and
have been rowing against the wind for hours."

" Well, my lads," the captain said, " you have only
prolonged your lives for a few minutes, for she will
not hold together long."

The skip, indeed, presented a pitiable appearance.
The masts had already gone, the bulwark to windward

iasoB

THE LIFE-BOAT.

had been carried away, and the hull lay heeled over
at a sharp angle, her deck to leeward being level with
the water. The crew were huddled down near the
lee bulwarks, sheltered somewhat by the sharp slope
of the deck from the force of the wind. As each wave
broke over the ship, tons of water rushed down upon
them. No more guas were fired, for the lashing had
broken and the gun run down to leeward. Already
there were signs that the ship would break up ere long,
and no hope existed that rescue could arrive in time.

Suddenly there was a great crash, and the vessel
parted amidships.

" A few minutes will settle it now," the captr.in said.
" God help us all."

At this moment there was a shout to leeward, which
was answered by a scream of joy from those on board
the wreck, for there, close alongside, lay the life-boat,
whose approach had been entirely unseen. In a few
minutes the fifteen men who remained of the twenty-
two, who had formed the crew of the wreck, and the
four boys, were on board her. A tiny sail was set and
the boat's head laid towards Ramsgate.

" I am glad to see you. Master Hargate," the sailor
who rowed one of the stroke-oars shouted. He was
the man who had lent them the boat. " I was up in
the town looking after my wife, who is sick, and clean
forgot you till it was dark. Then I ran down and
found the boat hadn't returned, so I got the crew
together and we came out lio look for you, though we
had little hope of finding you. It was lucky for you
we did, and for the rest of them too, for so it chanced
that we were but half a mile away when the ship fired

SAFB AT HOUE.

ed over
el with
ear the
p slope
th wave

in said.

, which
1 board
:e-boat,
a few
wenty-
nd the
let and

> sailor
le was
i up in
1 clean
n and
i crew
igh we
or you
lanced
p fired

her first gun, just as we had given you up and determined
to go back; so on we came straight here. Another ten
minutes and we should have been too late. We are
making for Kamsgate now. We could never beat back
to Deal in this wind. I don't know as I ever saw it
blow much harder."

These sentences were not spoken consecutively, but
were shouted out in the intervals between gusts of
wind. It took them two hours to beat back to Rams-
gate, a signal having been made as soon as they left the
wreck to inform the life-boat there and at Broadstairs
that they need not put out, as the rescue had been
already effected. The lads were soon put to bed at
the sailors' home, a man being at once despatched on
horseback to Deal, to inform those there of the arrival
of the life-boat, and of the rescue of the four boys who
had been blown to sea.

Early next morning Frank and Handcock returned
to Deal, the other two lads beiAg so exhausted by their
fatigue and exposure that the doctor said they had
better remain in bed for another twenty-four hours.

It is impossible to describe the thankfulness and
relief which Mrs. Hargate experienced, when, about
two in the morning, Dr. Parker himself brought her
news of the safety of her boy. She had long given
up all hope, for when the evening came on and Frank
had not returned, she had gone down to the shore.
She learned from the fishermen there that it was
deemed impossible that the boys could reach bhore in
face of the gale, and that although the life -boat
had just put out in search of them, the chances of their
being found were, as she herself saw, faint indeed.

THE FIELD-CLUBb

h r-.,

Ill

She had passed the hours which had intervened in
prayer, and was still kneeling by her bedside, where
little Lucy was unconsciously sleeping, when Dr. Par-
ker's knock was heard at the door. Fervent, indeed,
was her gratitude to God for the almost miraculous
preservation of her son's life, and then, overcome by
the emotions she had experienced, she sought her
couch, and was still asleep when, by the earliest train
in the morning, Frank returned.

For some time the iour boys were the heroes of the
school. A subscription was got up to pay for the lost
boat, and close as were Mrs. Margate's means, she en-
abled Frank to subscribe his share towards the fund.
The incident raised Frank to a pinnacle of popularity
among his school-fellows, for the three others were
unanimous in saying that it was his coolness and skill
in the management of the boat, which alone kept up
their spirits, and enabled them to keep her ailoat
daring the gale, and to make the wreck in safety.

In the general enthusiasm excited by the event, Frank's
pursuits, which had hitherto found few followers, now
became quite popular in the school A field-club was
formed, of which he was elected president, and long
rambles in the country in search of insects and plants
were frequently organized. Frank himself was obliged,
in the interests of the school, to moderate the zeal of
the naturalists, and to point out that cricket must not
be given up, as, if so large a number withdrew them-
selves from the game, the school would suffer disaster
in its various engagements w^ith other schools in the
neighbourhood. Consequently the rule was made that
members of the club were bound to be in the cricket-

TRESPASSINQ.

field on at least three days in the week, including one
half-holiday, while they were free to ramble in the
country on other days. This wise regulation prevented
the "naturalists" from becoming unpopular in the
school, which would assuredly have been the case had
they entirely absented themselves from cricket.

One Saturday afternoon Frank started with a
smaller boy, who was one of his most devoted fol-
lowers, for a long country walk. Frank carried his
blow-gun and a butterfly net, Charlie Goodall a net
of about a foot in depth, made of canvas, mounted on
a stout brass rim, and strong stick, for the capture of
water-beetles. Their pockets bulged with bottles and
tin boxes for the carriage of their captured prey.
They had passed through Eastry, a village four miles
from Deal, when Frank exclaimed, " There is a green
hairstreak. The first I've seen this year. I have never
caught but one before." Cautiously approaching the
butterfly, who was sunning himself on the top of a
thistle, Trank prepared to strike, when it suddenly
mounted and flitted over a hedge. In a moment the
boys had scrambled through the gap and were in full
pursuit. The butterfly flitted here and there, some-
tinijs allowing the boys to approach within a few feet
and then flitting away again for fifty yards without
stopping. Heedless where they were going, the boys
pursued, till they were startled by a sudden shout
close to them.

"You young rascals, how dare you run over my
wheat?"

The boys stopped, and Frank saw what, in his ex-
citement, he had not hitherto heeded, that he was now

AN ANGRY FARMER.

It ;

running in a field of wheat, which reached to his
knee.

" 1 am very sorry, sir," he said. " I was so excited
that I really did not see where I was going."

" Not see!" shouted the angry farmer. " You young
rascal, I'll break every bone in your body," and he
flourished a heavy stick as he spoke.

Charlie Goodall began to cry. " I have no right to
trespass on your wheat, sir," Frank said firmly; "but
you have no right to strike us. My name is Frank
Hargate. I belong to Dr. Parker's school at Deal, and
if you will say what damage I have caused, I will pay
for it."

" You shall pay for it now," shouted the farmer, as
he advanced with uplifted stick.

Frank slipped three or four of his clay bullets into
his mouth. " Leave us alone or it will be worse for
you," he said as he raised the blow-gun to his mouth.
The farmer advanced, and Frank sent f* bullet with all
his force, and with so true an aim that he struck the
farmer on the knuckles. It was a sharp blow, and the
farmer, with a cry of pain and surprise, dropped the
stick. "Don't come a step nearer," Frank shouted.
"If you do, I will aim at your eye next time," and he
pointed the threatening tube at the enraged farmer's
face.

" I'll have the law of you, you young villain. I'll
make you smart for this."

" You can do as you like about that," Frank said.
" I have only struck you in self-defence, and have let
you off easily. Come along, Charlie, let's get out of this."

In a few minutes they were again on the road, the

MAD DOOl

I'll

fanner making no attempt to follow them, but deter-
mined in his mind to drive over the next morminjf to
Deal to take out a summons ag'^.inst them for trespass
and assault. The lads proceeded silently along the
road. Frank was greatly vexed with himself at his
carelessness in running over half-giown wheat, and
was meditating how he could pay the fine without
having to ask his mother. He determined upon his
return to carry some of his cases of stuffed birds down
to a shop in the town, and he felt sure that he could
get enough for these to pay for any damage which could
have been inflicted, with a fine for trespassing, for
he had seen stuffed birds exposed in the windows for
sale, which were, he was sure, very inferior to his own
both in execution and lifelike interest.

After proceeding a few hundred yards along the road
they met a pretty little girl of seven or eight years old
walking along alone. Frank scarcely glanced at her, for
at the moment he heard a shouting in the distance and
saw some men running along the road. For a momeni
he thought that the farmer had despatched some of his
men to stop him, but instantly dismissed the idea, as
they were coming from the opposite direction and
could by no possibility have heard what had happened.
They were lost sight of by a dip in the road, and as
they disappeared, an object was seen on the road on
the near side of the dip.

"It is a dog," Frank said. " What can they be
shouting at?" The dog was within fifty yards of
them when the men again appeared from the dip and
recommenced shouting. Frank could now hear what
they said. "Mad dog! mad dog!"

A NOBLE ACTION.

"Get throutj;h the hedge, Charlie, quick," Frank
cried "Here, 1 will help you over, never mind the
thorns."

The hedge was low and closely kept, and Frank,
bundling his comrade over it, threw himself acrv>js and
looked round. The dog was within ten yards of them,
and Frank saw that the alarm was well founded. The
dog was a large cross-bred animal, between a mastiff
and a bull-dog. Its hair was rough and bristling. It
came aloncj with its head down and foam churning
from its mouth. Frank looked the other way and
gave a cry. Not twenty yards off, in the middle of
the road, stood the child. She, too, had heard the
shouts, and had paused to see what was the matter.
She had not taken the alarm, but stood unsuspicious
of danger watcLmg, not the dog, but the men in the
distance.

Frank placed the blow-gun to his mouth, and in
a moment his pellet struck the aninial smartly on the
side of the head. It gave a short yelp and paused.
Another shot struck it, and then Frank, snatching the
water-net from Charlie, threw himself over the hedge,
and placed himself between the child and the dog
just as the latter, with a savage growl, rushed at him.

Frank stood perfectly cool, and as the animal
rushed forward, thrust the net over its head; the
ring was but just large enough to allow its head
to enter. Frank at once sprang forward, and placing
himself behind the dog kept a strain upon the stick,
so retaining the mouth of the net tightly on his
neck. The animal at first rushed forward dragging
Frank after him. Then he stopped, backed, and tried

DEATH OF THE DOQ.

Frank '
[id the

Frank,
lyoS and
i them,
i. The
mastiff
ing. It
hurning
vay and
liddle of
eard the
J matter,
uspicious
3n in the

I, and in
ly on the
I paused,
jhing the
le hedge,
the dog
at him.
animal
ead; the
its head
placing
he stick,
on his
dragging
tnd tried

to withdraw his head from the encumbrance which
blinded him. Frank, however, had no difficulty in
retaining the canvas net in its place, until the men,
who were armed with pitchforks, ran up and speedily
despatched the unfortunate animal.

" That's bravely done, young master," one of them
said; "and you have saved Missy's lite surely. Th<;
savage brute rushed into the yard and bit a young
colt and a heifer, and then, as we came running out
with forks, he took to the i-oad again. We chased *um
along not knowing who we might meet, and it gived us
a rare turn when we saw the master's Bessy standing
alone in the road, wi* nout between her and the dog.
Where have you been, Miss Bessy?"

"I've been to aunt's," she said, "and she gave me
some strawberries and cream, and it's wicked of you to
kill the poor dog."

"Her aunt's farm lies next ^ master's," the man
explained; " and little miss often goes over there. The
dog was mad, missy, and if it hadn't been for young
master here, it would have killed you as safe as eggs.
Won't you come back to the farm, sir? Master and
mistress would be main glad to thank you for having
saved missy's life."

" No, thank you," Frank said ; " we are late now and
must be going on our way. I am very glad I happened
to be here at the time;" so saying Frank and Charlie
proceeded on their way to Deal.

On reaching home he at once picked out four of his
best cases of stuffed birds. The cases he had con-
structed himself, fur his father had encouraged him to
depend upon himself for his amusements. He had

(200) c

A SALE OF STUFFED BIRDS.

asked Charlie to come round to help him to carry the
cases, and with these he proceeded to a shop where he
had seen such things offered for sale.

"And you really did these yourself?" the man said
in surprise. " They are beautifully done. Quite pic-
tures, I call them. It is a pity that they are homely
birds. There is no great sale for such tliinj^s here. I
cannot give you more than five shillings each, but if
you had them in London they would be worth a great
deal more."

Frank gladly accepted the oflfer, and feeling sure
that the pound would cover the damage done and the
fine, which might be five shillings apiece for trespassing,
went home in good spirits. The next morning the
doctor was called out in the middle of school, and
presently returned accompanied by the farmer with
whom they had had the altercation on the previous
day. Frank felt his cheeks flush as he anticipated a
severe reprimand before the whole school.

" Mr. Gregson," the doctor said, " tells me that two
of my boys were out near his place at Eastry yesterday.
One of them gave him his name, which he has for-
gotten."

" It was I, sir," Frank said rising in his place; " I was
there with Goodall. We ran on Mr. Gregson's ground
after a butterfly. It was my fault, sir, for, of course,
Goodall went where I did. We ran among his wheat,
and I really did not notice where we were going till
he called to us. I was wrong, of course, and am ready
to pay for any damage we may have caused."

" You are welcome," the farmer said, " to trample on
mv wheat for the rest of your born days. I haven't

trry the
rhere he

nan said
Liite pic-
j homely
here. 1
h, but if
h a great

ling sure
e and the
espassing,
rning the
xhogl, and
rmer with
5 previous
icipated a

that two
yesterday,
has for-

.e; "I was

8 ground

of course,

his wheat,

going till

am ready

[rample on
I haven't

A GRATEFUL FATHER

come over here to talk f,l)Out the wheat, though I
tell you fairly I'd minded to do so. I've come over
here, Dr. Parker, me and my missus who's outside, to
thank this young ^ontleman for having saved the life
of my little daughter Bessy. She was walking along
the road when a mad dog, a big brute of a mastiff, who
came, I hear, from somewhere about Canterbury, and
who has bit two boys on the road, to say nothing of
other dogs and horsefi and such like; he came along
the road, he were close to my Bess, and she stood there
all alone. Some of my men with pitchforks were two
hundred yards or so behind; but law, they could have
done nothing! when this young gentleman here jumped
all of a sudden over a hedge and put himself between
the dog and my Bess. The dog, he rushed at him; but
what does he do but claps a bag he'd got at tfce end of
a stick over the brute's head, and there he holds him
tight till the men comes up and kills him with their
forks. Young gentleman," he said, stepping up to
Frank and holding out his hand, " I owe my child's
life to you. There are not many men who would have
thrown themselves in the way of a mad dog, for the
sake of a child they knew nothing of. I thank you
for it with all my heart. God bless you, sir. Now,
boys, you give three cheers with me for your school-
mate, for you've got a right to be proud of him."

Three such thundering cheers as those which arose
had never been heard within the limits of Dr. Parker's
school from the day of its foundation. Seeing that
farther work could not be expected from them after
this excitement. Dr. Parker gave the boys a holiday
for the rest of the day, and they poured out from the

A HIGH TEA

school-room, shouting and delighted, while Frank was
taken off to the parlour to bo t'lanked by Mrs. Gregson.
The farmer closed his visit by inviting Frank, with as
many of his school-fellov»^s as he liked — the whole school
if they would come, the more the better — to come
over to tea on the following Saturday afternoon, and
he promised them as much strawberries and cream as
they could eat. The invitation was largely accepted,
and the boys all agreed that a jollier meal they never
sat down to than that which was spread on tables in
the farmer's garden. The meal was called tea, but it
might have been a dinner, for the tables were laden
with huge pies, cold chicken and duck, hams, and piles
of cakes and tarts of all sorts. Before they started
for home, late in the evening, syllabub and cake were
handed round, and the boys tramped back to Deal in
the highest of glee at the entertainment they had
received from the hospitable farmer and his wife.
Great fun had been caused after tea by the farmer
giving a humorous relation of the battle with which his
acquaintance with Frank had commenced, and especi-
ally at the threat of Frank's to send a bullet into his
eye if he interfered with him. When they left a most
cordial invitation was given to Frank co come over,
with any friend he liked to bring with him, and have
tea at the Oaks farm whenever he chose to do so.

: was

i^son.
Lth as
school

come
a., and
lam as
•epted,

never
bles in
but it
) laden
id piles
started
ce were
Deal i]

had
wife.

"armer
lich his

especi-
into his

a most
le over,
id have

so.

CHAPTER III.

A TOUGH YARN.

OU had a close shave the other night," one
of the boatmen remarked to Frank, as a
few days after the adventure he strolled
down with Ruthven and Haudcock to
talk to the boatman whose bo» o had been
lost, "a very narrow shave. I had one
out there myself when I was just about your age, nigh
forty years ago. I went out for a sail with my father
in his fishing-boat, and I didn't come back for three
years. That was the only long voyage I ever went.
I've been stickinor to fishinjj ever since."

"How was it you were away three years?" Hand-
cock asked, "and what was the adventure? Tell us
about it."

" Well, it's rather a long yarn," the boatman said.
" Well, your best plan, Jack," Ruthven said, putting
his hand in his pocket and bringing out sixpence,
"will be for you to go across the road and wet your
whistle before you begin."

" Thank ye, young gentleman. I will take three o*
grog and an ounce of 'bacca." He went across to the
public-house, and soon returned with a long clay in his

IT"

THE INTRODUCTION.

hand. Then he sat down on the shingle with his back
against a boat, and the boys threw themselves down
close to him. " Now." he besran. when he had filled

his

fairly aligh

)e with great deliberation and gol
" this here yarn as I'm going to tell you ain't no gam-
mon. Most of the tales which gets told on the beach
to visitors as comes down here and wants to hear of
sea adventures is just lies from beginning to end.
Now, I ain't that sort, leastways, I shouldn't go to
impose upon young gents like you as ha' had a real
adventure of your own, and showed oncommon good
pluck and coolness too. I don't say, mind ye, that
every word is just gospel. My mates as ha' known
me from a boy tells me that I've 'bellished the yarn since
I first told it, and that all sorts of things have crept in
which wasn't there first. That may be so. When a
man tells a story a great many times, naturally he can't
always tell it just the same, and he gets so mixed up
atween what he told last and what he told first that
he don't rightly know which was which when he wants
to tell it just as it really happened. So if sometimes it
appears to you that I'm steering rather wild, just you
put a stopper on and bring me up all standing with a
question."

There was a quiet humour about the boatman's face,
and the boys winked at each other as much as to say
that after such an exordium they must expect some-
thing rather staggering. The boatman took two or
three hard whiflf's at his pipe and then began.

"It was towards the end of September in 1832,
that's just forty years ago now, that I went out with
my father and three hands in the smack, the Flying

THE SMACK RUN DOWN.

is back
5 down
i filled
■ aligbt,
Lo gani-
e beach
hear ol*
to end.
t go to
1 a real
Dn good
ye, that
known
irn since
crept in
When a
he can't
lixed up
irst that
le wants
itimes it
lUst you
with a

in's face,
IS to say
let some-
two or

lin 1832,
lout with
Flying

Dolphin. I'd been at sea with father off and on ever
since I was about nine years old, and a smarter boy
wasn't to be found on the beach. The Dolphin was a
good sea boat, but she wasn't, so to say, fast, and I dunno*
as she was much to look at, for the old man wasn't the
sort of chap to chuck away his money in paint or in
new sails as long as the old ones could be pieced and
patched so as to hold the wind. We sailed out pretty
nigh over to the French coast, and good sport we had.
We'd been out two days when we turned her head
homewards. The wind was blowing pretty strong,
and the old man remarked, he thought we was in for
a gale. There was some talk of our running in to
Calais and waiting till it had blown itself out, but the
fish might have spoilt before the wind dropped, so we
made up our minds to run straight into Dover and
send the fish up from there. The night came on wild
and squally and as dark as pitch. It might be about
eight bells, and I and one of the other hands had
turned in, when father gave a sudden shout down the
hatch, * All hands on deck.' I was next to the steps
and sprang up 'em. Just as I got to the top something
grazed my face, I caught at it, not knowing what it
was, and the next moment there was a crash, and the
Dolphin went away from under my feet. I clung for
bare life, scarce awake yet nor knowing what had
happened. The next moment I was under water. I
still held on to the rope and was soon out again. By
this time I was pretty well awake to what had hap-
pened. A ship running down channel had walked
clean over the poor old Dolphin, and I had got hold of
the bobstay. It took me some time to climb up on

A COOL RECEPTION.

to the bowsprit, for every time she pitched I went
under water. However, I got up at last and swarmed
along the bowsprit and got on board. Tliere was a
chap sitting down fast asleep there. I walked aft to
the helmsman. Two men were pacing up and down in
front of him. * You're a nice lot, you are,' I said, ' to
go running down Channel at ten knots an hour without
any watch, a-walking over ships and a-drowning of
deamen. I'll have the law of ye, see if I don't.'

"' Jeerusalem!' said one, 'who have we here?'

"'My name is Jack Perkins,' says I, 'and I'm the
sole survivor, as far as I knows, of the smack, the Fly-
f/ng Dolphin, as has been run down by this craft and
I'jst with all hands.' *'

'" Darn the Flying Dolphin, and you too,' says the
man, and he begins to walk up and down the deck a-
puffin' of a long cigar as if nothing had happened.

"*C)h, come,' says I, 'this won't do. Here you've
been and run down a smack, drowned father and the
other three hands, and you're look-out fast asleep, and
yovi does nothing.'

'" I suppose,' said the captain, sarcastic, ' you want
me to jump over to look for 'em. You want me to
heave the ship to in this gale and to invite yer father
perlitely to come on board. P'raps you'd like a grapnel
put out to see if I couldn't hook the smack and bring
her up again. Perhaps you'd like to be chucked over-
board yourself. Nobody asked you to come on board,
nobody wanted your company. I reckon the wisest
thing you can do is to go for'ard and turn in.' There
didn't seem much for me to do else, so I went forward
to the forecastle. There most of the hands were asleep,

A LONG VOYAGE.

brinor
1 over-

but two or tbree were sitting up yarning. I told 'em
my story and what the captain had said.

"* He s a queer hand is the skipper/ one of 'em said,
' and hasn't got a soft place about him. Well, my lad
I'm sorry for what's happened, but talking won't do it
any good. You've got a Ion.* voyage before you, and
you'd best turn in and make yourself comfortable for

it.'

*" I ain't going a long voyage,* says I, beginning to
pipe my eye, ' I wants to be put ashore at the first
port.'

"'Well, my lad, I daresay the skipper will do that,
but as we're bound for the coast of Chili from Ham-
burg, and ain't likely to Is there for about five months,
you've got, as I said, a long voyage before you. If the
weather had been fine the skipper might have spoken
some ship in the Channel, and put you on board, but
before the gale's blown out we shall be hundreds of
miles at sea. Even if it had been fine I don't suppose
the skipper would have parted with you, especially
if you told him the watch was asleep. He would
not care next time he entered an English port to
have a claim fixed on his ship for the vally of the
smack.'

" I saw what the sailor said was like enough, and
blamed myself for having let out about the watch.
However, there was no help for it, and I turned into
an empty bunk and 'cried myself to sleep. What a
voyage that was, to be sure! The ship was a Yankee
and so was the master and mates. The crew were of
all sorts, Dutch, and Swedes, and English, a Yank or
two, and a sprinklin' of niggers. It was one of those

HARD TIMES.

ships they call a hell-on-earth, and cussing and kicking
and li riving went on all day. I hiidn't no regular
place gi'"8 me, but helped the black cook^ and pulled at
ropes, and swa bbed the decks, and got kicked and cuffed
all round. The skipper did not often speak to me, but
when his eye lighted on me he gave an ugly sort of look,
as seemed to say, ' You'd better ha gone down with the
others. You think you're going to report the loss of the
smack, and to get damages against the Poto'mac, do you?
we shall see,' The crew were a rough lot, but the spirit
seemed taken out of 'em by the treatment they met
•with, it was a word and a blow \/ith the mates, and.
they would think no more of catching up a handspike
and stretching a man staseless on the deck than 1
should of killing a fly There was two or three
among 'em of a better sort than the ofhers. The best
of 'em was the carpenter, an old Dutchman, ' Leetle
boy,' he used to say to me, 'you keep yourself out of
the sight of de skipper. Bad man dat. Me much
surprise if you get to de end of dis voyage all right.
You best work vera hard and give him no excuse to
hit you. If he do, by gosh, he kill you, and put down
in de log. Boy killed by accident.'

" I felt that this was so myself, and I did my work
as well as I could. One day, however, when we were
near the line I happened t(5 upset a bucket with some
tar. The captain was standing close by.

" ' You young dog,' he said, ' you've done that a pur-
pose,' and before I could speak he caught up the
bucket by the handle and brought it down on my head
with all hi^ might. The next thing I remember was,
I was lying in a bunk in the forecastle. Everything

A FRIENDLV DUTCHMAN.

looked strange to me, and I couldn't raise my head.
After a time I made shift to turn it round, and saw
old Jans sitting on a chest mending a jacket. I called
him, but my voice was so low I hardly seemed to hear
it myself.

"* Ah, my leetle boy!* he said, 'I am glad to hear
you speak again. Two whole weeks you say nothing
except talk nonsense.'

" ' Have I been ill?' I asked.

"'You haf been vera bad,' he said. 'De captain
meant to kill you, I haf no doubt, and he pretty
near do it. After he knock you down he said you
dead. He sorry for accident, not mean co hit you so
hard, but you dead and better be tossed overboard at
once. De mates they come up and take your hands
and feet. Den I insist dat I feel your wrist. Two
or three of us dey stood by me. Captain he vera
angry, say we mutinous dogs. I say not mutinous,
but wasn't going to see a boy who was only stunned
thrown overboard. We say if he did dat we make
complaint before consul when we get to port. De
skipper he cuss and swear awful. Howebber we haf
our way and carry you here. You haf fever and near
die. Tree days after we bring you here de captain he
swear you shamming and corned to look at you hisself,
but he see that it true and tink you going to die. He
go away wid smile on his face. Every day he ask if
you alive, and give grunt when I say yes. Now you
best keep vera quiet. You no talk 'cept when no one
else here but me. Other times lie wid your face to
the side and your eyes shut. Best keep you here iiS
long as we can, de longer de better. He make you

SIGNS OF MITIXY.

come on deck and work as soon as he think you strong
enough to stand. Best get pretty strong before }ou go
out.'

" For another three weeks I lay in my bunk. I only
ate a little gruel when otliers were there, but when the
skipper was at dinner Jans would bring nie strong
soup and meat from the caboose. The captain came
several times and shook me and swore I was shamming,
but I only answered in a whisper and seemed as faint
as a girl. All this time ih& Potomac was making good
way, and was running fast down the coast of. South
America. The air was getting cool and fresh.

"*I tink,' Jans said one evening to me, 'dat dis
not go on much longer. De crew getting desperate.
Dey talk and mutter among demselves. Me thinks
we have trouble before long.'

"The next day one of the mates came in with a
bucket of water. ' There! you skulking young hound,'
he said as he threw it over me; ' you'd best get out, or
the skipper will come and rouse you up himself.'

*'I staggered on to the floor. I had made up my
mind to sham weak, but I did not need to pretend at
first, for having been six weeks in bed, I felt strange
and giddy when I got up. I slipped on my clothes
and went out on deck, staggered to the bulwarks and
held on. The fresh air soon set me straight, and I felt
that I was pretty strong again. However, I pretended
to be able to scarce stand, and, holding on by the bul-
wark, made my way aft.

"'You young dog,' the skipper said, 'you've been
shamming for the last six weeks. I reckon I'll sharpen
you up now,' and he hit me a heavy blow with a

PLOTTING IN THE FO'tASTLE.

4ft

un came

rattan he held in his hand. There was a cry of ' Shame !'
frc(A some of the men. As quick as thought the
skipper pulled a pistol from his pocket.

" ' Who cried ' Shame?' ' he asked looking round.

" No one answered. Still holding the pistol in his
hand he gave me several more cuts, and then <^old me
to .wab the deck. I did it, pretending all time I
was scarce strong enough to keep my feet. Then I
made my way forward and sat down against the bul-
wark, as if nigh done up, till night came. That night
as I lay in my bunk I heard the men talking in whis-
pers together. I judged from what they said that
they intended to wait for another week, when they
expected to enter Magellan Straits, and then to attack
and throw the officers overboard. Nothing seemed
settled as to what they would do afterwards. Some
were in favour of continuing the voyage to port, and
there giving out that the captain and officers had been
washed overboard in a storm ; when, if all stood true to
each other, the truth could never be known, although
suspicions might arise. The others, however, insisted
that you never could be sure of everyone, and that some
one would be sure to peach. They argued in favour of
sailing west and beaching the ship on one of the
Pacific islands, where they could live comfortably and
take wives among the native women. If they were
ever found they could then say that the ship was
blown out of her course and wrecked there, and that
the captain and officers had been di owned or killed
by the natives. It seemed to me that this party were
the strongest. For the next week I was thrashed and
kicked every day, and had I been as weak as I pre-

A SUCCESSFUL MUTINY.

tended to be, I'ni sure they would have killed me.
However, thanks to the food Jans brought me, for I
was put on bread and water, I held on. At last we
entered the straits. The men were very quiet that
day, and the captain in a worse temper than usual.
I did not go to sleep, and turned out at the midnight
watch, for I was made to keep watch although I was
on duty all day. As the watch came in 1 heard them
say to the others, ' In ten minutes' time.' Presently I
saw them come out, and joining the watch on deck
they went aft quietly in a body. They had all got
handspikes in their hands. Then there was a rush.
Two pistol shots were fired, and then there was a
splash, and I knew that the officer on watch was
done for. Then they burst into the aft cabins. There
were pistol shots and shouts, and for three or four
minutes the fight went on. Then all was quiet. Then
they came up on deck again and I heard three splashes,
that accounted for the captain and the two other
mates. I thought it safe now to go aft. I found that
six of the men had been killed. These were thrown
overboard, and then the crew got at the spirit stores
and began to drink. I looked about for Jans, and
found him presently sitting on the deck by the bul-
wark,

"* Ah, my leetle boy!' he said, 'you have just come
in time. I have been shot through the body. I was
not in de fight, but was standing near when dey
rushed at de officer on watch. De first pistol he fire
missed de man he aim at and hit me. Well, it was
shust as well. I am too old to care for living among
de black peoples, and T did not want a black wi,fe at

THE END OP THE POTOMAC.

all. So matters haf not turned out so vera bad. Get
me some water.*

" 1 got him some, but in five minutes the poor old
Dutchman was dead. There was no one on deck. All
were shouting and singing in the captain's cabin, so
I went and turned in forward. Morning was just
breaking when I suddenly woke. There was a great
light, and running on deck I saw the fire pouring out
from the cabin aft. I suppose they had all drunk
themselves stupid and had upset a light, and the fire
had spread and suflTocated them all. Anyhow, there
were none of them to be seen. I got hold of a water-
keg and placed it in a boat which luckily hung out on
its davits, as Jans had, the day before, been caulking a
seam in her side just above the water's edge. I made
a shift to lower it, threw oflf the falls, and getting out
the oars, rowed off. I lay by for some little time, but
did not see a soul on deck. Then, as I had nowhere"
particular to go, I lay down and slept. On getting up
I found that I had drifted two or three miles from the
ship, which was now a mere smoking shell, the greater
part being burnt to the water's edge. Two miles to
the north lay the land, and getting out an oar at the
stern I sculled her to shore. I suppose I had been
seen, or that the flames of the ship had called down
the people, for there they were in the bay, and such
a lot of creatures I never set eyes on. Men and
women alike was pretty nigh naked, and dirt is no
name for them. Though I was but a boy I was taller
than most. They came round me and jabbered and
jabbered till I was nigh deafened. Over and over
again they pointed to the ship. I thought they wanted

\i '

A PRIMITIVE RACBL

to know whethei 1 belonged to it, but it couldn't bave
been that, because when I nodded a lot of 'eu\ jumped
into some canoes which was lying ashore, and taking
me with them paddled off to the ship. I suppose they
really wanted to know if they could have what they
could find. That wasn't much, but it seemed a treasure
to them. There was a lot of burned boams floating
about alongside, and all of these which had iron or
copper bolts or fastenings they took in tow and rowed
ashore. We hadn't been gone many hundred yards
from the vessel when she sunk. Well, young gentle-
men, for upwards of two years I lived with them
critturs. My clothes soon wore out, and I got to be as
naked and dirty a« the rest of 'em. They were good
hands at fishing, and could spear a fish by the light of
a torch wonderful. In other respects they didn't seem
to have much sense. They lived, when I first went
there, in holes scratched in the side of a hill, but I
taught 'em to make huts, making a sort of axe out of
the iron saved. In summer they used to live in these,
but in winter, when it was awful cold, we lived in the
holes, which were a sight warmer than the huts. Law,
what a time that was! I had no end of adventures
with wild beasts. The way the lions used to roar and
the elephants — "

"I think, Jack," Ruthven interrupted, "that this
must be one of the embellishments which have crept
in since you first began telling the tale. I don't think
I should keep it in if I were you, because the fact
that there are neither lions nor elephants in South
America throws a doubt upon the accuracy of this
portion of your story."

TWO YEARS WITH BAY AGES.

" It may be, sir," the sailor said, with a twinkle of
his eyes, " that the elephants and lions may not have
been in the first story. Now I think of it, I can't
recall that they were; but, you see, people wants to
know all about it They ain't satisfied when I tell
'em that 1 lived two years among these chaps. They
wants to know how I passed my time, and whether
there were any wild beasts, and a lot of such like
questions, and, in course, I must answer them. So
then, you see, naturally, 'bellishments creeps in; but I
did live there for two years, that's gospel truth, and
I did go pretty nigh naked, and in winter was pretty
near starved to death over and over again. When the
ground was too hard to dig up roots, and the sea was
too rough for the canoes to put out, it went hard with
us, and very often we looked more like living skeling-
tons than human beings. Every time a ship came in
sight they used to hurry me away into the woods. I
suppose they found me useful, and didn't want to part
with me. At last I got desperate, and made up my
mind I'd make a bolt whatever came of it. They
didn't watch me wher. there were no ships near. I
suppose they thought there was nowhere for me to
run to, so one night I steals down to the shore, gets
into a canoe, puts in a lot of roots which I had dug
up and hidden away in readiness, and so makes off.
I rowed hard all night, for I knew they would be after
me when they found I had gone. Them straits is
sometimes miles and miles across; at other times not
much more than a ship's length, and the tide runs
through 'em like a mill-race. I had chosen a time
when I had the tide with me, and soon after morning

(SOO) D

ALUOATORS ON THE WATCR.

I came to one of them narrow places. I should like
to have stopped here, because it would have been
handy for any ship as passed; but the tide run so
strong, and the rocks were so steep on both sides, that
I couldn't make a landing. Howsomdever, directly it
widened out, I managed to paddle into the back water
and landed there. Well, gents, would you believe me,
if there wasn't two big allygaters a-sitting there with
their mouths open ready to swallow me, canoe and all,
when I came to shore."

"No, Jack, I'm afraid we can't believe that. We
would if we could, you know, but alligators are not
fond of such cold v/eather as you'd been having, nor
do they frequent the sea-shore."

" Ah, but this, you see, was a straits, Master Ruthven,
just a narrow straits, and I expect the creatures took
it for a river."

" No, no. Jack, we can't swallow the alligators, any
more than they could swallow you and your canoe."

" Well," the sailor saia with a sigh, " I won't say no
more about the allygaters. I can't rightly recall when
they came into the story. Howsomdever, I landed,
you can believe that, you know."

" Oh yes, we can quite believe, Jack, that, if you
were there, in that canoe, in that back water, with the
land close ahead, you did land."

The sailor looked searchingly at Ruthven and then
continued :

*' I hauled the canoe up and hid it in some bushes,
and it were well I did, for a short time afterwards a
great — " and he paused. " Does the hippypotybus live
in them 'ere waters, young gents?"

WAS IT A HIPPOPOTAMUS 1

ould like
ave been

ie run so
ides, that
lirectly it
Lck water
slieve me,
lere with
e and all,

hat. We
I are not
,ving, nor

Ruthven,
ires took

ktors, any
canoe."
*t say no
!all when
landed,

b, if you
Iwith the

^nd then

tushes,
l-wards a
^bus live

** He does not, Jack," Ruthven said.

" Then it's clear," the sailor said, * that it wazn't a
hippypotybus. It must !\ave been a seal."

" Yes, it might have been a seal," Ruthven said.
•^ What did he do?"

" Well, he just took a look at me, gents, winked
with one eye, as much as to say, ' I see you,' and went

down again.

There warn't nothing else as he could do,

was there?"

" It was the best thing he could do anyhow," Ruth-
ven said.

"Well, gents, I lived there for about three weeks,
and then a ship comes along, homeward bound, and I
goes out and hails her. At first they thought as I was
a native as had learned to speak English, and it wasn't
till they'd boiled me for three hours in the ship's copper
as they got at the colour of my skin, and could believe as
1 was English. So I came back here and found the old
woman still alive, and took to fishing again; but it was
weeks and weeks before I could get her or anyone else
to believe as I was Jack Perkins. And that's all the
story, young gents. Generally I tells it a sight longer
to the gents as come down from London in summer;
but, you see, I can't make muoh out of it when ye won't
let me have "bellishments."

"And how much of it is true altogether, Jack?"
Frank asked. "Really how much?"

" It's all true as I have told you, young masters," the
boatman said. " It were every bit true about the run-
ning down of the smack, and me being nearly killed
by the skipper, and the mutiny, and the burning of
the vessel, and my living for a long time — no, I won't

it:

"THANK YE KINDLT ALL ROUND.'

stick to the two years, but it might have been three
weeks, with the natives before a ship picked me up.
And that's good enough for a yarn, ain't it?"

" Quite good enough, Jack, and we're much obliged
to you; but I should advise you to drop the embellish-
ments in future."

"It ain't no use. Master Hargate, they will have
'bellishments, and if they will have 'em. Jack Perkins
isn't the man to disappint 'em; and, Lord bless you,
sir, the stiffer I pitches it in the more liberal they is
with their tips. Thank ye kindly all round, gentlemen.
Yes, I do feel dry after the yam."

n three
me up.

obliged
ibellish-

11 have
Perkins
:ss you,
they is
itlemen.

CHAPTER IV.

A RISING TIDEi

HE half year was drawing to its close, and it
was generally agreed at Dr. Parker's that it
l^Iii^Jf had been the jolliest ever known. The
^^J boating episode and that of the tea at Oak
Farm had been events which had given a
fillip to existence. The school had been suc-
cessful in the greater part of its cricket matches, and
generally e^'ery one was well satisfied with himself.
On the Saturday preceding the breaking up Frank, with
Huthven, Charlie Goodall and two of the other natural-
ists, started along the sea-shore to look for anemones
and other marine creatures among the rocks and pools
at the foot of the South Foreland. Between Ruthven
and Frank a strong feeling of affection had grown up
since the date of their boating adventure. They were
constantly together now; and as Ruthven was also
intended for the army, and would probably obtain his
commission about the same time as Frank, they often
talked over their future, and indulged in hopes that
they might often meet, and that in their campaigns
they might go through adventures together.
Tide was low when they started. They had nearly

A CARELESS PARTY;

i: '^

three miles to walk. The pools in front of Deal and
VV aimer had often been searched, but they hoped that
once round the Foreland theymight light upon specimens
differing from any which they had hitherto found.
For some hours they searched the pools, retiring as the
tide advanced. Then they went up to the foot of the
cliffs, and sat down to open their cans and compare the
treasures they had collected. The spot which the}
had unwittingly selected was a little bay. For a long
time they sat comparing their specimens. Then Frank
said, " Come along, it is time to be moving." As he
rose to his feet he uttered an exclamation of dismay.
Although the tide was still at some little distance from
the spot where they were sitting, it had already
reached the cliffs extending out at either end of the
bay. A brisk wind was blowing on shore, and the
waves were already splashing against the foot of the
rocks.

The whole party leaped to their feet, and seizing
their cans ran off at the top of their speed to the end
of the bay. " I will see how deep the water is," Frank
exclaimed; " we may yet be able to wade round." The
water soon reached Frank's waist. He waded on until
it was up to his shoulders, and he had to leap as each
wave approached him. Then he returned to his
friends.

" I could see round," he said, " and I think I could
have got round without getting into deeper water.
The worst of it is the bottom is all rocky, and I
stumbled several times, and should have gone under
water if I could not have swam. You can't swim,
Ruthven, I know; can you other fellows?"

►!

what's to be done!

Goodall could swim, as could one of the others.
'* Now, Ruthven," Frank said, " if you will put your
hand on my shoulder and keep quiet, I think I could
carry you round. Goodall and Jackson can take
Childers."

But neither of the other boys had much confidence
in their swimming. They could get thirty or forty
yards, but felt sure that they would be able to render
but little assistance to Childers, and in fact scarcely
liked to round the point alone. For some time they
debated the question, the sea every minute rising and
pushing them farther and farther from the point.
••Look here, Frank," Ruthven said at last; "you are
not sure you can carry me. The others are quite
certain that they cannot take Childers. We must give
up that idea. The best thing, old boy, is for you three
who can swim to start together. Then if either of the
others fail you can help them a bit. Childers and I
must take our chance here. When you get round you
must send a boat as soon as possible."

" I certainly shall not desert you, Ruthven," Frank
said. " You know as well as I do that I'm not likely
to find a boat on the shore till I get pretty near
Walmer Castle, and long before we could get back it
would be settled here. No, no, old fellow, we will see
the matter out together. Jackson and Goodall can
swim round if they like."

These lads, however, would not venture to take the
risk alone, but said that they would go if Frank would
go with them. " Chuck off your boots and coats and
waistcoats," Frank said suddenly, proceeding to strip
rapidly to the skin. " I will take them round, Ruth-

TWO OF THE PARTY bAFE.

ven, and come back to you. Run round the bay you
and Childei's, and see if you can find any sort of
ledge or projection that we can take refuge upon.
Now, theU; come on you two as quick as you can."
The sea had already reached within a few feet of the
foot of tiie cliff all round the bay. " Now, mind,"
Frank said sharply, " no struggling and nonsense, you
fellows. I will keep quite close to you and stick to
you, so you needn't be afraid. If you get tired just
put one hand on my back and swim with the other
and your legs ; and above all things keep your heads as
low as possible in the water so as just to be able to
breathe." «

The three lads soon waded out as far as they covild
go and then struck out. Jackson and Goodall were
both poor swimmers and would have fared very badly
alone. The confidence, however, which they enter-
tained in Frank gave them courage, and they were
well abreast of the point when first Jackson and then
Goodall put their hands on his shoulders. Thanks to the
instructions he had given them, and to their confidence
in him, they placed no great weight upon him. But
every ounce tells heavily on a swimmer, and Frank
gave a gasp of relief as at last his feet touched the
ground. Bidding his companions at once set off" at
a run he sat down for two or three minutes to recover
his breath. " It is lucky," he said to himself, " that I
did not try with Ruthven. It's a very different thing
carrying fellows who can swim and fellows who can't.
What fools we've been to let ourselves be caught here!
I had no idea the tide came so high, or that it was so
dangerous, and none of us have ever been round here

A PERCH FOUND FOR ONE. -

V)efore. Now I must go back to Ruthven." Frank
found it even harder work to get back than it had
been to come out from the bay, for the tide was against
him now. At last he stood beside Ruthven and
Childers.

" We can only find one place, Frank, where there is
any projection a fellow could staiid upon, and that is
only large enough for one. See!" he said, pointing to a
projecting block of chalk, whose upper surface, some
eight inches wide, was tolerably flat. " There is a cave
here, too, which may go beyond the tide. It is no
depth, but it slopes up a bit."

"That will never do," Frank said; "as the waves
come in they will rush up and fill it to the top. Don't
you see it is all rounded by the water? Now, Childers,
we will put you on that stone. You will be perfectly
safe there, for you see it is two feet above this greenish
line, which shows where the water generally comes to.
The tides are not at spring at present, so though you
may get a splashing there is no fear of your being
washed off."

The water was already knee-deep at the foot of the
rocks, and the waves took them nearly up to the
shoulders. Ruthven did not attempt to dispute Frank's
allotment of the one place of safety to Childers.
Frank and he placed themselves below the block of
chalk, which was somewhat over six feet from the
ground. Then Childers scrambled up on to their
shoulders, and from these stepped on to the ledge. " I
am all right," he said; "I wish to Heaven that you
were too."

" We shall do," Frank said. " Mind you hold tight,

LIE STILL OR DROWN 1

Childers! You had better turn round with your face
to the cliff, 80 as to be able to grip hold and steady
yourself in case the waves come up high. The tide
will turn in three quarttirs of an hour at the outside.
Now, then, Ruthven, let's make a light for it, old
man."

" What are you going to do, Frank?"

" We will wa<le along here as far as ws can towards
the corner, and then we must swim for it."

" Don't you think it's possi ble to stay here," Ruthven
said, " if the tide will turn so soon?"

"Quite impossible!" Frank said. "I have been nearly
taken off my feet twide already, and the water will rise
a yard yet, at least. We iihould be smashed against
the rocks, even if we weren't drowned. It must be
tried, Ruthven. There Is no other way for it. The
distance is a good deal farther than it would have
been if we had started at first; but it isn't the distance
that makes much matter. We've only got to go out
a little way, and the tide will soon take us round the
point. Everything depends on you. I can take you
round tha point, and land you safely enough, if you will
lie quiet. If you don't, you will drown both of us.
So it's entirely in your hands. Look out!" At this
moment a larger wave than usual took both boys off
their legs, and dashed them with considerable force
against the cliff, Frank seized Ruthven, and assisted
him to regain his feet. " Now, old fellow, let me put
you on your back. I will lie on mine and tow you
along. Don't struggle; don't move; above all, don't
try and lift your head, and don't mind if a little water
gets in your mouth. Now!"

A SWIM FOR LIFE.

|>9

;er

For a moment Ruthven felt himself under water,
and had to make a great effort to restrain himself
from struggling to come to the surface. Then he felt
himself lying on his back in the water, supported by
Frank. The motion was not unpleasant as he rose
and fell on the waves, although now and then a splash
of water came over his face, and made him cough and
splutter for breath. He could see nothing but hhe blue
sky overhead, could feel nothing except that ocv'jasion-
ally he received a blow from, one or other of J'rank's
knees, as the latter swam beneath him, with Uuthven's
head on his chest. It was a dreamy sensation, and
looking back upon it afterwards Ruthven could never
recall anything that he had thought of. It seemed
simply a drowsy pleasant time, except when occasion-
ally a wave covered his face. His first sensation was
that of surprise when he felt the motion change, and
Frank lifted his head from the water and said, "Stand
up, old fellow. Thank God, here we are, safe!"

Frank had indeed found the journey easier than
that which he had before undertaken with the others.
He had scarcely tried to progress, but had, after get-
ting sufficiently far out to allow the tide to take him
round the point, drifted quietly.

" I owe my life to you, Frank. I shall never forget
it, old fellow."

" It's been a close thing," Frank answered; " but you
owe your life as much to your own coolness as to me,
and above all Ruthven, don't let us forget that we
both owe our lives to God."

*' I sha'n't forget it," Ruthven said quietly, and they
stood for a few minutes without speaking. "Now,

.' i '

m :'

'II '

lli

•
1

RKOL' V KM

what had we better do? Shall we start to run
home?"

"I can't," Frank laughed, for he had nothing on
but his trousers. These he had slipped on after the
return from his first trip, pushing the rest of his
thiiigs iTito a crevice in the rocks as high up as he
could reach. " You had better take off your things,
Ruthvcn, and lay them out to dry in the sun. The
boat will be here in half an hour. I wonder how
Childers is getting on!"

" I think he will be safe," Ruthven said. " The tide
will not rise high enough for there to be much danger
of his being wr.shed off."

" I don't think so either," Fraimk agreed, " or I would
try and swim back again; but I really don't think I
could get round the point against the tide again."

In half an hour a boat rowing four oars was seen
approaching. " They are laying out well," Kuthven
said. *' They couldn't row harder if they were rowing
a race. But had it not been for you, old fellow, they
would have been too late, as far as I am concerned."
As the boat approached, the coxswain waved his hat to
the boys. Frank motioned with his arm for them to
row on round the point. The boat swept along at a
short distance from the shore. The boys watched them
breathlessly. Presently as it readied the point they
saw the coxswain stand up and say something to the
men, who glanced over their shoulders as they rowed.
Then the coxswain gave a loud shout. "Hold on!
We'll be with you directly."

"Thank God!" Frank exclaimed, "Childers is all
right" It was well, however, that the boat arrived

A CRITICAL TIMJS.

when it did, for Childers was utterly exhausted when
it reached him. The sea had risen so high that the
waves broke against his feet, throwing the spray far
above his head, and often nearly washing him from
the ledge on which he stood. Had it not been, indeed,
for the hold which he obtained of the cliff, it would
several times have swept him away. About eighteen
inches above his head he had found a led[jo sufficiently
wide to give a grip for his hands, and hanging by
these he managed to retain his place when three times
his feet were swept off the rock by the rush of water.
The tide was just on the turn when the boat arrived,
and so exhausted was he that he certainly would not
have been able to hold out for the half hour's buffet-
ing to which he would have been exposed before the
water fell sufficiently to leave him. After helping him
into the boat the men gathered the clothes jammed in
fissures of the cliffs. These were, of course, drenched
with water, but had for the most part remained firm
in their places. They now pulled round to the spot
where Frank and Ruthven were awaiting them.

"Childers must have been pretty nearly done,"
Frank said. " He must be lying in the bottom of the
boat." Childers gave a smile of pleasure as his school-
fellows jumped on board. He had, glancing over his
shoulder, seen them drift out of sight round the point,
and had felt certain that they had reached shore. It
was, however, a great pleasure to be assured of the
fact.

" You have made quite a stir upon the beach, young
gentlemen," the coxswain of the boat said. When
they two came running up without their shoes or coats

THE aREUTIN(} ON THE BSACR.

and sairl there wore three of you cut ofT in the bay
under the Foreland, there didn't seem much chance for
you. It didn't take us two minutes to launch the
boat, for there were a score of hands helping to run
her down; and my mates bent to it well, I can tell you,
though we didn't think it would be of any use. We
were glad when we made you two out on this side of
the point. Look, there's half Deal and Walmer coming
along the shore."

It was as the boatman said. Numbers of persons
were streaming along the beach, and loud were the
cheers which rose as the coxswain stood up and shouted
in a stentorian voice, "All saved!"

Frank put on his things as they approached Walmer
His shoes were lost, as were those of Kuthven, and he
had difficulty in getting his arms into his wet and
shrunken jacket Quite a crowd were gathered near
the castle as the boat rowed to shore, and a hearty
cheer arose as it was run up on the shingle and the
boys were helped out. Frank and Ruthven, indeed,
required no assistance. They were in no way the
worse for the adventure, but Childers was so weak
that he was unable to stand. He was carried up and
laid in a fly, the others sitting opposite, the driver having
first taken the precaution of removing the cushions.

There were among the crowd most of the boys
from Dr. Parker's. Goodall and Jackson had arrived
nearly an hour and a half before, and the news had
spread like wildfire. Bats and balls had been thrown
down and everyone had hurried to the beach. Good-
all and his companion had already related the circum-
stance of their being cut o£f by the water and taken

FRANK OBJECTS TO BEING A HERO.

round the point by Frank ; and as Ruthven on
jumping out had explained to his comrades who
flocked round to shake his hand, "I owe my life to
Hargate," the enthusiasm reached boiling-point, and
Frank had difficulty in taking his place in the fly, so
anxious were all to shake his hand and pat him on the
shoulder. Had it not been for his anxiety to get home
»is soon as possible, and his urgent entreaties, they
would have carried him on their shoulders in triumph
through the town. They drove first to the school,
where Childers was at once carried up to a bed, which
had been prepared with warm blankets in readiness;
Ruthven needed only to change his clothes.

The moment they left the fly Frank drove straight
home, and was delighted at finding, from his mother's
exclamation of surprise as he alighted from the cab,
that she had not been suffering any anxiety, no one, in
the general excitement, having thought of taking the
news to her. In answer to her anxious inquiries
he made light of the affair, saying only that they
had stupidly allowed themselves to be cut off by the
sea and had got a ducking. It was not, indeed, till the
next morning, when the other four boys came around
to tell Mrs. Hargate that they were indebted to Frank
for their lives, that she had any notion that he had
been in danger. Frank was quite oppressed by what
he called the fuss which was made over the affair.
A thrilling description of it appeared in the local
papers. A subscription was got up in the school,
and a gold watch, with an inscription, was presented
to him; and he received letters of heart-felt thanks
from the parents of his four school-fellows, for Childei's

A TERRIBLE LOSS.

maintained that it was entirely to Frank's coolness
and thoughtfulness that his preservation was also due.

On the following Wednesday the school broke up.
Frank had several invitations from the boys to spend
his holidays with them; but he knew how lonely his
mother would feel in his absence, and he declined all
the invitations. Mrs. Hargate was far from strong,
and had had several fits of fainting. These, however,
had taken place at times when Frank was at school,
and she had strictly charged her little servant to say
nothing about it.

One day on returning from a long walk he saw the
doctor's carriage standing at the door. Just as he
arrived the door opened and the doctor came out.
Upon seeing Frank he turned. " Come in here, my
boy," he said.

Frank followed him, and seeing that the blinds were
down, went to draw them up. The doctor laid his
hand on his arm. " Never mind that," he said gently.
" My boy," he said, " do you know that your mother
has been for some time ailing?"

" No, indeed," Frank said with a gasp of pain and
surprise.

" It is so, my boy. I have been attending her for
some time. She has been suffering from fainting fits
brought on by weakness of the heart's action. Two
hours since I was sent for and found her unconscious.
My poor boy, you must compose yourself. God is
good and merciful, though his decrees are hard to bear.
Your mother passed away quietly half an hour since,
without recovering consciousness." Frank gave a
short cry, and then sat stunned by the suddenness of

BEARING THE BLOW.

were

the blow. The doctor drew out a small case from his
pocket and poured a few drops from a phial into a
glass, added some water, and held it to Frank's lips.
" Drink this, my boy," he said.

Frank turned his head from the offered glass. He
could not speak.

" Drink this, my boy," the doctor said again ; " it
will do you good. Try and be strong for the sake of
your little sister, who has only you in the world now."

The thought of Lucy touched the right chord in the
boy's heart, and he burst into a passionate fit of crying.
The doctor allowed his tears to flow unchecked. " You
will be better now," he said presently. " Now drink
this, then lie down on the sofa. We must not be
having you ill, you know."

Frank gulped down the contents of the glass, and,
passive as a child, allowed the doctor to place him upon
the sofa. " God help and strengthen you, my poor boy,"
he said; "ask help from Him." For an hour Frank
lay sobbing on the sofa, and then, remembering the
doctor's last words, he knelt beside it and prayed for
strength.

A week had passed. The blinds were up again.
Mrs. Hargate had been laid in her last home, and
Frank was sitting alone again iti the little parlour
thinking over what had best be done. The outlook
was a dark one, enough to shake the courage of one
much older than Frank. His mother's pension, he
knew, died with her. He had, on the doctor's advice,
written to the War OflBce on the day following his
mother's death, to inform the authorities of the cir-
cumstances, and to ask if any pension could be granted

(SOO) I

WHAT AM I TO DO t

to his sister. The reply had arrived that morning and
had relieved him of the greatest of his cares. It stated
that as he was now just fifteen years old he was not
eligible for a pension, but that twenty-five pounds a
year would be paid to his sister until she married or
attained the age of twenty-one.

He had spoken to the doctor that morning, and the
latter said that he knew a lady who kept a small
school, and who would, he doubted not, be willing to
receive Lucy and to board and clothe her for that sum.
8he wa« a very kind and motherly person, and he
was sure that Lucy would be most kindly treated
and cared for by her. It was then of his own future
only that Frank had to think. There were but
n. few pounds in the house, but the letter from the
\. ar Office inclosed a cheque for twenty pounds, as his
mother's quarterly pension was just due. The fur-
niture of the little house would fetch but a small sum,
not more, Frank thought, than thirty or forty pounds.
There were a few debts to pay, and after all was
settled up there would remain about fifty pounds.
Of this he determined to place half in the doctor's
hands for the use of Lucy. " She will want," he said
to himself, "a little pocket-money. It is hard on a
girl having no money to spend of her own. Then, as
she gets on, she may need lessons in something or other.
Besides, half the money rightly belongs to her. The
question is, What am I to do?"

-'?^Ji*^i5F*ef^We«^>T-

^vVi^wVi^vv^vyvvv^wnrAvv/w mU

CHAPTER V.

ALONE IN THE WORLD.

HAT am I to do?" A difficult question,
indeed, for a boy of fifteen, with but
twenty -five pounds, and without a
friend in the world. Was he, indeed,
without a friend? he asked himself.
There was Dr. Parker. Should he apply
to him? But the doctor had started for a trip on the
Continent the day after the school had broken up,
and would not return for six weeks. It was possible
that, had he been at home, he might have offered to
keep Frank for a while; but the boys seldom stayed
at his school past the age of fifteen, going elsewhere
to have their education completed. What possible
claim had he to quarter himself upon the doctor for
the next four years, even were the offer made? No,
Frank felt; he could not live upon the doctor's charity.
Then there were the parents of the boys he had saved
from drowning But even as he sat alone Frank's
face flushed at the thought of trading upon services
so rendered. The boy's chief fault was pride. It was
no petty feeling, and he had felt no shame at being
poorer than the rest of his school-fellows. It was

li '

A MISTAKEN PRIDEL

rather a pride which led him unduly to rely upon
himself, and to shrink from accepting favours from
anyone. Frank might well, without any derogation,
have written to his friends, telling them of the loss
he had suffered and the necessity there was for him
to earn his living, and asking them to beg their
fathers to use their interest to procure him a situa-
tion as a boy clerk, or any other position in which
he could earn his livelihood. Frank, however, shrunk
from making any such appeal, and determined to
fight his battle without asking for help. He knew
nothing of his parents' relations. His father was
an only son, who had been left early an orphan.
His mother, too had, he was aware, lost both her
parents, and he had never heard her speak of other
relations. There was no one, therefore, so far as he
knew, to whom he could appeal on the ground of ties
of blood. It must be said for him that he had no idea
how hard was the task which he was undertaking:.
It seemed to him that it must be easy for a strong,
active lad to find employment of some sort in London.
What the employment might be he cared little for.
He had no pride of that kind, and so that he could
earn his bread he cared not much in what capacity he
might do it.

Already preparations had been made for the sale of
the furniture, which was to take place next day.
Everything was to be sold except the scientific books
which had belonged to his father. These had been
packed in a great box until the time when he might
place them in a library of his own, and the doctor
kindly offered to keep it for him until such time should

LEAVING HOME.

lie of

dav.

looks .

Ibeen
light
)ctor
lould

■I

arrive. Frank wrote a long letter to Ruthven, telling
him of his loss, and his reasons for leaving Deal,
and promising to wrHe some day and tell him how
he was getting on in London. This letter he did not
intend to poot until the last thing before leaving Deal.
Lucy had already gone to her new home, and Frank
felt confident that she would be happy there. His
friend, the doctor, who had tried strongly, but without
avail, to dissuade Frank from going up to London to
seek his fortune there, had promised that if the lad
referred any inquiries to him he would answer for his
character.

He went down to the beach the last evening and
said good-bye to his friends among the fishermen, and
he walked over in the afternoon and took his last meal
with Farmer Gregson.

"Look ye here, my lad," the farmer said as they
parted. " I tell ye, from what I've heard, this London
be a hard nut to crack. There be plenty of kernel,
no doub , when you can get at it, but it be hard work
to open the shell. Now, if so be as at any time you
run short of money, just drop me a line, and there's ten
pound at your service whenever you like. Don't you
think it's an obligation. Quite the other way. It
would be a real pleasure to me to lend you a helping
hand."

Two days after the sale Frank started for London,
On getting out of the train he felt strange and lonely
amid the bustle and confusion which was going on on
the platform. The doctor had advised him to ask one of
the porters, or a policeman, if he could recommend him
to a quiet and respectable lodging, as expenses at an

[ii

ALONE IN A ChOWD.

hotel would soon make a deep hole in his money. He,
therefore, as soon as the crowd cleared away, addressed
himself to one of the porters.

*' What sort of lodgings do you want, sir?" the man
said, looking at him rather suspiciously, with, as Frank
saw, a strong idea in his mind that he was a runaway
schoolboy.

" I only want one room," he said, " and I don't care
how small it is, so that it is clean and quiet. I shall
be out all day, and should not give much trouble."

The porter went away and spoke to some of his
mates, and presently returned with one of them.

" You're 'wanting a room I hear, sir," the man said.
" I have a little house down the Old Kent Road, and
my missus lets a room or two. It's quiet and clean,
I'll warrant you. We have one room vacant at
present."

"I'm sure that would suit me very well," Frank
said. " How much do you charge a week?"

"Three and sixpence, sir, if you don't want any
cooking done."

Frank took the address, and leaving his portmanteau
in charge of the porter, who promised, unless he heard
to the contrary, that he would bring it home with him
when he had done his work, he set off from the sta-
tion.

Deal is one of the quietest and most dreary places on
the coast of England, and Frank was perfectly as-
tounded at the crowd and bustle which filled the street,
when he issued from the railway approach, at the foot
of London Bridge. The porter had told him that he
was to turn to his left, and keep straight along until

k NEW SCKNE.

he reached the "Elephant and Castle." He had, there-
fore no trouble about his road, and was able to give
his whole attention to the sights which met his eye.
For a time the stream of omnibuses, cabs, heavy
waggons, and light carts, completely bewildered him,
as did the throng oi' people who hastened along the
footway. He was depressed rather than exhilarated
at the sight of this busy multitude. He seemed
such a solitary atom in the midst of this great moving
crowd. Presently, however, the thought that where
so many millions gained their living there must be
room for one boy more, somewhac cheered him. He
was a long time making his way to his place of des-
tination, for he stared into every shop window, and
being, although he was perfectly ignorant of the fact,
on the wrong side of the pavement, he was bumped
and hustled continually, and was not long in arriving
at the conclusion that the people of London must be the
roughest and rudest in the world. It was not until he
ran against a gentleman, and was greeted with the
angry, " Now then, boy. Where are you going? Why
the deuce don't you keep on your own side of the pave-
ment?" that he perceived that the moving throng was
divided into two currents, that on the inside meeting
him, while the outside stream was proceeding in the
same direction as himself. After this he got on better,
and arrived without adventure at the house of the
porter, in the Old Kent Road.

It was a small house, but was clean and respectable,
and Frank found that the room would suit him well.
" I do not wait upon the lodgers," the landlady said,
** except to make the beds and tidy the rooms in the

■h

IN LODGINGS.

morning.

So if you want breakfast and tea at home
you will have to get them yourself. There is a
separate place down-stairs for your coals. There are
some tea things, plates ^nd ^ hes, in this cupboard.
You will want to buy a tOfsaJI tv p-kettle, and a gridiron,
and a frying-pan, in case ^. >w wuii a chop or a rasher.
Do you think you can cook them v > \rself ?"

Frank, amused at the thought of cooking and cater-
ing for himself, said boldly that he should soon learn.

"You are a very young gentleman," the landlady
said, eyeing him doubtfully, " to be setting up on your
own hook. I mean," she said, seeing Frank look
puzzled, "setting up housekeeping on your own ac-
count. You will have to be particular careful with
the frying-pan, because if you were to upset the fat
in the fire you might have the house in a blaze in a
jiffey."

Frank said that he would certainly be careful with
the frying-pan.

" Well," she went on, " as you're a stranger to the
place I don't know as you could do better than get
your tea, and sugar, and things at the grocer's at the
next corner. I deals there myself, and he gives every
satisfaction. My baker will be round in a few minutes,
and, if you likes, I can take in your bread for you.
The same with milk."

These matters being arranged, and Frank agreeing
at once to the proposition that as he was a stranger it
would make things more comfortable were he to pay
his rent in advance, found himself alone in his new
apartment. It was a room about ten feet square.
The bed occupied one corner, with the wash-stand at

kik

THE FIR8T MEAL.

its foot There was a small table in front of the fire-
place, and two chairs; a piece of carpet half covered
the floor, and these with the addition of the articles in
the cupboard constituted the furniture of the room.
Feeling hungry after his journey Frank resolved to go
out at once and get something to eat, and then to lay
in a stock of provisions. After some hesitation re-
c^arding the character of the meal he decided upon
two Bath-buns, determining to make a substantial tea.
He laid in a supply of tea, sugar, butter, and salt,
bought a little kettle, a frying-pan, and a gridiron.
Then he hesitated as to whether he should venture
upon a mutton chop or some bacon, deciding finally in
favour of the latter, upon the reflection that any fellow
could see whether bacon were properly frizzled up,
while as to a chop there was no seeing anything- about
it till one cut it. He, therefore, invested in a pound of
prime streaky Wiltshire bacon, the very best, as the
shopman informed him, that could be bought. He
returned carrying all his purchases, with the exception
of the hardware. Then he inquired of his landlady
where he could get coal.

" The green-grocer's round the comer," the landlady
said. "Tell him to send in a hundredweight of the
best, that's a shilling, and you'll want some firewood
too."

The coal arrived in the course of the afternoon, and
at half-past six the porter came in with Frank's trunk.
He had by this time lit a fire, and while the water was
boiling got some of his things out of the box, and by
hanging some clothes on the pegs on the back of the
door, and by putting the two or three favourite books

THI ADVERTISEMENT COLUMN&

he had brought with him on to the mantel-piece, he
gave the room a more homelike appearance. He en-
joyed his tea all the mor«i from the novelty of having
to prepare it himself, and succeeded very fairly for a
first attempt with his bacon.

When tea was over he first washed up the things
and then started for a ramble. He followed the broad
straight road to Waterloo Bridge, stood for a long time
looking at the river, and then crossed into the Strand.
The lamps were now alight and the brightness and
bustle of the scene greatly interested him. At nine
o'clock he returned to his lodgings, but was again
obliged to sally out,^as he found he had forgotten
candles.

After breakfast next morning he went out and
bought a newspaper, and set himself to work to study
the advertisements. He was dismayed to find how
many more applicants there were for places than places
requiring to be filled. All the persons advertising
were older than himself, and seemed to possess various
accomplishments in the way of languages; many too
could be strongly recommended from their last situa-
tion. The prospect did not look hopeful. In the first
place he had looked to see if any required boy clerks,
but this species of assistant appeared little in demand;
and then, although he hoped that it would not come to
that, he ran his eye down the columns to see if any
required errand-boys or lads in manufacturing busi-
nesses. He found, however, no such advertisements.
However, as he said to himself, it could not be ex-
pected that he should find a place waiting for him on
the very day after his arrival, and that he ought to be

HUNTINO FOB ▲ PLACA

able to live for a year on his five-and-twenty pounds;
at this reflection his spirits rose and he went out again
for a walk.

For the first week, indeed, of his arrival in London
Frank did not set himself very earnestly to work to
look for a situation. In his walks about the streets
he several times observed cara> in the window indicat-
ing that an errand-boy was wanted. He resolved,
however, that this should be the last resource which
he would adopt, as he would much prefer to go to
work as a common lad in a factory to serving in a
shop. After the first week he answered many adver-
tisements, but in no case received a reply. In one
case, in which it was stated that a lad who could write
a good fast hand was required in an office, wages to
begin with eight shillings a week, he called two days
after writing. It was a small office with a solitary
clerk sitting in it. The latter, upon learning Frank's
business, replied with some exasperation that his mind
was being worried out by boys. " We have had four
hundred and thirty letters," he said; " and I should think
that a hundred boys must have called. We took the
first who applied, and all the other letters were chucked
into the fire i^ soon as we saw what they were about."

Frank returned to the street greatly disheartened.
"Four hundred and thirty letters!" he said, "Four
hundred and thirty other fellows on the look-out, just
as I am, for a place as a boy clerk, and lots of them,
no doubt, with friends and relations to recommend
them! The look-out seems to be a bad one."

Two days later, when Frank was walking aJong the
Strand he noticed the placards in front of a theatre*

FIRB! ¥IK&\

"Gallery one shilling!" he said to himself; "I will go.
I have never seen a theatre yet." The play was 2'he
Merchant of Venice, and Frank sat in rapt attention
and interest through it. When the performance was
over he walked briskly homewp.rds. When he had
proceeded some dist&nce he saw a glare in the sky
ahead, and presently a steam-engine dashed past him
at full speed. "That must be a house on fire," he
said. "I have never seen a fire;" and he broke into a
run. Others were running in the same direction, and
as he passed the "Elephant and Castle" the crowd
became thicker, and when within fifty yards of the
house he could no longer advance. He could see the
flames now rising high in the air. A horrible fear
seized him. "It must be," he exclaimed to himself^
"either our house or the one next door." It was in
vain that he pressed forward to see more nearly. A
line of policemen was drawn up across the road to
keep a large space clear for the firemen. Behind the
policemen the crowd were thickly packed. Frank
inquired of many who stood near him if they could
tell him the number of the house which was on fire;
but none could inform him.

Presently the flames began to die away, and the
crowd to disperse. At length Frank reached the first
line of spectators. " Can you tell me the number of
the houses which are burned?" Frank said to a police-
man.

"There are two of them," the policeman said; "a
hundred and four and a hundred and five. A hundred
and four caught first, and they say that a woman and
two children have been burned to death."

BIRBAVED.

"That is where I live!" Frank cried. "Oh, please
let me pass!"

" I'll pass you in," the policeman said good-naturedly,
and he led him forward to the spot where the engines
were playing upon the burning houses. " Is it true,
mate," he asked a fireman, "that a woman and two
children have been burned?"

" It's true enough," the fireman said. " The land-
lady and her children. Her husband was a porter at
the railway-station, and had been detained on overtime.
He only came back a quarter of an hour ago, and he's
been going on like a madman;" and. he pointed to the
porter, who was sitting down on the doorsteps of a
house facing his own, with his face hidden in his
hands.

Frank went and sat down beside him. " My poor
fellow," he said, "I am sorry for you." Frank had
had many chats with his landlord of an evening, and
had become quite friendly with him and his wife.

" I can't believe it," the man said huskily. " Just to
think ! When I went out this morning there was Jane
and the kids, as well and as happy as ever, and there,
where are they now?"

"Happier still," Frank said gently. "I lost my
mother just as suddenly only five weeks ago. I went
out for a walk, leaving her as well as usual, and when
I came back she was dead; so I can feel for you with
all my heart."

" I would have given my life for them," the man
said, wiping his eyes, " willing."

" I'm sure you would," Frank answered.

"There's the home gone," the man said, "with all

EVERYTHING GONE.

the things that it took ten years' savings of Jane and
me to buy; not that that matters one way or the other
now. And your traps are gone, too, I suppose, sir."

" Yes," Frank replied quietly, " I have lost my clothes
and twenty-three pounds in money; every penny
I've got in the world except half a crown in my
pocket."

" And you don't say nothing about it!" the man said,
roused into animation. "But, there, perhaps you've
iriends as will make it up to you."

"I have no one in the world," Frank answered,
" whom I could ask to' give me a helping hand."

" Well, you are a plucky chap," the man said.
"That would be a knock-down blow to a man, let
alone a boy like you. What are you going to do
now?" he asked, forgetting for the moment his own
loss, in his interest in his companion.

" 1 don't know," Frank replied. " Perhaps," he added,
seeing that the interest in his condition roused the
poor fellow from the thought of his own deep sorrow,
" you might give me some advice. I was thinking of
getting a place in an office, but of course I must give
that up now, and should be thankful to get anything
by which I can earn my bread."

" You come along with me," the man said rising.
" You've done me a heap of good. It's no use sitting
here. I shall go back to the station, and turn in on
some sacks. If you've nothing better to do, and no-
where to go to, you come along with me. We will
talk it all over."

Pleased to have some one to talk to, and glad that
he should not have to look for a place to sleep, Frank

A CONSULTATION IN A RAILWAY SHED.

accompanied the porter to the station. With a word
or two to the nightmen on duty, the porter led the
way to a shed near the station, where a number of
sacks were heaped in a corner. " Now," the man said.
" I will light a pipe. It's against the regulations, but
that's neither here nor there now. Now, if you're not
sleepy, would you mind talking to me? Tell me some-
thing about yourself, and how you come to be alone
here in London. It does me good to talk. It prevents
me from thinkinor."

"There is very little to tell," Frank said; and he
related to him the circumstances of the deaths of his
father and mother, and how it caine that he was alone
in London in search of a place.

" You're in a fix," the porter said. " Yes, I can see
that. You see you're young for most work, and you
never had no practice with horses, or you might have
got a place to drive a light cart. Then, again, your
knc»ving nothing of London is against you as an
errand-boy; and what's worse than all this, anyone
can see with half an eye that you're a gentleman, and
not accustomed to hard work. However, we will think
it over. The daylight's breaking now, and I has to be
at work at six. But look ye here, young fellow, to-
morrow I've got to look fcr a room, and when I gets it
there's half of it for you, if you're not too proud to accept
it. It will be doing me a real kindness, I can tcJl you,
for what I am to do alone of an evening without Jane
and the kids, God knows. I can't believ e they're gone
yet" Then the man threw himself down upon the
sacks, and broke into sobs. Frank listened for half an
hour till these gradually died away, and he knew by

fio

THINKING IT OVER.

i !

I i
,f :

(•

the regular breathing that his companion was asleep.
It was long after this before he himself closed his eyes.
The position did, indeed, appear a dark one. Thanks to
the offer of his companion, which he at once resolved
to accept for a time, he would have a roof to sleep
under. But this could not last ; and what was he to do ?
Perhaps he had been wrong in not writing at once to
Ruthven and his school-fellows. He even felt sure he
had been wrong; but it would be ten times as hard to
write now. He would rather starve than do this. How
was he to earn his living? He would, he determined,
at anyrate try for a few days to procure a place as an
errand-boy. If that failed, he would sell his clothes,
and get a rough working suit. He was sure that he
should have more chance of obtaining work in such a
dress than in his present attire.

Musing thus, Frank at last dropped off to sleep.
When he woke he found himself alone, his companion
having left without disturbing him. From r/ne noises
around him of trains coming in anJ out, ^vt^sr^Ii judged
that the hour was late. " I have done one wise thing,"
he said, " anyhow, and as far as I can see it's the only
one, in leaving my watch with the doctor to keep.
He pointed out that I might have it stolen if I carried
it, and that there was no use in keeping it shut up in
a box. Very possibly it might be stolen by the dis-
honesty of a servant. That's safe anyhow, and it is
my or.]y worldly possession, except the books, and I
would rather ^o iaho the workhouse than part with
either of them." Rising, he made his way into the
station, whtro in* Found the porter at his usual work.

"I wo ru no., wake you," the man said; "you were

THE PORTER OFFERS.

sleeping so quiet, and I knew 'twas no use your ' !/-
ting up early. I shall go out and settle for a room at
dinner-time. If you will come here at six o'clock
we'll go off together. The mates have all been very
kind, and have been making a collection to bury my
poor girl and the kids. They've found 'em, and the
inquest is to be to-morrow, so I shall be off work.
The governor has offered me a week; but there, I'd
rather be here where there's no time for thinkings
than hanging about with nothing to do but to drink."

%C'

T — T — T -

'— T-r-T

i k

-i- -i - - i----

CHAPTER VI.

THE FIRST STEP.

^ LL that day Frank tramped the streets. He
went into many shops where he saw noticed
that an errand-boy was required, but every-
where without success. He perceived at once
that his appearance was against him, and
he either received the abrupt answer of,
"You're not the sort of chap for my place," or an
equally decided refusal upon the grounds that he did
u t know the neighbourhood, or that they preferred
one who had parents who lived close by and could
speak for him. At six o'clock he rejoined the porter.
He brought with him some bread and butter and a
piece of bacon. When, on arriving at the lodging of
his new friend, a neat room with two small beds in it,
he produced and opened his parcel, the porter said
angrily, " Don't you do that again, young fellow, or we
shall have words. You're just coming to stop with me
for a bit till you see your way, and I'm not going to
ha\'e you bring things in here. My money is good for
two mouths, and your living here with rne won't cost
three shillings a week. So don't you hurt my feelings
by bringing things home again. Therp, don't say no
more about it."

Ino

THE porter's guest.

Frank, seeing that his companion was really in
earnest, said no more,- and was the less reluctant to
accept the other's kindness as he saw that his society
was really a great relief to him in his trouble. After
the meal they sallied out to a second-hand clothes
shop. Here Frank disposed of his things, and re-
ceived in return a good suit of clothes fit for a work-
ing lad.

" I don't know how it is," the porter said as they
sat together afterwards, " but a gentleman looks like a
gentleman put him in what clothes you will. I could
have sworn to your being that if I'd never s'^en you
before. I can't make it out, I don't know what it is,
but there's certainly something in gentle blood, what-
ever you may say about it. Some of my mates are
for ever saying that one man's as good as another.
Now I don't mean to say they ain't as good; but what
I say is, as they ain't the same. One man ain't the same
as another any more than a race-horse is the same as a
cart-horse. They both sprang from the same stock, at
least so they says; but breeding and feeding and care
has made one into a slim-boned creature as can run
like the wind, while the other has got big bones and
weight and can drag his two ton after him without
turning a hair. Now, I take it, it's the same thing with
gentle folks and working men. It isn't that one's
bigger than the oMier, for I don't see much difference
that way; but a gentleman's lighter in the bone, and
his hands and his feet are smaller, and he carries
himself altogether different. His voice gets a different
tone. Why, Lord bless you, when I hears two men
coming along the ]>latform at night, even when I can't

IN SEARCH OF WORK.

see 'em, and can't hear what they says, only the tone
of their voices, I knows just as well whether it's a
first class or a third door as I've got to open as if I saw
'em in the daylight. Rum, ain't it?"

Frank had never thought the matter out, and could
only givt- his general assent to his companion's pro-
position.

" Now," the porter went on, " if you go into a factory
or workshop, I'll bet a crown to a penny that before
you've been there a week you'll get called Gentleman
Jack, or some such name. You see if you ain't."

" I don't care what they call me," Frank laughed,
" so that they'll take me into the factory."

" All in good time," the porter said; "don't you hurry
yourself. As long as you can stay here you'll be
heartily welcome. Just look what a comfort it is to
have you sitting here sociable and comfortable. You
don't suppose I conJd have sat here alone in this room
if you hadn't been here? I should have been in a
public-house making a Vjeast of myself, and spending
as much money as would keep the pair of us."

Day after day Frank went out in search of work.
In his tramps he visited scores of workshops and
factories, but without success. Either they did not
want boys, or they declined altogether to take one who
had no expei'ience in work, and had no references in
the neighbourhood. Frank took his breakfast and tea
with the porter, and was glad that the latter had his
dinner at the station, as a penny loaf served his pur-
poses. One day in his walks Frank entered Covent
Garden and stood looking on at the bustle and flow of
business, for it happened to be market-day. He leaned

IN COVENT GARDEN.

>rk.

tnd

I not

rho

in
tea
his
pur-
[ent
of
Led

against one of the columns of the piazza, eating the
bread he had just bought. Presently a sharp-faced
lad, a year or two younger than himself, came up to
him, " Give us a bit," he said, " I ain't tasted nothing
to-day."

Frank broke the bread in half and gave a portion to
him. " What a lot there is going on here!" Frank said.

"Law!" the boy answered, "that ain't nothing to
what it is of a morning. That's the time, 'special on
the mornings of the flower-market. It's hard lines if a
chap can't pick up a tanner or even a bob then."

"How?" Frank asked eagerly.

" Why, by holding horses, helping to carry out plants,
and such like. You seems a green 'un, you do. Up
from the country, eh? Don't seem like one of our
sort."

" Yes," Frank said, " T am just up from the country.
I thought it would be easy to get a place in London,
but I don't find it so."

"A place!" the boy repeated scornfully.. "I should
like anyone to see me in a place. It's better "a hundred
times to be your own master."

" Even if you do want a piece of bread sometimes?*
Frank put in.

" Yes," the boy said. "When it ain't market-day and
ye haven't saved enough to buy a few papers or boxes
of matches it does come hard. In winter the times
is bad, but in summer we gets on fairish, and there
ain't nothing to grumble about. Are you out of work
yourself?"

" Yes," Frank answered," I'm on the look-out for a job."

** You'd have a chance here in the morning," said the

DOWN TO THE DOCKS.

3- ) 1

boy, loolving at him. "You look decent, and might
get a job unloading. They won't have us at no price,
if they can hcilp it."

" I will come and try anyhow," Frank said.

That evening Frank told his friend, the porter, that
he thought of going out early next morning to try
and pick up odd jobs at Covent Garden.

" Don't you think of it," the porter said. " There's
nothing worse for a lad than taking to odd jobs. It
gets him into bad ways and bad company. Don't you
hurry. I have spoken to lots of my mates, and they're
all on the look-out for you. We on the platform
can't do much. It ain't in our line, you see; but in the
goods department, where they are constant \n 'th vans
and waggons and such like, they. are likely enough to
hear of something before lono-."

That night, thinking matters over in bed, Frank
determined to go d(»wn to the docks and see if he could
get a place as cabin-boy. He had had this idea in his
mind ever since he lost his money, and had only put it
aside in order that he might, if possible, get some berth
on shore which might seem likely in the end to afford
him a means of making his way up again. It was not
that he was afraid of the roughness of a cabin-boy's
life; it was only because he knew that it would be
so very long before, working his way up from boy to
able-bodied seaman, he could obtain a mate's certificate,
and so make a first step up the ladder. However, he
thought that even this would be better than going as
a waggoner's boy, and he accordingly crossed London
Bridge, turned down Eastcheap, and presently found
himself in Ratcliff Highway. He was amused here

lis.

A CAT AND A PARROT.

at the nautical character of the shops, and presently
found himself staring into a window full of foreign
birds, for the most part alive in cages, among which,
however, were a few cases of stuffed birds. "How
stupid I have been!" he thought to himself. " I wonder
I never thought of it before! 1 can stuff* birds and
beasts at anyrate a deal better than those wooden-
looking things. I might have a chance of getting
work at some naturalist's shop. I will get a directory
and take down all the addresses in London, and then go
around."

He now became conscious of a conversation going on
between a little old man with a pair of thick horn-
rimmed spectacles and a sailor who had a dead parrot
and a cat in his hand.

' I really cannot undertake them," the old man said.
" Since the death of my daughter I have had but little
time to attend to that branch. What with buying and
selling, and feeding and attending to the live ones, I
have no time for stuffing. Besides, if the things were
poisoned, they would not be worth stuffing."

" It isn't the question of worth, skipper," the sailor
said; " and I don't say, mind ye, that these here critturs
was pisoned, only if you looks at it that this was the
noisiest bird and th^^ woret- tempered thievingest cat in
the neighbourhood — though, Lord bless you, my missus
wouldn't allow it for worlds — v ay, you know, when
they were both found stiff' and cold this morning
people does have a sort of a suspicion as how they've
been pisoned;" and he winked one eye in a portentous
manner, and grinned hugely. " The missus she's in a nice
taking, screeching, and yelling, as you might hear hex

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

0^ l&i 12.2

» 1^ 12.0

lis

1.25 1.4 1 A

►

fV^;^^

^T#^**'

HiotDgraphic

Sdeices

Corporation

«-■

33 WEST MAIN STREIT

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80

(716) S72-4S03

■<^'

FRANK VOLUNTEERS HIS SERVICES.

two cables" length away, and uhe turns round on me
and will have it as I'd a hand in the matter. Well,
just to 8 low my innocence, I offers to get a glass case
for 'em, and have 'em stuffed, if it cost me a couple of
pounds. I wouldn't care if they fell all to pieces a
week afterwards, so that it pacified the old woman
just at present If I can't get 'em done I shall ship
at once, for the place will be too hot to hold me. So
you can't do it nohow?"

The old man shook his head, and the sailor was just
turning off when Frank went up to him:

"Will you please wait a moment? Can I speak to
you, sir, a minute?" he asked the old man.

The naturalist went into his shop, and Frank fol-
lowed him.

"I can stuff birds and animals, sir," he said. "I
think I really stuff them well, for some which I did
for amusement were sold at ten shillings a case, and
the man who bought them off me told me they would
be worth four times as much in London. I am out of
work, sir, and very very anxious to get my living.
You will find me hard-working and honest. Do give
me a chance. Let me stuff that cat and parrot for the
sailor. If you are not satisfied then, I will go away
and charge nothing for it."

The man looked at him keenly.

** I will at anjnrate give you a trial," he said. Then
he went to the door and called in the sailor. " This
lad tells me he can stuff birds. I know nothing about
him, but I believe he is speaking truthfully. If
you like to intrust them to him he will do his best
If you're not satisfied he will make no charge."

BEGINNING WORK.

Much pleased at seeing a way out of his dilemma,
the sailor placed the dead animals on the counter.

" Now," the old man said to Frank, " you can take
these out into the back-yard and skin them. Then
you can go to work in that back-room. You will find
arsenical soap, cotton-wool, wires, and everything else
you require there. This has been a fine cat," he said,
looking at the animal.

"Yes, it has been a splendid creature," Frank an-
swered. " It is a magnificent macaw also."

"Ah! you know it is a macaw!" the old man said.
" Of course," Frank said simply; " it has a tail"
The old man then furnished Frank with two or
three sharp knives and scissors. Taking the bird and
cat, he went out into the yard and in the course of an
hour had skinned them both. Then he returned to
the shop and set to work in the room behind.
"May I make a group of them?" he asked.
" Do them just as you like," the old man said.
After settling upon his subject, Frank set to work,
and, except that he went out for five minutes to buy
and eat a penny loaf, continued his work till nightfall.
The old man came in several times to look at him, but
each time went out again without making a remark.
At six o'clock Frank laid down his tools.
" I will come again to-morrow, sir," he said.
The old man nodded, and Frank went home in high
spirits. There was a prospect at last of getting some-
thing to do, and that in a line most congenial to his
own tastes.

The old man looked up when he entered next morn-
ing.

SETTINO UP THE GROUP.

* I shall not come in to-day,** he remarked. " I will
wait to see them finished."

Working without interruption till the evening, Frank
finished them to his* satisfaction, and enveloped them
with many wrappings of thread to keep them in pre-
cisely the attitudes in which he had placed them.

" They are ready for drying now, sir,*' he said. " If
I might place them in an oven they would be dried
by morning."

The old man led the way to the kitchen, where a
imall fire was burning.

" I shall put no more coals on the fire,*' he said, "and
it will be out in a quarter of an hour. Put them in
there and leave the door open. I will close it in an
hour when the oven cools.*'

The next day Frank was again at work. It took
him all day to get fur and feather to lie exactly as he
wished them. In the afternoon he asked the naturalist
for a piece of flat board, three feet long, and a perch,
but said that instead of the piece of board he should
prefer mounting them in a case at once. The old man
had not one in the shop large enough, and therefore
Frank arranged his group temporarily on the table.
On the board lay the cat. At first sight she seemed
asleep, but it was clearly only seeming. Her eyes
were half open, the upper lip was curled up, and the
sharp teeth showed. The hind-feet were drawn some •
what under her as in readiness for an instant spring.
Her front-paws were before her, the talons were some-
what strotched, and one paw was curved. Her ears lay
slightly back. She was evidently on the point of spring-
ing. The macaw perch, which had been cut down to a

H
^

▲ TRIUMPH.

height of two feet, stood behind her. The. bird hung
by its feet, and, head downwards, stretched with open
beak towards the tip of the cat's tail, which was
slightly uplifted. On a piece of paper Frank wrote,
"Dangerous Play." It was evening before he had
finished perfectly to his satisfaction. Then he called
the naturalist in. The old man stopped at the door,
surveying the group. Then he entered and examined
it carefully.

" Wonderful!" he said. " Wonderful! I should have
thought them alive. There is not a shop in the west
end where it could have been turned out better, if so
well. Lad, you are a wonder! Tell me now who and
what are you? I saw when you first addressed me
that you were not what you seemed to be, a working
lad."

" I have been well educated," Frank said, " and was
taught to preserve and stuff by my father, who was a
great naturalist My parents died suddenly, and I
was left on my own resources, which," he said, smiling
faintly, " have hitherto proved of very small avail I
am glad you are pleased. If you will take me into
your service I will work hard and make myself useful
in every way. If you require references I can refer
you to the doctor who attended us in the country; but
I have not a single friend in London except a railway
porter, who has most kindly and generously taken me
in and sheltered me for the last two months."

"I need no references," the old man said; "your
work speaks for itself as to your skill, and your face
for your character. But I can offer you nothing fit
for you. With such a genius as you have for setting

INOAQKD.

Up animals, you ought to be able to earn a good income.
Not one man in a thousand can make a dead animal
look like a live one. You have the knack or the
art"

"I shall be very content with anything you can give
me" Frank said; " for the present I only ask to earn
my living. If later on I can, as you say, do more, all
the better."

The old man stood for some time thinking, and
presently said, " I do but little except in live stock.
When I had my daughter with me I did a good deal
of stuffing, for there is a considerable trade here about.
The sailors bring home skins of foreign birds, and
want them stuffed and put in cases, as presents for
their wiv<^ and sweethearts. You work fast as well
as skiFi. :]; . I have known men who would take a fort-
night ^u Jo such a group as that, and then it would be
a failure. It will be quite a new branch for my trade.
I do not know how it will act yet, but to begin with
I will give you twelve shillings a week, and a room
upstairs. If it succeeds we will make other arrange-
ments. I am an old man, and a very lonely one.
I shall be glad to have such a companion."

Frank joyfully embraced the offer, and ran all the
way home to tell his friend, the porter, of the engage-
ment

" I am very glad," the man said; " heartily glad. I
shall miss you sorely. I do not know what I should
have done without you when I first lost poor Jane
and the kids. But now I can go back to my old ways
again."

"Perhaps," Frank suggested, *'you might arrange

PARTHfO WITH A KIND FRIXND.

•9

to have a room also in the house. It would not be a very
long walk, not above twenty or five-and-twenty min-
utes, and I shoald be so glad to have you with me."

The man sat silent for a time. "No," he said at
last; " I thank you all the same. I should like it too,
but I don't think it would be best in the end. Here
all my mates live near, and I shall get on in tim&
The Christmas holiday season will soon be coming on
and we shall be up working late. If you were always
going to stop at the place you are going to, it would be
different; but you will rise, never fear. I shall be seeing
you in gentleman's clothes again some of these days.
I've heard you say you were longing to get your books
and to be studying again, and you'll soon fall into your
own ways; but if you will let me, I'll come over some-
times and have a cup of tea and a chat with you.
Now, look here, I'm going out \nth you now, and I'm
going to buy you a suit of clothes, something like
what you had on when I first saw you. They won't be
altogether unsuitable in a shop. This is a loan, mind,
and you may pay me off as you get flush."

Frank saw he should hurt the good fellow's feelings
by refusing, and accordingly went out with him, and
next morning presented himself at the shop in a quiet
suit of dark-gray tweed, and with his other clothes
in a bundle.

''Aha!" said the old man; "you look more as you
ought to do now, though you're a cut above an assistant
in a naturalist's shop in Ratcliff Highway. Now, let
me tell you the names of some of these birds. They
are, every one of them, foreigners; some of them I
don't know myself."

•4

A CUMFORTABLB rROSPECT.

:)|*

" I can tell all the family names," Frank said quietly,
*' and the species, but I do not know the varieties."

" Can you!" the old man said in surprise. " What is
this now?"

"That is a mocking-bird, the great black -capped
mocking-bird, I think. The one next to it is a golden
lory." So Frank went round all the cages and perches
in the shop.

" Right in every case," the old man said enthusiasti-
cally; " I shall have nothing to teach you. The sailor
has been here this morning. I offered him two pounds
for the cat and bird to put in my front window, but he
would not take it, and has paid uie that sum for your
work. Here it ia This is yours, you know. You
were not in my employment then, and you will want
some things to start with, no doubt Now come up-
stairs, I will show you your room. I had intended at
first to give you the one at the back, but I have
decided now on giving you my daughter's. I think
you will like it."

Frank did like it greatly. It was the front room on
the second floor. The old man's daughter had evidently
been a woman of taste and refinement. The room was
prettily papered, a quiet carpet covered the floor, and
the furniture was neat and in good keeping. Two
pairs of spotless muslin curtains hung across the win-
dows.

"I put them up this morning," the old man said,
nodding. " I have got the sheets and bedding airing
in the kitchen. They have not been out of the
press for the last three years. You can cook in the
kitchen. There is always a fire there. Now, the

I'REI'AIUNO TO MAKR A SHOW.

first thing to do," he went on when they returned to
the shop, " will be for you to mount a dozen cases for
the windows. These drawers are full of skins of birds
and small animals. 1 get them for next to nothing
from the sailors, and sell them to furriers and feather
preparers, who supply ladies hat and bonnet makers.
In future, I propose that you shall mount them and
sell them direct. We shall get far higher prices than
we do now. I seem to be putting most of the
work on your shoulders, but I do not want you to
help me in the shop. I will look after the birdn and buy
and sell as I used to do; you will have the back-room
private to yourself for stuffing and mounting."

Frank was delighted at this allotment of labour,
and was soon at work rummaging the drawers and
picking out specimens for mounting, and made a selec-
tion sufficient to keep him employed for weeks. That
evening he sallied out and expended his two pounds in
underlinen, of which he was sorCiy in need. As he
required them his employer ordered show-cases for the
window, of various sizes, getting the backgrounds
painted and fitted up as Frank suggested. Frank did
not get on so fast with his work as he had hoped, for
the fame of the sailor's cat and macaw spread rapidly
in the neighbourhood, and there was a perfect rush of
sailors and their wives anxious to have birds and
skins, which had been brought from abroad, mounted.
The sailor himself looked in one day. "If you like
another two pounds for that 'ere cat, governor, I'm
game to pay you. It's the best thing that ever happened
to me. Every one's wanting to see 'em, and there's the
old woman dressed up in her Sunday clothes asitting

k DKUOHTID SAILOR.

in the parlour as proud as a peacock ashowing of 'em off
The house ain't been so quiet since I married. Them
animals would be cheap to me at a ten pound note.
They'll get you no end of orders, I can tell you."

The orders, indeed, came in much faster than Frank
could fulfil them, although he worked twelve hours a
day; laying aside all other work, however, for three
hours in order to devote himself to the shop-cases,
which were tc> be chef-dceuvres.

*=^^-

4^4

CHAPTER VIL

AN OLD FRIEND.

OR three months Frank passed a quiet an«1

not unpleasant life with the old naturalist

^ in Ratcliff Highway. The latter took a great

^yf3r liking to him, and treated him like a son

«^ rather than an assistant. The two took their

meals together now, and Frank's salary had

been raised from twelve to eighteen shillings a week.

So attractive had the cases in the windows proved that

quite a little crowd was generally collected round

them, and the business had greatly augmented. The

old naturalist was less pleased at this change than

most men would have been in his position. He had

got into a groove and did not care to get out of it

He had no relatives or any one dependent on him, and he

had been well content to go on in a jog-trot way, just

paying his expenses of shop and living. The extra

bustle and push worried rather than pleased him. "]

am an old man," he said to Frank one day, as after the

shop was closed they sat over their tea. " I have no

motive in laying by money, and had enough for my

wants. I was influenced more by my liking for your

face and my appreciation of your talent, than by any
(too) o

THE naturalist's OPINION.

desire of increasing my business. I am taking now
three times as much as I did before. Now I should
not mind, indeed I should be glad, if I thought that
you would succeed me here as a son would do. I
would gladly take you into partnership with me, and
you would have the whole business after my death.
But I know, my boy, that it wouldn't do. I know
that the time will come when you will not be content
with 30 dull a life here. You will either get an offer
from some West End house which would open higher
prospects to you, or you will be wandering away as
a collector. In any case you would not stop here, of
that I am quite sure, and therefore do not care, as 1
should have done, had you been my son, for the increase
of the business. As it is, lad, I could not even wish to
see you waste your life here."

Frank, after he was once fairly settled at his new
work, had written to his friend the doctor, at'Deiil,
telling him of the position he had taken, and that he was
in a fair way to make at least a comfortable living,
and that at a pursuit of which he was passionately
fond. He asked him, however, while writing to him
from time to time to give him news of his sister, not
to tell anyone his address, as although he was not
ashamed of his berth, still he would rather that, until
he had made another step up in life, his old school-
fellows sh'^uid i}ot know of his whereabouts. He
had also written to his friend Ruthven a bright
chatty letter, telling him somewhat of his adventures
in London and the loss of his money, and saying that
he had now got employment at a naturalist's, with
every chance of making his way. " When I mount a

AN OLD FRIEND.

bit higher," he concluded, " I shall be awfully glad to
see you again, and will let you know what my address
may then be. For the present I had rather keep it
dark. If you will write to me, addressed to the
General Post Office, telling me all about yourself and
the fellows at school, I shall be very very glad to get
your letter. 1 suppose you will be breaking up for
Christmas in a few days."

Christmas came and went. It was signalized to
Frank only by the despatch of a pretty present to
Lucy, and the receipt of a letter from her written in
a round childish hand. A week afterwards he heard
somebody come into the shop. His employer was out,
and he therefore went into the shop.

"I knew it was!" shouted a voice. "My dear old
Frank, how ar 3 you ?" and his hand was warmly clasped
in that of Ruthven.

" My dear Ruthven," was all Frank could say.

"I had intended," Ruthven exclaimed, "to punch
your head directly I found you ; but I am too glad to
do it, though you deserve it fifty times over. What a
fellow you are ! I wouldn't have believed it of you,
running away in that secret sort of way and letting
none of us know anything about you. Wasn't I angry,
and sorry too, when I got the letter j'ou wrote me
from Deal! When I wen^ back to school and found
that not even Dr. Parker, not even your sister, knew
where you were, I was mad. So were all the other
fellows. However, I said I would find you wherever
you had hidden yourself."

"But how did you find me?" Frank asked, greatly
moved at the warmth of his school-fellow's greeting.

100

HUNTING HIM UP.

"Oh! it wasn't so very difficult to find you when
once I got your letter saying what you were doing.
The very day I came up to town I began to hunt
about. I found from the Directory there were not
such a great number of shops where they stuffed birds
and that sort of thing. I tried the places in Bond
Street, and Piccadilly, and Wigmore Street, and so on
to begin with. Then I began to work east, and directly
I saw the things in the window here I felt sure I had
found you at last. You tiresome fellow! Here I have
wasted nearly half my holidays looking for you."

" I am so sorry, Ruthven."

"Sorry! you ought to be more than sorry. You
ought to be ashamed of yourself, downright ashamed.
But, there, I won't say any more now. Now, can't you
come out with me?"

"No, I can't come out now, Ruthven; but come into
this room with me."

There for the next hour they chatted, Frank giving
a full account of all he had gone through since he
came up to town, while Ruthven gave him the gossip
of the half-year at school.

" Well," Ruthven said at last, " this old Horton of
yours must be a brick. Still, you know, you can't
stop here all your life. You must come and talk it
over with my governor."

"Oh, no, indeed, Ruthven! I am getting on very
well here, and am very contented with my lot, and
I could not think of troubling your father in the
matter."

" Well, you will trouble him a great deal," Ruthven
saidj " if you don't come, for you will trouble him to

A GOOD BLOWING UP.

101

come all the way down here. He wa«» quite worried
when he fii*8t heard of your disappearance, and has
been almost as excited as I have over the search for
you. You are really a foolish fellow, Frank," he went
on more seriously; "I really didn't think it of you.
Here you save the lives of four or five fellows and
pu'ii all their friends under a tremendous obligation,
and then you run away and hide yourself as if you
were ashamed. I tell you you can't do it. A fellow
has no more ri<xht to get rid of oblifjations than he has
to run away without paying his debts. It would be a
burden on your mind if you had a heavy debt you
couldn't pay, and you would have a right to be angry
if, when you were perfectly able to pay, your creditor
refused to take the money. That's just the position in
which you've placed my father. Well, anyhow, you've
got to come and see him, or he's got to come and see
you. I know he has something in his mind's eye
which will just suit you, though he did not tell me
what it was. For the last day or two he has been
particularly anxious about finding you. Only yester-
day when I came back and reported that I had
been to half a dozen places v/itbout success, he said,
' Confound the young rascal, where can he be hiding?
Here are the days slipping by and it will be too late.
If you don't find him in a day or two, Dick, I will set
the police after him — say he has committed a murder
or broken into a bank, and offer a reward for bis
apprehension.' So you must either come home with
me this afternoon, or you will be having my father
down here to-night."

" Of course, Ruthven," Frank said, " I would not put

102

IT WAS ALL PRIDE.

your father to su9h trouble. He is very kind to have
taken so much interest in me, only I hate — "

" Oh, nonsense! I hate to see such beastly stuck-up
pride, putting your own dignity above the affection of
your friends; for that's really what it comes to, old boy,
if you look it fairly in the face."

Frank flushed a little and was silent for a minute
or two.

" I suppose you are right, Ruthven; but it is a little
hard for a fellow — "

" Oh, no, it isn't," Ruthven said. " If you'd got into
a scrape from some fault of your own one could under-
stand it, although even then there would be no reason
for you to cut your old friends till they cut you.
Young Goodall, who lives over at Bayswater, has been
over four or five times to ask me if I have succeeded
in finding you, and I have had letters from Handcock,
and Childers, and Jackson. Just as if a fellow had
got nothing to do but to write letters. How long will
you be before you can come out?"

"There is Mr. Horton just come in," Frank said.
" I have no doubt he will let me go at once."

The old naturalist at once assented upon Frank's
telling him that a friend had come who wished him to
go out.

" Certainly, my dear boy. Why, working the hours
and hours of overtime that you do, of courie you can
take a holiday whenever you're disposed."

" He will not be back till late," Ruthven said as they
went out. " I shall keep him all the evening."

"Oh, indeed, Ruthven, I have no clothes!"

" Clothes be bothered," Ruthven said. " I certainly

RUTHVEN CARRIES FRANK OFF.

103

shall end by punching your head, Frank, befoi^ the
day's out"

Frank remonstrated no more, but committed himself
entirely to his friend's guidance. At the Mansion
House they mounted on the roof of an omnibus going
west, and at Enightsbridge got off and walked to
Eaton Square, where Ruthven's father resided. The
latter was out, so Frank accompanied his friend to
what he called his sanctum, a small room littered up
with books, bats, insect-boxes, and a great variety
of rubbish of all kinds. Here they chatted until the
servant came up and said that Sir James had re-
turned.

"Come on, Frank," Ruthven said, running down-
stairs. "There's nothing of the ogre about the gov-
ernor."

They entered the study, and Ruthven introduced
his friend.

" I've caught him, father, at last. This is the cul-
prit."

Sir James Ruthven was a pleasant -looking man,
with a kindly face.

"Well, you troublesome boy," he said, holding out
his hand, "where have you been hiding all this
time?"

"I don't know that I've been hiding, sir," Frank
said.

"Not exactly hiding," Sir James smiled, "only keep-
ing away from those who wanted to find you. Well,
and how are you getting on?"

"I am getting on very well, sir. I am earning
eighteen shillings a week and my board and lodging,

104

ANOTHER LECTURE.

and my employer says he will take me into partner-
ship as soon as I come of age."

"Ah, indeed!" Sir James said. ''I am giad to hear
that, as it shows you must be clever and indus-
trious."

• "Yes, father, and the place was full of the most
lovely cases of things Frank had stuffed. There was
quite a crowd looking in at the window."

" That is very satisfactory. Now, Frank, do you sit
down and write a note to your employer, asking him
to send down half a dozen of the best cases. I want
to show them to a gentleman who will dine with me
here to-day, and who is greatly interested in such
matters. When yoiji havo written the note I will send
a servant off at once in a cab to fetch them."

" And, father," Dick continued, " if you don't mind,
might Frank and I have our dinner quietly together in
my room ? You've got a dinner party on, and Frank
won't enjoy it half as much as he would dining quietly
with me."

" By all means," Sir James said. " But mind he is
not to run away without seeing me. You are a foolish
lad," he went on in a kind voice to Frank; " and it was
wrong as well as foolish to hide yourself from your
friends. However independent we may be in this
world, all must, to a certain extent, rely upon others.
There is scarcely a man who can stand aloof from the
rest and say, * I want nothing of you.* I can under-
stand your feeling in shrinking from asking a favour
of me, or of the fathers of the other boys who are,
like myself, deeply indebted to you for the great
service you have rendered their sons. I can admire

SIR JAMES RUTHVEN'S OPINION.

10ft

the feeling if not carried too far; but you should
have let your school-fellows know exactly how you
were placed, and so have given us the oppoiiunity of
repaying the obligation if we were disposed, not to
have run away and hidden yourself from ua"

"I am sorry, sir," Frank said simply. "I did not
like to seem to trade upon the slight service I ren-
dered some of my school-fellows. Dr. Bateroan told
me I was wrong, but I did not see it then. Now I
think, perhaps he was right, although I am afraid
that if it happened again I should do the same."

Sir James smiled.

" I fear you are a stiff-necked one, Master Frank.
However, 1 will not scold you any further. Now,
what will you do with yourselves till dinner-time?"

" Oh, we'll just sit and chat, father. We have got
lots more things to tell each other."

The afternoon passed in pleasant talk. Frank
learned that Ruthven had now left Dr. Parker's for
good, and that he was going down after the holidays
to a clergyman who prepared six or eight boys for the
army. Before dinner the footman returned with half
a dozen of the best cases from the shop, which were
brought up to Dick's room, and the latter was delighted
with them. They greatly enjoyed their dinner together.
At nine o'clock a servant came up and took down the
cases. Five minutes later he returned again with a mes-
sage, saying that Sir James wished Mr. Richard and his
friend to go down into the dining-room. Frank was
not shy, but he felt it rather a trial when he entered
the room, where seven or eight gentlemen were sitting
round the table, the ladies having already withdrawn.

106

THE GREAT TRAVELLER.

The gentlemen were engaged in examining and admir-
ing the cases of stuffed birds and animals.

" This is my young friend," Sir James said, " of whom
I have been speaking to you, and whose work you are
all admiring. This, Frank, is Mr. Goodenough, the
traveller and naturalist, of whom you may have heard."

" Yes, indeed," Frank said, looking at the gentleman
indicated. " I have Mr. Goodenough's book on The
PasseHne Family at home."

" It is rather an expensive book too/' the gentleman
said.

"Yes, sir. My father bought it, not I. He was
very fond of natural history and taught me all I know.
He had a capital libtary of books on the subject, which
Dr. Bateman is keeping for me, at Deal, till I have
some place where 1 can put them. I was thinking
of getting them up soon."

Mr. Goodenough asked him a few questions as to
the books in the library, and then put him through
what Frank felt was a sort of examination, as to his
knowledge of their contents.

"Very good indeed!" Mr. Goodenough said. "I can
see from your work here that you are not only a very
clever preparer, but a close student of the habits and
ways of wild creatures. But I was hardly prepared
to find your scientific knowledge so accurate and ex-
tensive. I was at first rather inclined to hesitate
when Sir James Ruthven made me a proposal just
now. I do so no longer. I am on the point of start-
ing on an expedition into the centre of Africa in search
of specimens of natural history. He has proposed that
you should accompany me, and has offered to defray

A DELIGHTFUL OFFER.

107

the cost of your outfit, and of your passage out and
home. 1 may be away for two years. Of course you
would act as my assistant, and have every opportunity
of acquiring such knowledge as I possess. It will be
no pleasure trip, you know, but hard work, with all
sorts of hardships and, perhaps, some dangers. At the
same time it would be a fine opening in a career as a
naturalist Well, what do you say?"

" Oh, sir!" Frank exclaimed, clasping his hands, " it
is of all things in the world what I should like moat.
How can I thank you enough ? And you, Sir James,
it is indeed kind and thoughtful of you."

" We are not quits yet by any means, Frank," Sir
James said kindly. " I am glad indeed to be able to
forward your wishes; and now you must go upstairs
and be introduced to my wife. She is most anxious
to see you. She only returned home just before dinner."

Frank was taken upstairs, where he and his cases of
birds were made much of by Lady Ruthven and the
ladies assembled in the drawing-room. He himself
was so filled with delight at the prospect opened to
him that all thought of his dark tweed suit being out
of place among the evening dresses of the ladies and
gentlemen, which had troubled him while he was
awaiting the summons to the dining-room, quite passed
out of his mind, and he was able to do the honours
of his cases naturally and without embarrassment.
At eleven o'clock he took his leave, promising to call
upon Mr. Goodenough, who was in lodgings in Jermjii
Street, upon the following morning, that gentleman
having at Sir James' request undertaken to procure
all the necessary outfit

108

MUTUAL SATISFACTION.

"I feci really obliged to you, Sir JaTues," 1^1 r.
Ooodenough said when Frank had left. " The lad has
a genius for natural history, and he is modest and
self-possessed. From what you tell me he has done
rather than apply for assistance to anyone, he must
have plenty of pluck and resolution, and will make
a capital travelling companion. I feel quite relieved,
for it is so difficult to procure a companion who will
exactly suit. Clever naturalists are rare, and one can
never tell how one will get on with a man when you are
thrown together. He may want to have his own way,
may be irritable and bad-tempered, may in many re-
spects be a disagreeable companion. With that lad I feel
sure of my ground. We shall get on capitally together."

On his return to the shop Frank told his employer,
whom he found sitting up for him, the change which
had taken place in his life, and the opening which
presented itself. .

Mr. Horton expressed himself as sincerely glad.
" I shall miss you sadly," he said, " shall feel very dull
for a time in my solitary house here; but it is better
for you that you should go, and I never expected
to keep you long. You were made for better things
than this shop, and I have no doubt that a brilliant
career will be open before you. You may not become
a rich man, for natural history is scarcely a lucrative
profession, but you may become a famous one. Now,
my lad, go off to bed and dream of your future."

The next morning Frank went over, the first thing
after breakfast, to see his friend the porter. He, too, was
very pleased to hear of Frank's good fortune, but he
was too busy to talk much to him, and promised that

AS AHUICA^N OUTFIT.

109

he would come over that evening and hear all about it.
Then Frank took his way to Jermyn Street, and went
with Mr. Goodenough to Silver's, where an outfit
suited for the climate of Central Africa was ordered.
The clothes were simple. Shirts made of thin soft
flannel, knickerbockers and Norfolk jackets of tough
New Zealand flax, with gait.rs of the same material.

"There is nothing like it," Mr. Goodenough said;
"it is the only stuff which has a chance with the
thorns of an African forest Now you will want a
revolver, a Winchester repeating carbine, and a shot-
gun. My outfit of boxes and cases is ready, so
beyond two or three extra nets and collecting-boxes
there is nothing farther to do in that way. For your
head you'd better have a very soft felt hat with a wide
brim; with a leaf or two inside they are as cool as
anything, and are far lighter and more comfortable
than the helmets which many people use in the
tropics."

"As far as shooting goes," Frank said, "I think
'that I shall do much better with my blow-gun than
with a regular one. I can hit a small bird sitting
nineteen times out of twenty."

" That is a good thing," Mr. Goodenough answered.
"For shooting sitting there is nothing better than a blow-
gun in skilful hands. They have the advantage too of
not breaking the skin; but for flying a shot-gun is
infinitely more accurate. You will have little diffi-
culty in learning to shoot well, as your eye is already
trained by the use of your blow-pipe. Will you want
any knives for skinning?"

" No, sir. I have a plentiful stock of them."

110

GOOD-nVB TO OLD rRIINDS.

"Are you going back to Eaton Square? I heard
Sir James ask you to stop there until we start."

" No/' Frank replied; " I asked his permission to stay
where I am till to-morrow. I did not like to seem in
a hurry to run away from Mr. Horton, who has been
extremely kind to me."

" Mind, you must come here in three days to have
your things tried on," Mr. Goodenough said. " I
particularly ordered that they are to be made easy
and comfortable, larger, indeed, than you absolutely
require, but we must allow for growing, and two years
may make a difference of some inches to you. Now,
we have only to go to a bootmaker's and then we have
done." «

When the orders were complete i they separated, as
Mr. Goodenough was going down that afternoon to
the country, and was not to return until the day
preceding that on which they were to sail. That
evening Frank had a long chat with his two friends,
and was much pleased when the old naturalist,
who had taken a great fancy to the honest porter,
offered him the use of a room at his house, sapng that
he should be more than paid by the pleasure of his
company of an evening. The oflfer was accepted, and
Frank was glad to think that his two friends would
be sitting smoking their pipes together of an evening
instead of being in their solitary rooms. The next
day he took up his residence in Eaton Square.

^r<{(ftJ8SF>eeifcftdb>'ff^

I . ii(2i|diaii:iii;ajpai&ngipiisi^^

BliMi^isfisMgilsiSiioLMis^^

CHAPTER VIII.

TO THE DARK CONTINENT.

FTER spending two or three days going about
London and enjoying himself with his friend
Dick, Frank started for Deal, where he was
pleased to find his sister well and happy.
He bade good-bye to her, to the doctor, and
such of his school-fellows as lived in Deal,
to whom his start for Central Africa was quite an
event. Dr. Bateman handed over to him his watch
and chain and his blow-gun, which he had taken care
of for him, also his skinning knives and instruments.
The same evening he returned to town, and spent the
days very pleasantly until the afternoon came when
he was to depart. Then he bade farewell to his kind
friends Sir James and Lady Ruthvea Dick accom-
panied him in the cab to Euston station, where a minute
or two later Mr. Goodenouorh arrived. The lujjoracre was
placed in a carriage, and Frank stood chatting with
Dick at the door, until the guard's cry, "Take your
places!" caused him to jump into the carriage. There
was one more hearty hand-shake with his friend, and
then the train steamed out of the station.
It was midnight when they arrived at Liverpool, and

112

-•A—

THE START FROM LIVERPOOL.

at once went to bed at the Station Hotel. On coming
down in the morning Frank was astonished at the
huge heap of baggage piled up in the hall, but he was
told that this was of daily occurrence, as six or eight
large steamers went out from Liverpool every week
for America alone, and that the great proportion of the
pjissengers came down, as they had done, on the previous
night, and slept at the Station Hotel. Their own share
of the baggage was not large, consisting only of a
portmanteau each, Mr. Goodenough having sent down
all his boxes two days previously. At twelve o'clock
they went on board the Niger, bound for the west
coast of Africa. This would carry them as far as
Sierra Leone, whence Mr. Goodenough intended to
take passage in a sailing ship to his starting-point
for the interior.

Frank enjoyed the voyage out intensely, and three
days after sailing they had left winter behind; four
days later they were lying in the harbour of Funchal.

"What a glorious place that would be to ramble
about!" h« said to Mr. Goodenough.

"Yes, indeed. It would be difficult to imagine a
greater contrast than between this mountainous island
of Madeira and the country which we are about to
penetrate. This is one of the most delightful climates
in the world, the west coast of Africa one of the
worst. Once well in the interior, the swamp fevers,
which are the curse of the shores, disappear, but African
travellers are seldom long free from attacks of fever
of one kind or the other. However, quinine does
wonders, and we shall be far in the interior before
the bad season comes on."

THE AFRICAN FBVER.

113

" You have been there before, you said, Mr. Good-
enough?"

"Yes, I have been there twice, and have made
excursions for short distances from the coast*. But
this time we are going into a country which may be
said to be altogether unknown. One or two explorers
have made their way there, but these have done little
towards examini»ig the natural productions of the
country, and have been rather led by inducements of
sport than by those of research."

" Did you have fever, sir?"

"Two or three little attacks. A touch of African
fever, during what is called the good season, is of little
more importance than a feverish cold at home. It
lasts two or three days, and then there is an end of it.
In the bad season the attacks are extremely violent,
sometimes carrying men off in a few hours. I con-
sider, however, that dysentery is a more formidable
enemy than fever. However, even that, when properly
treated, should be combated successfully."

"Do you mean to hire the men to go with you
at Sierra Leone?"

"Certainly not, Frank. The negroes of Sierra
Leone are the most indolent, the most worthless, and
the most insolent in all Africa. It is the last place in
the world at which to hire followers. We must get
them at the Gaboon itself, and at each place we arrive
at afterwards we take on others, merely retaining one
of the old lot to act as interpreter. The natives,
although they may allow white men to pass safely,
are exceedingly jealous of men of other tribes. I shall,
however, take with me, if possible, a body of, say six

(200) E

114

THE MADEIRA CART.

Houssas, who are ihe best fighting negroes on the
coast. These I t^iall take as a body-guard ; the carriers
we shall obtain from the different tribes we visit.
The Kroomen, whom you will see at Cape Palmas, are
a miignificent set of men. They furnish sailors and
boatmen to all the ships trading on these shores.
They are strong, willing, and faithful, but they do not
like going up into the interior. Now we will land
here and get a few hours* run on shore. There are
one or two peci liarities about Madeira which distin-
guish it from other places. To begin with we will go
for a ride in a bullock-cart without wheels."

" But surely it most jolt about terribly," Frank said.

" Not at all. The roads are paved with round knubbly
stones, such as you see sometimes in narrow lanes and
courts in seaside places at home. These would not
make smooth roads for wheeled vehicles; but here, as
you will see, the carts are placed on long runners like
those of sledges. These are greased, and the driver
always has a pound of candles or so hanging to the
cart. When he thinks that the runners want greasing
he takes a candle, lays it down on the road in front of
one of the runners, and lets this pass over it. This
greases it sufficiently, and it glides along over the
stones almost as smoothly as if passing over ice."

Frank thoroughly enjoyed his run on shore, but was
surprised at the air of listlessness which pervaded the
inhabitants. Every one moyed &ho}ii iu the most
dawdling fashion. The siippkeepers looked oift from
their doors as if 'twere a matter of perfect indifference
to them whether customers called or not. The few
soldiers in Portuguese uniforni ^oqlfed as \i they haci

T1[E WHITE man's GRAVB.

115

never done a day's drill since they left home. Groups
sat in chairs under the trees and sipped cooling drinks
or coffee. The very bullocks which drew the gliding
waggons seemed to move more slowly than bullocks in
other places. Frank and his friend drove in a waggon
to the monastery, high up on the mounts,in, and then
took their places on a little hand-sledge, which was
drawn by two men with ropes, \vho took them down
the sharp descent at a run, dashing round comers at
a pace which made Frank hold his breath. It took them
but a quarter of an hour to regain the town, while an
hour and a half had been occupied in the journey out.

" I shall buy a couple of hammocks here," Mr. Good-
enough said. " They are made of knotted string, and
are lighter and more comfortable than those to be met
with on the coast. I will get a couple of their cane-
chairs, too, they are very light a*^d comfortable."

In the afternoon they again embarked, and then
steamed away for Sierra Leone. After several days'
passage, they arrived there at daylight, and Frank was
soon on deck.

" What a beautiful place!" he exclaimed. " It is not
a bit what I expected."

"No," Mr. Goodenough said; "no one looking at it
could suppose that bright pretty town had earned for
itself the name of the white man's grave."

Sierra Leone is built on a somewhat steep ascent
about a mile up the river. Freetown, as the capital is
properly called, stands some fifty feet or so above the
sea, and the barracks upon a green hill three hundred
feet above it. a quarter of a mile back. The town,
as seen from tliC sea, consists entirely of the houses

[•/

116

THE CAPITAL OF THE WEST COAST.

of the merchants and shopkeepers, the government
buildings, churches, and other public and European
buildings. The houses are all large and bright with
yellow-tinged whitewash, and the place is completely
embowered in palms and other tropical trees. The
native town lies hidden from sight among trees on low
ground to the left of the town. Everywhere around
the town the hills rise steep and high, wooded to the
summit. Altogether there are few more prettily sit-
uated towns than the capital of Sierra Leone.

" It is wonderful," Mr. Goodenough said," that genera-
tions and generations of Europeans have been content
to live and die in that wretchedly unhealthy place,
when they might have established themselves on those
lofty hills but a mile away There they would be far
above the malarious mists which rise from the low
ground. The walk up, and down to their warehouses
and offices here would be good for them, and there is
no reason why Sierra Leone should be an unhealthy
residence. Unfortunately the European in Africa
speedily loses his vigour and enterprise. When he
first lands he exclaims, ' I certainly shall have a bun-
galow built upon those hills;' but in a short time his
energy leaves him. He falls into the ways of the place,
drinks a great deal more spirits than is good for him,
stops down near the water, and at the end of a year or
so, if he lives so long, is obliged to go back to Europe
to recruit Look at the boats coming out."

A score of boats, each coutcining from ten to twelve
men, approached the ship. They remained at a short
distance until the harbour-master came on board and
pronounced the ship free from quarantine. Then the

AFRICAN LAUNDRESSES.

117

boats made a rush to the side, and with shouts, yells,
and screams of laughter scrambled on board. Frank
was at once astonished and amused at the noise and
confusion.

•• What on earth do they all want?" he asked Mr.
Goodenough.

" The great proportion of them don't want anything
at all," Mr. Goodenough answered, "but have merely
come off for amusement Some of them come to be hired,
some to carry luggage, others to tout for the boatmen
below. Look at those respectable negresses coming up
the gangway now. They are washerwomen, and will
take our clothes ashore and bring them on board again
this afternoon before we start"

" It seems running rather a risk," Frank said.

" No, you will see they all have testimonials, and I
believe it is perfectly safe to intmst things to them."

Mr. Goodenough and Frank now prepared to go on
shore, but this was not easily accomplished, for there
was a battle royal among the boatmen whase craft
thronged at the foot of the ladder. Each boat had
about four hands, three of whom remained on board her,
while the fourth stood upon the ladder and hauled at
the painter to keep the boat to which he belonged
alongside. As out of the twenty boats lying there
not more than two could be at the foot of the ladder
together, the conflict was a desperate one. All the
boatmen shouted, " Here, sar. This good boat, sar. You
come wid me, sar," at the top of their voices, while at
the same time they were hard at work pulling each
other's boats back and pushing their own forward. So
great was the struggle as Frank and Mr. Goodenough

118

THE NEGRO CHARACTER.

I !

approacned the gangway, so great the crowd upon the
I adder, that one side of the iron bar from which the ladder
chains depend broke in two, causing the ladder to drop
some inches and giving a ducking to those on the lower
step, causing shouts of laughter and confusion. These
rose into perfect yells of amusement when one of the
sailors suddenly loosed the ladder rope, letting five
or six of the negroes into the water up to their necks.
So intense was the appraciation by the sable mind of
this joke that the boatmen rolled about with laughter,
and even the victims, when they had once scrambled
into their boats, yelled like people possessed.

" They are just like children," Mr. Goodencugh said.
" They are always feither laughing or quarrelling. They
are good-natured and passionate, indolent, but will
work hard for a time; clever up to a certain point,
densely stupid beyond. The intelligence of an average
negro is about equal to that of a European child of ten
years old. A few, a very few, go beyond this, but these
are exceptions, just as Shakespeare was an exception
to the ordinary intellect of an Englishman. They are
fluent talkers, but their ideas are borrowed. They are
absolutelj'^ without originality, absolutely without in-
ventive power. Living among white men, their imi-
tative faculties enable them to attain a considerable
amount of civilization. Left alone to their own
devices they retrograde into a state little above their
native savagery."

This was said as, after having fixed upon a boat and
literally fought their way into it, they were rowed
towards the shore. On landing Frank was delighted
with the greenness of everything. The trees were

A RICH FRUIT MARKET.

119

heavy with luxuriant foliage, the streets were green
with grass as long and bright as that in a country lane
in England. The hill on which the barracks stand
was as bright a green as you would see on English
slopes after a wet April, while down the streets clear
streams were running. The town was alive with a
chattering, laughing, good-natured, excitable popula-
tion, all black, but with some slight variation in
the dinginess of the hue. Never was there such a
place for fun as Sierra Leona Every one was brim-
ful of it Every one laughed when he or she spoke,
and every one standing near joined freely in the con-
versation and laughed too. Frank was delighted with
the display of fruit in the market, which is probably
unequalled in the world. Great piles there were of
delicious big oranges, green but perfectly sweet, and
of equally refreshing little green limes; pine-apples
and bananas, green, yellow, and red, guava, and custard-
apples, alligator- pears, melons, and sour-sops, and many
other nati /e fruits.

Mr. Goodenough purchased a large basket of fruit,
which they took with them on board the ship. The
next morning they started down the coast. They
pasv. jd Liberia, the republic formed of liberated slaves,
and of negroes from America, and brought up a mile or
two off Monrovia, its capital. The next day they
anchored off Cape Palmas, ths headquarters of the
Kroomen. A number of these men came off in their
canoes, and caused great amusement to Frank and the
other passengers by their fun and dexterity in the man-
agement of their little craft. These boats are extremely
light, being hollowed out until little thicker than paste-

120

ARRIVAL AT BONNY.

board, and even with two Kroomen paddling it is diffi-
cult for a European to sit in them, so extremely crank
are they. Light as they are the Krooboy can stand
up and dive from his boat without upsetting it if he
take time; but in the hurry and excitement of diving
for coppers, when half a dozen men would leap over-
board together, the canoes were frequently capsized.
The divers, however, thought nothing of these mishaps,
righting the boats and getting in again without diffi-
culty. Splendidly muscular fellows they were. Indeed,
except among the Turkish hamals it is doubtful
whether such powerful figures could be found else-
where.

" They would be grand fellows to take with us, Mr.
Goodenough," Frank said.

" Yes, if they were as plucky as they are strong one
could wish for nothing better; but they are notorious
cowards, and no offer would tempt them to penetrate
into such a country as that into which we are going."

Stopping a few hours at Cape Coast Castle, Accra,
and other ports they at last arrived at Bonny.

"It is not tempting in appearance," Frank said,
" certainly."

"No," Mr. Goodenough replied, "this is one of the most
horribly unhealthy spots in Africa. As you see, the
white traders do not dare to live on shore, but take up
their residence in those old floating hulks which are
thatched over, and serve as residences and storehouses.
I have a letter from one of the African merchants in
London, and we shall take up our abode on board
his hulk until we get one of the coasting steamers to
carry us down. I hope it will not be many days."

AFRICAN MONET.

121

The very bulky luggage was soon transferred to the
hulk, where Frank and Mr. Ooodenough took up their
residence. The agent in charg'^ was very glad to
receive them, as any break in the terrible monotony
of such a life is eagerly welcomed. He was a pale,
unhealthy-looking man, and had just recovered from
an unusually bad attack of fever. Like most of the
traders on the coast he had an immense faith in the
power of spirits.

" It is the ruin of them," Mr. Ooodenough said to
Frank when they were alone. " Five out of six of the
men here ruin their constitutions with spirits, and
then fall an easy prey to the fever."

" But you have brought spirits with you, Mr. Good-
enough. I saw some of the cases were labelled
'Brandy.'"

" Brandy is useful when taken as a medicine, and
in moderation. A little mixed with water at the end
of a long day of exhausting work acts &s a restorative,
and frequently enables a worn-out man to sleep. But
I have brought the brandy you see^for the use of
others rather than myself. One case is of the very
best spirits for our own use. The rest is common stuff
and is intended as presents. Our main drink will
be tea and chocolate. These are invaluable for the
traveller, I have, besides, large quantities of calico,
brass stair-rods, beads, and powder. These are the
money of Africa, and pass current everjrwhere. With
these we shall pay our carriers and boatmen, with
these purchase the right of way through the various
tribes we shall meet. Moreover it is almost necessary
in Africa to pass as traders. The people perfectly

122

A NBORO POTENTATE.

understand that white men come here to trade; but
if we said that our object was to shoot birds and
beasts, and to catch butterflies and insects, they would
not believe us in the slightest degree, but would suspect
us of all sorts of hidden designs. Now we will go
ashore and pay our respects to the king."

" Do you mean to say that there is a king in that
wretched-looking village?" Frank asked in surprise.

" Kings are &s plentiful as peas in Africa/' Mr.
Qoodenough said, " but you will not see much royal
state."

Frank was disappointed indeed upon landing.
Sierra Leone had given him an exalted idea of African
civilization, but this was at once dispelled by the
appearance of Bonny. The houses were constructed
entirely of black mud, and the streets were narrow
and filthy beyond 'escription. The palace was com-
posed of two or three hovels, surrounded by a mud
wall. In one of these huts the king was seated. Mr.
Qoodenough and Frank were introduced by the agent,
who had gone ashore with them, and His Majesty,
who was an almost naked negro, at once invited them
to join him in the meal of which he was partaking.
As a matter of courtesy they consented, and plates
were placed before them, heaped with a stew con-
sisting of meat, vegetables, and hot peppers. While
the meal went on the king asked Mr. Qoodenough
what he had come to the coast for, and was disap-
pointed to find that he was not going to set up as a
trader at Bonny, as it was the custom for each new-
comer to make a handsome present to him. When
the meal was over they took their leave.

FKRNANDO FO.

133

''Do yoa know what you have been eating?" the
agent asked Frank.

"Not in the least/' Frank said. "It was not bad;
what was it?"

" It was dog flesh," the agent answered.

"Not really!" Frank exclaimed with an uncomfor-
table sensation of sickness.

"Yes, indeed," the agent replied. "Dog's meat is
considered a luxury in Bonny, and dogs are bred
specially for the table."

" You'll eat stranger things than that before you've
done, Frank," Mr. Goodenough continued, "and will find
them just as good, and in many cases better, than those
to which you are accustomed. It is a strange thing
why in Europe certain animals should be considered
fit CO eat and certain animals altogether rejected, and
this without the slightest reason. Horses and donkeys
are as clean feeders as oxen and sheep. Dogs, cats,
and rats are far cleaner than pigs and ducka The
fiesh of the one set is every bit as good as that of the
other, and yet the poorest peasant would turn up his
nose at them. Here sheep and oxen, horses and
donkeys, will not live, and the natives very wisely
make the most of the animals which can do so."

Frank was soon tired of Bonny, and was glad to
hear that they would start the next day for Fernando
Po in a little steamer called the Retriever. The island
of Fernando Po is a very beautiful one, the peak
rising ten thousand feet above the sea, and wooded to
the very summit. Were the trees to some extent
cleared away the island might be very healthy. As it
is, it is little better than the mainland. There was

124

THE 8TARTIN0-PLA0B VOR TBI imVUOR.

not much to see in the town of Clarence, whose popula-
tion consists entirely of traderH from Sierra Leone,
Rroomen, kc The natives, whose tribal name is Adiza,
live in little villages in the interior. They are an
extremely primitive people, and for the most part dis-
pense altogether with clothing. The island belongs
to Spain, and is used as a prison, the convicts being
kept in guard-ships in the harbour. After a stay of
three da3rs there Mr. Qoodenough and Frank took
passage in a sailing-ship for the Gaboon.

CHAPTER IX.

THE START INLAND.

FTER the comforts of a fine steamer the ac-
commodation on board the little trader was
poor indeed. The vessel smelt horribly of
palm-oil and was alive with ct^ckroaches.
These, however, Mr. Qoodenougb and Frank
cared little for, as they brought up their
mattrasses and slept on deck. Upon their voyage out
from England Frank, as well as several of the other
passengers, had amused himself by practising with his
rifie at empty bottles thrown overboard, and other
objects, and having nothing else to do now, he resumed
the practice, accustoming himself also to the use of his
revolver, the mark being a small log of wood swung
from the end of a yard.

" I told you," Mr. Goodenough said, " that your skill
with the blow-gun would prove useful to you in shoot-
ing. You are as good a shot as I am, and I am con-
sidered a fair one. I have no doubt that with a little
practice you will succeed as well with your double-
barrel. The shooting of birds on the wing is a knack
which seems to come naturally to some people, while
others, practise as they will, never become good ishots."

' i

126

THE LANDING AT TUK GABOON.

The ship touched twice upon its way down to the
Gahoon. Once at the Maliniba river, the second time at
Botauga, the latter being the principal ivory port in
equatorial Africa.

"Shall we meet with any elephants, do you think?"
Frank asked his friend.

"In all probability," Mr. Goodenough said. "Ele-
phant shooting, of course, does not come within our
line of action, and I should not go at all out of my
way for them. Still, if we meet them we will shoot
them. The ivory is valuable and will help to pay our
expenses, while the meat is much prized by the natives,
who will gladly assist us in consideration of the
Hesh."

On the sixteenth day after leaving Fernando Po
they entered the Gaboon. On the right-hand bank
v/ere the fort and dwellings of the French. A little
farther up stood the English factories; and upon a
green hill behind, the church, school, and houses of an
American mission. On the left bank was the wattle
town of King William, the sable monarch of the
Gaboon. Mr. Goodenough at once landed and made
inquiries for a house. He succeeded in finding one,
consisting of three rooms, built on piles, an important
point in a country in which disease rises from the soil.
At Bonny Mr. Goodenough had, with the assistance
of the agent, enlisted six Houssas. These people live
much higher up on the coast, but they wander a good
deal and may be met with in most of the ports. The
men had formed a guard in one of the hulks, but trade
having been bad the agent had gone home, and they
were glad to take service with Mr. Goodenough.

THE FIRST TOUCH OP FEVER.

127

They spoke a few words of English, and, like the
Kroomen, rejoiced in names which had been given
them by sailors. They were called Mosea, Firewater,
Ugly Tom, Bacon, Tatters, and King John. They
were now for the first time set to work, and the goods
were soon transported from the brig to the house.

"Is anything the matter with you, Frank?" Mr.
Goodenough as^'ed that evening.

" I don't know, sir. My head feels heavy, somehow,
and I am giddy."

Mr. Goodenough felt his pulse.

" You have got your first touch of fever," he said.
" I wonder you've been so long without it. You had
better lie down at once."

A quarter of an hour afterwards Frank was seized
with an overpowering heat, every vein appearing io
be filled with liquid fire; but his skin, instead of
being, as usual, in a state of perspiration, was dry and
hard.

" Now, Frank, sit up and drink this. It's only some
mustard and salt and water. I have immense faith in
an emetic."

The draught soon took its efiect. Frank was vio-
lently sick, and the perspiration broke in streams from
him."

" Here is a cup of tea," Mr. Goodenough said; "drink
that and you will find that there will be little the
matter with you in the morning."

Frank awoke feeling weak, but otherwise perfectly
well. Mr. Goodenough administered a strong dose of
quinine, and after he had had his breakfast he felt
quite himself again.

128

HIRINQ A H£AD MAN.

Si i

" Now," Mr. Goodenough said, " we will go up to the
factories and mission and try and find a really good
servant. Everything depends upon that."

In a short time an engagement was made with a
negro of the name of Ostik. He was a Mpongwe man,
that being the name of the tribe on the coast He
spoke English fairly, as well as two or three of the
native languages. He had before made a journey
some distance into the interior with a white traveller.
He was a tall and powerfully built negro, very ugly,
but with a pleasant and honest face. Frank felt at
once that he should like him.

" You quite understand," Mr. Goodenough explained,
" we are goiijjg through the Fan country, far into the
interior. We may be away from the coast for many
months."

"Me ready, sar," the man answered with a grin.
" Mak no odds to Ostik. He got no wife, no piccaniny.
Ostik very good cook. Master find good grub; he
catch plenty of beasts."

" You're not afraid, Ostik, because it is possible we
may have trouble on the way?"

" Me not very much afraid, massa. You good massa
to Ostik ho no run away if fightee come; but no good
fight whole tribe."

" I hope not to have any fighting at all, Ostik; but as
I have got six Houssas with me who will all carry
breech-loading guns, I think we should be a match for
a good-sized tribe, if necessary."

Ostik looked thoughtful. "More easy, massa, go
without Houssas," he said. "Black man not often
touch white traveller."

THB BAGQAG£ FOR THB INTERIOR.

129

"No, Ostik, that is true; but I must take with me
trade goods for paying my way and hiring carriers,
and if alone I should be at the mercy of every petty
chief who chose to plunder and delay me. I am going
as a peaceful traveller, ready to pay my way, and to
mtike presents to the different kings through whose
territories I may pass. But I do not choose to put my-
self at the mercy of any of them. I do not say that eight
men armed with breech-loaders could defeat a whole
tribe; but they would be so formidable, that any of
these negro kings would probably prefer taking pres-
ents and letting us pass peacefully to trying to rob us.
The first thing to do, will be to hire one large canoe,
or two if necessary. The men must agree to take us
up into the Fan country, as far as the rapids on the
Gaboon. Then we shall take carriers there, and the
boat can return by itself. These are the things which
will have to go,"

The baggage consisted of ten large tin cases, each
weighing about eighty pounds. These contained cotton
cloths, powder, beads, tea, chocolate, sugar, and biscuits.
There were in addition three bundles of stair-rods,
each about the same weight as the boxes. These were
done up in canvas. There was also a tent made of
double canvas weighing fifty pounds, and two light
folding tressel beds weighing fifteen pounds apiece.
Thus fourteen men would be required as carriers,
besides some for plantains and other provisions, together
with the portmanteaus, rugs, and water-proof sheets
of the travellers. There were besides six great chests
made of light iron. Four of these were fitted with
trays with cork bottoms, for insects. The other two

(MO) I

ISO

THE HOUSSA GUARD.

were for the skins of birds. All the boxes and cases
had strips of india-rubber where the lids fitted down,
in order to keep out both damp and the tiny aats
which are the plague of naturalists in Africa.

Four or five days were occupied in getting together
a crew, for the natives had an abject fear of entering
the country of the cannibal Fans. Mr. Goodenough ,
promised that they should not be obliged to proceed
unless a safe-conduct for their return was obtained from
the King of the Fans. A large canoe was procured,
sufficient to convey the whole party. Twelve paddlers
were hired, and the goods taken down and arranged in
the boat. The Houssas had been, on landing, furnished
with their guns, which were Snider rifles, had been
instructed in the breech-loading arrangement, and had
been set to work to practise at a mark at a hundred
and fifty yards distance — the stump of an old tree,
some five feet in height, serving for the purpose. The
men were delighted with the accuracy of their pieces
and the rapidity at which they could be fired. Mr.
Goodenough impressed upon them that unless attacked
at close quarters, and specially ordered to fire fast,
they must aim just as slowly and deliberately as if using
their old guns, for that in so long a journey ammu-
nition would be precious, and must, therefore, on no
account whatever, be wasted. In the boxes were six
thousand rounds of ammunition, a thousand for each
gun, besides the ammunition for the rifles and fowling-
pieces of Mr. Goodenough and Frank.

In order to render the appearance of his followers
as imposing as possible, Mr. Goodenough furnished each
of the Houssas with a pair of trousers made of New

TUB START UP THE GABOON.

131

fwers
each

New

Zealand- flax, reaching to their knees. These he had
brought from England with him. They were all found
to bo too large, but the men soon set to work with rough
needles and thread and took them in. In addition to
these, each man was furnished with a red sash, which
went several times rovid the waist, and served to
keep the trousers up and to give a gay aspect to the
dress. The Houssas were much pleased with thdr
appearance. All of them carried swords in addition
to the guns, as in their own country they are accustomed
to fight with these weapons.

They started early in the morning, and after four
hours' paddling passed Konig Island, an abandoned
Dutch settlement. I^ere they stopped for an hour or
two, and then the sea-breeze sprang up, a sail was
hoisted, and late at night they passed a French guard-
ship placed to mark the boundary of that settlement
at a point where a large tributary called the Boqui
runs into it. Here is a little island called Nenge-Nenge,
formerly a missionary station, where the natives are still
Christians. At this place 4,he canoe was hauled ashore.
The Houssas had already been instructed in the method
of pitching the tent, and in a very few minutes this
was erected. It was a double-poled tent, some ten
feet square, and there was a waterproof sheet large
enough to cover the whole of the interior, thus pre-
venting the miasma from arising from the ground
within it. The beds were soon opened and fixed, two
of the large cases formed a table and two smaller ones
did service as chairs. A lamp was lit, and Frank was
charmed with the comfort and snugness of the abode.
The men's weapons were fastened round one of the

132

THE CANNIBAL FANa

poles to keep them from tlie damp night air. Ostik
had at once set to work on landing, leaving the Houssas
to pitch the tent. A fire was soon blazing and i kettle
and saucepans suspended over it. Rice was served out
to the men, with the addition of some salt meat, of
which sufficient had been purchased from the captain
of the brig to last throughout the journey in the canoe.
The men were all in high spirits at this addition to
their fare, which was more than had been bargained
for, and their songs rose merrily round the fire in the
night air.

In the morning, after breakfast, they again took their
places in the canoe. For twelve miles they paddled,
the tide at first assisting them, but after this the water
from the mountains ahead overpowered it. Presently
they arrived at the first Fan village, called Olenga,
which they reached six hours after starting. The
natives crowded round as the canoe approached, full
of curiosity and excitement, for never but once had
a white man passed up the river. These Fans differed
widely from the coast negroes. Their hair was longer
and thicker, their figures were slight, their complexion
coffee-coloured, and their projecting upper jaws gave
them a rabbit-mouthed appearance. They wore coronets
on their heads adorned with the red tail-feathers of the
common gray parrot. Most of the men had beards,
which were divided in the middle, red and white beads
being strung up the tips. Some wore only a strip of
goatskin hanging from the waist, or the skin of a tiger-
cat, while others had short petticoats made of cloth
woven irom vhe inner bark of a tree. The travellers
were led to the hut of the chief, where they were sur-

NATIVE IDEAS OF WHITE MEN.

133

rounded by a mob of the cannibals. The Houssas had
been strictly enjoined to leave their guns in the bottom
of the canoe, as Mr. Qoodenough desired to avoid all
appearance of armed force. The chief demanded of
Ostik what these two white men wanted here, and
whether they had come to trade. Ostik replied that the
white men were going up the river into the country
beyond to shoot elephants and buy ivory, that they did
not want to trade for logwood or oil, but that they
would give presents to the chiefs of the Fan villages. A
score of cheap Birmingham muskets had been brought
from England by Mr. Goodenough for this purpose. One
of these was now bestowed upon the chief; together with
some powder and ball, three bright cotton handkerchiefs,
some gaudy glass beads, and two looking-glasses for his
wives. This was considered perfectly satisfactory.

The crowd was very great, and at Mr. Goodenough's
dictation Ostik informed the chief that if the white
men were left quiet until the evening they would show
his people many strange things. On the receipt of this
information the crowd dispersed. But when at sunset
the two travellers took a turn through the village, the
excitement was again very great. The men stood
their ground and stared at them, but the women and
children ran screaming a>^"ay to hide themselves. The
idea of the people of Central Africa of the whites is
that they are few in number, that they live at the
bottom of the sea and are possessed of great wealth,
but that they have no palm-oil or logwood, and are,
therefore, compelled to come to land to trade for these
articles. They believe that the strange clothes they
wear are manufactu.*ed from the skins of sea-hsasis.

\.(

134

ASTONISHING THE NATIVES.

When niffht fell Mr. Goodenough fastened a sheet
against the outside of the chief's hut, and then placed
a magic lantern in position ten paces from it. The
Fans were then invited to gather round and take their
seats upon the ground. A cry of astonishment greeted
the appearance of the bright disc. This was followed
by a wilder yell when this was darkened, and an
elephant bearing some men sitting on his back was
seen to cross the house. The men leaped to their
feet and seized their spears. The women screamed, and
Ostik, who was himself somewhat alarmed, had great
difficulty in calming their fears and persuading them to
sit down again, assuring them that they would see many
wonderful thingsj, but that nothing would hurt them.

The next view was at first incomprehensible to many
of them. It was a ship tossing in a stormy sea; but
some of those present had been down to the mouth of
the river, and these explained to the others the nature
of the phenomenon. In all there were twenty slides,
all of which were provided with movable figures; the
last two being chromatropes, whose dancing colours
elicited screams of delight from the astonished natives.
This concluded the performance, but for hours after
it was over the village rang with a perfect Babel of
shouts, screams, and chatter. The whole thing was to
the Fans absolutely incomprehensible, and their as-
tonishment was equalled by their awe at the powers of
the white men.

The next two days they remained at Olenga, as
word was sent up to Itchongud, the next town, asking
the chief there for leave to come forward. The" people
had now begun to get over their first timidity, and when

1 f

A QjlLVANIC SHOOK.

135

Frank went out for a walk after breakfast he was some-
what embarrassed by the women and girls crowding
round him, feeling his clothes and touching his hands
and face to assure themselves that these felt like those
of human beings. He afforded them huge delight by
taking off his Norfolk jacket and pulling up the sleeves
of his shirt to show them that his arms ' e the same
colour as his hands, and so elated wert .iiey with this
exhibition that it was with great difficulty that he with-
stood their entreaties that he would disrobe entirely.
Indeed, Ostik had at last to come to his rescue and
carry him off from the laughing crowd by which he
was surrounded. After dinner Mr. Goodenough invited
the people to: sit down in a vast circle holding each
other's hands. He then told them that he should at a
word make them all jump to their feet Then taking
out a small but powerful galvanic battery, he an*anged
it and placed wires into the hands of the two men
nearest to him in the great circle.

" Now," he said, " when I clap my hands you will
find that you are all obliged to jump up." He gave the
signal. Frank turned on the battery, and in an instant
the two hundred men and women, with a wild shriek,
either leapt to their feet or rolled backward on the
ground. In another minute not a native was to be
seen, with the exception of the chief, who had not been
included in the circle. The latter, at Mr. Goodenough's
request, shouted loudly to his subjects to return, for
that the white men would do them no harm; but it
was a long time before, slowly and cautiously, they
crept back again. When they had reassembled Mr.
Goodenough showed them several simple but astonish-

136

ADIEU TO THE RIVER.

ing chemical experiments, which stupefied them with
wonder; and concluded with three or four conjuring
tricks, which completed their amazement

A long day's paddling took them to Itchongu^,
where they were as well received as at Olenga. Here
they stopped for two days, and the magic lantern
was again brought out, and the other tricks repeated
with a success equal to that which they had before
obtained. As another day's paddling would take them
to the rapids Mr. Qoodenough now set up a negotiation
for obtaining a sufficient number of carriers. After
great palaver, and the presentation of three guns
to the chief to obtain his assistance, thirty men were
engaged. These were each to receive a yard of calico or
one brass stair-rod a day, and were to proceed with the
party until such time as they could procure carriers
from another tribe.

The new recruits were taken up in another canoe.
Several villages were passed on the way. The river
became a mere rapid, against which the canoes with
difficulty made their way. They had now entered the
mountains which rose steeply above them, embowered
in wood. Two days of severe work took them to the
foot of the falls. Here the canoes were unloaded.
The men hired on the coast received their pay, and
turned the boat's head down stream. The other
canoe accompanied it, and the travellers remained with
their body-guard of Houssas and their carriers.

"Now," Mr. Goodenough said, "we are fairly em-
barked on our journey, and we will commence opera-
tions at once. I have heard the cries of a great
many birds which are strange to me to-day, and I

HUNTING FDR THE POT.

137

expect that we shall have a good harvest. We may
remain here for some time. The first thihg to do is to
find food for our followers. We have got six sacks of
rice, but it will never do to let our men depend solely
upon these. They would soon come to an end."

"But how are we to feed forty people?" Frank
asked in astonishment

"I pointed out to you to-day," Mr. Goodenough
said, "the tracks of hippopotami in various places.
One of these beasts will feed the men for nearly a
week. There were, too, numbers of alligators' eggs on
the banks, and these creatures make by no means bad
eating. Your ritie will be of no use against such
animals as these. You had better take one of the
Sniders. I have some explosive shells which will fit
them. My own double-barrelled rifle is of the same
bore."

After dinner Mr. Goodenough told two of the
Houssos to accompany them with their rifles, together
with three or four of the Fans. He made his way
down the stream to a point where the hills receded,
and where he had observed a great many marks of the
river-horses. As they approached the spot they heard
several loud snorts, and making their way along as
quietly as possible they saw two of the great beasts
standing in the stream. At this point it widened a
good deal and was shallow and quiet near the bank.
The Fans had been told to stay behind directly the
snorting was heard, and Mr. Goodenough and Frank,
rifle in hand, crept forward, with the Houssas as still
and noiseless as cats close behind them.

CHAPTER X.

LOST IN THE FOREST.

jVMTp|/ HE hippopotami were playing together,
floundering in the shallow water, and the
yrJ^Jf noise they made prevented their hearing
^^^ ' the stealthy approach of their enemies.
^ Xj^ " YoM take the one nearest shore, Frank,

I will take the other. Aim at the forehead
between the eyes. 1 will make a slight sound to
attract their attention." Frank knelt on one knee and
took steady aim. Mr. Goodenough then gave a shout,
and the two animals turning their heads stood staring
at the foliage, scarce a dozen yards away, in which
the travellers were concealed. The guns flashed at
the same moment, and as if struck by lightning the
hippopotami fell in the stream. The explosive balls
had both flown true to the mark, invariably a fatal
one in the case of the river-horse. Franl^ as he fired
had taken another rifle which the Houssas held in
readiness for him, but there was no occasion for its
use. The Fans came running up, and on seeing the
great beasts lying in the stream, gave a shout of joy.

"That will do for this evening," Mr. Goodenough
said. "They are large beasts, and will give food
enough for a week or ten days."

COLLECTINQ BEGUN.

1S9

They then returned to the camp, which, at the news
brought by one of the Fans, had already been deserted.
Before tho natives retired to sleep the hippopotami had
been cut up and carried to the camp. Portions were
already frizzling over the fires, other parts set aside for
the consumption of the next two days, and the rest cut
up in strips to be dried in the sun. The tongue of one
was cut up and fried as a great luxury for the white
men's supper by Ostik. It is not often that the natives
of equatorial Africa are able to indulge in meat, and the
joy of the Fans at this abundant supply, and the pro-
spect afforded them of further good eating, raised their
spirits to the highest extent.

Next morning at daybreak Mr. Qoodenough and Frank
set out from the camp. Each carried a double-barrelled
gun, and was accompanied by one of the Houssas carry-
ing his rifle and a butterfly-net, and when three hours
later they returned to the camp for breakfast and com-
pared their spoils they found that an excellent beginning
had been made. Nearly a score of birds, of which several
were very rare, and five were pronounced by Mr. Good-
enough to be entirely new, had been shot, and many
butterflies captured. Frank had been most successful
in this respect, as he had come across a small clearing
in which were several deserted huts. This was just
the place in which butterflies delight, for, although
many kinds prefer the deep shades of the forest, by
far the greater portion love the bright sunlight.

After breakfast they again set out, Frank this time
keeping along the edge of the stream, where he had
observed many butterflies as he came up, and where
many birds of the kingfisher family had also been

140

A NARROW ESCAPE.

Been. He had been very successful, and was walking
along by the edge of the water with his eyes Hxed
upon the trees above, where he had a minute befoi-e
heard the call of a bird, when he was startled by a
shout from the Houssa behind him. Ue involuntarily
sprang back, and it was well he did so; for on the
instant something swept by within an inch or two of
his head. Looking round he saw, at the edge of the
stream below him, a huge alligator. This had struck
at him with its tail — the usual manner in which the
alligator supplies itself with food — and had it not
been for the warning cry of the Houssa, would have
knocked him into the stream. Its mouth was open,
and Frank, as if Ij^y instinct, fired the contents of both
barrels into its throat. The animal rolled over on to
its back in the water, and then turned as if to struggle
to regain the bank. The Houssa, however, had run
up, and, placing the muzzle of his gun within a foot
of its eye, fired, and the creature rolled over dead, and
was swept away by the stream.

The Houssa gave a loud shout which was answered in
the distance. He then shouted two or three w^rds, and
turning to Frank said: "Men get alligator;" and pro-
ceeded on his way without concerning himself further
in the matter. On his return to camp in the evening
Frank found that the alligator had been discovered and
fished out, and that its steaks were by no means bad
eating. Frank told Mr. Goodenough of the narrow
escape he had had, and the latter pointed out to
him the necessity of always keeping his eyes on the
watch.

"Alligators fr(:quently caiTy off the native women

! . !!

A MOVB INTO THE MOUNTAINS.

141

when engaged in washing," he said, ''and almost in-
variably strike them, in the first place, into the river
with a blow of their tails. Once in the water they
are carried off, drowned, and eaten at leisure. Some-
times, indeed, a woman may escape with the loss of a
foot or arm, but this is the exception."

"What is the best thing to do when so attacked?*
Frank asked. "I don't mean to be caught napping
again, still it is as well to know what to do if I am."

" Men when so attacked have been known frequently
to escape by thrusting their thumbs or fingers into thd
creature's eyes. If it can be done the alligator is sure
to lose his hold, but it demands quickness and great
presence of mind. When a reptile is tearing at one's
leg, and hurrying one along under water, you can
see that the nerve required to keep perfectly cool, to
feel for the creature's eyes, and to thrust your finger
into them is very great. The best plan, Frank, dis-
tinctly is to keep out of their reach altogether."

After remaining for a fortnight at their camp they
prepared for a move. Another hippopotamus was
killed, cut up and dried, and the flesh added to the
burdens. Then the tent was struck and they pro-
ceeded farther into the n ountains. Two days later
they halted again, the site being chosen beside a little
mountain rivulet. They were now very high up in
the hills, Mr. Goodenough expecting to meet with new
varieties of butterflies and insects at this elevation.
They had scarcely pitched their camp when Frank
exclaimed:

"Surely, Mr. Goodenough, I can hear some dogs
barking! I did not know that the native dogs barked."

A TRIBE OF BABOONS.

" Nor do they. They may yelp and howl, but they
aever bark like European dogs. What you hear is
the bark of some sort of monkey or baboon." ^ > ^ t^

This opinion was at once confirmed by^the Fm4«V, .

" We will sally out with our guns at oncd/* lifi Clwbii'
enough said.

"I don't like the thought of shooting monkeys,"
Frank muttered, as he took up his Winchester carbine.

" They are very excellent eating," Mr. Goodenough
continued, " superior in my opinion, and, indeed, in that
of most travellers, to any other meat. We shall meet
with no other kind of creature fit for food up here.
The birds, indeed, supply us amply, but for the men
it is desirable that we should obtain fresh meat when
we have the chance. These baboons are very mis-
chievous creatures, and are not to be attacked with
impunity. Let four of the Houssas with their guns
come with us."

Following the direction of the sounds they had
heard the travellers came upon a troupe of great
baboons. It was a curious sight. The males were as
big as large dogs, some were sitting sunning themselves
on rocks, others were being scratched by the females.
Many of these had a baby monkey clinging on their
necks, while others were playing about in all direc-
tions.

"I'd rather not shoot at them, Mr. Goodenough,"
Frank said.

" You will be glad enough to eat them,** Mr. Good-
enough answered, and selecting a big male he fired.
The creature fell dead. The others all sprang to their
feet The females and little ones scampered ofL The

itt^

DISTURBED BY LEOPARDS.

148

males, with angry gestures, rushed upon their assailants,
barking, showing their teeth, and making menacing
gestures. Mr. Goodenough fired again, and Frank
now, seeing that they were likely to be attacked, also
opened fire. Six of the baboons were killed before the
others abstained from the attack and went screamihg
after the females. The dead baboons were brought
down, skinned, and two were at once roasted, the others
hung up to trees. It required a great effort on Frank's
part to overcome his repugnance to tasting these
creatures, but, when he did so, he admitted that the
meat was excellent.

That night they were disturbed by a cry of terror
from the men. Seizing their rifles they ran out

"There are two leopards, sar," Ostik said; "they
nave smelt the monkeys."

The shouts scared the creatures away, and the
natives kept up a great fire till morning.

" We must get the skins if we can," Mr. Goodenough
said. "The skins of the equatorial leopard are rare.
If we can get them both they will make a fine group
for you to stuflf when you get back, Frank."

"Are you thinking of following their trail?" Frank
asked.

" That would be useless," Mr. Goodenough answered.
" In soft swampy ground we might do so, but up here it
would be out of the question. We must set a bait for
them to-night, but be careful while you are out to-day.
They have probably not gone far from the camp, and
they are very formidable beasts. They not unfre-
quently attack and kill the natives."

The Fans were much alarmed at the neighbourhood

144

A HUNT FOR THB LBOPARD&

of the leopards, and none would leave the camp during
the day. Two of the Houssas were left on guard, al-^
though Mr. Qoodenough felt sure that the animals
would not attempt to carry off any meat in the daylight,
and two Houssas accompanied each of the travellers
while out in search of butterflies. Nothing was heard
of the leopards during the day. At nightfall a portion
of one of the monkeys was roasted and hung up, so as
to swing within four feet of the ground, from the
arm of a tree, a hundred yards from the camp. Mr.
Qoodenough and Frank took their seats in another
tree a short distance off. The night was fine and the
stars clear and bright The tree on which the meat
hung stood soAiewhat alone, so that sufficient light
penetrated from above to enable any creatures approach-
ing the bait to be seen. Instead of his little Win-
chester, Frank had one of the Sniders with explosive ;
bullets. The Houssas were told to keep a sharp watch
in camp, in case the leopards, approaching from the
other side, might be attracted by the smell of meat
there, rather than by the bait. The Fans needed no
telling to induce them to keep up great fires all night.
Soon after dark the watchers heard a roaring in the
forest. It came from the other side of the camp.
" That is unlucky," Mr. Qoodenough said. " We have
pitched on the wrong side. However, they will pro-
bably be deterred by the fire from approaching the
camp, and will wander round and round; so we may
hope to hear of them before long." In answer to the
roar of the leopards the natives kept up a continued
shouting. For some hours the roaring continued at
intervals, sometimes close at hand, sometimes at a con-

SHOTS IN THE DARKNESS.

145

siderable distance. Frank had some difficulty in
keeping awake, and was beginning to wish that the
leopards would move off altogether. Two or three
times he had nearly dosed off, and his rifle had almost
slipped from his hold. All at once he was aroused by
a sharp nudge from his companion. Fixing his eyes
on the bait he made out something immediately be-
low it. Directly afterwards another creature stole for-
ward. They were far less distinct than he had ex-
pected.

"You take the one to the left," Mr. Goodenough
whispered; "Now!"

They fired together. Two tremendous roars were
heard. One of the leopards immediately bounded
away. The other rolled over and over, and then,
recovering its feet, followed its companion, Mr. Good-
enough firing his second barrel after him. " I'm afraid
you missed altogether, Frank," he said.

" I don't think so, sir. I fancied I saw the flash of
the shell as it struck him, but where, I have not the
remotest idea. I could not make him out clear enough.
It was merely a dim shape, and I fired as well as I
could at the middle of it. Shall we go back to the
camp now," Frank asked.

"Yes, we can safely do so. You can tell by the
sound of the roars that they are already some distance
away. There is little chance of their returning to-
night. In the morning we will follow them. There
is sure to be blood, and the natives will have no diffi-
culty in tracking them." The rest of the night passed
quietly, although roars and howling could be heard
from time to time in the distance.

(200) K

146

A DEAD LBOF.iRD.

Early in tlie morning they started with the Houssas.
"We must b6 careful to-day," Mr. Goodenough said,'
" for a wounded leopard is a really formidable beast."
There was no difficulty in taking up the traces. " One
of them at least must be hard hit," Mr. Goodenough
remarked; " there are traces of blood every yard." They
had gone but a short distance when one of the Houssas
gave a sudden exclamation, and pointed to something
lying at the edge of a clump of bushes, ** Leopard," he
said.

" Yes, there is one of them, sure enough. I think it's
dead, but we cannot be too cautious. Advance very
carefully, Frank, keeping ready to fire instantly."

They moved forward slowly in a body, but their pre-
caution was unnecessary. There was no movement in
the spotted, tawny skin as they advanced, and when
they came close they could see that the leopard was
really dead. He had been hit by two bullets. The
first had struck his shoulder and exploded there, in-
flicting so terrible a wound that it was wonderful
he had been able to move afterwards. The other had
struck him on the back, near the tail, and had burst
inside him. Frank on seeing the nature of the wounds
was astonished at the tenacity of life shown by the
animal "I wonder whether I hit the other," he
said.

" I have no doubt at all about it," Mr. Goodenough
answered, "although I did not think so before. It
seemed to me that I only heard the howls of one
animal in the night, and thought it was the one I had
hit. But as this fellow must have died at once, it is
clear that the cries were made by the other."

►

A WOUNDED BEAST.

147

kne
lad

►

A sharp sparch was now set up for the tracks of the
other leopard, the Houssas going back to the tree and
taking it up anew. They soon found traces of blood
in a line diverging from that followed by the other
animal. For an hour they followed this, great care
being required, as at times no spots of blood could be
seen for a considerable distpnce. At last they seemed
to lose it altogether. Mr. Goodenough and Frank
stood together, while the Houssas, scattered round,
were hunting like well-trained dogs for a sign. Sud-
denly there was a sharp roar, and from the bough of a
tree close by a great body sprang through the air and
alighted within a yard of Frank. The latter, in his sur-
prise, sprang back, stumbled and fell, but in an instant
the report of the two barrels of Mr. Goodenough's rifle *
lang out. In a moment Frank was on his feet again
ready to fire. The leopard, however, lay dead, its
skull almost blown off.

" You have had another narrow escape," Mr. Good-
enough said. "I see that your ball last night broke
one of his hind-legs. That spoilt his spring. Had it
not been for that he would undoubtedly have reached
you, and a blow with his paw, given with all his weight
and impetus, would probably have killed you on the
spot. We ought not to have stood near a tree strong
enough to bear him when in pursuit of a wounded
leopard. They will always take to trees if they can,
and you see this was a very suitable one for him.
This bough on which he was lying starts from the
trunk only about four feet from the ground, so that
even with his broken l-^g he was able to get upon it
without difficulty. Well, thank God, you've not been

A SHARP TOUCH OF FEVBR.

hurt, my boy. Tt will teach us both to be more care-
ful in future."

That afternoon Frank was down with his second
attack of fever, a much more severe one than the first
had been. Mr. Goodenough's favourite remedy had
its effect of producing profuse perspiration, but two or
three hours afterwards the hot fit again came on, and
for the next four days Frank lay half delirious, at one
time consumed with heat, and the next shivering as if
plunged into ice-water. Copious doses of quinine,
however, gradually overcame the fever, and on the
fifth day he was convalescent. It was, nevertheless,
another week before he was sufficiently recovered to
be able to resttme his hunting expeditions. They
again shifted their camp, and this time travelled for
three weeks, making short journeys, and halting early
so as to give half a day from f^ch camping place for
their work.

Frank was one day out as usual with one of the
Houssas. He had killed several birds when he saw a
butterfly, of a species which he had not before met
with, flitting across a gleam of sunshine which streamed
in through a rift in the trees. He told his Houssa to
wait where he was in charge of the two guns and
birds, and started ofT with his net in pursuit of the
butterfly. The creature fluttered away with Frank in
full pursuit. Hither and thither it flitted, seemingly
taking an impish delight in tantalizing Frank, settling
on a spot where a gleam of sunlight streamed upon
the bark of a tree, till Frank had stolen up within a
couple of paces of it, and then darting away again at
a pace which defied Frank's best attempts to keep up

\ -

LOST IN THE FOREST.

149

with it until it chose to play with him again. Intent
only upon his chase Frank thought of nothing else.
At last, with a shout of triumph, he inclosed the
creature in his net, shook it into the wide pickle bottle,
containing a sponge soaked with chloroform, and then,
after tightly fitting in the stopper, he looked around.
He uttered an exclamation of dismay as he did so.
He saw by the bands of light the sun was already
setting, and knew that he must liave been for upwards
of an honr in chase of the butterfly. He had not the
sliyjhtest idea of the direction in which he had come.
He had, he knew, run up hill and down, but whether
he had been travelling in a circle or going straiglit in
one direction, he had not the least idea. He might be
within a hundred yards of the spot where he had left
the Houssa. He might be three or four miles away.

He at once drew out his revolver, which he always
carried strapped to his belt, and discharged the six
chambers, waiting for half a minute between each shot,
and listening intently for an answer to his signal.
None came. The stillness of the wood was unbroken,
and Frank felt that he must have wandered far indeed
from his starting place, and that he was completr ' '
lost. His first impulse was to start off instantly at
the top of his speed, but a moment's thought convinced
him that this would be useless. He had not an idea
of the direction which he should pursue. Besides the
sun was sinking, twilight is short in the tropics, and
in half an hour it would be as dark as midnight in the
forest. Remembering his adventure with the leopard
he determined to climb into a tree and pass the night
there. He knew that an active search would be set on

150

A NIOHT IN A TREE.

foot by his friends next morning, and that, as every step
he took was as likely to lead him from as towards the
camp, it was better to stay where he was. He soon
found a tree with a branch which would suit iiis
purpose, and, climbing up into it, lit his pipe and
prepared for an uncomfortable night. Frank had
never smoked until he reached Africa, but he had then
taken to it on the advice of Mr. Goodenough, who told
him that smoking was certainly a preventive, to some
extent, of fever in malarious countries, and, although
he had not liked it at first, he had now taken kindly
to his pipe, and smoked from the time when the even-
ing mists began to rise until he went to bed.

The time passed very slowly. The cries of wild
creatures could be heard in the woods, and although
Frank did not expect to be attacked, it was impossible
to sleep with these calls of leopards, with which the
forest seemed to abound, in his ears. He had reloaded
his revolver immediately after discharging it, and had
replaced it in his pouch, and felt confident that nothing
could climb the tree. Besides, he had heard that
leopards seldom attack men unless themselves attacked.
Sleep, however, was out of the question, for when he
slept he might have fallen from his seat in the crutch
of the tree. Occasionally, however, he dosed off,
waking up always with an uncomfortL\ble start, and
a feeling that he had just saved himself from falling.
With the earliest dawn of morn he descended, stiff and
weary, from the tree. Directly the sun rose he set off
walking. He knew at least that he was to the south
of the camp, and that by keeping the sun on his right
hand till it reached the zenith he must get in time to

STARTING FOR THE OAMP.

151

the little stream on which it was pitched. As he
walked he listened intently for the sound of guns.
Once or twice he fancied that he heard them, but he
was quite unable to judge of the direction. He had
been out with the Houssa about six hours before he
strayed from him in the pursuit of the butterfly, and
they had for some time been walking towards the
camp, in order to reach it by nightfall. Thus he
thought, that at that time, he could only have been
some three or four miles distant from it Supposing
that he had run due south, he could still be but eight
miles from the stream, and he thought that in three
hours walking he might arrive there. In point of fact,
after leaving the Houssa the butterfly had led him to-
wards the south-east, and as the stream took a sharp
bend to the north a little distance above the camp,
he was many miles farther from it than he expected.
This stream was one of the upper tributaries of the
Gaboon.

After walking for two hours the character of the
forest changed. The high trees were farther apart,
and a thick undergrowth began to make its appearance,
frequently causing him to make long detours and pre-
venting his following the line he had marked out for
himself. This caused him much uneasiness, for he
knew that he had passed across no such country on
his way from the camp, and the thought that he might
experience great difficulties in recovering it, now began
to press upon him.

CHAPTER XI.

A HOSTILE TRIBE.

VERY step that he went the ground grew
softer and more swampy, and he at length
determined to push on no farther in this
*; Vx^ direction, but turning to his left to try and
''^^ gain nigher ground, and then to continue on
the line he had marked out for himself.
His progress was now very slow. The bush was thick
and close, thorny plants and innumerable creepers
continually barred his way, and the necessity for con-
stantly looking up through the trees to catch a glimpse
of the sun, which was his only guide, added to his
difficulty. At length, when his watch told him it was
eleven o'clock, he came to a standstill, the sun being
too high overhead to serve him as a reliable guide.
He had now been walking for nearly six hours, and
he was utterly worn out and exhausted, having had
no food since his mid-day meal on the previous day.
He was devoured with thirst, having merely rinsed
his mouth in the black and poisonous water of the
swamps he had crossed. His sleepless night, too, had
told on him. He was bathed in perspiration, and
for the last hour had scarcely been able to drag his
feet along.

A TROUPE OF BABOONS.

153

He now lay down at the foot of a ojeat tree, and
for three or four hours slept heavily. When he awoke
he pursued his journey, the sun serving as a guide
again. In two hours' time he had got upon higher
ground. The brushwood was less dense, and he again
turned his face to the north, and stepped forward
with renewed hopes. It was late in the afternoon
when he came upon a native path. Here he sat down
to think. He did not remember having crossed such
a path on the day before. Probably it crossed the
stream at some point above the encampment. There-
fore it would serve as a guide, and he might, too,
come upon some native village where he could procure
food. By following it far enough he must arrive
somewhere. He sat for a quarter of an hour to rest
himself, and then proceeded along the path, whose
direction seemed to be the north-west.

For an hour he proceeded and then paused, hearing
a sudden outcry ahead. Scampering along the path
came a number of great baboons, and Frank at once
stepped aside into the bush to avoid them, as these are
formidable creatures when disturbed. They were of
a very large species, and several of the females had
little ones clinijinof around their necks. In the distance
Frank could hear the shouts of some natives, and sup-
posed that the monkeys had been plundering their
plantations, and that they were driving them away.
The baboons passed without paying any attention to
him, but Frank observed that the last of the troop
was carrying a little one in one of its forearms.

Frank glanced at the baby -monkey and saw that
it had round its waist a strinff of blue beads. As a

154

STEALING A BABY.

string of beads is the only attire which a negro child
wears until it reaches the age of ten or eleven yearsf
old, the truth at once flashed upon Frank that the
baboons were carrying off a native baby, which had
probably been set down by its mother while she worked
in the plantation. Instantly he drew his pistol, leaped
into the road, and fired at the retreating ape. It gave
a cry, dropped the baby and turned to attack its

aggressor.

Frank waited till it was within six feet, and then
shot it through the head. He sprang forward and .
seized the baby, but in a moment he was attacked by
the whole party of baboons, who, barking like dogs,
and uttering angry cries, rushed at him. Frank stood
his ground, and discharged the four remaining barrels
of his revolver at the foremost animals. Two of these
dropped, but the others who were only wounded sprang
upon him. Frank struck out with the butt-end of his
pistol, but in a minute he was overpowered. One
monkey seized him by the leg with his teeth, while
another bit his arm. Others struck and scratched at
him, and he was at once thrown down. He tried to
defend his face with his arms, kicking and struggling
to the best of his power. With one hand he drew the
long knife for skinning animals, which he wore at his
belt, and struck out fiercely, but a baboon seized his
wrist in its teeth, and Frank felt that all was over,
when suddenly his asp^ailants left him, and the instant
afterwards he was lifted to his feet by some negroes.
He had, when attacked by the apes, thrown the baby
into a clump of ferns close by, in order to have the use
oi both his hands, and when he looked round he found

IN A NEGRO HUT.

155

that a negress had already picked it up, and was
crying and fondling it. The negroes appeared intensely
astonished at Frank's colour, and he judged by their
exclamations of surprise that, not only had they not
seen a white man before, but that they had not heard
of one being in the neighbourhood.

Frank had been too severely bitten and mauled by
the baboons to be able to walk, and the negroes, seeing
this, raised him, and four of them carried him to their
village, which was but a quarter of a mile distant.
Here he was taken to the principal hut, and laid on a
bed. His wounds were dressed with poultices formed
of bruised leaves of some plant, the natives evincing
the utmost astonishment as Frank removed his clothes
to enable these operations to be performed. By point-
ing to his lips he indicated that he was hungry and
thirsty. Water was brought to him, and cakes made
from pounded yams pressed and baked. Having eaten
and drank he closed his eyes and lay back, and the
natives, who had before been all noisily chattering
together, now became suddenly silent, and stealing
away left the strange white visitor to sleep.

When Frank woke he could see by the light that it
was early morning. A woman with a child in her lap,
whom Frank recognized as the negress who had picked
up the baby, was sitting on a low stool by his side.
On seeing him open his eyes she came to the bed, took
his hand and put it to her lips, and then raised the
baby triumphantly and turned it round and round to
show that it had escaped without damage. Then when
Frank pointed again to his lips she brought him a
pine-apple, roughly cut off the skin, and sliced it

156

EXPLANATIONS.

Frank ate the juicy fruit, and felt immensely refreshed,
for the West Coast pine-apple is even more delicious
than that found in the West Indies. Then the woman
removed the bandages and applied fresh poultices to
his wounds, talking in low soft tones, and, as Frank
had no doubt, expressing sorrow at their cause.

Frank now endeavoured to explain to her that he
had a white companion in the woods, but the woman,
not understanding, brought in two or three other
natives, who stood round the couch and endeavoured
to gather what he wished to say. Frank held up two
fingers. Then he pointed .to himself and shut down
one finger, keeping the other erect, and then pointed
all round to signify that he had a friend somewhere in
the wood. A grin of comprehension stole over the
faces of the negroes, and Frank saw that he was under-
stood.

Then he again held up his two fingers, and taking
the hands of the negress raised all her fingers by the
side of the white ones to signify that there were many
natives with them. Then he took aim, with an ima-
ginary gun, up at the roof of the hut, and said " Bang "
very loud, and a chorus of approving laughter from
the negroes showed that he was understood. Then
one of them pointed towards the various points of the
compass, and looked interrogatively at Frank. The
sun was streaming in through the doorway, and he
was thus able to judge of the direction in which the
camp must lie. He made a sweep with his hand
towards the north-west, signifying that they were
somewhere in that direction.

That afternoon fever set in, and for the two next

FOUND BY HIS jmiKNDa

157

days Frank was delirious. When he recovered con-
sciousness he found Mr. Goodenough sitting beside
him. The lat'.er would not suffer him to talk, but
gave him a strong dose of quinine and told him to lie
quiet and go to sleep. It was not till the next day
til at Frank learned what had happened in his absence.
The Houssa had not returned untii long after nightfall
He reported that Frank had told him to wait with the
guns, and that he had waited until it grew nearly dark.
Then he had fired several times and had walked about,
firing his gun at intervals. Obtaining no responses he
had made his way back to the camp, where his arrival
alone caused great consternation.

It was impossible to do anything that night, and the
next morning Mr. Goodenough, accompanied by five of
the Houssas, one only remaining to keep guard over
the camp, had gone to the place where Frank had last
been seen. Then they scattered in various directions,
slioutirig and firing their guns. The search had been
continued all day without success, and at nightfall, dis-
heartened and worn out, they had returned to the
camp. The next day the search had been continued
with an equal want of success, and the fears that a
leopard had attacked and killed Frank became stronger
and stronger. On the third day the whole of the
carriers were sent out with instructions to search the
woods for native paths, to follow these to villages, and
to enlist the natives in the search. One of these men
had met one of the villagers on the search for the party
of the white man.

It was another ten days before Frank was sufficiently
recovered from his fever and wounds to march back to

158

TROUBLE WITH THE CARRIERS.

the camp. After a stay there of two or three more
days, to enable him completely to regain his strength,
the party started again on their journey.

In another three weeks they hrA descended the
hills, and the Fans announced their unwillingness to
travel farther. Mr. Goodenough, however, told them
quietly that they had promised to go on until he could
obtain other carriers, and that if they deserted him
he should pay them nothing. They might now ex-
pect every day to meet people of another tribe, and
as soon as they should do so they would be allowed to
depart. Finding that he was firm, and having no
desire to forfeit the wages they had earned, the Fans
agreed to go forward, although they were now in a coun-
try entirely unknown to them, where the people would
presumably be hostile. They had, however, such faith
in the arms carried by the white men and Houssas,
that they felt comparatively easy as to the result ol
any attack which might be made upon them.

The very day after this little mutiny, smoke was
seen curling up from the woods. Mr. Goodenough
deemed it inexpedient to show himself at once with so
large a number of men. He, therefore, sent forward
Ostik with two of the Fans, each of whom could speak
several native dialects, to announce his coming. They
returned in an hour saying that the village was a very
large one, and that the news of the coming of two
white men had created great excitement. The people
spoke of sending at once to their king, whom they called
Malembe, whose place, it seemed, was a day's march off.

They now prepared to enter the village. Ostik
went first carrying himself with the dignity of ^ beadle

A LARGE VILLAQB.

159

at the head of a school procession. Two of the Houssas
walked next. Mr. Goodenough and Frank followed,
their guns being carried by two Fans beliind them.
Then came the long line of bearers, two of the Houssas
walking on each side as a baggage guard. The
villagers assembled in great numbers as they entered.
The head man conducted the whites to his hut. No
women or children were to be seen, and the expression
of the men was that of fear rather than curiosity.

"They are afi'aid of the Fans," Mr. Goodenough
said. " The other tribes all have a species of terror of
these cannibals. We must reassure them as soon as
possible."

A long palaver then took place with the chief, with
whose language one of the P'ans was sufficiently ac-
quainted to make himself understood. It was rather
a tedious business, as each speech had to be translated
twice, through Ostik and the Fan.

Mr. Goodenough informed the chief that the white
men were friends of his people, that they had come to
see the country and give presents to the chiefs, that
they only wished to pass quietly through and to
journey unmolested, and that they would- pay hand-
somely for food and all that they required. They
wished to obtain bearers for their baggage, and these
they would pay in cloth and brass rods, and as soon as
they procured carriers the Fans would return to their
own country. The chief answered expressing his
gratification at seeing white men in his village, and
saying that the king would, no doubt, carry out all
their wishes. One of the boxes was opened and he
was presented with five yards of bright-coloured calico,

160

THREATENING APPEARANCE.

a gaudy silk handkerchief, and several strings of bright
beads. In return a large number of plantains were
presented to the white men. These were soon dis-
tributed among th Fanf'

"Me no like dt> i ,;„3r,"
we hab trouble. VV;*' ^ ^i
gone, dat bad. Waio till

Ostik said. "Me think

all women and children

*? what do when king

come.

That day and the next passed quietly. The baggage
had been piled in a circle, as usual, in an open space
outside the village, the tent being pitched in the centre, .
and Ostik advised Mr. Goodenough to sleep here in-
stead of in the village. The day after their arrival
passed but hodvily. The natives showed but little
curiosity as to the new-comers, although these must
have been far more strange to them than to the people
nearer the coast. Still no women or children made
their appearance. Towards evening a great drumming
was heard in the distance.

" Here is his majesty at last," Mr. Goodenough said,
" we shall soon see what is his disposition."

In a short time the village was filled with a crowd
of men, all carrying spears and bows and arrows.
The drumming came nearer and nearer, and then,
carried in a chair on the shoulders of four strong
negroes, while ten others armed with guns marched
beside him, the king mad© his appearance.

Mr. Goodenough and Frank advanced to meet him.
The king was a tall man with a savage expression of
countenance. Behind Mr. Goodenough, Ostik and the
Fan who spoke the language advanced. The king's
chair was lowered under the shade of a tree, and two

A QKEEDY KING.

161

attendants with palm-leaf fans at once began to fan
his majesty.

" Tell the king," Mr. Goodenough said, " that we are
white men who have come to see his country, and to
pass through to the countries beyond. We have many
presents for him, and wish to buy food and to hire
carriers in place of those who have b^-ought our t^ ings
thus far."

The king listened in silence. "Why do th wh
men bring our enemies into our land ?" he aske*^ "^^ 'ly-

"We have come up from the coast," Mr. Goodej ju^^h
said; "and as we passed through the Fan c< itr-^^ we
hired men there to carry our goods, just as we wish to
hire men here to go on into the country beyond. There
were none of the king's men in that country or we
would have hired them."

"Let me see the white men's presents," the king
said.

A box was opened, a bright scarlet shirt and a
smoking-cap of the same colour, worked with beads,
a blue silk handkerchief and twenty yards of bright
calico, were taken out. To these were added twelve
stair-rods, five pounds of powder, and two pounds of
shot.

The king's eye sparkled greedily as he looked at
the treasures. "The white men must be very rich,"
b3 said, pointing to the pile of baggage.

" Most of the boxes are empty," Mr. Goodenough

said. "We have brought them to take home the things

of the country and show them to the white men

beyond the sea;" and to prove the truth of his words,

Mr. Goodenough had two of the empty cases opened,
(«eo) I.

''^i

163

ONLY HALF SATISFIED.

as also one already half filled with bird skins, and
another with trays of butterflies and beetles.

The king looked at them with surprise, "And the
others?" he asked, pointing to them.

" The others," Mr. Goodenough said, " contain, some
of them, food such as white men are accustomed to
eat in their own country, the others, presents for the
other kings and chiefs I shall meet when we have
passed on. The fellow is not satisfied," he said to
Ostik, " give him two of the trade-guns and a bottle
of brandy."

The king appeared mollified by these additional
presents, and saying that he would talk to the white
men in the moVning, he retired into the village.

" I don't like the look of things," Mr. Goodenough
said. "I fear that the presents we have given the
king will only stimulate his desire for more. How-
ever, we shall see in the morning."

When night fell, two of the Houssas were placed on
guard. The Fans slept inside the circle formed by
the baggage. Several times in tlie night the Houssas
challenged bodies of men whom they heard approach-
ing, but these at once retired. In the morning a
messenger presented himself from the king, saying
that he required many more presents, that the things
which had been given were only fit for the chief of a
village, and not for a great king. Mr. Goodenough
answered, that he had given the best he had, that the
presents were fit for a great king, and that he should
give no mora

" If we are to have trouble," he said to Fraqk, " it is
far better to have it at once while the Fans are with

••

A NATIVE ATTACK.

163

118, than when we are alone with no one but the Houssas
and the subjects oF this man. The Fans will tight,
and we could hold this encampment against any number
of savages."

A quarter of an hour later the drums began beating
furiously again. Loud shouts and yells arose in the
village, and the natives could be seen moving ex-
citedly about Presently these all disappeared.

" Fight come now," Ostik said.

"You'd better lower the tent at once, Ostik. It
will only be in our way."

The tent was speedily lowered. The Fans grasped
their spears and lay down behind the circle of boxes
and bales, and the six Houssas, the two white men and
Ostik, to whom a trade-musket had baen entrusted,
took their places at regular intervals rouuvd the circle,
which was some eight yards in diameter. Presently
the beat of the drums again broke the silence, and
a shower of arrows, coming apparently from all points
of the compass, fell in and around the circle.

" Open fire steadily and quietly," Mr. Goodenough
said, "among the bushes, but don't fire fast. We
must tempt them to show themselves."

A dropping fire commenced against the invisible foe,
the firing being no more frequent than it would have
been had they been armed with muzzle-loading
weapons. Presently musketry was heard on the
enemy's side, the king's body-guard having opened fire.
This was disastrous to them, for, whereas the arrows
had afforded but slight index as to the position of
those who shot them, the pufls of smoke from the
muskets at once showed the lurking-places of those

164

A 8EVBRB REPULS&

who used them, and Mr. Ooodenough and Frank
replied so truly that in a very short time the muKketry
fire of the enemy ceased altogether. The rain of
arrows continued, the yells of the natives rose louder
and louder, and the drums beat more furiously.

" They will be out directly," Mr. Ooodenough said.
" Fire as quickly as you can when they show, but be
sure and take good aim."

Presently the sound of a war-horn was heard, and
from the wood all round a crowd of dark figures
dashed forward, uttering appalling yells. On the
instant the dropping fire of the defenders changed
into an almost continuous fusillade, as the Sniders of
the Houssas, ^he breech-loading rifle of Mr. Oood-
enough, and the repeating Winchester of Frank were
brought into play at their full speed. Yells of aston-
ishment broke from the natives, and a minute later,
leaving nearly a score of their comrades on the ground,
the rest dashed back into the forest. There was silence
for a time and then the war-drums began again.

"Dey try again hard dis time, massa," Ostik said.
" King tell *em he cut off deir heads dey not win
battle."

This time the natives rushed forward with reckless
bravery, in spite of the execution made among them
by the rapid fire of the defenders, and rushed up to
the circle of boxes. Then the Fans leaped to their feet,
and, spear in hand, dashed over the defences and fell
upon the enemy. The attack was decisive. Uttering
yells of terror the natives fled, and two minutes later
not a sound was to be heard in the forest

" I tink dey run away for good dis time, sar," Ostik

A CHANOB OP DIRECTION.

165

■

said. *• Dey hav' 'nuf of him. Dey fight very brave,
much moro brave than people down near coast. Dere
in great battle only three, four men killed. Here as
many men killed as we got altogether."

This was f,o, nearly fifty of the natives having
fallen between the trees and the encampment. When
an hour pased and al^ was still, it became nearly
certain that the enemy had retreated, and the Houssas,
who are splendid scouts, divested themselves of their
clothing and crawled away into the wood to reconnoitre.
They returned in half an hour in high glee, bearing
the king's chair.

" Dey all run away, sar, ebery one, de king an* all,
and leab his chair behind. Dat great disgrace for
him."

A council was now held. The Fans were so delighted
with the victory they had won, that they expressed
their readiness to remain with their white companions
as long as they chose, providing these would guaran-
tee that they should be sent home on the expiration of
their service. This Mr. Goodenough readily promised.
After discussing the question with Frank, he deter-
mined to abstain from pushing farther into the inter-
ior, but to keep along northward, and then turning
west witr. the sweep of the coast to travel slowly
along, keeping at about the same distance as at present
from the sea, and finally to come down either upon
Cape Coast or Sierra Leone.

This journey would occupy a considerable tiixie.
They would cross countries but little known, and woi:(ld
have an ample opportunity for the collection of speci-
mens, which they might, from time to time, send down

,,.

166

MR GOODENOUGH PROSTRATED.

by the various rivers they would cross, to the trading
stations at their mouths.

It was felt that after this encounter with the natives
it would be imprudent in the extreme to push further
into the interior. They would have continual battles
to fight, large numben^ of the natives would be killed,
and their collecting operations would be greatly in-
terfered with. As a lesson to the natives the village
was burnt to the ground; the presents, which the king
in the hurry of his flight had left behind him, being
recovered. A liberal allowance of tobacco was served
out as a " dash " or present to the Fans, and a bright
silk handkerchief given to each. Then they turned
off at right angles to the line they had before been
pursuing and continued their journey.

Two days later Mr. Goodenough was prostrated by
fever, and for several days lay between life and death.
When he became convalescent he recovered strength
very slowly. The heat was prodigious and the mos-
quitos rendered sleep almost impossible at night. The
country at this place was low and swampy, and, weak
as he was, Mr. Goodenough determined to push for-
ward. He was, however, unable to walk, and, for the
first time, a hammock was got out and mounted.

There is no more comfortable conveyance in the
world than a hammock in Africa. It is slung from
a long bamboo pole, overhead a thick awning keeps
the sun from the hammock. Across the ends of the
pole boards of some three feet long are fastened. The
natives wrap a piece of cloth into the shape of a muflSn
and place it on their heads, and then take their places,
two at each end of the pole, with the ends of the board

THE FANS BECOME COLLECTORS.

167

on their neads. They can trot along at the rate of six
miles an hour, for great distances, often keeping up a
monotonous song. Their action is perfectly smooth
and easy, and the traveller in the hammock, by shut-
ting his eyes, might imagine himself swinging in a cot
on board ship on an almost waveless sea.

After two days travelling they got on to higher
ground, and here they camped for some time, Mr.
Goodenough slowly recovering strength, and Frank
busy in adding to their collections. In this he was in no
slight degree assisted by the Fans, who, having nothing
else to do, had now come to enter into the occupation
of their employers. A good supply of muslin had been
brought, and nets having been made, the Fans captured
large quantities of butterflies, the great difficulty being
in convincing them that only a few of each species
were required. They were still more valuable in
grubbing about in the decaying trunks of fallen trees;
under loose bark, and in broken ground, for beetles
and larv89, a task which suited them better than run-
ning about after butterflies, which, moreover, they
often spoilt irreparably by their rough handling.
Thus Frank was able to devote himself entirely to the
pursuit of birds, and although all the varieties more
usually met with had been obtained, the collection
steadily increased in size.

Frank himself had several attacks of fever, but none
of these were so severe as that which he had had on
the day of the death of the leopards.

At the end of a month Mr. Goodenough had recovered
his strength, and they again moved forward.

mt/ax

emmmmmmm

■'i\

CHAPTER XIL

A NEGRO S STORY.

N arriving at a large village one day, they
were struck as they approached by the far
greater appearance of comfort and neatness
than' generally distinguish African villages.
The plots of plantations were neatly fenced,
the street was clean and well kept. As they
entered the village they were met by the principal
people, headed by an old white-haired negro,

"Me berry glad to see you, white men," he said.
" Long time me no see white men."

" And it is a long time," said Mr. Goodenough, shak-
ing hands with him, " since I have heard the sound of
my own tongue outside my party."

"Me berry glad to see you," repeated the negro.
" Me chief of dis village. Make you berry comfortable,
sar. Great honour for dis village dat you come here.
Plenty eberyting for you, fowl, and eggs, and plan-
tain, and sometime a sheep."

" We have, indeed, fallen into the lap of luxury," Mr.
Goodenough said to Frank; and they followed the
negro to his hut. " I suppose the old man has been
employed in one of the factories upon the coast."

A CIVIUZED NEGRO.

169

The interior of the hut was comfortably furnished
and very clean. A sort of divan covered with neatly-
woven mats extended round three sides. In the centre
was an attempt at a table. A double-barrelled gun
and a rifle hung over the hearth. A small looking-
glass and several coloured prints in cheap frames were
suspended from the walls. A great chest stood at one
end of the room, while on a shelf were a number of
plates and dishes of English manufacture. The negro
begged his guests to be seated, and presently a girl en-
tered, brinfjinsr in a larjje calabash full of water for
them to wash their hands and faces. In the meantime
the old negro had gone to his chest, and, to the im-
mense surprise of the travellers, brought out a snow-
white table-cloth, which he proceeded to lay on the
table, and then to place knives, forks, and plates upon
it.

" You must 'scuse deficiencies, sar," he said. " We
bery long way from coast, and dese stupid niggers
dey break tings most ebery day."

"Don't talk about deficiencies," Mr. Goodenough
answered smiling. " All this is, indeed, astonishing to
us here."

" You bery good to say dat, sar, but dis chile know
how tings ought to be done. He libed in good
Melican family. He know bery well how tings ought
to be done."

" Ah, you have travelled a good deal ! " Mr. Good-
enough said.

"Yes, sar, me trabel great deal. Me lib in Cuba
long time. Den me lib slave states, what you call
Confederate. Den me lib Northern state, also Canada

"*lt

'111

170

AN EXCELLENT DINNER.

under Queen Victoria. Me trabel bery much. Now,
sar, dinner come. Time to eat not to talk. After
dinner white gentleman tell me what they came here
for. Me tell dem if they like about my trabels, but
dat bery long story."

The dinner consisted of two fowls cut in half and
grilled over a fire, fried plantains, and, to the astonish-
ment of the travellers, green peas, followed by cold
boiled rice over which honey had been poured. Their
host had placed plates only for two, but they would *^
not sit down until he had consented to join them.
Two girls waited, both neatly dressed in cotton, in a
fashion which was a compromise between European
and negro notions.

After dinner the negro presented them with two
large and excellent cigars, made, as he said, from
tobacco grown in his own garden, and the astoni'^"^
ment of the travellers was heightened by the reappear-
ance of one of the girls bearing a trhj with three
amall cups of excellent black coffee

Their host now asked them for thv*. story of their
journey from the coast, and the object with which they
had penetrated Africa. Mr. Goodenough related their
adventures, and said that they were naturalists in
search of objects of natural history. When he had
finished Ostik, in obedience to a whisper from him,
brought in a bottle of brandy, at the sight of which
the negro broke into a chuckle.

"Me tree months widout taste dat. Once ebery
year me tsend down to coast, get coffee, tea, sugar, calico,
beach, and r^im. Dis time de rum am finish too soon.
One of de eases |^tt broke and half de bottles smash,

i?»
ill!

THi: host's story.

171

Dat bery bad job. Dis chile calculate dat six dozen
last for a year, dat give him one bottle each week and
twenty bottles for presents to oder chiefs. Li-,iiteen
bottles go smash, and as de oder chiefs expec' deir
present all de same, Sam hab to go widout De men
start three weeks ago for coast. Me hope dey come
back in six weeks more."

"Well," Mr. Goodenough said, "you need not go
without it till they come back, for I can give you eight
bottles which will last you for two months. I have
got a good supply, and as I never use it for trade
unless a chief particularly wants it, I can very well
spare it."

The old negro was greatly pleased, and when he had
drank his glass of brandy and water he responded to
Mr. Goodenough's request, and, lighting a fresh cigar,
he began the story of his adventures.

"I was born in dis bery village somewhere about
seventy years ago. I not know for sure widin two or
three year, for when I young man I no keep account.
My fader was de chief of dis village, just as I ai aow,
but de village was not like dis. It was not so ,, and
was bery dirty and bery poor, just like tiie oder
nigger villages. Well, sar, dere am nothing rticlar
to tell about de first years of my life. I 'is' dirty
little naked nigger like de rest. Dose wer^ ry bad
times. Ebery one fight against ebery one else. Ebery
one take slabes and send dem down de river, and sell
to white men dere to carry ober sea. When I grow
up to seventeen, I s'pose, I take spear and go out wid
de people of dis village and de oder village>i of dis
part ob country under king, and fight again^it oder

172

TAKEN AS A SLAVK

villages and carry the people away as slabes. All
bery bad business dat. But Sam he tink nothing,
and jus' do the same as oder people. Sometimes oder
tribes come and fight against our villages and carry
our people away. So it happened to Sam.

" Jus' when he about twenty year old we had come
back from a long 'spedition. Dis village got its share
ob slabes, and we drink and sing and make merry wid
de palm tree wine and tink ourselves bery grand
fellows. Well, sar, dat night great hullyballoo in de
villasfe. De dofjs bark, de men shout and seize deir
arms and run out to fight, but it no good. Anoder
tribe fall on us ten times as many as we. We fight
hard but no i?3e. All de ole men and de ole women
and de little babies dat no good to se^l dey killed, and
de rest ob us, do men and de woman and de boys and
girls, we tied together and march away wid de people
dat had taken us.

" Bery bad time dat, sar. De season was dry and de
water scarce. We ;.iake long march ebery day, and
bery little food given. Dey beat us wid sticks and
prod us wid spear to make us go. A good many ob de
weak ones dey die, but de most ob us arribe at n'outh
ob riber; me neber know what riber dat was, but we
were bery nigh two months in getting dere. By dia
time Sam arribe at the conclusion bery strong, dat de
burning ob villages and carrying off ob slabes bery
bad atfair altogether. Sam hab changed his mind
about a great many things, but about dat he am fixed
right up to dis time.

" Well, at de mouth ob dat riber Sam saw de white
man for de first time; and me tell you fair, sar, Sam

, *

LIFE IN A SLAVER.

173

lis
e

not like him no way. Dey were Spanish men, and de
way dey treat us poor niggers was someting awful.
We huddle up night and day in a big shed (ley call a
barracoon. Dey gabe us bery little food, bery little
water. Dey flog us if we grumble. Dese men belong
to ships, and had bought us from dose who brought us
down from up country. Deir ship not come yet, and
for a long time we wait in the barracoon wishing dat
we could die. At last de ship came, and we were
taken on board and huddled down below. Law, what
a place dat was to be sure! Not more than tree feet
high, just high enough to sit up, and dere we chained
to deck. De heat, sar, was someting terrible. Some
ob us yell out and scream for air, but dey only come
down and beat us wid whips.

" De day after we got on board de ship set sail.
Tree hours after dat we hear a great running about on
deck, and a shouting by the white men. Den we hear
big gun fire ober head, almost make us jump out of
skin wid de noise. Den more guns. Den dere was a
crash, and before we knew what was de matter dere was
a big hole in de side, and six niggers was killed dead.
Ebery one yelled bery loud. We tink for sure that
de last day come. For a long time de guns keep
firing, and den everyting quiet again. At de time
no one could tink what de matter, but I s'pose dat
British cruiser chase us and dat de slaber sail away.

"Dat waiL^ an awful voyage, sar. At first de sea
smoove, and de ship go along straight. Den de ship
begin to toss about, jus' as ni<;ixer does when he has
taken too much pnliii-wine, and we all feel bery bad.
Ebery one groan and cry and tink dat dey must have

I ,

174

A TEHRIULE TIME.

been poisoned. For tree days it was a terrible time.
De hatches were shut down and no air could come to us,
and dere we was all alone in de dark, and no one could
make out why de great house on de water roll and
tumble so much. We cry and shout till all breaff
^ ne, and den lie quiet and moan, till jus' when ebery
one tink he dead, dey take off de hatch and come
down and undo de padlocks and tell us to go up on
deck. Dat bery easy to say, not at all easy to do.
Most of us too weak to walk, and say dat we dead
and cannot move. Den dey whip all about, and it was
astonishing, sar, to see what life dat whip put into
dead nigger. Somehow people feel dat dey could
crawl after all, and when dey get up on deck and see
de blessed sun again and de blue sky dey feel better.
But not all. In spite ob de wJiip many hab to be
carried up on deck, and dere de sailor men lay 'em
down and row cold water ober dem till dey open dere
eyes and come to life. Some neber come to life. Dere
were about six hundred when we start, and ob dese
pretty nigh a hundred die in dose tree days.

"After dat tings not so bad. l)e weather was fine
and no more English cruisers seen, so dey let half ob
us up on deck at once for tree or four hours ebery day.
Dey give us more food, too, and fatten us up. We
talk dis ober among ourselves, and s'pose dat dey
going to eat us when we get to land again. Some
propose not eat food, but when dey try dat on they
get de whip, and conclude dat if dey must be eaten
dey might as well be eaten fat as lean.

"At last we come in sight of land. Den we all sent
below and stay dere till night Den we brought on

LANDED IN CUBA.

176

deck, and find de vessel lying in a little creek. Den
we all land in boats, and inarch up country all night.
In de morning we halt. Tree or four white m'jn come
on horses and look at us. Dey separate us into parties,
and each march away into country again. Den we
separate again, till at last me and twenty oders arribe
at a plantation up in de hills. Here we range along
in line before a white man. He speak in bery fierce
tones, and a nigger by his side tell us dat dis man our
master, dat he say if we work well he gib us plenty
of food and treat us well, but dat if we not work wid
all our might he whip us to death. After dis it was
ebident that de best ting to do was to work hard.

" I was young and bery strong, sar, and soon got de
name of a willing hard-working nigger. De massa
he keep his word. Dose who work well not bad
treated, plenty ob food and a piece of ground to plant
vegetables and to raise fowls for ourselves. So we
passed two or tree year, plenty ob hard work, but not
bery much to grumble at. Den me and a gal of my
own village, who had been bought in de same batch
wid me, we go to massa and say we want to marry.
Massa say, bery well. I fine strong nigger and work
well, so he gib de gal four yards ob bright cotton for
wadding di-ess, and a bottle ob rum to me, and we
married.

" Two or tree years pass, and my wife hab two
piccaiminies. Den de massa go home to Spain, and
leab overseer in plantation. Bery bad man dat.
Before, if nigger work well he not beaten. Now he
beaten wheder he work or not. For two or tree
months we 'tand it, but tings get worse and worse.

if' '
1

176

SLAYING AN OVERSEER.

l)e oberseer he always drunk and go on like wild
beast. One day he passed by my wife hoeing de
sugar-cane and he gib her cut wid whip, jus' out ot*
'niusement. She turn round and ask, 'What dat for?'
He get mad, cut her wid whip, knock her down wid
de handle, and den seizing d chile dat she had fastened
to her back, he catch him by de leg and smash him
skull against a tree. Den, sar, I seize my hoe, I rush
at him, and I chop him down wid all my strength,
cut his skull clean in sunder, and he drop down dead.

" Den I knew dat dat was no place for Sam, so I
take my hoe and I run away as fast as I could. No
one try to stop me. De oder niggers dance and sing
when dey saw de oberseer fall dead. I ran all dat
day up among de hills, skirting roimd de different
plantations till I get quite into de wild part. When-
eber I came to stream I walk a long way in him till I
get to tree hanging ober. Den pull myself up into de
branches, climb along and drop at de farthest end, and
den run again, for 1 knew dat dey would set de
blood-hounds after me.

"At last I tink dat it am quite safe, and when de
night came on lie down to sleep for a few hours.
Before morning me off again, and by night get to de
centre of de wild country. Here I light a tire, and sit
down, and, just as I 'spected, in two or tree hours five
or six men come down to me. Dese were niggers who
had r away from plantations. I tell dem my stoiy,
dey agree dat I did bery right in killing oberseer.
Dey take me away to place where dey hab little huts
and patches of yams. Two or tree days pass and no
one come, so we s'pose dat dey hab lost de scent.

ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAINS.

« <

n de
Durs.
() (Je
I sit
five
who

'O^y,

eer.

uts

ent.

Me waited a month and den determined to go down and
see about wife. I journey at night, and reacli planta-
tion in two days. Dere I hide till I see nigger come
along close to hush. I call him and he come. I tell
him to tell my wife to steal away when night come,
and to meet me dere. He nod and go away. Dat
night my wife come wid de oder chile. We not talk
much but start away for mountains. Me bery much
afraid now because my wife not bery strong, she hurt
by de blow and fretting after me. Howeber, we
follow the way I had gone before. I make shift to
help her up into trees from the streams, and dis time
after tree days travel we get back to hut in the moun-
tain.

"Dere we lib bery happy for a year. Sometimes
some ob us go down to plantation and take down
l)askets and oder tings dat we had made and chop dem
for cotton. We had tobacco of our own, and some
fowls whicli we got from the plantations in de fust
place. Altogether we did bery well. Sometimes band
of soldiers come and march trough the country, but
we hab plenty hiding-places and dey never find us.
More and more runaway slabes come, and at last we
hear dat great 'spedition going to start to search all
de mountains. Dey come, two tree thousand ob dem.
Dey form long skirmishing line, five or six mile long,
and dey go ober mountai .. Ebery nigger dey find
who not surrender when dey call to him dey shoot.
When I heard ob deir cominof I had long talk wid wife.
We agree that it better to leave de mountains alto-
gether and go down and live in the bu<^hes close to
the old plantation. Nobody look for us dere. So we

(200) u

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

1.0

I.I

l^|Z8 |25

mmm22

lit

12.0

1 1.25 III U 1.6

►

Fhotographic

Sdences

Corporation

23 WeST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. USM

(7)6) •72-4503

17f

RECAPTURED.

I i

! t

make our way down and lib there quiet. We get the
yams out ob de plantations and lib very comfortable.
When we tink all ober in the mountain we go back.

" Well, sar, when we tink it all safe, and we get
widin a mile of de huts whar we had libed, all at once
we came upon a lot of soldiers in camp. Dey see us
and make shout. I call to my wife to run, when dey
lire. A bullet hit de baby, which she hab at her back,
and pass through both deir bodies. I did not run any
more, but jus' stood looking at my wife and chile as
if my senses had gone. Dere I stood till the soldiers
came up. Dey put a cord round my arms and led me
f.way. After a time I was taken down the country.
Dere I was claimed, and when it was known I had
killed a white oberseer I was tried. But de new
oberseer did not want me to be hung, for I was a
strong slave and worth money, so he told a story about
how it happen, and after dey had flogged me very
hard dey sent me back to plantation. Dere I work
for a long time wid a great log of wood chained to my
'ankle to prevent me from running away again.

" For a time I not care whether I lib or die, but at
last I made up my mind to 'scape again. After six
months dey took off de log, tinking dat I had had
enuf of de mountains and woi^ld not try to 'scape, and
de log prevented my doing s.Q much work. De bery
next night 1 ran away again, jbuji dis time I determined
to make for de town in hppes ob getting on board an
English ship, for I had hjB^rd from de oder slabes dat
de English did not keep black men as slabes, but dat,
on de contry, dey did what dey could to stop dp
Spanish from getting dem ayfay froipfi ^^tn(i&, sfl\d }

ON BOARD A YANKEE SHIP.

179

understood now dat de dreful noise we had hertrd
on de first day we were on board ship was an attack
upon our vessel by an English cruiser.

" It was four days journey down to de town by de
sea. Dere was no difficulty in finding de way, for de
road was good, and I s'pose dat dey only looked for
me towards de hills. Anyhow I got dar safe, walking
at night and sleeping in the bushes by day. I got as
near de town as I dar, and could see seberal vessels
lying near de shore. I could see dat some ob dem had
de Spanish flag — I knew dat flag — de oders had flags
which I did not know. When it was dark I walked
boldly into the town; no one asked me any qaestion,
and I make my way through de streets down to de
shore. Dere I get into a boat and lay quiet till all
de town was asleep. Den I get into water and swim
off* to a ship — one dat I had noticed had a flag which
was not Spanish. Dere was a boat alongside. I climb
into it and pull myself up by the rope on to de deck.
Den some white men seize me and say someting in a lan-
guage which I not understand. Den dey take me into
cabin and say someting to captain; me not know what
it was, but de captain laugh, and me not like his laugh
at all. Howeber, dey give me someting to eat, and
den take me down into hold of ship and tell me to go
to sleep on some sacks of sugar, and throw some empty
sacks ober me to cover me. Den dey close up hatch and
leab me alone.

" When I come on deck de land was gone and de
vessel sailing along. I speak to no one, for I only
understand little Spanish, and dese people not speak
dat We s lil along for some time, and at last we come

f I

180

SOLD AGAIN.

in sight of land again. Den dey hoist flag and I see
dat it a flag wid lots of red stars and stripes upon him.
I know now dat it was a 'Merican ship. Den I know
noting. We get to port and I want to land, but dey
shake deir heads.'

" De next day de captain he make sign to me to come
wid him. I go along to shore and he take me to a,
open space in town, where a man was standing on
a raised platform. He had a black woman by de
side ob him. Seberal men come up and look at her.
De man he shout bery loud. Oder men say something
short. At last he knock on de table; a man tell r^e
woman to come after him and she walk away. Den
a boy was ^ut up, and den two more women, and
ebery time just de same ting was done. Den de man
call out, and de captain push his way through the
crowd wid me, and tell me to climb up on platform.
I get up and look round quite surprised. Eberybody
laugh. Den de man began to holloa again. Den seb-
eral men come up and feel my arms and my legs. Dey
point to de marks which de whip had left on my back,
and dey laugh again. Presently de man who was shout-
ing bang his hand on the table again, and a white man
in the crowd, who had seberal times called out loud,
come up to me, take me by de arm, and sign to me to
go wid him.

*^I begin to understand now; dat rascally captain
had sold me for a slabe, and dat flag I had seen was not
de English flag. However, it was no use to say any-
ting, and I went along wid my new massa. He was
a nice-looking man, and I thought it might not be so
bery bad after all. He took me to a high carriage wid

A SLAVE IN VIRGINIA.

181

two wheels and a line horse. A negro, who was dressed
up like a white man, was holding de horse. He showed
me to climb up behind, de oders climb up in front, and
we dribe away.

■rpr==3=

CHAPTER XIII.

A FUGITIVE SLAVE.

|^^2ELL, sar, work bery much de same on
'-T plantation in Virginia and Cuba, but
de slabe much merrier in 'Merica,
when de master am good. My new
massa bery good man. Slabes all treat
bery kind, work not too hard. At
night dance and sing bery much. Den I marry again,
dis time to one ob de girls in de hbuse. She favourite
ob missy, and so when we marry, missy hab me taken
off de fields and put to garden. Bery fine garden dat
was. Tree, four of us work dar, Sam jus' as happy
as man could be. Sometime, when der am party,
Sam come into the house to help at de table, dat
how Sam know how to do tings proper. De little
massas dey bery fond ob me, and when dey want
to go out hunting de coon or fishing in de riber, dey
always cry for Sam.

" So fifteen years passed by, bery happy years, sar,
den de ole massa die, missy, too, soon after. De young
massa not like him father. Me tink de ole gentleman
make mistake wid him when him chile, let him hab
too much his own way. I bery fond ob him because

ills
11

COMING TROUBLE.

183

I had been wid him so much, but I often shake m^
head when I tink de time come dat he be massa ob de
plantation. It was not dat his nature was bad ; he get
in rage sometime, but dat all ober in no time, but he
lub pleasure too much ; go away to de races and 'top
at de town weeks together, and play too much wid de
cards. Dere were two boys and two girls; de second
boy, he go to West Point and become officer in de army.

"After de death ob de ole people de house change
bery much. Before dat time we keep good company,
gib sometimes grand balls, and all de fust families ob
Virginia in dat part visit dar. After dat always people
in de house. De you ig massa, when he go to Richmond,
bring back six or eight young men wid him, and dey
laugh and drink and play cards half de night. I tink
de young missys speak to him about his ways. Any-
how, one day dere great row, and dey off to lib wid an
aunt in de city. After dat tings get worse. One day
missy come back from town and she gib my wife her
papers of freedom. You see, my wife was giben by de
ole man to missy when her war a little girl, and fortu-
nate it was dat he had made out de papers all right
and presented dem to her. When missy gib her de
papers ob freedom, she cry bery much. * Me 'fraid bad
time coming, Sally,' she .said. ' Me tink dat it better
for a time dat you clar out ob dis. Now you got de
paper you free woman, but you wife ob slabe; might
be difficulty about it. Me fear dat broder Dick ruined —
de plantation and slabes to be sold; and wid dat she
bu'st out crying wus dan eber. Ob course my wife
she cry too.

" ' Better you go norf , Sally,' missy say presently. *I

184

A LONG SEPARATION.

III

gib you letter to friends dar, and tell dem you bery
good nurae. Den if Sam get good master you oan
come back to him again. If not, as you tell me dat
when he slabe before he run away, it jus' possible he
do de same again.'

*" Don't you tink, missy,' de wife said, ' dat de young
massa gib freedom to Sam too. Sam wait on him
a great many years, sabe him life when he tumbled
into water.*

" ' I bery much afraid,' missy said, shaking her head,
' dat my broder not able to do so if he wish. He
borrow, money on de plantation and de slabes, t*nd
dat prevent him from making any ob dem free. De
sale soon come now. You go tell Sam; tell him not
to say word to nobody. Den you pack up and come
right away wid me to de city It bery much better
you clar out ob dis before dey come down and seize
eberybody.'

" Well, sar, you guess when Sam heard dis he in fine
taking. He often grieve bery much dat he and Sally
hab no children. Now he tank de Lord wid all his heart
dat dere no piccanniny, for dey would hab been sold,
one one way and one another, and we should neber hab
seen dem again. Hows'ever, I make great effort, and
tell Sally she do jus' what missy say. I tell her to go
norf while she can, and promise dat some day or oder
Sam join her dar. ' Better for to be parted for ten year,
Sally, dan to hab de risk ob you being seize and sold
to one master, me to anoder. You trus' Sam to break
out some day. He do bery well here for a time. He
bery good strong nigger, goo 1 gardner, good at de
hoi'ses, good carpenter. Sam sure to get good place,

THE BREAK-UP OP A PLANTATION.

186

but, howeber good, when he see a chance he run away.
If no chance, he sabe up his money, and you sabe up
your money, Sally, and buy him freedom.

" Well, sar, we bofe cry bery much, and den Sally
go away wid de young missy. A week after dat de
bust-up come. De officers dey come down and seize
de place, and a little while after dey sell all de slabes.
Dat was a terrible affair, to see de husbands and de
wives and de children separated and sold to ditferent
masters. De young massa he not dere at sale. Dey
say he pretty nigh break him heart, but he ought to
hab thought ob dat before. Me sure dat de ole gen-
tleman and de ole missy pretty nigh turn in deir grabe
at de thought ob all de hands they was so kind to
sold away.

" Dat de curse of slabery, sar. Me trabel a good deal,
and me tink dat no working people in de world are so
merry and happy as de slabe in a plantation wid a
good massa and missy. Dey not work so hard as de
white man. Dey have plenty to eat and drink, dey
hab deir gardens and deir fowls. When de^ are sick
dey are taken care ob, when dey are ole they are
looked after and hab noting to do. I have heard
people talk a lot of nonsense about de hard life of de
plantation slabe. Dat not true, sar, wid a good massa.
De slabe hab no care and he bery happy. If all
massas were good, and dere were a law dat if a planta-
tion were broken up de slabes must be sold in families
together, me tell you dat de life on a plantation a
thousand times happier dan de life ob a black man in
his own country. But all masters are not good.
Some neber look after de slabes, and leabe all to over-

186

8AM AT NEW ORLEANS.

seers, and dese bery often bad, cruel men. But worst
of all is when a sale comes. Dat terrible, sar. De
husban' sold to Alabama, de wife to Carolina, de chil-
dren scattered trough de States. Dis too bad, sar,
dis make ob slabery a curse to de black men.

" Well, sar, we all sold. Me fetch high price and
sold to a planter in Missouri. Sam no like dat. Dat
a long way from the frontier. Tree years Sam work
dar in plantation. Den he sold again to a man who
hab boats on de riber at New Orleans. Dar Sam work
discharging de ships and working de barges. Dar
he come to learn for sure which de British flag. De
times were slack, and my massa hire me out to be waiter
in a saloon., Dat place dey hab dinners, and after
dinner dey gamble. Dat war a bad place, mos' ebery
night quarrels, and sometimes de pistols drawn, and de
bullets flying about. Sam 'top dar six months; de
place near de riber, and de captains ob de ships often
come to dine.

" One young fellow come bery often, and one day
Sahi saw tree or four men he knew to be Texas horse-
dealers talking wid him. Now dis young captain had
been bery friendly wid Sam; always speak cibil and
gib him quarter for himself, and Sam sorry to see
dese chaps get hold ob him. Dis went on for two or
tree days, till one ebening de captain, instead of going
away after dinner, stopped talking to dese fellows.
De play begin at de table, and dey persuade him to
join. *He hab de debil's luck. Dey thought they
going to cheat him, and if dey had got him by dem-
selves dey would have cleaned him out sure. But dere
were oder people playing and dey not able to cheat.

THE ATTACK BY CARD-SHARPERS.

187

" Well, sar, he won all de money. Drinks had been
flying about, and when at last de man dat kep' de
table said, ' De bank will close for to-night,' de young
fellow could scarce walk steady on his feet. His
pockets were full ob notes. I went up to him and
Sf^d, 'Will you hab a bed here, sar, bery good bed?'
but he laugh and say, 'No, Sam, I may be a little
fresh in de wind, but I tink I can make de boat' 1
saw dose fellows scowl when I speak to him, and I
make up my mind dey after no good. Well, sar, dey
go out fust Den he go out wid some oder people and
stand laughing and talking at de door. Sam run up
to him room, slip on his money belt, for he had had a
good deal giben him while he was dar, and was sabing
up to buy his freedom, and he didn't know what was
going to happen. Den Sam look into de kitchen and
caught up a heaby poker and a long knife, den he run
down and turn out de lights ob de saloon and go out
and lock de door after him.

" He was jus* in time, for he saw at de comer, where
de street go down on to the wharves, de young captain
s^arate from de men who had gone out wid him and
walk away by hisself. Sam kicked off his shoes and
ran as fast as he could to de end ob de street. De
wharf was bery badly lighted, jus* a lamp here and
dere. Sam ran along till he got widin about thirty
yards ob de sailor, and den stole quiet along in de
shadow ob de houses. Sudden he see five men run out
Den Sam he leap forward like tiger and gabe a shout
to warn de captain. He turn round jus' in time. Sam
saw an arm lifted and de captain fall, and den at de
same moment almost him poker come down wid a

188

SAM'S POKER DOES GOOD SERVICE.

!;fi

crunch upon de top ob one ob tleir head. Den they
turn on Sam, but, law bless you, sar! what was de good
ob dat? Bery strong negro wid heavy poker in one
hand and long knife in de oder more dan match for
four men. He knock dem ober like nine-pin. Tree
of dem he tink he kill straight, the poker fall on de
top ob deir heads, de oder man give a dig in Sam's left
shoulder wid his knife, and de sudden pain shake
Sam's aim a little and de blow fall on him neck. He
gib a shout and tumble down. None ob de oder four
had shouted or made any remark when Sam hit dem.
Den Sam caught up de captain and ran •along de
wharf. Presently he heard a hail. ' All right,' Sam
said.

"'Am dat you, captain?' some one say.

"'Me got a captain here/ Sam say; 'you come and
see wheder he yours.'

" De men came up and look in de captain's face.

" ' Hullo,' dey say ; ' de captain am dead.'

"'Me no tink him dead,' I say. 'He had a fight,
and Sam come to him aid and beat de rascals off.
You had better take him straight on board de ship.*

" Dey put him in boat and Sam go wid him to ship.
Dey examine de wound and find it not bery serious.
De captain was turning round when dey struck, and
de blow had glanced off, but it had made a ugly gash;
and what wid de surprise, and de loss ob blood, and
knocking him head on de wharf, and de liquor, de
captain had lost his consciousness. He soon come
round, and Sam tell him all about it. De captain
shake Sam's hand bery much and call him his pre-
serber, and ask what he do for him.

PLANS FOR KSCAPft

189

" ' Tou take me out ob dis count;*y/ roe said, ' and
Sam be grateful all his life.'

"'Sartin, I will/ he said; 'and now what am de
best ting to do ? '

" ' Mo not stop on board now. Dey come and search
de vessel for sure in de morning. When de four
white men found dead, me hope five, den dere great
rumpus. If five dead no suspicion fall on Sam, but
you sure to be asked questions. It would be known
dat dey were gambling in de saloon, and it would be
known dat you had broken de bank and had gone
away wid your pockets stuffed full ob notes. People
would suspec' dat likely enuf dey had made an attack
on you. Dis you couldn't deny, for you will be ban-
daged up in de morning, and if you had killed dem
no one would blame you. But it a different ting wid
Sam. All dese rascals friends together, and you be
bery sure dat some ob dem pay him off for it. If five
men dead, all well and good. Don you say you knocked
down and know nufing furder. You s'pose some peo-
ple come up and take your side, and kill dese men, and
carry you to de boat, and gib you ober to de sailors,
and den go away; but dat you know nufing at all
about it. If only four men killed den de odor, who
will be sure to go away and say nufing ob his share in
de business, will tell all his mates dat dis nigger intrude
himself into de afl'air, and dat bad for Sam. So, sar, I
propose dat I go ashore, and dat I go down de bank
five or six mile, and dere hide in de bush. When your
ship come down you hoist little white flag, so Sam
sure ob de right ship. If Sam tink de coast am clear
he swim off. If you no see Sam when you got fifteen

190

SAFE ON BOARD.

i '

mile down de riber, den you anchor, and at night send
a boat ashore. Sam come down to it for sure.'

"So de matter was arranged. De captain say he
tree more days fill up his ship, but dat no do for me to
come on board by daylight because dere would be a
pilot on board. Also he says little white flag no do,
pilot tink him strange, but would tell one ob de men
to hang a red shirt, as if to dry, up in de rigging. At
night would show two lights ober de bow for me to
know which was de ship.

" Fust dey bind up de wound on my shoulder, den
dey gib me food for four days and a bottle of rum,
and den row me ashore. Den Sam start, and befoie
morning he hid in de swampy bush ten miles down de
riber. He wait dere two days, den make him way
down anoder four miles and dere stop. Late dat
afternoon he see a ship come down de riber wid a red
shirt in de rigging. He go on and on, and jus' as it get
dark he anchor two miles furder down. Sam make
his way along through de bush and at last get facing
de ship. At twelbe o'clock boat come along bery
quiet. Sam go down and get in. De men say, ' Hush,
make no noise. De pilot am as watchful as a cat.'
Dey had tied tings round de oars dat dey should make
no noise, and when dey get lo de side of de ship dey
lay dem in very quiet, hook on de tackle and hoist her
up. De hatchway were off, and de men beckon to
Sam, and two ob dem go down wid him, and de hatch-
ways closed down again.

" * I tink we hab tricked him,* one ob de sailors said.
'Dere great row at New Orleans about de four men
fo'ind dead dar. Dey come off and inquire ob de tap-

HEADED UP IN A CASK.

191

tain ober and ober again. Dey know you missing, and
dey find de kitchen poker lying by de men, and tink
you must have had a hand in it. A thousand dollars
reward have been offered, and dey searched de ship
high and low, and turn ober all de cargo. A guard
stop on board till de last ting to see no one come off.
When de captain say he anchor de pilot say no, but de
captain say he in no hurry and not going to risk his
ship by sailing at night. Me tink the pilot smell a
rat, for ebery time he hear a noise on deck he come
out of his cabin and look round. We greased de falls
to make dem run quiet, and took off our shoes so as
to make no noise while we were lowering it De men
on deck was told to get de hatchway open when dey
saw uis coming, and so we hoped dat de pilot heard
nufing. Now we must head you up in a cask. We hab
bored some holes in it for de air. Den we shall pile
oder casks on de top and leabe you. Dey are as likely
as not tD search de ship again when she goes past de
forts, for de pilot will suspect dat it am possible dat
you have come on board to-night.'

" Me take my place in a big sugar cask. Dey give
me some water and some food, and den shut in de head
ober me. Dere I remain two days. I heard some men
come below and make a great noise, moving de cargo
about near de hatchway, and dey hammered in all de
:asks ob de top tier to see if any ob dem was empty.
I felt bery glad when it was all ober, and de hold was
quiet again. I slept a great deal and did not know
anything about time; but at last I heard a noise
again, and de moving of casks, and den de head of de
hogshead was taken out, and dere were de sailors and

102

THE SEARCH FOR SALLY.

IS! I

de captain. Dey shook Sam very hearty by de hand,
and told him dat de ship was safe out at sea, and dat
he was a free man.

"All through dat voyage dey bery kind to Sam.
He libed de life ob a gentleman; ate, and drink, and
smoke plenty, and nufing at all to do. At last we get
to Liberpool, and dar de captain take Sam to a vessel
bound to New York, pay him passage across, p.nd gib
Sam a present ob fifty pound. Dis chile had save fifty
beside, so he felt dat he was a rich man. Nufing hap-
pen on passage, except gicat storm, and Sam thought
dat de steamer go to de bottom, bvit she get through
all right, and Sam land at New York. Den he journey
to Philadelphia, dat the place where missy give Sam a
card wid a name and address written on it, for him to
go to ask where Sally was living. Well, sar, you could
have knocked me down when I find a great bill in de
window, saying dat de house were to let. Sam almost
go out ob his mind. He ask a great many people, de
servants at de doors, and de people in de shops, and at
last find dat de family am gone to trabel in Europe,
and dat dey might be away for yeara.

" For two months Sam searcaed about Philadelphia,
and looked at ebcry bla'^k woman he saw in de streets,
he could see no signs whatsomeber ob Sally. Den he
took a place as waiter at an hotel, and he wrote to
missy at Richmond, to ask if she knew Sally's address,
but he neber got no answer to dat letter, and s'posed
that missy was either dead or gone away. After he
work dere for some months de idea come oo Sam dat
first-class hotel wasn't de best place in de world to look
for black woman. Den Sam went to warehouse and

A NEW OPENING.

193

bought a lot of books and started to ped Jle them trough
de country. He walked thousands ob milesj and
altogether saw thousands ob black men, but nothing
like Sally. Ebery black woman he could he spoke to,
and asked dem if dey knew her. It was a curious ting
dat no one did. Me did not find Sally, but me made
a good deal of money, and tree more years pass away
at dis work. By dis time me was nigh forty-five years
old, as well as me could tell. Ebery few months me go
back to Philadelphia and search dere again.

" One day a woman, dressed bery plain, came up to
me and said, ' I hab been tole by my nurse dat you
have been asking her if she had seen your wife.* I
s'pose I looked hopeful like for she said at once, * Me
know nothing ob her, but I was interested about you.
You are an escaped slabe, are you not?*

'" Yes, ma'am,' me said. ' Dere is no law against me
here.*

"'None at all,' she said. 'But I thought that you
might, like me, be interested in freeing slabes.*

"'Dat I am,' I said, 'dough I had neber thought
much about it.'

"'You hab heard, p'raps,' she said, *ob de under-
ground railway,'

"' Yes, ma'am,' said I. * Dat is de blessed 'stitution
which smuggles slaves across the frontier.*

*" Dat is it,' she said, ' and I belongs to it.*

"'Does you, missy?' me says. *De Lord bless you.*

"'Now,' she said, 'we want two or three more

earnest men, men not afraid to risk deir libes, or what

is worse deir freedom, to help deir fellow-creatures.

I thought that you, habing suflfered so much yourself,
(WO) ir

194

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAa

might be inclined to devote yourself to freeing oden
from de horrors of slabery.'

"'Sam is ready, ma'am/ me says. *It may be dat
de Lord neber intends me see my Sally again, but if I
can be de means ob helping to get oder men to join
deir wives I shall be content.'

'" Very well,* she said. * Come into my house now
and we will talk about it'

"Den she 'splained the whole business to me.
Dere were, principally in lonely places, in swamps
and woods, but sometimes libing in villages and towns
in de south, people who had devoted deir libes to de
carrying out of de purposes ob de underground
railway. For de most part dese led libes differing no
way from deir neighbours; dey tilled de land, or kept
stores like oders, and none of dose around dem sus-
pected in de slightest degree deir mission in de south.
To deir houses at night fugitive slabes would come,
guided by dose from de next post. De fugitives
would be concealed for twenty-four hours or more,
and den passed on at night again to de next station.
Dese formed the larger portion ob de body.

"Dere were oders who lived a life in de swamps,
scattered trough the country. Deir place of residence
would be known to de slabes ob de neighbourhood,
but de masters had no suspicion dat de emissaries ob de
association were so near. To dese any negro, driben
to desperation by harsh treatment, would resort, and
from dem instructions would be received as to de
route to be taken, and de places where aid could be ob-
tained. Dese people held deir life in deir hands. Had
any suspicion fallen upon dem ob belonging to de 'stitu-

UNDEUTAKBS THB WORK.

195

tion dey would be lynched for sartin. De lady set
before me all de dangers ob de venture. She said it
war a case whar dere were no money to be earned,
and only de chances of martyrdom. My mind quite
made up. Me ready to undertake any work dey like
to give me. My life ob no value to no one. De next
day me saw some ob de oder people connected wid de
affair, and tree days afterwards I started for de south.

•*=^r=*

CHAPTER XIV.

A CHRISTIAN TOWN.

Y share ob de business was to make my
way down south and settle in de swamps
pb Carolina. I war to be taken down
Dy trading schooner, to be landed on de
coast, and to make my way to a place in
de centre ob a big swamp whar an ole
nigger, named Joe, had been carrying on de work for
four years. He had sent to say dat he war bery ill
wid de swamp fever and like to die, dat he should not
leabe de work as long as he libed, but hoped dat dey
woiild send anoder man out to take on his work after
his death.

" Well, sar, I was landed, and I made my way to de
place. It war no easy matter. De niggers all say dey
know no such person, but I found de next post, and
dere de man guided me to de path which led into de
swamp. Dey told me dey thought de ole man dead,
for dat no one had come along to dem from him for
nigh two month. Well, sar, as I 'spected I found him
dead, and I buried him, and took up my place in de
hut. Soon it became known through de plantations
round dat de hut was occupied again, and dey began

300

iif

SAM ESCAPES FROM THE MAN-HUNTERS.

A SWAMP CABIN.

197

to come to me to ask for assistance. My 'structions
war dat only to enable a husband to join his wife, or
a wife her husband, or in cases where de masters were
uncommon cruel, dat I was to send 'em along by de
underground railway. De risks was too great to be
run ofter If we had tried to help eberyone to 'scape
we should mighty soon hab been hunted down.

" Well, sar, I libed dere for three year. It was a
lonesome life. I planted a few yams round de hut,
and de plantation hand'i would bring me tings dat dey
got hold of. It was my duty when I found dat a case
was ob de proper description to arrange for de flight,
de man or de woman would come to my hut, and I
would guide dem through de swamps, twenty-five
mile away, to de house ob a clergyman, which was de
next station. I would jus* knock in a 'ticular way
at de door, and when dis was open leab de party dere
and go straight away back to de swamp. More dan
once de planters got up hunts and searched de swamp
through and through for me wid dogs, and my hut
was twice burnt to de ground, but de slabes always
brought me notice in time, and I went away into de
tickest part ob de swamp and lay dar tell dey had
gone away.

" Well, sar, one time come, I bery busy, passed tree
men away in two week. One night me hear barking
of dogs, and jump up jus' in time to see party ob men
coming out from de little path towards de hut. I^an
for de swamp. Dey fire at me and one ball hit me.
Den I ran in to de swamp, de dogs dey follow, but
I get farder and farder away, and de swamp get deeper,
and me tink dey lose me altogether. I sit quiet on

198

SALLY FOUND.

'tump when I hear someting splashing in swamp, and
all of a sudden a big hound sprang on me, and fix him
teeth in my shoulder. I had no arms, for in de hurry
I had not time to catch dem up. De beast he growl and
bite, and hold on like death. I saw dere only one ting
to do. I tumble forward into de swamp wid de dog
underneath me, and dere I lay, wid my mouf sometimes
above de water sometimes below, till de dog was
drowned.

" Den I start for de next station. I was hit in de
hip, and it took me tree days to crawl dat twenty-five
miles. On de tird ebening I knock at de door ob de
house, and when it was open I tumble down in faint
inside. It wai* a long time before I come to myself,
two weeks dey tell me, and den I tink I dream, for
sitting by de side of de bed war dat woman Sally.
Till she spoke, me couldn't believe dat it war true, but
she told me dat it war her, sure enuf , and dat I war to
ask no questions but to go off to sleep.

"Next day she told me all about it. She had
stopped a year at Philadelphy. Den she heard ob de
underground railway, and was tole dat a clergyman,
who war just going down south to work a station,
wanted a black nurse for his children, who would help
in de work. Sally she volunteer, and dar she had been
libing eber since, hoping all de time eider dat I should
pass through dere or dat she should hear from Phila-
defphy dat I had got dere. She used to act as de
guide ob de runaways to de next station, and ebery
man who came along she asked if they knew me; but,
law bless you, sar, de poor woman knew nufing ob
places, or she would hab known dat she war hundreds

RKTURN TO AFRICA.

199

^ion,
lelp
)een
mid
lila-
de
)ery

)Ut,

ob
reds

ob miles south of Virginia, and though she allowed she
had heard I had gone to Missouri, she s'posed dat de
way from dere might be by de sea coast I hab
observed, sar, dat de gography ob women am bery
defective.

" I stopped thar till I was cured. The clergyman
knew someting of surgery, and he managed to substract
the ball from my hip. When I war quite well Sally
and me started for the norf, whar we had helped so
many oders to go, and, brass de Lord, we arribed dere
safe. Den I told Sally dat I should like to libe under
de British flag, so we went up to Canada and dere we
libed bery comfortable for ten years together. Sally
washed and I kep' a barber's shop, and we made plenty
ob money. Den she die, sar, 4e tought come into
my mind dat I would come back to Africa and teach
dese poor niggers here de ways ob de white men, and
sar," and he pointed to a Bible standing on the chest,
" de ways ob de Lord. So I came across the Atlantic,
and stopped a little while on de coast, for I had pretty
nigh forgotten de language ob de country. When I
got it back again I started up for dis place, wid plenty
ob goods and presents.

" I had hard work at fust to get de people to know
me. It war nigh forty year sincje I had gone away,
but at last some ob de ole people remember me, dat I
was de son ob de chief. As I had plenty goods, and dey
did not like de man dat was here, dey made me chief
in my fader's place. I told dem dat I no accept de
place unless dey promise to behave bery well, to mind
what I said to dem, and to listen to my words; but
dat if they do dat I gibe dem plenty goods, I make

200

SAM A NKORO CHIEF.

dem comfortable and happy, and I teach dem de way
ob de Lord. Dey agree to all dis. ^

" I tind de slave trade now all at an end, and dat
de people not fight often now. Still, de twenty mus-
kets dat 1 bring ?nake de people of odor villages respec*
us very much. Dey come ober to see de village. Dey
see dat de houses are comfortable, dat de gardens are <
bery well cultivated, dat de people are well-dressed,
n t like common nigger, dat dey are happy and con-
tented. Dey see dat dey no believe in fetish any more,
but dat ebery ebening when de work is ober, dey gadder
under de big tree and listen for half an hour while I
read to dem and den sing a hymn. Once a year I
send down toi de coast and get up plenty cloth, and
hoes for de gardens, and eberyting dey want. When I
land here ten year ago I hab eight hundred pound.
I got five hundred ob him left here still. Dat more
dan enuf to last Sam if he libe to be bery, bery ole
man. Dar are some good men in de village, who,
when I am gone, will carry on de work ob de Lord,
and dat's all, sar, dat I hab to tell you about Sam, and
I am sure dat you must be very tired and want to go
to bed."

The hour was, indeed, for Africa, extremely late, but
the time had passed unheeded, so interested were the
listeners in the narrative of the fine old negro. They
remained at the village for a week, and were greatly
pleased with the industrious habits and happy appear-
ance of the people, and with the earnestness and fer-
vour in which every evening, and twice on Sunday,
they joined in devotions under the great tree. At the
end of that time they said good-bye to their kind ho.st,

TUB JOURNEY ONWARD.

2U1

lay,
the

Oht,

giving him a large amount of cloth for distribution
among his people. He was unable to furnish them
with bearers, as a considerable tract of uninhabited
country extended beyond his village, and the people on
the other side were on bad terms with his villagers,
on account of an outstanding feud which had existed
long before his return from America, and which he
had in vain attempted to settle since he assumed the
headship of the village.

On approaching the Niger they again came upon an
inhabited country, but the tribes here being accustomed
to trade with the coast were friendly, and at the first
large village they came to no difficulty was experienced
in obtaining a fresh relay of bearers. This was a matter
of great satisfaction, for the Fans were regarded with
extreme antipathy by the natives. As soon as arrange-
ments had been made to supply their place the Fans
were paid the four months' wages which they had
earned. A large " dash " of beads and other presents
were bestowed upon them, three of the remaining
sacks of rice were given to them, and, greatly rejoicing,
they started for their own country, which, by making
long marches, they would regain in a fortnight s time.
Although it was not probable that they would meet
with any enemies, six trade muskets, with a supply of
powder and ball, were given to them, as, although they
would not be able to do much execution with these
weapons, their possession would exercise a powerful
influence over any natives they might meet.

In crossing the country to the Niger the white men
were the objects of lively curiosity, and the exhibition
of the magic lantern, the chemical experiments, and

- /

rii

202

CASES SENT OFF TO COAST.

conjuring tricks created an effect equal to that which
tliey had produced among the Fanj. On reaching the
Niger a canoe was hired with a crew of rovrers. In
this all the cases, filled with the objects th^y had col-
lected, were placed, the whole being put in charge of
the Houssas, Moses and King John, who had been
seized with a fit of horae-sickness. These were to
deliver the cases to the charge of an English agent at
Lagos or Bonny, to both of whom Mr. Goodenough
wrote requesting him to pay the sum agreed to the
boatmen on the safe arrival of the cases, and also to
pay the Houssas, who preferred taking their wages
there, as it was not considered advisable to tempt the
cupidity of ^ny of the native princes along the river.
Should they be overhauled the Houssas were told to
open the cases and show that these contained nothing
but birds' skins and insects, which would be absolutely
valueless in the eyes of a native.

When the precious freight had fairly started, the
party crossed the Niger in a canoe, arrangements hav-
ing already been made with the potentate of a village
on the opposite side for a fresh relay of carriers, twenty
men being now sufficient, owing to the gaps which had
been made in the provisions, in the goods, by the pay-
ment of the carriers and presents, and, in the cases, by
the despatch of eight of the largest of these to the
coast. They had still, however, ample space for the
collections they might still make. The cases of goods
and provisions were utilized for this purpose as they
were emptied.

For another two months they journeyed on, halting
frequently and adding continually to their stores. The

NEWS FROM ABEOKUTA.

203

The

country was fairly populated, and there was no diffi-
culty in buying plantains and fruit and in obtaining
fresh sets of carriers through the territories of each
petty chief. They were now approaching the Volta,
when one day a native, covered with dust and bathed
in perspiration, came up to their camp, and throwing
himself on the ground before Mr. Goodenough poured
out a stream of words.

" What doos he say, Ostik?"

" Me not know, sar. P'r'aps Ugly Tom know. He
been down near Volta country."

Ugly Tom was called, and after a conversation with
the native, told Mr. Goodenough that he was a mes-
senger from Abeokuta, that the people there were
threatened by an attack by the King of Dahomey, and
that they implored the white men, who, they heard,
were in the neighbourhood, to come to their aid.

" What do you say, Frank ? " Mr. Goodenough
asked.

" I don't know anything about it, sir," Frank said.
" I have heard of Dahomey, of course, and its horrible
customs, but I don't know anytrhing about Abeokuta."

" Abeokuta is a very singular town," Mr. Goodenough
said. " Its people were christianized many years ago,
and have faithfully retained the religion. The town
lie.s not very far from Dahomey, and this power, which
has conquered and enslaved all its other neighbours,
has been unable to conquer Abeokuta, although it has
several times besieged it. The Dahomey people have
every advantage, being supplied with firearms, and
even cannon, by the rascally white traders at Whydah,
the port of Dahomey. Nevertheless, the Abeokuta

204

THE TRAVEU^RS AGREE TO AID.

people have opposed an heroic resistance, and so far
successfully. Of course they know that every soul
would be put to death did ihey fall into the hands of
the King of Dahomey; but negvoes do not always
fight well, even under such circumstances, and every
credit must be given to the people of Abeokuta. What
do you say? It will be a perilous business, mind, for
if Abeokuta is taken we shall assuredly be put to death
with the rest of the defenders."

"I think we ought to help them, sir," Frank said.
" They must be a noble people, and with our guns and
the four Houssas we might really be of material assist-
ance. Of course there is a risk in it, but we have
risked our li^^es from fever, and in other ways, every
day since we've been in the country."

" Very well, my lad. I am glad that is your decision.
Tell him, Ugly Tom, that we will at once move towards
Abeokuta with all speed, and that they had better
send out a party of carriers to meet us, as you may be
sure that these men will not go far when they hear
that the Dahomey people are on the war-path. Learn
from him exactly the road we must move by, as if our
carriers desert us we shall be detained till his people
come up. How far is it to Abeokuta?"

Ugly Tom learned from the native that it was about
forty-five miles.

" Very well," Mr. Goodenough said, " we will march
twenty this afternoon. Where we halt they will most
likely have heard the rumours of the war, and I ex-
pect the carriers will go no farther, so they must send
out to that point."

The Houssa translated the message, and the native,

ALARM AMONG THE NATIVES.

205

saying, " I shall be at Abeokuta to-night," kissed the
hands of the white men and started at a trot.

" Wonderful stamina some of these men have," Mr.
Goodenough said. " That man has come forty-five
miles at full speed, and is now going oflf again as fresh
as when he started."

" What speed will he go at?" Frank asked.

" About six miles an hour. Of course he goes faster
when he is running, but he will sometimes break into
a walk. Five miles an hour may be taken as the
ordinary pace of a native runner, but in cases which
they consider of importance, like the present, you may
calculate on six."

The cfc.mp was at once broken up, the carriers loaded,
and they started on their way. It was late in the
evening when they reached a village about twenty
m^^es from their starting- place. They found the in-
habitants in a great state of alarm. The news had
come that a great army was marching to attack Abeo-
kuta, and that the King of Dahomey had sworn on
his father's skull that this time the place should be
captured, and not a house or a wall left remaining.
As Abeokuta was certain to make a strong resistance,
and to hold out for some time, the villagers feared that
the Dfe,homey people would be sending out parties to
plunder and carry away captives all over the surround-
ing country. The panic at once extended to the
bearers, who declared that they would not go a foot
farther. As their fears were natural, and Mr. Good-
enough was expecting a fresh relay from Abeokuta
on the following evening, he consented to their demand
to be allowed to leave immediately, and paying them

206

A HURRIED MARCH.

their wages due, he allowed them to depart at once on
the return journey. The tent was soon pitched ajid
supper prepared, of fried plantains, rice, a tin of sar-
dines, and tea Later on they had a cup of chocolate,
and then turned in for the night.

In the morning they were awakened just at day-
light by great talking.

" Men come for baggage, sar," Ugly Tom said, put-
ting his head in the tent door.

" They have lost no time about it, Frank," Mr. Good-
enough exclaimed. " It was mid-day yesterday when
the messenger left us. He had forty-five miles to run,
and could not have been in till pretty nearly eight
o'clock, and these men must have started at once."

There was no time lost While the Houssas were
pulling down and packing up the tent Ostik prepared
two bowls of chocolate with biscuit soaked in it. By
the time that this was eaten the carriers had taken up
their loads, and two minutes later the whole party
started almost at a trot. Ugly Tom soon explained
the cause of the haste. The army of Dahomey was,
the evening before, but eight miles from Abeokuta,
and was expected to appear before the town by mid-
day, although, of course, it might be later, for the
movements of savage troops are uncertain in the
extreme, depending entirely upon the whims of their
leader. So anxious were the bearers to get back to
the town in time, that they frequently went at a trot.
They were the better able to keep up the speed as
a larger number than were required had been sent.
Many of the cases, too, were light, consequently the
men were able to shift the heavy burdens from tim&

ARRIVAL AT ABEOKUTA.

207

to time. So great was the speed, that after an hour
both Mr.Goodenough and Frank, weakened by the effect
of fever and climate, could no longer keep up. The
various effects carried in the hammocks were hastily
taken out and lifted by men unprovided with loads.
The white men entered and were soon carried along at
a brisk trot by the side of the baggage. When they
recovered from their exhaustion sufficiently to observe
what was going on, they could not htlp admiring the
manner in which the negroes, with perspiration stream-
ing from eveiy pore, hurried along with their burder- .
So fast did they go, that in less than six hours they
emerged from the forest into the clearing, and a shout
proclaimed that Abeokuta was close at hand.

Ten minutes later the white men were carried
through the gate, their arrival being hailed with shouts
of joy by the inhabitants. They were carried in
triumph to the principal building of the town, a large
hut where the general councils of the people were
held. Here they were received by the king and the
leading inhabitants, who thanked them warmly for
coming to their assistance in the time of their peril.
The travellers were both struck with the appearance
of the people. They were clad with far more decency
and decorum than was usual among the negro tribes.
Their bearing was quiet and dignified. An air of
neatness and order pervaded everything, and it was
clear that they were greatly superior to the people
around.

Mr. Goodenough expressed to the king the willing-
ness with which his friend and himself took part in
the struggle of a brave people against a cruel and

■ 1

' 1

i
1

208

PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE.

bloodthirsty foe, and he said, that as the four Houssas
were also armed with fast-firing guns he hoped that
their assistance would be of avail. He said that he
would at once examine the defences of the town and
see if anything could be done to strengthen them.

Accompanied by the king, Mr. Goodenough and
Frank made a detour of the walls. These were about
a mile in circumference, were built of clay, and were
of considerable height and thickness, but they were
not calculated to resist an attack by artillery. As,
however, it was not probable that the Dahomey people
possessed much skill in the management of their
cannon, Mr. Goodenough had hopes that they should
succeed in repelling the assault. They learnt that
a large store of provisions had been brought into the
town, and that many of the women and children had
been sent far away.

The spies presently came in and reported that there
was no movement on the part of the enemy, and thh,t
it was improbable that they would advance before the
next day. Mr. Goodenough was unable to offer any
suggestions for fresh defences until they knew upon
which side the enemy would attack. He advised, how-
ever, that the whole population should be set to work
throwing up an earthwork just outside each gate, in
order to shelter these as far as possible from the effect
of the enemy's cannon-balls. Orders were at once given
to this effect, and in an hour the whole population were
at work carrying earth in baskets and piling it in
front of the gates. In order to economize labour, and
to make the sides of the mounds as steep as possible,
Mr. Goodenough directed them to cut stakes and to

THE DEFENCES COMPLETE.

309

st'ck these in, with the interstices filled up with brush-
wood, forming a sort of rough watUe-work. Not even
when night set in did the people desist from their labour,
and by the following morning the gates were protected
from the effect of cannon shot, by mounds of earth
twenty feet high, which rose before them. The king had,
when Mr. Goodenough first suggested these defences,
pointed out that much less earth would be required
were it piled directly against the gates. Mr. Good-
enough replied, that certainly this was so, but that it
was essential to be able to open the gates to make
a sortie if necessary against the enemy, and although
the king shook his head, as if doubting the ability of
his people to take such a desperate step as that of
attacking the enemy outside their walls, he yielded
to Mr. Goodenough's opinion.

(100)

CHAPTER XV.

THE AMAZONS OF DAHOMEV. '

SPACIOUS and comfortable hut was placed
at the disposal of the white men, with a
small one adjoining for the Houssas. That
evening Frank asked Mr. Goodeuough to
tell him what he knew concerning the people
01 Dahomey.
"The word Dahomey, or more properly De-omi,
means Da's belly. Da was, two hundred and fifty
years ago, the king of the city of Abomey. It was
attacked by Tacudona the chief of the Fois. It re-
sisted bravely, and Tacudona made a vow that if he
took it he would sacrifice the king to the gods. When
he captured the town he carried out his vow by rip-
ping open the king, and then called the place Daomi.
Gradually the conquerors extended their power until
the kingdom reached to the very foot of the Atlas
range, obtaining a port by the conquest of Whydah.
The King of Dahomey is a despot, and even his
nobility crawl on the ground in his presence. The taxes
are heavy, every article sold in the market paying
about one-eighteenth to the royal exchequer. There are
besides many other taxes. Every slave is taxed, eveiy
article that enters the kingdom. If a cock crow it is for-

THE BLOOD-STAINED KINGDOM.

211

feited, and, as it is the nature of cocks to crow, every
bird in the kingdom is muzzled. The property of every
one who dies goes to the king; and at the Annual Cus-
tom, a grand religious festival, every man has to bring
a present in proportion to his rank and wealth. The
royal pomp is kept up by receiving strangers who
visit the country with much state, and by regaling the
populace with spectacles of human sacrifices. The
women stand high in Dahomey. Among other negro
nations they till the soil. In Dahomey they fight as
soldiers, and perform all the offices of men. Dahomey
is principally celebrated for its army of women, and
its human sacrifices. These last take place annually,
or even more often. Sometimes as many as a thousand
captives are slain on these occasions. In almost all the
pagan nations of Africa human sacrifices are perpe-
trated, just as they were by the Druids and Egyptians
of old. Nowhere, however, are they carried to such
a terrible extent as in Dahomey. Even Ashanti, where
matters are bad enough, is inferior in this respect. The
victims are mostly captives taken in war, and it is
to keep up the supply necessary for these wholesale
sacrifices that Dahomey is constantly at war with her
neighbours."

"But are we going to fight against women, then?"
Frank asked horrified.

"Assuredly we are," Mr. Goodenough answered.
" The Amazons, as white men have christened the force,
are the flower of the Dahomey army, and fight with
extraordinary bravery and ferocity."

" But it will seem dreadful to fire at women!" Frank
said.

212

AN ARMY OF WOMEN.

" That is merely an idea of civilization, Frank. In
countries where women are dependent upon men,
leaving to them the work of providing for the family
and home, while they employ themselves in domestic
duties and in brightening the lives of tho men, they
are treated with respect. But as their work becomes
rougher, so does the position which they occupy in
men's esteem fall. Among the middle and upper
classes throughout Europe a man is considered a brute
and a coward who lifts his hand against a woman.
Among the lower classes wife and woman beating is
by no means uncommon, nor is such an assault re-
garded with much more reprobation than an attack
upon a mah. When women leave their proper sphere
and put themselves forward to do man's work they
must expect man's treatment; and the foolish w^omen
at home who clamour for women's rights, that is to
say for an equality of work, would, if they had their
way, inflict enormous damage upon their sex."

" Still," Frank said, " I shan't like having to fire at
women."

"You won't see much difference between women
and men when the fight begins, Frank. These female
furies will slay all who fall into their hands, and
therefore in self-defence you will have to assist in
slaying them."

The following day the sound of beating of dnmis
and firing of guns was heard, and soon afterwards the
head of the army of Dahomey was seen approaching.
It moved with considerable order and regularity.

"Those must be the Amazons," Mr. Goodenough
said. "They are proud of their drill and discipline.

THS 8II0E BEGINS.

313

I do not think that any other African troops could
march so regularly and solidly."

The main body of the army now came in view,
marching as a loose and scattered mob. Then twelve
objects were seen dragged by oxen. These were the
cannon of the besiegers.

" How many do you think there are?" Frank asked.

" It is very difficult to judge accurately," Mr. Good-
enough said. " But Dahomey is said to be able to put
fifty thousand fighting men and women in the field,
that is to say her whole adult population, except those
too old to bear arms. I should think that there are
twenty or twenty-five thousand now in sight."

The enemy approached within musket shot of the
walls, and numbers of them running up, discharged
their muskets. The Abeokuta people fired back; but
Mr. Goodenough ordered the Houssas on no account
to fire, as he did not wish the enemy to know the
power of their rifles.

The first step of the besiegers was to cut down all
the plantations round the town and to erect great
numbers of little huts. A large central hut with
several smaller ones surrounding it was erected for the
king and his principal nobles. The Dahomans spread
round the town, and by the gesticulation and pointing
at the gates it was clear that the defences raised to
cover these excited great surprise.

The wall was thick enough for men to walk along on
the top, but being built of clay it would withstand but
little battering. Mr. Goodenough set a large number
of people to work, making sacks from the rough cloth,
of which there was an abundance in the place. These

214

EFFECTS OF LONORANGE RIFLES.

were filled with earth and piled in the centre of the
town ready for conveyance to any point threatened.
He likewise had a number of beams, used in con-
struction of houses, sharpened at one end; stakes of
five or six feet long were also prepared and sharpened
at both en<Is. That day the enemy attempted nothing
against the town. The next morning the twelve cannon
were planted at a distance of about five hundred yards
and opened fire on the walls. The shooting was wild
in the extreme; many of the balls went over the
place altogether; others topped the wall and fell in
the town; some hit the wall and buried themselves
in the clay.

" We will give them a lesson," Mr. Goodenough said,
"in the modern rifle. Frank, you take my double-
barrel rifle and I will take the heavy, large-bored one
Your Winchester will scarcely make accurate firing at
five hundred yards."

The Houssas were already on the wall, anxious to
open fire. Mr. Gooder intrh saw that their rifles were
sighted to five hundre 1 yards. The cannon offered an
easy mark. They were ranged along side by side,
surrounded by a crowd of negroes, who yelled and
danced each time a shot struck the wall.

" Now," Mr. Goodenough said to the Houssas, " fire
steadily, and, above all, fire straight. I want every
shot to tell."

Mr. .Goodenough gave the signal, and at once Frank
and the Houssas opened fire. The triumphant yells
of the Dahomans at once changed their character, and
a cry of wrath and astonishment broke from them.
Steadily Mr. Goodenough and his party kept up their

CESSATION OF THE OANNONADK.

115

fire. They could see that great execution was being
done, a large proportion of the shuts telling. Many
wounded were carried to the rear, and black forms
could be seen stretched everywhere on the ground.
Still the enemy's fire continued with unabated vigour.

" They fight very pluckily," Frank said.

" They are plucky," Mr. Goodenough answered; "and
as cowardice is punished with death, and human life
nas scarcely any value among them, they will be killed
where they stand rather than retreat."

For three or four hours the fight continued. Several
officers, evidently of authority, surrounded by groups
of attendants, came down to the guns; but as Frank
and Mr. Goodenough always selected these for their
mark, and — firing with their guns resting on the
parapet — were able to make very accuia^^ shooting,
most of them were killed within a few minutes of their
arriving on the spot

At the end of four hours the firing ceased, and the
Dahomans retired from their guns. The Abeokuta
people raised a cry of triumph.

" I imagine they have only fallen back," Mr. Good-
enough said, " to give the guns time to cool."

While the cannonade had been going on a brisk
attack had been kept up on several other points of the
wall, the enemy advancing within fifty yards of this
and firing their muskets, loaded with heavy charges
of slugs, at the defenders, who replied vigorously to
them. Their cannonade was not resumed that after-
noon, the Dahomans contenting themselves with skir-
mishing round the walls.

" They are disappointed with the result of their fire/'

216

THE ATTACK RENEWED.

Mr. Goodenough said. "No doubt they anticipated
they should knock the wall down without difficulty.
You will see some change in their tactics to-morrow."

That night Mr. Goodenough had a number of barrels
of palm-oil carried on to the wall, with some of the
great iron pots used for boiling down the oil, and a
supply of fuel.

" If they try to storm," he said, " it will most likely
be at the point which they have been firing at; The
parapet is knocked down in several places, and the
defenders there would be more exposed to their fire."

It was at this point, therefore, that the provision of
oil was placed. Mr. Goodenough ordered fires to be
lighted under the boilers an hour before daybreak, in
order that all should be in readiness in case an attack
should be made the first thing in the morning. The
Abeokutans were in high spirits at tht> sffect of the
fire of their white allies, and at the comparative failure
of the cannon, at whose power they had before been
greatly alarmed. Soon after daylight the Dahomans
were seen gathering near the guns. Their drums beat
furiously, and presently they advanced in a solid mass
against the wall.

" They have got ladders," Mr. Goodenough said. " I
can see numbers of them carrying something."

The Houssas at once opened fire, and as the enemy
approached closer, first the Abeok .*tans, who had mus-
kets, then the great mass with bows and arrows,
began to fire upon the enemy, while these answered
with their musketry. The central body, however,
advanced without firing a shot, moving like the rest
at a quick run.

A MISCHIEVOUS TRADE.

217

Mr. Goodenough and Frank were not firing now, as
they were devoting themselves to superintending the
defence. Ostik kept close to them, carrying Frank's
Winchester carbine and a double-barrelled shot-gun.

" This is hot," Mr. Goodenough said, as the enemy's
slugs and bullets whizzed in a storm over the edge of
the parapet, killing many of the defenders, and ren-
dering it difficult for the others to take accurate aim.
This, however, the Abeokutans did not try to do; stoop-
ing below the parapet, they fitted their arrows to the
string, or loaded their muskets, and then, standing
up, fired hastily at the approaching throng.

The walls were about twenty-five feet high inside,
but the parapet gave an additional height of some four
feet outside. They were about three feet thick at the
top, and but a limited number of men could take post
there to oppose the storming party. Strong bodies
were placed farther along on the wall to make a rush
to sweep the enemy ofi" should they gain a footing.
Others were posted below to attack them should they
leap down into the town, while men with muskets
were on the roofs of the houses near the walls, in
readiness to open fire should llie enemy get a footing
on the wall. The din was prodigious.

The Dahomans, having access to the sea-coast, were
armed entirely with muskets, these being either cheap
Birmingham trade guns or old converted muskets,
bought by traders for a song at the sale of disused
government stores. It is much to be regretted that
the various governments of Europe do not insist that
their old guns shall be used only as old iron. The
price obtained for them is so trifling as to be im-

218

A NEW WEAPON.

material, and the great proportion of them find their
way to Africa to be used in the constant wars that are
waged there, and to enable rich and powerful tribes
to enslave jind destroy their weaker neighbours. The
Africans use very much heavier charges of powder
than those in use in civilized nations, ramming down
a handful of slugs, or half a dozen small bullets, upon
the powder. This does not conduce to good shooting,
but the noise made is prodigious. The Abeokutans,
on the other hand, were principally armed with bows
and arrows, as, having no direct access to the sea-coast,
it was difficult for them to procure guns.

The Dahomans poured up in a mass to the foot of
the wall, and then a score of rough ladders, constructed
of bamboo, and each four feet wide, were placed against
the walls. Directly the point to be attacked was in-
dicated, Mr. Goodenough had distributed his cauldrons
of boiling oil along the walls, and had set men to work
to pierce holes through the parapet at distances of a
couple of feet apart, and at a height of six inches from
the ground. A line of men with long spears were told
to lie down upon the ground, and to thrust through
the holes at those climbing the ladders. Another line
of holes was pierced two feet higher, through which
those armed with muskets and bows were to fire, for
when the enemy reached the foot of the walls their
fire was so heavy that it was impossible to return it
over the top of the parapet.

Immediately the ladders were placed, men with ladles
began to throw the boiling oil over the parapet. Shrieks
and yells from below at once testified to its effect, but
it was only just where the cauldrons were placed that

THE STORMERS REPULSED.

219

Eidles
ieks
but
that

the besieofers were prevented by this means from mount-
ing the ladders, and even here many, in spite of the
agony of their burns, climbed desperately upwards.

When they neared the top the fight began in earnest
Those without were now obliged to cease firing, and
the besieged were able to stand up and with sword and
spear defend their position. The breech-loaders of Mr.
Goodenough and the Houssas and Frank's repeating
carbine now came into play. The Dahomans fought
with extraordinary bravery, hundreds fell shot or cut
down from above or pierced by the spears and arrows
through the holes in the parapet. Fresh swarms of
assailants took their places on the ladders. The drums
kept up a ceaseless rattle, and the yells of the mass
of negroes standing inactive were deafening. Their
efforts, however, were in vain. Never did the Amazons
fight with more reckless bravery; but the position was
too strong for them, and at last, after upwards of a
thousand of the assailants had fallen, the attack was
given up, and the Dahomans retired from the wall
followed by the exulting shouts of the men of A.beo-
kuta.

The loss of the defenders was small. Some ten or
twelve had been killed with slugs. Three or four
times that number were more or less severely wounded
about the head or shoulders with the same missiles.
Frank had a nasty cut on the cheek, and Firewater
and Bacon were both streaming with blood. There
was no chance of a renewal of the attack that day.
Sentries were placed on the walls, and a grand thanks-
giving service was held in the open space in the centre
of the town which the whole populace attended.

220

A BATTERY ERECTED.

" What will be their next move, do you think ? " Frank
asked Mr. Goodenough.

" I cannot say," Mr. Goodenough said ; " but these
people know something of warfare, and finding that
they cannot carry the place by assault, I think you
will find that they will try some more cautious move
next time."

For two days there was no renewal of the attack.
At Mr. Goodenough's suggestion the Abeokutans on
the wall shouted out that the Dahomans might come
and carry off their dead, as he feared that a pestilence
might arise from so great a number of decomposing
bodies at the foot of the wall. The Dahomans paid
no attention to the request, and, at Mr. Goodenough's
suggestion, on the second day the whole populace set
to work carrying earth in baskets to the top of the
wall, and throwing this over so as to cover the mass
of bodios at its foot. As to those lying farther off
nothing could be done. On the third morning it was
seen that during the night a large number of sacks
had been piled in a line upon the ground, two hundred
yards away from the wall. The pile was eight feet
in height and some fifty yards long.

" I thought they were up to something," Mr. Good-
enough said. "They have been sending back to
Dahomey for sacks." In a short time the enemy
brought up their cannon, behind the shelter of the
sacks, regardless of the execution done by the rifles of
Mr. Goodenough's party during the movement. The
place chosen was two or three hundred yards to the
left of that on which the former attack had been made.
Then a swarm of men set to work removing some of the

A BREACH EFFECTED.

221

sacks, and in a short time twelve rough embrasures were
made just wide enough for the muzzles of the guns,
the sacks removed being piled on the others, raising
them to the height of ten feet and sheltering the men
behind completely from the fire from the walls.

" They will make a breach now," Mr. Goodenough
said. " We must prepare to receive them inside."

The populace were at once set to work digging holes
and securely planting the beams already prepared in a
semicircle a hundred feet across, behind the wall facing
the battery. The beams when fixed projected eight feet
above the ground, the spaces between being filled v/ith
bamboos twisted in and out between them. Earth was
thrown up behind to the height of four feet for the de-
fe*.ders to stand upon. The space between the stockade
and the wall was filled with sharp-pointed bamboos
and stakes stuck firmly in the ground with their points
projecting outwards. All day the townspeople laboured
at these defences, while the wall crumbled fast under
the fire of the Dahomey artillery, every shot of which,
at so short a distance, struck it heavily. By five in the
afternoon a great gap, fifty feet wide, was made in the
walls, and the army of Dahomey again gathered for
the assault. Mr. Goodenough with two of the Houssas
took his place on the wall on one side of the gap, Frank
with the other two faced him across the chasm. A
large number of the Abeokuta warriors also lined the
walls, while the rest gathered on the stockade.

With the usual tumult of drumming and yells the
Dahomans rushed to the assault. The fire from the
walls did not check the onset in the slightest, and with
yells of anticipated victory they swarmed over the

222

A DESPERATE ASSAULT.

breach. A cry of astonishment broke from them as
they saw the formidable defence within, the fire of
whose defenders was concentrated upon them. Then,
with scarce a pause, they leaped down and strove to
remove the obstructions. Regardless of the fire poured
upon them they hewed away at the sharp stakes, or
strove to pull them up with their hands. The riflemen
on the walls directed their fire now exclusively upon
the leaders of the column, the breech-loaders doing
immense execution, and soon the Dahomans in their
efforts to advance had to climb over lines of dead in
their front For half an hour the struggle continued,
and then the Dahomans lost heart and retired, leaving
fifteen hijndred of their number piled deep in the
space between the breach and the stockade.

" This is horrible work," Frank said when he rejoined
Mr. Goodenough.

" Horrible, Frank ; but there is at least the consolation
that by this fearful slaughter of their bravest warriors
we are crippling the power of Dahomey as a curse and
a scourge to its neighbours. After this crushing repulse
the Abeokutans may hope that many years will elapse
before they are again attack &d by their savage neigh-
bours, and the lessons which they have now learned in
defence will enable them to make as good a stand on
another occasion as they have done now."

"Do you think the attack will be renewed?"

"I should hardly think so. The flower of their
army must have fallen, and the Amazon guard must
have almost ceased to exist. I told you, Frank, you
would soon get over your repugnance to firing at
women."

A DETERMINED FOE.

223

"I did not think anything about women," Frank
said. We seemed to be fighting a body of demons
with their wild screams and yells. Indeed, I could
scarce distinguish the men from the women."

A strong guard was placed at night at the stockade,
and Mr. Goodenough and Frank lay down close at
hand in case the assault should be renewed. At day-
break the sound of a cannon caused them to start to
their feet.

"They are not satisfied yet," Mr. Goodenough ex-
claimed, hurrying to the wall. In the night the
Dahomans had either with sacks or earth raised their
cannon some six feet, so that they were able to fire
over the mound caused by the fallen wall at the
stockade behind it, at which they were now directing
their fire.

" Now for the sacks," Mr. Goodenough said. Run-
ning down, he directed the sacks laden with earth, to
whose necks ropes had been attached, to be brought
up. Five hundred willing hands seized them, and
they were lowered in front of the centre of the stockade,
which was alone exposed to the enemy's fire, until they
hung two deep over the whole face. As fast as one
bag was injured by a shot it was drawn up and another
lowered to its place. In the mcantim the rifles from
the walls had again opened fire, and as the gunners
were now more exposed their shots did considerable
execution. Seeing the uselessness of their efforts the
Dahomars gradually slackened their fire.

When night came Mr. Goodenough gathered two
hundred of the best troops of Abeokuta. He caused
plugs to be made coriesponding to the sizes of tlio

224

DESTRUCTION OF THE BATTERY.

various cannon-balls which were picked up within the
stockade, which varied from six to eighteen pounders.

About midnight the 'gate nearest to the breach was
thrown open, and the party sallied out and made their
way towards the enemy's battery. The Dahomans
had placed sentries in front facing the breach, but
anticipating no attack in any other direction h- i left
the flanks unguarded. Mr. Goodenough had enjoined
the strictest silence on his followers, and their ap-
proach was unobserved until they swept round into the
battery. Large numbers of the enemy were lying
asleep here, but these, taken by surprise, could offer no
resistance, and were cut down or driven away instantly
by the slssailants.

Mr. Goodenough and Frank, with a party who had
been told off specially for the purpose, at once set to
work at the cannon. These were filled nearly to the
muzzle with powder, and the plugs were driven with
mallets tight into the muzzles. Slow matches, com-
posed of strips of calico dipped in saltpetre, were placed
in the touch-holes. Then the word was given, and the
whole party fell back to the gate just as the Dahomans
in great numbers came running up. In less than a
minute after leaving the battery twelve tremendous
reports, following closely one upon another, were
heard. The cannon were blown into fragments, kill-
ing numbers of the Dahomey men who had just
crowded into the battery.

1 AFTER XVI.

CAPTIVES IN COOMASSIE.

•S>^?af^

PON the morning following the successful
sortie not an enemy could be seen from
the walls. Swift runners were sent out,
and these returned in two hours with news
that the enemy were in full retreat towards
their capital. The people of Abeokuta
were half wild with exultation and joy, and their
gratitude to their white allies was unbounded. Mr.
Goodenough begged them not to lose an hour in bury-
ing their slain enemies, and the entire population were
engaged for the two following days upon this necessary
but revolting duty. The dead were counted as they
were placed in the great pits dug for their reception,
and it was found that no fewer than three thousand
of the enemy had fallen.

Mr. Goodenough also advised the Abeokutans to erect
flanking towers at short intervals round their walls, to
dig a moat twenty feet wide and eight deep at a few
yards from their foot, and to turn into it the water
from the river in order that any future attack might be
more easily repelled. The inhabitants were poor, but
they would willingly have presented all their treasures

(200) p

-ff^

226

THE KINGDOM OF ASHANTL

to their white allies. Mr. Goodenough, however, would
accept nothing save a few specimens of native cloth
exquisitely woven from the inner harks of trees, and
some other specimens of choice native workmanship.
He also hegged them to send down to the coast hy the
first opportunity the cases of specimens which had
been collected since the departure of the Fans.

A violent attack of fever, brought on by their ex-
ertions in the sun, prostrated both the white travellers
a few days after the termination of the siege, and it
was some weeks before they were able to renew their
journey. Their intention was to ascend the river for
some distance, to move westward into upper Ashanti,and
then td make their way to Coomassie, whence they
would journey down to Cape Coast and there take ship
for England. As soon as they were able to travel they
took leave of their friends at Abeokuta, who furnished
them with carriers for their cases and hammock bearers
for their journey as far as the Yolta. This lasted
for a fortnight through iaji open and fertile country.
Then they crossed the river and entered Ashanti, the
great rival empire of Dahomey. As Ashanti was at
peace with England they had now no fear of molesta-
tion on their journey.

Ashanti consisted of five or six kingdoms, all of
which had been conquered, and were tributary to it.
The empire of Ashanti was separated by the river Prah
from the country of the Fantis, who lived under
British protection. The people drew their, supplies
from various points on the coast, principally, however,
through Elmina, a Dutch settlement, five miles to the
west of Cape Coast. The Ashantis could not be called

TROUBLESOME NEIOHBOURa

227

peaceable neighbours. They, like the Dahomans, de-
lighted in human sacrifices upon a grand scale, and to
carry these out captives must bo taken. Consequently
every four or five years, on some pretext or other, they
crossed the Prah, destroyed the villages, dragged away
the people to slavery or death, and carried fire and
sword up to the very walls of the English fort at Cape
Coast. Sometimes the English confined themselves to
remonstrances, sometimes fought, not always success-
fully, as upon one occasion Sir Charles Macarthy, the
governor, with a West Indian regiment was utterly
defeated, the governor himself and all his white officers,
except three, being killed.

In 1828 we aided the Fantis to defeat the Ashantis
in a decisive battle, the consequence of which was the
signature of a treaty, by which the King of Ashanti
recognized the independence of all the Fanti tribea
In 1844, and again in 1852, a regular protectorate was
arranged between the British and the Fantis, the
former undertaking to protect them from enemies
beyond the borders, and in turn exercising an authority
over the Fantis, forbidding them to make war with
each other, and imposing a nominal tribute upon them.

In 1853 the Ashantis again crossed the Prah, but,
being met wj'ih firmness, retired again. After ten
years' quiet, in 1863 they again mvaded the country,
burnt thirty villages, and slaughtered their inhabitants.
Governor Price then urged upon the home authorities
the necessity for the sending out from England of two
thousand troops to aid the native army in striking a
heavy blow at the Ashantis, and so putting a stop to
this constant aggression. The English govemmenti

228

THE CAUSES OF THE ASHANTI WAR

however, refused to entertain tlie proposal. In order
to encourage the natives some companies of West
Indian troops were marched up to the Prah. The wet
season set in, and, after suffering terribly from sick-
ness, the survivors returned five months later to Cape
Coast.

Up to this period the Dutch trading ports and forts
upon the coast were interspersed with ours, and as the
tribes in their neighbourhood were under Dutch pro-
tection constant troubles were arising between the
Dutch tribes and our own, and in 1 8G7 an exchange
was effected, the Dutch ceding all their forts and
territory east of the Sweet river, a small stream which
falls int6 the sea midway between Cape Coast and
Elmina, while we gave up all our forts to the west of
this stream. Similarly the protectorate of the tribes
inland up to the boundary of the Ashanti kingdom,
changed hands. The natives were not consulted as to
this treaty, and some of those formerly under British
protection, especially the natives of Commendah, re-
fused to accept the transfer, and beat off with loss
the Dutch troops who attempted to land. The Dutch
men-of-war bombarded and destroyed Commendah.

This step was the commencement of fresh troubles
between the Ashantis and the English. The Com-
mendah people were Fantis, and as such the implacable
enemies of the Elmina people, who had under Dutch
protection been always allies of the Ashantis, and had
been mainly instrumental in supplying them with
arms and ammunition. The Fantis, regarding the
Elmina natives and the Dutch as one power, retaliated
for the destruction of Commendah by invading the

THE ELMINA DIFFIOULTY.

229

territory of the Elmina tribe, destroying their villages
and blockading the Dutch in their port. Another
reason for this attack upon the Elininas was that an
Ashanti general, named Atjenipon, had marched with
several hundred men through the Fanti country, burn-
ing, destroying, and slaying as usual, and had taken
refuge with his men in Elmina. From this time the
desultory war between the Elminas and their Ashanti
allies, and the Fantis of the neighbourhood bad never
ceased. Our influence over our allies was but small,
for we in vain endeavoured to persuade theni to give
up th«5 invasion of Elmina. We even cut off the sup-
plies of powder and arms to the Fantis, whose loyalty
to our rule was thereby much shaken.

All these troubles induced the Dutch to come to
the decision to withdraw altogether, and they accor-
dingly offered to transfer all their possessions to us.
The English government determined not to accept the
transfer if it should lead to troubles with the natives,
and as a first step required that the Ashanti force
should leave Elmina. In 1870 the King of Ashanti
wrote to us claiming Elminf^ as his, and protesting
aoainst its being handed over to us.

According to native ideas the King of Ashanti's
claim was a just one. The land upon which all the
forts, English, Dutch, Danish, and French, were built
had been originally acquired from the native chiefs
at a fixed annual tribute, or as we regarded it as rent,
or as an annual present in return for friendly relations.
By the native customs he who conquers a chief en-
titled to such a payment becomes tha heir of that
payment, and one time the King of Ashanti upon the

230

THE KING OF ASHANTl'S OLAIBL

strength of his conquest of the Fantis set up a claim
of proprietorship over Cape Coast and the other British
forts.

Of a similar nature was the claim of the Ashantis
upon Elmina. The Dutch had paid eighty pountls a
year, as they asserted, as a present, and they prove<l
conclusively that they had never regarded the King
of A.shanti as having sovereignty over their forts, and
thao he had never advanced such a claim. They now
arrested Atjempon, and refused to pay a fu ther sum
to the King of Ashanti until he withdrew his claim.
In order to settle matters amicably they sent an envoy
to Coomassie ^with presents for the king, and obtained
from him a repudiation of his former letter, and a
solemn acknowledgment that the money was not paid
as a tribute. The king sent down two ambassadors
to Elmina, who solemnly ratified this declaration.

The transfer was then effected. We purchased from
the Dutch their forts and stores, but the people of
Elmina were told that we should not take possession
of the place except with their consent; but it was
pointed out to them that if they refused to accept our
protection they would be exposed as before to the
hostility of the Faritis. They agreed to accept our
offer, and on the 4th of April, 1872, a grand council
was held, the king and chiefs of Elmina announced
the agreement of their people to the transfer, and we
took possession of Elmina, Atjempon and the Ashantis
returning to their own country.

Upon the transfer taking place, Mr. Pope Hennessy,
the governor of the colony, sent to the King of Ashanti,
saying that the English desired peace and friendship

THE GERMAN MISSIONARIES.

231

with the natives, and would give an annual present,
double that which he had received from the Dutch.
/.t the same time negotiations were going on with the
king for the free passage of Ashanti traders to the
coast, and for the release of four Germans who had
been carried off ten years before by Aboo Boffoo, one
of the king's generals, from their mission station on
British territory near the Volta. The king wrote say-
ing that Aboo Boffoo would not give them up without
a ransom of eighteen hundred ounces of gold, and
protracted negotiations went on concerning the pay-
ment of these sums

At the time when Mr. Goodenough and Frank had
landed on the Gaboon, early in 1872, nothing was known
of any anticipated troubles with Ashanti. The nego-
tiations between the English and the Dutch were in
progress, but they had heard that the English would
not take over Elmina without the consent of the
inhabitants, and that they would be willing to increase
the payment made by the Dutch to the King of Ashanti.
It was known too that efforts would be made to settle
all points of difference with the king; and as at Abeo-
kuta they received news that the negotiations were
going on satisfactorily, and that there was no prospect
whatever of trouble, they did not hesitate to carry out
the plans they had formed.

Before crossing the Volta, they sent across to inquire
of the chief of the town there whether two English
travellers would be allowed to pass through Ashanti,
and were delayed for a fortnight until a messenger
was sent to Coomassie and returned with a letter,
saying that the king would be glad to see white men

232

TREACHEROUSLY TAKEN PRISONERS.

111

III

at his capital. With this assurance they crossed the
stream. They were received in *<tate by the chief, who
at once provided them with the necessary carriers,
and with them a guard, which he said would prevent
any trouble on their way. On the following,' day they
started, and after arriving, at the end of a day's jour-
ney, at a village, prepared to stop as usual for a day
or two to add to their collection. The officer of the
guard, however, explained to them through Bacon,
who spoke the Ashanti language, that his instructions
were, that they were to go straight through to Coor
Hiassie. In vain Mr. Goodenough protested that this
would entirely defeat the object of his journey. The
officer was fiima. His orders were that they were to
travel straight to Coomassie, and if he failed in carry-
ing these out, his head would assuredly be forfeited.

"This is serious, Frank," Mr. Goodenough saidw
" If this fellow has not blundered about his orders, it
is clear that we are prisoners. However, it may be
that the king merely gave a direction that we should
be escorted to the capital, having no idea that we
should want to loiter upon the way."

They now proceeded steadily forward, making long
day's marches. The officer in command of the guard
was most civil, obtaining for them an abundance of pro-
visions at 'the villages at which they stopped, and as
Frank and his companion were both weakened by
fever he enlisted sufficient hammock bearers for them,
taking fresh relays from each village. He would not
hear of their paying either for provisions or bearers,
saying that they were the king's guests, and it would
be an insult to him were they to pay for anything.

A STATE ENTRY.

233

Ten days after starting from the Volta they entered
Coomassie. This town lay on rising ground, sur-
rounded by a deep marsh of from forty to a hundred
yards wide. A messenger had been sent on in front
to announce their coming, and after crossing the
marsh they passed under a great fetish, or ispell,
consisting of a dead sheep wrapped up in red silk
and suspended from two poles.

Mr. Goodenough and Frank took their places at
the head of the little procession. On entering the
town they were met by a crowd of at least five
thousand people, for the most part warriors, who
fired their guns, shouted, and yelled. Horns, drums,
rattles, and gongs added to the appalling noise.
Men with flags performed wild dances, in which the
warriors joined. The dress of the captains consisted
of war caps with gilded rams' horns projecting in
front, and immense plumes of eagles' feathers on
each side. Their Vest was of red cloth, covered with
fetishes and charms in cases of gold, silver, and em-
broidery. These were interspersed with the horns and
tails of animals, small brass bells, and shells. They
wore loose cotton trousers, with great boots of dull red
leather coming half-way up to the thigh, and fastened
by small chains to their waist-belts, also ornamented
with bells, horse tails, strings of amulets, and strips of
coloured leather. Long leopards* tails hung down
their backs.

Through this crowd the party moved forward slowly,
the throng thickening at every step. They were escorted
to a house which they were told was set aside for their
use, and that they would be allowed to see the king

,ii!

'»»>

• ;

J "I

III

234

A ROTAL RECEPTION.

on the following day. The bouses differed entirely
from anything which they had before seen in Africa.
They were built of red clay, plastered perfectly smooth.
There were no windows or openings on the exterior,
but the door led into an open court-yard of some
twelve feet in diameter. On each side of this was a
sort of alcove, built up of clay, about three feet from the
ground. This formed a couch or seat, some eight feet
long by three feet high, with a thatched roof projecting
so as to prevent the rain beating into the alcove. Be-
yond were one or more similar courts in proportion
to the size of the house. A sheep and a quantity of
vegetables and fruits were sent in in the course of the
day, but they were told not to show themselves in the
streets until they had seen the king.

" We shall be expected to make his majesty a hand-
some present," Mr. Goodenough said, "and, unfortu-
nately, our stores were not intended for so great a
potentate. I will give him my double-barrelled rifle
and your Winchester, Frank. I do not suppose he
has seen such an arm. We had better get them
cleaned up and polished so as to look as handsome as
possible."

In the morning one of the captains came and said
that the king was in readiness to receive them, and
they made their way through a vast crowd to the
market-place, an open area, nearly half a mile in
extent. The sun was shining brightly, and the scene
was a brilliant one. The king, his Caboceers or great
tributaries, his captains, and oflficers were seated under
a vast number of huge umbrellas, some of them fifteen
feet across. These were of scarlet, yellow, and other

A BARBARIC MAONIFICENCB.

235

showy colours in silks and cloths, with fantastically
scalloped and fringed valences. They were sur-
mounted with crescents, birds, elephants, barrels, and
swords of gold, and on some were couched stuffed
animals. Innumerable smaller umbrellas of striped
stuff were borne by the crowd, and all these were
waved up and down, while a vast number of flukes,
horns, and other musical instruments sounded in the
air. All the principal people wore robes woven of
foreign silk, which had been unravelled for working
into native patterns. All had golden necklaces and
bracelets, in many cases so heavy that the arms of the
bearers were supported on boys' heads. The whole
crowd, many thousands in number, shone with gold,
silver, and bright colours.

The king received them with dignity, and expressed
his satisfaction at seeing them, his speech being inter-
preted by one of his attendants, who spoke English.
Mr. Goodenough replied that they had very great
pleasure in visiting the court of his majesty, that they
had already been travelling for many months in Africa,
having started from the Gaboon and travelled through
many tribes, but had they had any idea of visiting so
great a king they would have provided themselves
with presents fit for his acceptance. But they were
simple travellers, catching the birds, beasts, and insects
of the country, to take home with them to show to
the people in England. The only things which they
could offer him were a double-barrelled breech -loading
rifle of the best English construction, and a little gun,
which would fire sixteen times without loading. The
king examined the pieces with great attention, and, at

236

AN AUDIENCE AT THE PALAC&

a. >'

)»!

IP'

his request, Mr. Goodenough fired off the whole con-
' tents of the magazine of the repeating ritle, whose
action caused the greatest astonishment to the assem-
bled chiefs. The king then intimated his acceptance of
the presents, and said that he would speak farther with
them on a future occasion. He informed them that
they were free to move about in the town where they
wished, and that the greatest respect would be shown
to them by the people. There was a fresh outburst
of wild music, and they were then conducted back to
their house.

After the assembly had dispersed the two English-
men walked about through the town. It was not of
great extent, but the streets were broad and well kept.
Many of the houses were Liuch larger than that allotted
to them, but all were built on the same plan. It was
evident that the great mass of the population they
saw about must live in villages scattered around, the
town being wholly insufficient to contain them. Three
days afterwards they w^re told that the king wished
to see them in his palace. This was a large building
situated at the extremity of the town. It was con-
structed of stone, and was evidently built from Euro-
pean designs. It was square, with a flat roof and em-
battled parapet. They were conducted through the
gateway into a large court-yard, and then into a hall
where the king sat upon a raised throne. Attendants
stood round fanninof him.

" Why," he asked abruptly as they took their places
before him, "do the English take my town of Elmina?"

Mr. Goodenough explained that he had been nine
months absent from tha coast, and that havincr come

AN ANGRY MONARCH.

237

Ices

la?"

Ine

[lie

straight out from England he was altogether unaware
of what had happened at Elmina.

" Elmina is mine," the king said. " The Dutch, who
were my tributaries, had no right to hand it over to
the English."

" But I understood, your majesty, that the English
were rendy to pay an annua', sum, even larger than
that which the Dutch have contributed."

"I do not want money," the king said. "I have
gold in plenty. There are places in my dominions
where ten men in a day cen wash a thousand ounces.
I want Elmina, I want to trade with the coast."

" But the English will give your majesty every
facility for trade."

" But suppose we quarrel," the king said, " they can
stop powder and guns from coming up. If Elmina
were mine I could bring up guns and powder at all
times."

" Your majesty would be no better off," Mr. Good-
enough said; "for the English in case of war could
stop supplies from entering."

" My people will drive them into the sea," the king
said. "We have been troubled with them too long.
They can make guns, but they cannot fight. My peo-
ple will eat them up. We fought them before; and
see," he said pointing to a great drum, from the edge
of which hung a dozen human skulls, " the heads of the
white men serve to make a fetish for me." He then
waved his hand to signify that the audience was ter-
minated.

*' Things look bad, Frank," Mr. Goodenough said as
they walked towards their home. "I fear that the

238

OTHER FKISONEBS.

king is determined upon war, and if so our lives are
not worth a month's purchase."

" It can't be helped," Frank said as cheerfully as he
could. " We must make the best of it. Perhaps some-
thing may occur to improve our position."

The next day the four German missionaries, who had
so long been kept captive, called upon them, and they
obtained a full insight into the position. This seemed
more hopeful than the king's words had given them to
expect. The missionaries said that negotiations were
going on for their release, and that they expected very
shortly to be sent down to Cape Coast So far as they
knew everything was being done by the English to
satisfy the king, and they looked upon the establish-
ment of peace as certain. They described the horrible
rites and sacrifices which they had been compelled to
witness, and said that at least three thousand persons
were slau^^^tered annually in Cooniassie.

" You noticed," one of them said, " the great tree in
the market-place under which the king sat. That is
the great fetish tree. A great many victims are sacri-
ficed in the palace itself, but the wholesale slaughters
take place there. The high brushwood comes up to
within twenty yards of it, and if you turn in there you
will see thousands of dead bodies or their remains
putrefying together."

" I thought I felt a horribly offensive smell as I was
talking to the king," Frank said shuddering. " What
monsters these people must be! Who would have
thought that all that show of gold and silver and
silks and bright colours covered such horrible bar-
barism!"

GERMAN MISSlONARIEa

239

After chatting for some time longer, and offering to
do anything in their power to assist the captives, the
Germans took their leave.

CHAPTEP XVIL

THE INVASION OF FANTI LAND.

HE following morning Mr. Goodenough and
Frank were called to the door by the noise
of a passing crowd, and to their horror saw
a man beins; taken to sacrifice. He was
preceded by men beating drums, his hands
were pinioned behind him. A sharp thin
knife was passed through his cheeks, to which his lips
were noozed like the figure CX). One ear was cut off"
and carried before him, the other hung to his head by
a small piece of skin. There were several gashes in
his back, and a knife was thrust under each shoulder
blade. He was led by a cord passed through a hole
bored in his nose. Frank ran horror-stricken back
into the house, and sat for a while with his hand over
his eyes as if to shut out the ghastly spectacle.

" Mr. Goodenough," he said presently, " if we are to
be killed, at least let us die fighting to the last, and
blow out our own brains with the last shots we have
left. I don't think I'm afraid of being killed, but to
be tortured like that would be horrible."

The next day a message was brought them that
their retaining private guards was an insult to the
king, and that the Houssas must reniove to another part

THE FAITHFUL GUARDS DISMISSED.

241

le to
land
lave
It to

that
the
)art

of the town. Resistance was evidently useless. Mr.
Goodenough called his four men together and told
them what had happened. " I am sorry I have brought
you into this plight, my poor fellows," he said. " There
are now but two things open to you. You can either
volunteer to join the king's army and then try to
make your escape as an opportunity may offer, or
slip away at once. You are accustomed to the woods,
and in native costume might pass without notice.
You can all swim, and iu matters not where you strike
the Prah. If you travel at night and lie in the woods
by day you should be able to get through. At any-
rate you know that if you try to escape and are caught
you will be killed. If you stop here it is possible that
no harm may happen to you, but on the other hand
you may at any moment be led out to sacrifice. Do
not tell me your decision ; J shall be questioned, and
would rather be able to say that I was ignorant that
you intended to escape. There is one other thing to
settle. There is a long arrear of pay due to you for
your good and faithful service. It would be useless
for me to pay you now, as the money might be found
on you and taken away, and if yor should be killed it
would be lost to your friends, i ^lave written here
four orders on my banker in England, which the
agents down at Cape Coast will readily cash for you.
Each order is for twice the sum due to you. As you
have come into such great danger in my service, and
have behaved so faithfully, it is right that you should
be well rewarded. Give me the names of your wives
or relatives whom you would wish to have the money.
Should any of you fall and I escape, I will, on my

(200) Q

242

OSTIK WIIX STAY WITH HIS MASTER.

arrival at Cape Coast, send money, double the amount
1 have written here, to them."

The men expressed themselves warmly grateful for
Mr. Qoodenough's kindness gave him the names and
addresses of their wives, and then, with tears in their
eyes, took their leave.

"Now, Ostik, what do you say?" Mr. Goodenough
asked, turning to him.

"I stay here, sar," Ostik said. "Houssas fighting
men, creep through wood, crawl on stomach. Dey get
through sure enough. Ostik stay with massa. If dey
kill massa dey kill Ostik. Ostik take chance."

" Very well, Ostik, if we get through safe together
you shall not have reason to regret your fidelity.
Now, Frank, I think it would be a good thing if you
were to spend some hours every day in trying to pick
up as much of the language here as you can. You
are quick at it, and were able to make yourself under-
stood by our bearers far better than I could do. You
already know a great many words in four or five of
these dialects. They are all related to each other, and
with what you know you would in a couple of months
be able to get along very well in Ashanti. It will
help to pass your time and to occupy your mind.
There will be no difficulty in finding men here who
have worked down on the coast and know a little
English. If we get away safely you will not regret
that your time has been employed. If we have trouble
your knowledge of the language may in some way or
other be of real use to you. We can go round to the
Germans, who will, no doubt, be able to put yoi| in the
way of getting a maa"

THE KINO IMI'REflflED.

243

\y ^^

the
the

The next day they were again sent for to the king,
who was in a high state of anger at having heard that
the Houssas had escaped.

"I know nothing about it/' Mr. Qoodenough said.
" They were contented when they were with me, and
had no wish to go. Your soldiers took them away
yesterday afternoon, and I suppose they were
frightened. It was foolish of them. They should
have known that a great king does not injure travellers
who come peacefully into his country. They should
have known better. They were poor, ignorant men,
who did not know that the hospitality of a king is
sacred, and that when a king invites travellers to enter
his country they are his guests, and under his pro-
tection."

When the inter;)reter translated this speech the
king was silent for two or three minutes. Then he
said, " My white friend is right They were foolish
men. They could not know these things. If my
warriors overtake them no harm shall come to them."

Pleased with the impression that his words had
evidently made Mr. Good enough returned to Frank,
who had not been ordered to accompany him to the
palace. In the afternoon the king sent a sheep and a
present of five ounces of gold, and a message that he
did not wish his white friends to remain always in the
town, but that they might walk to any of the villages
within a circle of three or four miles, and that four of
his guards would always accompany them to see that
no one interfered with or insulted them. They were
much pleased with this permission, as they were now
enabled to renew their work of collecting. It took

244

MR. GOODENOUGH TAKEN ILU

them, too, away from the sight of the horrible humaii>
sacrifices which went on daily. Through the Gferman
missionaries they obtained a man who had worked for
three years down at Cape Coast. He accompanied
them on their walks, and in the evening sat and talked
with Frank, who, from the knowledge of native words
which he had picked up in his nine months' residence
in Africa, was able to make rapid progress in Ashanti.
He had one or two slight attacks of fever, but the
constant use of quinine enabled him to resist their
effect, and he was now to some degree acclimatized, and
thought no more of the attacks of fever than he would
have done at home of a violent bilious attack. This
was not the case with Mr. Goodenough. Frank ob-
served with concera that he lost strength rapidly, and
was soon unable to accompany him in his walks. One
morning he appeared very ill.

"Have you* touch of fever, sir?"

" No, Frank, it is worse than fever, it is dysentery.
I had an attack last time I was on the coast, and
know what to do with it. Get the medicine ciiest and
bring me the bottle of ipecacuanha. Now, you must
give me doses of this just strong enough not to act as
an emetic, every three hours."

Frank nursed his friend assiduously, and for the
next three days hoped that he was obtaining a
mastery over the illness. On the fourth day an attack
of fever set in.

"You must stop the ipecacuanha, now," Mr. Good-
enough said, "and, Frank, send Ostik round to the
Germans, and say I wish them to come here at
once."

itery.

, and

it and

must

lact as

the
[ng a
attack

lood-

the

re at

O
o
o

o
n
z
o

..'S^I^Stfi^iiS^S'ist^;

.-.*-. ;^i4j.J.<»i>.^. ,

•■MnMWHlfkUWKJifeAtMliikMiBiMUUiMVHMn

DEATH OF THE NATURALIST.

246

When these arrived Mr. Goodenough asked Frank
to leave him alone with them. A quarter of an hour
later they went out, and Frank, returning, found two
sealed envelopes on the table beside him.

" My boy," he said, " I have been making my will.
I fear that it is all over with me. Fever and dysentery
together are in nine cases out of ten fatal Don't cry,
Frank," he said, as the lad burst into tears. " I would
gladly have lived, but if it is God's will that it should
be otherwise, so be it. I have no wife or near relatives
to regret my loss — none, my poor boy, who will
mourn for me as sincerely as I know that you will do.
In the year that we have been togetl v«>r I have come to
look upon you as my son, and yoi vill find that I
have not forgotten you in my will. I have written it
in duplicate. If you have an opportunity send one of
these letters down to the coast. Keep the other your-
self, and I trust that you will live to carry it to its
destination. Should it not be so, should the worst
come to the worst, it will be a consolation to you to
know that I have not forgotten the little sister of
whom you have spoken to me so often, and that in
case of your death she will be provided for."

An hour later Mr. Goodenough was in a state of
delirium, in which he remained all night, falling
towards morning into a dull coma, gradually breathing
his last, without any return of sensibility, at eight in
the morning.

Frank was utterly prostrated with grief, from which
he roused himself to send to the king to ask permission
to bury his friend. The king sent down to say how
grieved he was to hear of the white man's death. He

246

THE WILL SENT OFF.

had ordered many of his warriors to attend his funeral.
Frank had a grave dug on a rising spot of gi^ound
beyond the marsh. In the evening a great number of
the warriors gathered round the house, and upon the
shouldera of four of them Mr. Goodenough was con-
veyed to his last resting-place, Frank and the German
missionaries following with a great crowd of warriors.
The missionaries read the service over the grave, and
Frank returned heart-broken to his house, with Ostik,
who also felt terribly the loss of his master.

Two days later a wooden cross was erected over the
grave. Upon this Frank carved the name of his friend.
Hearing a week afterwards that the king was sending
down a messenger to Cape Coast, Frank asked per-
mission to send Mr. Goodenough's letter by him. The
king sent for him.

" I do not wish any more troubles," he said, " or that
letters should be sent to the governor. You are my
guest. When the troubles are settled I will send you
down to the coast; but we have many things to write
about, and I do not wa.nt more subjects for talk."

Frank showed the letter and read the address, and
told the king that it was only a letter to the man of
business of Mr. Goodenough in England, giving direc-
tions for the disposal of his property there.

The king then consented that his messenger should
take the letter.

At the end of December, when Frank had been
nearly three months at Coomassie, one of the Germans
said to him:

" The king speaks fairly, and seems intent upon his
negotiations; but he is preparing secretly for war.

rou

dte

lid

3en
ins

iis
lar.

THE CHANCES OF WAR.

847

An army is collecting on the Prah. I hear that twelve
thousand men are ordered to assemble there."

" I have noticed," Frank said, " that there have been
fewer men about than usual during the last few days.
What will happen to us, do you think?"

The missionary shook his head.

"No one can say," he said. "It all depends upon
the king's humour. I think, however, that he is more
likely to keep us as hostages, and to obtain money for
us at the end of the war, than to kill us. If all goes
well with his army we are probably safe; but if the
news comes of any defeat, he may in his rage order
us to be executed."

"What do you think are the chances of defeat?"
Frank asked.

" We know not," the missionary said; "but it seems
probable that the Ashantis will turn the English out
of the coast. The Fantis are of no use. They were
a brave people once, and united might have made a
successful resistance to the Ashantis; but you English
have made women of them. You have forbidden
them to fight among themselves, you have discouraged
them in any attempts to raise armies, you have reduced
the power of the chiefs, you have tried to turn them
into a race of cultivators and traders instead of war-
riors, and you can expect no material aid from them
now. They M'ill melt away like snow before the
Ashantis. The king's spies tell him that there are
only a hundred and fifty black troops at Cape
Coast These are trained and led by Englishmen,
but, after all, tliey are only negroes, no braver than
the Ashantis What chance have they of resisting

248

A BREACH OF COVENANT.

an army nearly a hundred to one stronger than them-
selves?"

" Is the fort at Cape Coast strong?" Frank asked.

" Yes, against savages without cannon. Besides, the
guns of the ships of war would cover it."

" Well," Frank said, " if we can hold that, they will
send out troops from England."

"They may do so," the missionary asserted; "but what
could white troops do in the fever-haunted forests,
which extend from Coomassie to the coast?"

"They will manage somehow," Frank replied con-
fidently. " Besides, after all, as I hear that the great
portion of Ashanti lying beyond this is plain and open
country, tlie Ashantis themselves cannot be all accus-
tomed to bush fighting, and will suffer from fever in
the low, swamp land."

Three days later the king sent for Frank.

" The English are not true," he said angrily. " They
promised the people of Elmina that they should be
allowed to retain all their customs as under the Dutch.
They have broken their word. They have forbidden
the customs. The people of Elmina have written to
me to ask me to deliver them. I am going to do so."

Frank afterwards learned that the king's words
were true. Colonel Harley, the military commandant,
having, with almost incredible fatuity, and in spite of
the agreement which had been made with the Elminas,
summoned their king and chiefs to a council, and
abruptly told them that they would not be allowed
henceforth to celebrate their customs, which consisted
of firing of guns, waving of flags, dancing, and other
harmless rites. The chiefs, greatly indignant at this

WAR DETERMINED UPON.

249

breach of the agreement, solemnly entered into with
them, at once, on leaving the council, wrote to the King
of Ashanti, begging him to cross the Prah and attack
the English. Frank could only say that he knew
nothing of what was going on at the coast, and coulJ
only uiiink that his majesty must have been raisin-
formed, as the English wished to be friendly with the
Ashantis.

" They do not wish it," the king said furiously; " they
are liars."

A buzz of approval sounded among the cabooceers
and car) tains standing round. Frank thought that he
was about to be ordered to instant execution, and
grasped a revolver, which he held in his pocket, re-
solving to shoot the king first, and then to blow out
his own brains, rather than to be put to the horrible
tortures which in Ashanti always precede death.

Presently the king said suddenly to him:

" My people tell me that you can talk to them in
their own tongue."

" I have learnt a little Ashanti," Frank said in that
language. " I cannot talk well, but 1 can make myself
understood."

" Very well," the king said. " Then I shall send you
down with my general. You know the ways of
English fighting, and will tell him what is best to do
against them. When the war is over and I have driven
the English away, I will send you away also. You
are my guest, and I do not wish to harm you. To-mor-
row you will start. Your goods will be of no more
use to you. I have ordered my treasurer to count the
cloth, and the powder, and the other things which you

250

THE START FOR THB COAST.

have, and to pay you for them in gold Tou may
go. ,

Frank retired, vowing in his heart that no informa-
tion as to the best way of attacking the English should
be o' ainod from him. Upon the whole he was much
f;]ea:^'i at the order, for he thought that some way of
jiiaku*^ his escape might present itself. Such was also
the opiiii.*- of Ostik when Frank told him what had
taken place at the palace. An hour later the king's
treasurer arrived. The whole of the trade goods were
appraised at fair prices, and even the cases were paid
for, as the treasurer said that these would be good for
keeping the king's state robes. Fi'ank only retained
his own portmanteau with his clothes, his bed and
iiigs, and the journals of the expedition, a supply of
ammunition for his revolver, his medicine chest, tent,
and a case with chocolate, preserved milk, tea, biscuits,
rice, and a couple of bottles of brandy.

In the morning there was a great beating of drums.
Four carriers had been told off for Frank's service, and
these came in, took up his baggage, and joined the line.
Frank waited till the general, Ammon Quatia, whom
he had several times met at the place, came along,
carried in a hammock.with a paraphernalia of attendants
bearing chairs, umbrellas, and flags. Frank fell in be-
hind these accompanied by Ostik. The whole popu-
lation of Coomassie turned out and shouted their fare-
wells. There was a pause in the market-place while a
hundred victims were sacrificed to the success of the
expedition. Frank kept in the thick of the warriors
so as to avoid witnessing the horrible spectacle. As
they passed the king he said to the general, " Bring me

THB INVADING ARMY.

251

back the head of the governor. I will place it on my
drum by the side of that of Macarthy."

Then the army passed the swamp knee-deep in water,
and started on their way down to the Prah. Three
miles further they crossed the river Dah at Agogo,
where the water was up to their necks. The road was
little more than a track throngh the forest, and many
small streams had to be crc, eu

It was well that Fran?' ha \ot had an attack of
fever for some time, for ' '\uj marched without a stop
to Fomanse, a distance ot noc K'xy thirty miles. Fomanse
was a large town. Mar ■" of the houses were built in
the same style as those »b Ooomassie, and the king's
palace was a stone building. That night Frank slept
in a native house which the general allotted to him
close to the palace. The army slept on the ground.
The next morning they crossed a lofty hill, and then
descending again kept along through the forest until,
late in the afternoon, they arrived on the Prah. This
river was about sixty yards wide, and here, in roughly
made huts of boughs, were encamped the main army,
who had preceded them. Here there was a pause for
a week while large numbers of carriers came down
with provisions. Then on the 22d of January the
army crossed the Prah in great canoes of cotton-wood
tree, which the troops who first arrived had prepared.

Had the Ashanti army now pushed forward at full
speed, Cape Coast and Elmina must have fallen into
their hands, for there were no preparation whatever
for their defence. The Assims, whose territory was
first invaded, sent down for assistance, but Mr. Hen-
nessey refused to believe that there was any invasion

202

A SERIES OF BLUNDERa

at all, and when the King of Akim, the most powerful
of the Fanti potentates, sent down to ask for arms and
ammunition, Mr. Hennessey refused so curtly that the
King of Akim was grievously offended, and sent at
once to the Ashantis to say tliat he should remain
neutral in the war.

About this time Mr. Hennessey, whose repeated
blunders had in no slight degree contributed to the
invasion, was relieved by Mr. Keate, who at once
wholly alienated the Fantis by telling them that they
must defend themselves, as the English had nothing
more to do with the affair than to defend their forts.
Considerinof that the English had taken the natives
under theii' protection, and that the war was caused en-
tirely by the taking over of Elmina by the English and
by their breach of faith to the natives there, this treat-
ment of the Fantis was as unjust as it was impolitic.

Ammon Quatia, however, seemed to be impressed
with a spirit of prudence as soon as he crossed the
river. Parties were sent out, indeed, who attacked
and plundered the Assim villages near the Prah, but
the main body moved forward with the greatest caution,
sometimes halting for weeks.

The Ashanti general directed Frank always to pitch
his tent next to the hut occupied by himself. Four
guards were appointed, nominally to do him honour,
but really, as Frank saw, to prevent him from making
his escape. These men kept guard, two at a time,
night and day over the tent, and if he moved out all
followed him. He never attempted to leave the camp.
The forest was extremely dense with thick underwood
and innumerable creepers, through which it would be

THE ARBCY BIOINB TO SUTTER.

253

all

almost impossible to make a way. The majority of the
trees were of only moderate height, but above them
towered the cotton trees and other giants, rising with
straight stems to from two hundred and fifty to three
hundred feet high. Many of the trees had shed their
foliage, and some of these were completely covered
with brilliant flowers of different colours. The woods
resounded with the cries of various birds, but butter-
flies, except in the clearings, were scarce. The army
depended for food partly upon the cultivated patches
around the Assim villages, partly on supplies brought
up from the rear. In the forest, too, they found many
edible roots and fruits. In spite of the efforts to
supply them with food, Frank saw ere many weeks
had passed that the A^hantis were suffering much from
hunger. They fell away in flesh. Many were shaking
with fever, and the enthusiasm, which was manifest at
the passage of the Prah, had entirely evaporated.

The first morning after crossing the river Frank
sent Ostik into the hut of the general with a cup of
hot chocolate, with which Ammon Quatia expressed
himself so much gratified that henceforth Frank sent in
a cup every morning, having still a large supply of tins
of preserved chocolate and milk, the very best food
which a traveller can take with him. In return the
Ashanti general showed Frank many little kindnesses,
sending him in birds or animals when any were shot
by his men, and keeping him as well provided with
food as was possible under the circumstances.

It was not until the 8th of April that any absolute
hostilities took place. Then the Fantis, supported by
fifty Houssas under Lieutenant Hopkins, barred the

TUB FIRST 8KIRMISIL

road outside the village of Dunquah. The Asbantis
attacked, but the Fantis fought bravely, having great
confidence in the Houssa contingent. The battle whm
one of the native fashion, neither side attempting any
vigorous action, but contenting themselves with a heavy
fire at a distance of a hundred yards. All the com-
batants took shelter behind trees, and the consequence
was that at the end of the day a great quantity of
powder and slugs had been fired away, and a very few
men hit on either side. At nightfall both parties drew
oft.

" Is that the way your English soldiers fight?" the
general as^ed Frank that night.

" Yes," Frank said vaguely; " they fire away at each
other."

" And then I suppose," the general said, " when one
party has exhausted its ammunition it retirea"

" Certainly it would retire," Frank said. " It could
not resist without ammunition, you know."

Frank carefully abstained from mentioning that one
side or the other would advance even before the
ammunition of its opponents was expended, for he did
not wish the Ashantis to adopt tactics which, from
their greatly superior numbers, must at once give them
a victory. The Ashantis were not dissatisfied with the
day's work, as they considered that they had proved
themselves equal to the English troops.

fyr-^T^x-^-r-^-Fk^:kJ,£kF

Jrrzlriz!=:^rI=:iJr=LTiT:.T:J^rc^

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE ATTACK ON ELMINa.

N the 1 4th the Fantis took the initiative, and
attacked the Ashantis. The tight was a
mere repetition of that of a week before, and
about mid-day the Fantis, having used up all
their ammunition, fell back again to Cape
Coast

" Now," the general said to Frank, " that we have
beaten the Fantis we shall march down to £1-
mina."

Leaving the main road at Dunquah the army moved
slowly through the bush towards El mina, thirty miles
distant, halting in the woods some eight miles from
the town, and twelve from Cape Coast.

"I am going," the general said, "to look at the
English forts. My white friend will go with me."

With fifty of his warriors Ammon Quatla left the
camp, and crossing a stream came down upon the sea-
coast, a short distance west of* E] mina. With them
were several of the Elmina tribe, who had co!i:e up to
the camp to welcome the Ashantis, They aipioached
to within three or four hundreri yards of the fort,
which was separated from them by a river.

256

A WEST COAST FORT.

!!|

• f

The forts on the west coast of Africa, not heing built
to resist artillery, are merely barracks surrounded by
high walls sufficiently thick to allow men to walk in
single file along the top, to fire over the parapet.
The tops of the walls being castellated, the buildings
have an appearance of much strength. The fort of
Elmina is of considerable size, with a barrack and
officers' quarters within it. One side faces the river,
and another the sea.

" It is a wonderful fort," the Ashanti general said,
much impressed by its appearance.

"Yes," Frank replied. "And there are cannon on the
top, those great black things you see sticking out. Those
are guns, and each carries balls enough to kill a hun-
dred men with each shot."

The general looked for some time attentively. " But
you have castles in the white men's country, how do
you take them?"

" We bring a great many cannon throwing balls of
iron as big as my head," Frank answered, " and so
knock a great hole in the wall and then rush in."

"But if there are no cannon?" the general urged.

" We never attack a castle without cannon," Frank
said. "But if we had no cannon we might try to
starve the people out; but you cannot do that here,
because they would land food from the sea."

The general looked puzzled. "Why do the white
men come here? They come to trade," he said pre-
sently.

" Yes, they come to trade," Frank replied.

" And they have no other reason?"

" No," Frank said. " They do not want to take land,

A BLOCKADE DETERMINED UPON.

257

[•ank
to
lere,

l^hite
pre-

md,

because the white man Ccinnot work in so hot a
climate."

"Then if he could not trade he would go away?'*
the general asked.

"Yes," Frank agreed, "if he could do no trade u
would be no use remaining here."

" We will let him do no trade," the general said,
brightening up. " If we cannot take the forts we will
surround them closely, and no trade can come in and
out. Then the white man will have to go away. As
to the Fantis we will destroy them, and the white men
will have no one to fight for them."

" But there are white troops," Frank said.

"White soldiers?" the Ashanti asked surprised.
"I thought it was only black soldiers that fought
for the whites. The whites are few, they are
traders."

"The English are many," Frank said earnestly.
"For every man that the King of Ashanti could send
to fight, England could send ten. There are white
soldiers, numbers of them, but they are not sent here.
They are kept at home to fight other white nations,
the French and the Dutch and the Danes, and many
others, just as the kings of Africa fight against each
other. They are not sent here because the climate
kills the whites, so to guard the white traders here we
hire black soldiers; but, when it is known in England
that the King of Ashanti is fighting against our forts,
they will send white troops."

Ammon Quatia was thoughtful for some time. " If
they come," he said at length, "the fevers will kill
them. The white man cannot live in the swamps.

(200) B

■

258

A BLACK GENERAL PUZZLED.

I : ^

Your friend, the white guest of the king, died at
Cooinassie."

" Yes," Frank asserted, " but he had been nearly a
year in the country before he died. Three weeks will
be enough for an English army to march from Cape
Coast to Coomassie. A few might die, but most of
them would get there." *

" Coomassie! " the general exclaimed in surprise. " The
white men would be mad to think of marching against
the city of the great king. We should make great
fetish, and they would all die when they had crossed
the river."

" I don't think, General," Frank said dryly, " that
the fetiches of the black man have any effect upon
the white men. A fetish has power when it is believed
in. A man who knows that his enemy has made a
fetish against him is afraid. His blood becomes like
water and he dies. But the whites do not believe in
fetishes. They laugh at them, and then the fetishes
cannot hurt them."

The general said no more, but turned thoughtfully
and retired to his camp. It was tantalizing to Frank
to see the Union Jack waving within sight, and to
know that friends were so near and yet to be unable
to stretch out his hand to them. He was now dressed
in all respects like a native, the king having, soon
after his arrival at Coomassie, sent a present of clothes
such as were worn by 1ms nobles, saying that the
people would not notice them so much if they were
dressed like themselves. Consequently, had the party
been seen from the castle walls the appearance of
an Englishman among them would have been un-

THE NEGRO CHARACTER.

259

observed. Three days later the general with a similar
party crossed the Sweet river at night, and proceeded
along the sea-coast to within a few hundred yards of
Cape Coast Castle, whose appearance pleased him no
more than that of Elmina had done.

The Ashantis were now better supplied with food,
as they were able to depend upon the Elmina tribes
who cultivated a considerable extent of ground, and to
add to the stock, the Ashanti soldiers were set to work
to aid in planting a larger extent of ground than
usual, a proof in Frank's mind that the general
contemplated making a long stay, and blockading
Elmina and Cape Coast into surrender if he could
not carry them by assault.

The natives of Africa are capable of great exertion
for a time, but their habitual attitude is that of extreme
laziness. One week's work in the year suffices to plant
a sufficient amount of ground to supply the wants of
a family. The seed only requires casting into the
t'arth, and soon the ground will be covered with melons
and pumpkins. Sweet potatoes and yams demand no
greater cultivation, and the bananas and plantains
require simply to be cut. For fifty-one weeks in the
year the negro simply sits down and watches his crops
grow. To people like these time is of absolutely no
value. Their wants are few. Their garden furnishes
them with tobacco. They make drink from the palm
or by fermenting the juice of the cocoa-nut. The
fowls that wander about in the clearings suffice, when
carried down occasionally to the port, to pay for the few
yards of calico and strings of beads which are all that
is necessary for the clothing and decoration of a family.

' I

1 1

sfcr

260

IN NO HURRY.

Such people are never in a hurry. To wait means to
do nothing. To do nothing is their highest joy. Their
to-morrow means a month hence, directly, a week. If,
then, the Ashanti army had been detained for one
year or five before the English settlements, it would
have been a matter of indifference to them, so long as
they could obtain food. Their women were with them,
for the wife and daughters of each warrior had carried
on head, with the army, his household goods, a tiny
stool, a few calabashes for cooking, a mat to sleep on,
and baskets high piled with provi? 'ons. They were
there to collect sticks, to cook food, tiraw water, bring
fire for his pipe, minister to his pleasures. He could have
no more if he were at home, and was contented to
wait as long as the king ordered, were that time years
distant.

Frank was often filled with disgust at seeing these
noblesavages ' • i^^'g indolently from morn till night while
the.ir wiver- ^vh.* ? liles in the forest searching for pine-
apples and iiuits, bent down and prematurely aged by
toil and hardship. Many of the young girls among
the negroes are pretty, with their soft eyes and skin
like velvet, their merry laugh and graceful figures.
But in a very few years all this disappears, and by
middle age they are bent, and wrinkled, and old. All
loads are carried by women, with the exception only
of hammocks, which are exclusively carried by men.
Thus, then, the Ashantis settled down to what appeared
to Frank to be an interminable business, and what ren-
dered it more tantalizing was, that the morning and
evening guns at the English forts could be plainly heard.

It was on the 7th of June that Anmion Quatia

ELMINA BOMBARDED.

261

ns to
rheir

. If.

[• one
vould
>ng as
them,
arrnid
I tiny
ep on,
■ were
, bring
dhave
ted to
B years

T these
it while
>r pine-
ged by
among
id skin
tiorures.
nd by
All
n only
y men.
peared
at ren-
ms. and
heard.
Quatia

reconnoitred Elmina, and the news came next day
that a hundred and ten white men in red coats had
landed from a ship which had arrived that morning
off the coast. Frank judged from the description that
these must be marines from a ship of war. In this
he was correct, as they consisted of marines and marine
artillery-men under Lieutenant-colonel Festing, who
had just arrived from Erirland. Three days later the
Ashanti general, with a portion of his force, moved
down close to Elmina; Frank was told to accompany
them. Shortly afterwards the news came thai the
Elminas were all ordered to lay down their arms.
They replied by going over in a body to the Ashantis.
Ammon Quatia determined at once to attack the town,
but as he was advancing, the guns of t- e sh^'ps of vi;ar
opened fire upon the native town of Elmij a, whi^h
lay to the west of the European quarter.

The sound of such heavy cannon, differiii:^ wi'lely
from anything they had ever heard before, caused the
Ashantis to pause in astonis^ ment. Then cam<^ the
howl of the shells, which e- jded in rapid succ st^ion
in the village, from which imes began immediately
to rise. After a few minu s' hesitation the Ashantis
and Elminas again ad vane d. The general, who was
carried in a chair upon tl boulders of four i.ien, took
his post on rising ground near the burning village.

"There," he said, "the English soldiers arc coming
out of the fort. Now you will see."

The little body of marines and the blue-jackets of
the Barvaconta deployed in line as they sallied from
the fort. The Ashantis of f ned fire upon them, but
they were out of range of the slugs. As soon as the

!*1

'J
. i I

'!i]

-fT-

, I

'il

262

THE BATTLE OF ELMINA.

line was formed the English opened fire, and the
Ashantis were perfectly astonished at the incessant
rattle of musketry from so small a body of men. But
it was not all noise, for the Snider bullets swept
among the crowded body of blacks, mowing them
down in considerable numbers. In two minutes the
Ashantis turned and ran. The general's bearers, in
spite of his shouts, hurried away with him with the
others, and Frank would have taken this opportunity
to escape had not two of his guards seized him by the
arms and hauled him along, while the other two kept
close behind.

As soon as they had passed over the crest of the
rise, and the British fire had ceased, Ammon Quatia
leaped from his chair and threw himself among his
flying troops, striking them right and left with his
staff, and hurlinc^ imprecations upon them.

" If you do not stop and return against the whites,"
he said, " I will send every one of you back to
Coomassie, and there you will be put to death as
cowards."

The threat sufficed. The fugitives rallied, and in a
few minutes were ready to march back again. It was
the surprise created by the wonderful sustained fire
of the breech-loaders, rather than the actual loss they
inflicted, which caused the panic. In the meantime,
believing that the Ashantis had retired, the naval con-
tingent went back to their boats, when the Dutch vice-
consul, having ascended a hill to look round, saw that
Amnion Quatia had made a detour with his troops,
and was marching against the town from the east,
where he would not be exposed to the fire of the

REPULSE OF THE ASHANTIS.

263

fort. He instantly ran back with the news. The
marines and the thirty West Indian soldiers in the
fort at once marched out, and met the Ashantis just
as they were entering the town. The fight was a
severe one, and for a time neither side appeared to
have the advantage, and Frank, who, under the care
of his guards, was a few hundred yards in the rear,
was filled with dismay at observing that the Ashantis,
in spite of the heavy loss they were suffering, were
gaining ground and pressing forward bravely. Sud-
denly he gave a shout of joy, for on a rise on the flank
of the Ashantis appeared the sailors of the Barraconta,
who had been led round from the boats by Lieutenant
Wells, R.N., who was in command. The instant these
took up their position they opened a heavy fire upon
the flank of the Ashantis, who, dismayed by this attack
by fresh foes, lost heart and at once fled hastily. In the
two engagements they had lost nearly four hundred men.
Frank, of course, retired with the beaten Ashantis, and
that evening Ammon Quatia told him that the arms
of the white men were too good, and that he should
not attack them again in the open.

" Their guns shoot farther, as well as quicker, than
ours," he said. "Our slugs are no use against the
heavy bullets, at a distance; but in the woods, wliere
you cannot see twenty feet among the trees, it will be
diflerent. If I do not attack them they must attack
me, or their trade will be starved out. When they
come into the woods you will see that we shall eat
them up."

Several weeks now passed quietly. There was news
that there was great sickness among the white soldiers,

I !

I
i

264

AN AMBUSH ON THE PRAH.

and, indeed, with scarce an exception, the marines first
sent out were invalided home; but a hundred and
fifty more arrived to take their place. Some detach-
ments of the 2d West Indian regiment came down
to join their comrades from Siena Leone, and the
situation remained unchanged.

One night towards the end of August a messenger
arrived and there was an immediate stir.

" Now," the general said to Frank, " you are going
to see us fight the white men. Some of the big ships
have gone to the mouth of the Prah, and we believe
that they are going to land in boats. You will see.
The Elniina tribes are going to attack, but I shall take
some of my men to help."

Taking fifty picked warriors Ammon Quatia started
at once. They marched all night towards the west,
and at daybreak joined the Elminas. These took
post in the brushwood lining the river. The general
with a dozen men, taking Frank, went down near
the mouth of the river to reconnoitre. The ships
lay more than a mile off the shore. Presently a half-
dozen boats were lowered, filled with men, and taken
in tow by a steam launch. It was seen that they were
making for the mouth of the river.

" Now let us go back," Ammon Quatia said. " You
will see what we shall do."

Frank felt full of excitement. He saw the Enoflish
running into an ambuscade, and he determined, even
if it should cost him his life, to warn them. Presently
they heard the sharp puffs of the steam launch. The
boats were within three hundred yards.

THE ENGLISH liOATS PEPPERED.

2(\b

You

ye a

\v;irning shout when Ammon Quatia's eye I'ell upon
liim. The expression of his face revealed his inten-
tion to the Ashanti, who in an instant sprang upon
him and hurled him to the ground. Instantly a dozen
hands seized him, and, in obedience to the general's
order, fastened a bandage tightly across his mouth,
and then bound him, standing against a tree, where
he could observe what was ftoinnr on. The incident
had occupied but a minute, and Frank heard the
pant of the steam launch coming nearer and nearer.
Presently through the bushes he caught a glimpse of
it, and then, as it came along, of the boats towing be-
hind. The Elminas and Ashantis were lying upon the
ground with their guns in front of them.

The boats were but til'teen yards from the bank.
When they were abreast Ammon Quatia shouted the
word of command, and a stream of fire shot out from
the bushes. In the boats all was confusion. Several
were killed and many wounded by the deadly volley,
amonix the latter Commodore Commerell himself, and
two or three of his officers. The launch now attempted
to turn round, and the marines in the boats opened
fire upon their invisible foes, who replied steadily.
In five minutes from the first shot being fired all was
over, the launch was steaming down with the boats
in tow towards the mouth of the river, the exulting
shouts of the natives rin;xin": in the ears of those on
board.

The position of Frank had not been a pleasant one
while the fight had lasted, for the EnglisVx rifie-bullets
sang close to him in quick succession, one striking the
tree only a few inches above his heatL He was doubt-

I ' [

206

NARROW ESCAPE OV FRANK.

fill, too, as to what his fato would be at the tormination
of tho fight

Fortunntoly Ainmon Quatia was in the highest
spirits at his victory. He ordered Fratik to bo at onie
unbound. " There, you seo," he said, " the wliites are
of no use. They cannot fight. They run with their
eyes shut into danger. So it will be if they attack us
on the land. You were foolish. Why did you wish
to call out? Are you not well treated? are you not
the king's guest? am I not your friend?"

" I am Well treated, and you are my friend," Frank
said, "but the English are my countrymen. I am
sure that were you in the hands of the English, and
you saw a part}' of your countrymen marching into
danger, you would e ill out and warn them, even if you
knew that you would be killed for doing so."

"I do not know," the Ashanti said candidly. "I
cannot say what I should do, but you were brave to
run the risk, and I'm not angry with you. Only, in
future when we go to attack the English, I nmst gag
you to prevent your giving the alarm."

" That is fair enough," Frank said, pleased that the
matter had passed off' so well, " only another time do
not stick me upright against a tree where I may be
killed by English bullets. I had a narrow escape of it
this time, you see," and he pointed to the hole in the
trunk of the tree.

" I am sorry," the Ashanti general said, with an air
of real concern. " I did not think of your being in
danger, I only wished you to have a good sight of
the battle; next time I will put you in a safer place."
They then returned to the camp.

TIIK WET 8EA8UN BKUINS.

267

The next day a di.stant cannonade was heard, and
at nightfall the ncw.s came that the English fleet had
bombarded and burnt several Elmina villages at the
mouth of the Prah.

"Ah," the general said, "the English have great
ships and great guns. They can fight on the sea-side
and round their forts, but they caiuiot drag their guns
through the forests and swamps."

" No," Frank agreed. " It would not be possible to
drag heavy artillery."

" No," Amnion Quatia repeated exultingly. " When
they are beyond the shelter of their ships they are no
good whatever. We will kill them all."

The wet season had now set in in earnest, and the
sufferings of the Ashantis were very great. Accustomed
as many of them were to high-lying lands free of trees,
the miasma from the swamps was well nigh as fatal to
them as it would be to Europeans. Thousands died,
and many of the rest were worn by fever to mere
shadows.

" Do you think," Amraon Quatia said to Frank one
day, " that it is possible to blow up a whole town with
powder?"

" It would be possible if there were powder enough,"
Frank said, wondering what could be the motive of
the question.

"The^- say that the English have put powder in
holes all over Cape Coast, and my people are afraid to
go. The guns of the fort could not shoot over the
whole town, and there are few white soldiers there;
but my men fear to be blown up in the air."

" Yes," Frank said gravely. " The danger might bo

1^.

o *^*>.

IMAGE EVALUATION
TtST TARGET (MT-3)

/q
/^/.i^

€^^i^

1.0

I.I

12.8

■ 4.0

|25

•u |.,^ Warn

Ui
us

2.0

1.25 III 1.4 III 1.6

Hiotographic

Sciences

Corporation

23 WBT MAIN STRKT

WIBSTH.N.Y. MSSO

(716)872-4503

268

SUFFERINGS OF THE INVADERS.

great. It is better that the Ashantis should keep
away from the town. But if the fever goes qn as at
present the army will melt away."

"Ten thousand more men are coming down when
the rains are over. The king says that something
must be done. There is talk in the English forts that
more white troops are commg out from England. If
this is so I shall not attack the towns, but shall wait
for them to come into the woods for me. Then you
will see."

" Do they say there are many troops?" Frank asked
anxiously.

" No; tley say only some white officers, but this is
foolishness. What could white officers do without
soldiers? As for the Fantis they are cowards, they are
only good to carry burdens and to hoe the ground.
They are women and not men."

During this time, when the damp rose so thick
and steaming that everything was saturated with it,
Frank had a very sharp attack of fever, and was for
a fortnight, just after the repulse of the attack on
Elinina, completely prostrated. Such an attack would
at his first landing have carried him off, but he was
now getting acclimatized, and his supply of quinine was
abundant. With its aid he saved a great many lives
among the Ashantis, and many little presents in the
way of fruit and birds <iid he receive from his patients.

" I wish I could let you go," the general said to him
one day. " You are a good white man, and my soldiers
love you for the pains you take going amongst them
when they are sick, and giving them the medicine of
the whites. But I dare not do it As you know when

keep

AAiaoN gUATlA OHATEFUL. Jgg

the king is wroth the greatest tremble, and I dare not
teU the king that I hav, let you go. Were it otW'^*

mg him that you have saved the Uvea of manf here.
It may be that he will order you to be released."

^^^

CHAPTER XIX

THE TIDE TURNED.

ROM many of the points in the forest held by
the Ashantis the sea could be seen, and on
the morning of the 2d of October a steamer
which had not been there on the previous
evening was perceived lying oft* the town.
The Ashantis were soon informed by spies
in Elmina and Cape Coast that the ship had brought
an English general with about thirty officers. The
news that thirty men had come out to help to drive
back twenty thousand was received with derision by
the Ashantis.

"They will do more than you think," Frank said
when Ammon Quatia was scoffing over the new arrival.
" You will see a change in the tactics of the whites.
Hitherto they have done nothing. They have simply
waited. Now you will see they will begin to move.
The officers will drill the natives, and even a Fanti,
drilled and commanded by white officers, will learn
how to fight. You acknowledge that the black troops
in red coats can fight. What are these? Some of
them are Fantis, some of them are black men from the
West Indian Islands, where they are even more peace-

THE WHITE OFFICERS ARRIVE

271

Bid by
nd on
earner
evious
town,
r spies
[■ought
The
> drive
on by

said
Irrival.
hites.
fimply
move.
iFanti,
learn
iroops
le of
im the
)eace-

ful than the Fantis, for they have no enemies. Per-
haps alone the Fantis would not fight, but they will
have the soldiers and sailors from on board ship with
them, and you saw at Elmina how they can fight."

The ship was the Ambriz, one of the African com-
pany's steamers, bringing with it thirty-five officers, of
whom ten belonged to the Commissariat and Medical
staff. Among the fighting men were Sir Garnet Wolseley,
Colonel M'Neil, chief of his staff. Major T. D. Baker,
18th Regiment, Captain Huyshe, Rifle Brigade, Captain
BuUer, COth Rifles, all of the staff; Captain Bracken-
bury, military secretary, aiid Lieutenant Maurice, RA.,
private secretary. Major Home, R.E., Lieutenant Saun-
ders, R.A., and Lieutenant Wilmot, R.A. Lieutenant-
colonel Evelyn Wood, 90th Regiment, and Major B. 0.
Russell, 13th Hussars, were each to form and com-
mand a native regiment, having the remainder of the
officers as their assistants.

The AmbHz had left England on the 12th of Sep-
tember, and had touched at Madeira and at the various
towns on the coast on her way down, and at the former
place had received the news of the disaster to the naval
expedition up the Prah.

The English government had been loath to embark
upon such an expedition, but a petition which had
been sent home by the English and native traders at
Sierra Leone and Elmina had shown how great was
the peril which threatened the colony, and it had been
felt that unless an effort was made the British would be
driven altogether from their hold of the coast. When
the expedition was at last determined upon, the mili-
tary authorities were flooded with recommendations

!j 1

272

A MULTITUDE OP COUNCILLORS.

and warnings of all kinds from persons who knew
the coast. Unfortunately these gentlemen differed so
widely from each other, that but little good was gained
from their counsels. Some pronounced the climate to
be deadly. Others said that it was really not bad.
Some warmly advocated a moderate use of spirits.
Others declared that stimulants were poison. One
advised that all exercise should be taken between five
and seven in the morning. Another insisted that on no
account should anyone stir out until the sun had been
up for an hour, which meant that no one should go
out till half-past seven. One said take exercise and
excite perspiration. Another urged that any bodily
exercise should be avoided. One consistent gentleman,
after having written some letters to the papers strongly
advocating the use of white troops upon the coast,
instead of West Indian regiments, when written to by
Sir Garnet Wclseley for his advice as to articles of
outfit, replied that the only article which he could
strongly commend would be that each oflBcer should
take out his coffin.

Ten days passed after the landing. It was known
in the^ Ashanti camp that the Fanti kings had been
ordered to raise contingents, and tliat a white officer
had been allotted to each to assist him in this work.
The Ashantis, however, had no fear whatever on
this score. The twenty thousand natives who occu-
pied the country south of the Prah had all been
driven from their homes by the invaders, and had
scattered among the towns and villages on the sea-coast,
where vast numbers had died from the ravages of
small-pox. The kings had little or no authority over

A WELL-MANAQUD MOVEMENT.

273

:new

d so

lined

,te to

bad.

)irits.
One

Q five

on no

. been

lid go

ie and

bodily

Icman,

rongly

i coast-

^ toby
es of
could

should

known
been
officer
work.
Brer on
occu-
[ been
id had
k-coast,
ges of
y over

them, and it was certain that no native force, capable
in any way of competing with the army of the assail-
ant's, could be raised.

The small number of men of the 2d West Indian regi-
ment at Elmina had been reinforced by a hundred and
twenty Houssas brought down the coast. The Ashanti
aiivanced parties remained close up to Elmina.

On the 13th of October Frank accompanied the
Ashanti general to the neighbourhood of this town.
The Ashanti force here was not a large one, the main
body being nearly twenty miles away in the neigh-
bourhood of Dunquah, which was held by a small body
of Houssas and natives under Captain Gordon. At
six in the morning a messenger ran in with the news
that two of the English war steamers from Cape Coast
were lying off Elmina, and that a number of troops
had been landed in boats. The Ashanti general was
furious, and poured out threats against his spies in
Cape Coast for not having warned him of the move-
ment, but in fact these were not to blame. So quietly
had the arrangements been made that, until late in the
previous afternoon, no one, with the exception of three
or four of the principal officers, knew that an expe-
dition was intended. Even then it was given out that
the expedition was going down the coast, and it was
not until the ships anchored off Elmina at three in the
morning that the officers and troops were aware of
their destination. All the West Indian troops at Cape
Coast had been taken, Caj>tain Peel of the Simoon land-
ing fifty sailors to hold the fort in case the Ashantia
should attack it in their absence. The expedition con-
sisted of the Houssas, two hundred men of the 2d West

(200) s

pr'

274

THB FIRST ENGLISH ADVANCE.

India regiment, fifty sailors, and two companies of
marines and marine artillery, each fifty .strong, and a
large number of natives carrying a small Armstrong
gun, two rocket tubes, rockets, spare ammunition, and
hammocks for wounded.

The few Ashantis in the village next to Elmina
retired at once when the column was seen marching
from the castle. Ammon Quatia had taken up his
quarters at the village of Essarman, and now advanced
with his troops and took post in the bush behind
a small village about three miles from the town.
The Houssas were skirmishing in front of the column.
These entered the villaore which had been deserted
b^ the Ashantis, and set it on fire, blowing up several
kegs of powder which had been left there in the
hurry of the flight. Then as they advanced farther
the Ashantis opened fire. To their surprise the British,
instead of falling back, opened fire in return, the
Houssas, West Indians, and natives discharging their
rifles at random in all directions. Captain Freemantle
with the sailors, the gun, and rockets made for the
upper corner of the wood facing them to their left.
Captain Crease with a company of marine artillery took
the wood on the right. The Houssas and a company
of West Indians moved along the path in the centre.
The remainder of the force remained with the baggage
in reserve. The Ashantis kept up a tremendous fire,
but the marines and sailors pushed their way steadily
through the wood on either side. Captain Freemantle
at length gained a point where hi' gun and rockets
could play on Essarman, which lay in the heart of the
wood, and opened fire, but not Ufttil lie jiacj bepr> struck

DESTRUCTION OF ESSARMAN.

27ft

by a slug which passed through his arm. Colonel
M'Neill who was with the Houssas, also received a
severe wound in the arm, and thirty-two marines and
Houssas were wounded. The Ashantis were gradually
driven out of the village and wood, a great many being
killed by tho English fire.

Having accomplished this, the British force rested
for an hour and then moved on, first setting fire to
Essarman, which was a very large village. A great
quantity of the Ashanti powder was stored there, and
each explosion excited yells of rage among the Ashantis.
Their general was especially angry that two large war
drums had been lost. So great was the effect produced
upon the Ashantis by the tremendous fire which the
British had poured into every bush and thicket as they
advanced, that their general thought it expedient to
draw them off" in the direction of his main body instead
of further disputing the way.

The English now turned oflf towards the coast,
marching part of the way through open country, part
through a bush so dense that it was impossible to make
a fiank attack upon them here. In such cases as this,
when the Ashantis know that an enemy is going t6
approach through a dense and impassable forest, the;y
cut paths through it parallel to that by which he must
advance and at a few yards' distance. Then, lying in
ambush there, they suddenly open fire upon him as he
comes along. As no idea of the coming of the English
had been entertained they passed through the dense
thickets in single file unmolested. These native paths
are very difficult and unpleasant walking. The natives
always walk in single file, and the action of their feet,

276

THE A8HANTIS DISHEARTENED.

aided by that of the rain, often wears the paths into a
deep V-shaped rut, two feet in depth. Burning two
or three villages by the way the column reached the
coast at a spot five miles from Elmina, having marched
nine miles.

As the Ashantis were known to be in force at the
villages of Akimfoo and Ampene, four miles farther, a
party was taken on to this point. Akimfoo was
occupied without resistance, but the Ashantis fought
hard in Ampene, but were driven out of the town into
the bush, from which the British force was too small to
drive them, and therefore returned to Elmina, having
marched twenty-two miles, a prodigious journey in
such a Climate for heavily armed Europeans. The effect
produced among the Ashantis by the day's fighting
was immense. All their theories that the white men
could not fight in the bush were roughly upset, and
they found that his superiority was as great there as
it had been in the open. His heavy bullets, even at
the distance of some hundred yards, crashed through
the brushwood with deadly eftect, while the slugs of
the Ashantis would not penetrate at a distance much
exceeding fifty yards. •

Ammon Quatia was profoundly depressed in spirits
that evening. " The white men who come to fight us,"
he said, " are not like those who come to trade. Who
ever heard of their making long marches? Why, if
they go the shortest distances they are carried in
hammocks. These men march as well as my warriors.
They have guns which shoot ten times as far as ours,
and never stop firing. They carry cannon with them,
and have things which fiy through the air and scream,

A MOVE FROM THE COAST.

277

nto a
; two
d the
rched

it the
;her, a
D was
fought
n into
nail to
having
ney in
te effect
ighting
ite men
iet, and
here as
ven at
ihrough
llugs of
much

spirits
tht us,"
Who
^hy, if
[•ied in
irriors.
IS ours,
them,
icream,

and set villages on fire and kill men. I have never
heard of such things before. What do you call them?"

" They are called rockets," Frank said.

"What are they made of ?"

" They are made of coarse powder mixed with other
things, and rammed into an iron case."

" Could we not make some too V the Ashanti general
asked.

" No," Frank replied. " At least, not without a
knowledge of the things you should mix with the pow-
der, and of that I am ignorant. Besides, the rockets
require great skill in firing, otherwise they will some-
times come back and kill the men who fire them."

" Why did you not tell me that the white men could
fight in the bush?"

" I told you that there would be a change when the
new general came, and that they would not any longer
remain in their forts, but would come out and attack
you."

A few days after this fight the Ashantis broke up
their camp at Mampon, twelve miles from Elmina, and
moved eastward to join the body who were encamped
in the forest near Dunquah.

" I am going," Ammon Quatia said to Frank, " to
eat up Dunquah and Abra Crampa. We shall do
better this time. We know what the English guns
can do and shall not be surprised."

With ten thousand men Ammon Quatia halted at
the little village of Asianchi, where there was a large
clearing, which was speedily covered with the little
leafy bowers which the Ashantis run up at each halt-
ing-place.

21^8

AN ATTACK ON TH£ ASHANTI CAMP.

. 1

Two days later Sir Garnet Wolseley with a strong
force marched out from Cape Coast to Abra Cram pa,
halting on the way for a night at Assaiboo, ten miles
from the town. On the same day the general sent
orders to Colonel Festing of the Marine Artillery, who
commanded at Dunquah, to make a reconnaisance into
the forest from that place. In accordance with this
order Colonel Festing marched out with a gun and
rocket apparatus under Captain Rait, the Annaniaboe
contingent of a hundred and twenty men under their
king, directed by Captain Godwin, four hundred other
Fantis under Captain Broomhead, and a hundred men
of the 2d West India regiment. After a three-mile
march An perfect silence they came upon an Ashanti
cutting wood, and compelled him to act as guide. The
path divided into three, and the Annamaboes, who led
the advance, when within a few yards of the camp,
gave a sudden cheer and rushed in.

The Ashantis, panic-stricken at the sudden attack,
fled instantly from the camp into the bush. Sudden
as was the scare Frank's guards did not forget their
duty, but seizing him dragged him off" with them
in their flight, by the side of Amnion Quatia. The
latter ordered the war drums to begin to beat, and
Frank was surprised at the quickness with which the
Ashantis recovered from their panic. In Ave minutes
a tremendous fire was opened from the whole circle
of bush upon the camp. This stood on rising ground,
and the British force returned the fire with great
rapidity and eff'ect. The Annamaboe men stood their
ground gallantly, and the West Indians fought with
great coolness, keeping up a constant and heavy fire

THE BIUVEKY OF THE ASHANTI&

279

itrong
am pa,
miles
1 sent
^, who
36 into
,h this
in and
imaboe
ir their
i other
)d men
ee-mile
\.8hanti
e. The
who led
i camp,

with their Sniders. The Houssas, who had been
trained as artillerymen, worked their gun and rocket
tube with great energy, yelling and whooping as each
round of grape or canister was fired into the bush, or
each rocket whizzed out

Notwithstanding the heavy loss which they were
RufTering, the Ashantis stood their ground most bravely.
Their wild yells and the beating of their drums never
ceased, and only rose the louder as each volley of
grape was poured into them. They did not, how-
ever, advance beyond the shelter of their bush, and,
as the British were not strong enough to attack
them there, the duel of artillery and musketry was
continued without cessation for an hour and a half,
and then Colonel Festing fell back unmolested to
Dunquah.

The Ashantis were delighted at the result of the
fighting, heavy as their loss had been. They had held
their ground, and the British had not ventured to
attack them in the bush.

" You see," Ammon Quatia said exultingly to Frank,
" what I told you was true. The white men cannot
fight us in the bush. At Essarman the wood was thin
and gave but a poor cover. Here, you see, they dared
not follow us."

On the British side five officers and the King of
Annamaboe were wounded, and fifty-two of the men.
None were killed, the distance from the bush to the
ground held by the English being too far for the
Ashanti slugs to inflict mortal wounds.

Ammon Quatia now began to meditate falling back
upon the Frah — the sick and wounded were already

280

DEATH OF LIEUTENANT WILMOT.

sent back — but he determined before retiring to attack
Abra Crampa, whose king had sided with us, and '
where an English garrison had been posted.

On the 2d of November, however. Colonel Festing
again marched out from Dunquah with a hundred men
of the 2d West India regiment, nine hundred native
allies, and some Houssas with rockets, under Lieutenant
Wilmot, towards the Ashanti camp. This time Ammon
Quatia was not taken by surprise. His scouts informed
him of the approach of the column, and moving out
to meet them, he attacked them in the bush before
they reached the camp. Crouching among the tree^
the Ashantis opened a tremendous tire. All the native
allies, >^ith the exception of a hundred, bolted at once,
but the remainder, with the Houssas and West Indians,
behaved with great steadiness and gallantry, and for
two hours kept up a heavy Snider fire upon their
invisible foes.

Early in the fight Lieutenant Wilmot, while direct-
ing the rocket tube, received a severe wound in the
shoulder. He, however, continued at his work till, just
as the fight was ended, he was shot through the heart
with a bullet. Four officers were wounded as were thir-
teen men of the 2d West Indian regiment. One of the
natives was killed, fifty severely wounded, and a great
many slightly. After two hours' fighting Colonel Fest-
ing found the Ashantis were working round to cut off
his retreat, and therefore fell back again on Dunquah.
The conduct of the native levies here and in two or
three smaller reconnaisances was so bad that it was
found that no further dependence could be placed
upon them, and, with the exception of the two partly

THE EFFECrr OF THE ROCKETS.

281

itack
and

sting
men
ative
3nant
nmon
)rmed
2 out
before

treeo
native
b once,
idians,
ad for

their

disciplined regiments under Colonel Wood and Major
Russell, they were in future treated as merely fit to
act as carriers for the provisions.

Although the second reconnaisance from Dunqua'i
had, like the first, been unsuccessful, its effect upon the
Ashantis was very great. They had themselves suf-
fered great loss, while they could not see that any of
their enemies had been killed, for Lieutenant Wilmot's
body had been carried off. The rockets especially
appalled them, one rocket having killed six, four of
whom were chiefs who were talking together. It was
true that the English had not succeeded in forcing
their way through the bush, but if every time they
came out tlxey were to kill large numbers without
suffering any loss themselves, they must clearly in the
long run be victorious.

What the Ashantis did not see, and what Frank
carefully abstained from hinting to Ammon Quatia,
was that if, instead of stopping and firing at a distance
beyond that at which their slugs were effective, they
were to charge down upon the English and fire their
pieces when they reached within a few yards of them,
they would overpower them at once by their enormous
superiority of numbera. At ten paces distant a volley
of slugs is as effective as a Snider bullet, and the whole
of th.i native troops would have bolted the instant
such a charge was made. In the t)pen such tactics
might not be possible, as the Sniders could be dis-
charged twenty times before the English line was
reached, but in the woods, where the two lines were
not more than forty or fifty yards apart, the Sniders
could be fired but once or at the utmost twice, while

282

THE TACTICS OF SAVAGES.

the assailants rushed across the short intervening
space.

Had the Ashantis adopted these tactics they could
have crushed with ease the little bands with which
the English attacked them. But it is characteristic
of all savages that they can never be got to rush down
upon a foe who is prepare 1 and well armed. A half
dozen white men have been known to keep a whoU:
tribe of Red Indians at a distance on the prairie.
This, however, can be accounted for by the fact that
the power of the chiefs is limited, and that each Indian
values his own life highly and does not care to throw
it away on a desperate enterprise. Among the Ashan-
tis, however, where the power of the chiefs is very
great and where human life is held of little; account, it
is singular that such tactics should not have been
adopted.

The Ashantis were now becoming thoroughly dis-
pirited. Their sufferings had been iir^tijcnse. Fever and
hunger had made great ravages among them, and, al-
though now the wet season was over a large quantity
of food could be obtained in the forest, the losses
which the white men's bullets, rockets, and guns had
inflicted upon them had broken their courage. The
longing for home became greater than over, and had
it not been that they knew that <;oops stationed at
the Prah would prevent any fugitives from crossing,
they would have deserted in large numbers. Already
one of the divisions had fallen haxih.

Amnion Quatia spent hours sitting at the door of
his hut smoking and talking to the other chiefs. Frank
was often called into council, as Ammon Quatia had

ABRA CRAMFA TO BE ATTACKED.

283

dis-
jrand
id, al-
mtity
losses
had
The
had
d at
sing,
[•eady

lor of
frank
had

conceived a high opinion of his judgment, which had
proved invariably correct so far.

"We are going," he said one day, "to take Abra
Crampa and to kill its king, and then to fall back
across the Prah."

" I think you had better fall back at once," Frank
answered. " When you took me with you to the edge of
the clearing yesterday I saw that preparations had been
made for the defence, and that there were white troops
there. You will never carry the village. The English
have thrown up breast-woi'ks of earth, and they will lie
behind these and shoot down your men as they come
out of the forest."

" I must have one victory to report to the king if I
can," Ammon Quatia said. " Then he can make peace
if he chooses. The white men will not wish to go on
fighting. The Fantis are eager for peace and to return
to their villages. What do you think?"

" If it be true that white troops are coming out from
England, as the Fanti prisoners say," Frank answered,
" you will see that che English will not make peace till
they have crossed the Proh and marched to Coomassie.
Your king is always making trouble. You will see
that this time the English will not be content with
your retiring, but will in turn invade AshantL"

Ammon Quatia and the chiefs laughed incredulous-
ly. " They will not ■ dare to cross the Prah," Ammon
Quatia said. "If they enter Ashanti they will be
eaten up."

" They are not so easy to eat up," Frank answered.
" You have seen how a hundred or two can fight against
your whole army. What will it be when they are in

284

FRANK'S OPINIOW.

tliousands? Your king has not been wisa It would
be better for him to send down at once and to make
peace at any price."

^ ii!nisiisii!n uni!ni5ii!ni!nts ii!ni!ni!ni!ni!^i5jlminii[Bi[a[Bi[a ira ][a^

CHAPTER XX.

THE WHITE TROOPS.

WO days later Frank was awoke by a sudden
yell. He leaped from his bed of boughs,
seized his revolver, and rushing to the door,
saw that a party of some twenty men were
attacking Ammon Quatia's hut The two
guards stationed there had already been cut
down. Frank shouted to his four guards and Ostik to
follow him. The guards had been standing irresolute,
not knowing what side to take, but the example of the
young Englishman decided them. They fired their
muskets into the knot of natives, and then charged
sword in hand. Ostik drew the sword which he
always carried and followed close to his master's heels.
Frank did not fire until within two yards of tlie
Ashantis. Th«n his revolver spoke out and six shots
were discharged, each with deadly effect. Then, catch-
ing up a musket which had fallen from the hands
of one of the men he had shot, he clubbed it and fell
upon the surprised and already hesitating conspira-
tors.

These, fortunately for Frank, had not loaded their
muskets. They had intended to kill Ammon Quatia

286

A REVOLT AMONG THE ASIIANTIS.

and then to disperse instantly befote aid coul,d arrive,
believing that with his death the order for retreat
across the Prah would at once be given. Several of
them had been killed by the slugs from the muskets
of Frank's guard, and his pistol had completed their
confusion. The reports of the guns called up other
troops, and these came rushing in on all sides. Scarcely
did Frank and his followers fall upon the conspirators
than they took to their heels and fled into the wood.

Ammon Quatia himself, sword in hand, had just
sprung to the door of the hut prepared to sell his life
dearly, when Frank's guard fired. The affair was so
momei^tary that he had hardly time to realize what
had happened before his assailants were in full flight.

" You have saved my life," he said to Frank. " Had
it not been for you I must have been killed. You
shall not find me ungrateful. When I have taken
Abra Crampa I will manage that you shall return to
your friends. I dare not let you go openly, for the
king would not forgive me, and I shall have enough to
do already to pacify him when he hears how great
have been our losses. But rest content. I will manage
it somehow."

An hour afterwards Ammon Quatia gave orders that
the army should move to the attack of, Abra Crampa.
The place was held by a body of marines and sailors,
a hundred West Indians, and the native troops of the
king. Major Russell was in command. The village
stood on rising ground, and was surrounded for a
distance of a hundred and fifty yards by a clearing.
Part of this consisted of patches of cultivated ground,
the rest had been hastily cleared by the defende.s.

THE ATTACK ON ABRA CRAMPA.

287

rive,

;reat

alof

ikets

their

)ther

rcely

ators

)od.
just

is life

as so

what

light.

"Had
You

taken
rn to
r the
gh to
great

lanage

that
|ampa.
lilors,
rf the
illage
for a
laring.
tound,

ide.s.

At the upper end stood a church, and this was con-
verted into a stronghold. The windows were high up
in the walls, and a platform had been erected inside
for the sailors to fire from the windows, which were
partially blocked with sand-bags. The houses on the
outside of the village had all been loopholed, and had
been connected by breast-works of earth. Other
defences had been thrown up further back in case the
outworks should be carried. The mission house in the
main street and the huts which surrounded it formed,
with the church, the last strongholds. For two or
three days the bush round the town had swarmed
with Ashantis, whose tom-toms could be heard by the
garrison night and day.

Frank accompanied x.mmon Quatia, and was there-
fore in the front, and had an opportunity of seeing
how the Ashantis commence an attack. The war
drumg gave the signal, and when they ceased, ten
thousand voices raised the war song in measured
cadence. The effect was very fine, rising as it did from
all parts of the forest. By this time the Ashantis had
lined the whole circle of wood round the clearing.
Then three regular volleys were fired, making, from the
heavy charges used, a tremendous roar.

Scarcely had these ceased when the King of Abra, a
splendid looking negro standing nearly six feet four in
height, stepped out from behind the breast- work and
shouted a taunting challenge to the Ashantis to come
on. They replied with a loud yell, and with the
opening of a continuous fire round the edge of the
wood. On wall and roof of the village the slu^xs
pattered thickly; but the defenders were all in shelter,

288

THE ASSAULT REPULSED.

and in reply, from breast-work and loophole, from the
windows and roof of the church, the answering Snider
bullets flew out straight and deadly. Several times
Ammon Quatia tried to get his men to make a rush.
The war drums beat, the great horns sounded, and the
men shouted, but each time the English bullets flew so
thick arid deadly into the wood wherever the sound rose
loudest that the Ashantis' heart failed them, and they
could not be got to make the rush across the hundred
yards of cleared ground.

At five o'clock the fire slackened, but shortly after
dark the attack recommenced. The moon was up
and full. Frank feared that the Ashantis would try
and crawl a part of the distance across the clearing
and then make a sudden rush; but they appeared
to have no idea of a silent attack. Several times,
indeed, they gathered and rushed forward in large
bodies, but each time their shouting and drums gave
warning to the besieged, and so tremendous a fire
was opened upon them when they emerged from the
shadow of the trees into the moonlight, that each
time they fell back leaving the ground strewn with
dead. Till midnight the attack was continued, then
the Ashantis fell back to their camp.

At Accroful,a village on the main road some four miles
distant, the attack had been heard, and a messenger
sent off" to Cape Coast to inform Sir Garnet Wolseley.

In the morning fifty men of the 2d West India regi-
ment marched from Accrof ul into Abra Crampa without
molestation. Later on some Abra scouts approached
the Ashanti camp and shouted tauntingly to know
when the Ashantis were coming into Abra Crampa.

THB RELIEF OF ABRA CRAMPA.

289

a the
nider
times
rush,
d the
ew so
drose
I they
indred

J after

7as up

lid try

learing

)peared
times,

1 large

,s gave
a fire

|om the
,t each
n with
id, then

miles
kssenger
)lseley.
lia regi-

rithout
iroached
know
Impa.

They shouted in return, " After breakfast," and soon
afterwards, a rocket tired from the roof of the church
falling into the camp, they again sallied out and at-
tacked. It was a repetition of the fight of the day
before. Several times Major Russell withheld his fire
altogether, but the . ishantis could not be tempted to
show in force beyond the edge of the wood. So in-
spirited were the defenders that they now made several
sorties and penetrated some distance into the wood.

At eight in the morning Sir Garnet Wolselcy had
marched from Cape Coast with three hundred marines
and blue jackets to the relief of the position, but so
tremendous was the heat that nearly half the men fell
exhausted by the way, and were ordered when they
recovered to march back to Cape Coast. The remainder,
when they arrived at Assaiboo, five miles from Abra
Crampa, were so utterly exhausted that a long halt
was necessary, although a faint but continuous fire
could be heard from the besieged place.

Chocolate and cold preserved meat were served out
to the men, and in the course of another three hours a
large number of the stragglers came in. At three
o'clock, a hundred of the most exhansted mcK, being
left to hold the village, the rest of the force with the
fifty West Indians stationed there marched forward to
Buteana, where they were joined by fifty more men
from Accroful. Just as they started from this place
they met the King of Abra, who had come out with a
small body of warriors; from him Sir Garnet learned
that this road, which wound round and came in at the
back of Abra Crampa, was still open.

The Ashantis were too busy with their own opera-

(200) T

S90

THl ASHANTIS FALL BACK.

tions to watch the path, and the relieving force entered
the place without firing a shot The firing rbund the
town continued, but Ammon Quatia, when he saw the
reinforcements enter, at once began to fall back with
the main body of his troops, and although the firing
was kept up all night, when the besieged in the morn-
ing advanced to attack the Ashanti camp they found
it altogether deserted.

" It is of no use," the Ashanti general said to Frank.
" My men cannot fight in the open against the English
guns. Besides, they do not know what they are fight-
ing for here; but if your general should ever cross the
Prah you will find it difierent. There are forests all
the wky to Coomassie, as you know, and the men
will be fighting in defence of their own country, you
will see what we shall do then. And now I will keep
:ny promise to you. To-night your guards will go to
sleep. I shall have medicine given them which will
make them sleep hard. One of the Fanti prisoners
will come to your hut and will guide you through the
woods to Assaiboo. Good-bye, my friend. Ammon
Quatia has learnt that some of the white men are good
and honest, and he will never forget that he owes his
life to you. Take this in remembrance of Ammon
Quatia." And he presented Frank with a necklace
composed of nuggets of gold as big as walnuts and
weighing nearly twenty pounds.

Frank in return gave the general the only article of
value which he now possessed, his revolver and tin
box of cartridges, telling him that he hoped he would
never use it against the English, but that it might be
of value to him should he ever a^fain have trouble with

SAFE AMONG FRIENDS.

391

Id
OS
M

his own men. Frank made a parcel of the necklace
and of the gold he had received from the king for his
goods, and warned Ostik to hold himself in readiness
for flight The camp was silent although the roar of
musketry a few hundred yards off round Abra Crampa
continued unbroken. For some time Frank heard his
guards pacing outside, and occasionally speaking to
each other. Then these sounds ceased and all was
quiet. Presently the front of the tent was opened and
a voice said, " Come, all is ready."

Frank came out and looked round. The Ashanti
camp was deserted. Amnion Quatia had moved away
with the main body of his troops, although the musketry
fire round the village was kept up. A Fanti stood at
the door of the hut with Ostik. The four guards were
sleeping quietly. Noiselessly the little party stole
away. A quarter of an hour later they struck the
path, and an hour's walking brought them to Assaiboo.
Not an Ashanti was met with along the path, but
Frank hardly felt that he was safe until he heard
the challenge of "Who goes there?" from an English
sentry. A few minutes later he was taken before
Captain Bradshaw, R.N., who commanded the sailors
and* marines who had been left there. Very hearty
was the greeting which the young Englishman received
from the genial sailor, and a bowl of soup and a glass
of grog were soon set before him.

His arrival created quite a sensation, and for some
hours he sat talking with the oflicers, while Ostik was
an equal subject of curiosity among the sailors. The
news that the Ashanti armv was in full retreat relieved
the garrison of the place from all further fear of at-

292

IN A BED ONCE MORE.

tack, and Frank went to sleep before morning, and
was only roused at noon when a messenger arrived
with the news that the Ashanti camp had been found
deserted, and that the road in its rear was found to be
strewn with chairs, clothes, pillows, muskets, and odds
and ends of every description. Few Ashanti prisoners
had been taken, but a considerable number of Fantis,
who had been prisoners among them, had come in,
having escaped in the confusion of the retreat. Among
these were many women, several of whom had been
captured when the Ashantis had first crossed the Prah
ten months before.

In tjhe afternoon Sir Garnet Wolseley, with the
greater portion of the force from Abra Cram pa,
marched in, and Frank was introduced by Captain
Bradshaw to the general. As the latter was anxious
to press on at once to Cape Coast, in order that the
sailors and marines might sleep on board ship that
night, he asked Frank to accompany him, and on the
road heard the story of his adventures. He invited
him to sleep for the night at Government House, an
invitation which Frank accepted; but he slept worse
than he had done for a long time. It was now nearly
two years since he had landed in Africa, and during all
that time he had slept, covered with a rug, on the can-
vas of his little camp-bed. The complete change, the
stillness and security, and, above all, the novelty of a
bed with sheets, completely banished sleep, and it was
not until morning was dawning that, wrapping himself
in a rug, and lying on the ground, he was able to
get a sleep.

In the morninij at breakfast Sir Garnet asked him

and
rived
:ound
to be

odds
joners
antis,
ne in,
Lmong
I been
3 Prah

th the
rampa,
'aptain
mxious
[lat the
p that
on the
invited
use, an
worse
nearly
gall
he can-
ige, the
ty of a
it was
himself
able to

led him

FRANK AS GUIDE TO THE EXPEDITION.

293

what he intended to do, and said that if he were in no
extreme hurry to return to England he could render
great services as guido to the expedition, which would
start for Coomassie as soon as the white troops arrived.
Frank had already thought the matter over. He had
had more than enough of Africa, but two or three
months longer would make no difference, and he felt that
his knowledge of the Ashanti methods of war, of the
country to be traversed, the streams to be crossed, and
the points at which the Ashantis would probably make
a stand, would enable him to render really valuable
assistance to the army. He therefore told Sir Garnet
Wolseley that he had no particular business which
called him urgently back, and that he was willing to
guide the army to Coomassie. He at once had quarters
as an officer assigned to him in the town, with rations
for himself and servant.

His first step was to procure English garments, for
although he had before starting laid aside his Ashanti
costume, and put on that he had before worn, his
clothes were now so travel-worn as to be scarce wear-
able. He had no difficulty in doing this. Many of
the officers were already invalided home, and one who
was just sailing was glad to dispose of his uniform,
which consisted of a light brown Norfolk shooting-
jacket, knickerbockers, and helmet, as these would be
of no use to him in England.

Frank's next step was to go to the agent of Messrs.
Swanzy, the principal African merchants of the coast.
This gentleman readily cashed one of the orders on
the African bank which Mr. Goodenough had, before
his death, handed ever to Frank, and the latter pro-

294

ANOTHER TOUCH OF FEVER.

ceeded to discharge the long arrears of wages owin<v
to Ostik, adding, besides, a handsome present. He
ofiiered to allow his faithful servant to depart to join
his family on the Gaboon at once, should he wish to
do so, but Ostik declared that he would remain with
him as long as he stopped in Africa. On Frank's
advice, however, he deposited his money, for safe
keeping, with Messrs. Swanzy's agent, with orders to
transmit it to his family should anything happen to
him during the expedition.

Three days later Frank was attacked by fever, the
result cf the reaction after so many dangers. He was
at once 'sent on board the Simoon, which had been
established as a hospital ship; but the attack was a
mild one, ind in a few days, thanks to the sea air,
and the attention and nursing which he receiyed, he
was convalescent.

As soon as the fever passed away, and he was able
to sit on deck and enjoy the sea-breezes, he had many
visits from the officers of the ships of war. Among
Ihese was the captain of the Decoy gunboat. After
chatting with Frank for some time the officer said:
" I am going down the coast as far as the mouth of the
Volta, where Captain Glover is organizing another
expedition. You will not be wanted on shore just at
presort, and a week's rest will do you good ; what do
you s ly to coming down with me — it will give you a
little change and variety?"

Frank accepted the invitation with pleasure. An
hour later the Decoy's boat came alongside, and Frank
took his place on board it, Ostik following with his
clothes. An hour later the Decoy got up her anchor

A TRIP DOWN THE COAST.

295

After

said:

lof the

lother

iust at

lat do

you a

An
iFrank
Ith his
mchor

and steamed down the coast. It was delightful to
Frank, sitting in a large wicker-work chair in the
shade of the awning, watching the distant shore and
chatting with the officers. He had much to hear of
what had taken place in England since he left, and
they on their part were equally eager to learn about
the road along which they would have to march — at
least those of them who were fortunate enough to be
appointed to the naval brigade — and the wonders of the
barbarian capital. The Decoy was not fast, about six
knots being her average pace of steaming; however, no
one was in a hurry; there would be nothing to do
until the troops arrived from England; and to all, a trip
down the coast was a pleasant change after the long
monotony of rolling at anchor. For some distance from
Cape Coaot the shore was flat, but further on the coun-
try became hilly. Some of the undulations reached a
considerable height, the highest, Mamquady, being over
two thousand feet.

"That ought to be a very healthy place," Frank
said. "I sliould think that a sanatorium established
there wouM be an immense boon to the whites all
along the coasts."

" One w^ould think so," an officer replied; "but I'm told
that those hills are particularly unhealthy. That fellow
you see jutting out is said to be extremely rich in gold.
Over and over again parties have been formed to dig
there, but they have always suffered so terribly from
fever that they have had to relinquish the attempt.
The natives suffer as well as the whites. I believe
that the formation is granite, the surface of which
is much decomposed; and it is always found here that

296

NATIVE POISONERS.

'■ il

the turning up of ground that has not been disturbed
for many years is extremely unhealthy, and decom-
posing gianite possesses some element particularly
obnoxious to health. The natives, of course, look upon
the mountain as a fetish, and believe that an evil spirit
guards it. The superstition of the negroes is wonder-
ful, and at Accra they are, if possible, more superstitious
than anywhere else. Every one believes that every
malady under the sun is produced by fetish, and that
some enemy is easting spells upon them."

"There is more in it than you think," the doctor
joined in; "although it is not spells, but poison, which
they use against erch other. The use of poison is
carried to an incredible extent here. I have not been
much on shore; but the medical men, both civilian
and military, who have been here any time are con-
vinced that a vast number of the deaths that take place
are due to poisciL The fetish men and T/omen v/ho are
the vendors of these drugs keep as a profound secret
their origin and nature, but it is certain that many of
them are in point of secrecy and celerity equal to those
of the middle ages."

" I wonder that the doctors have never discovered
what plants they get them from," Frank said.

" Some of them have tried to do so," the doctor replied;
" but have invariably died shortly after commencing
their experiments; it is believed they have been
poisoned by the fetish men in order to prevent their
secrets being discovered."

The hours passed pleasurably. The beautiful neat-
ness and order prevailir 3 on board a man-of-war were
specially delightful to Frank after the rough life he

THE SURF-BOAT OF THE WEST COAST.

297

)vered

^plied;

mcing
been
their

neat-
were
life he

had so long led, and the silence and discipline of the
men presented an equally strong contrast to the in-
cessant chattering and noise kept up by the niggers.

The next morning the ship was off Accra. Here the
scenery had entirely changed. The hills had receded,
and a wide and slightly undulating plain extended to
their feet some twelve miles back. The captain was
going to land, as he had some despatches for the colony,
and he invited Frank to accompany him. They did
not, as Frank expected, land in a man-of-war's boat,
but in a surf-boat, which, upon their hoisting a signal,
came out to them. These surf-boats are large and
very wide and flat. They are paddled by ten or twelve
negroes, who sit upon the gunwale. These men work
vigorously, and the boats travel at a considerable pace.
Each boat has a stroke peculiar to itself. Some paddle
hard for six strokes and then easy for an equal num-
ber. Some will take two or three hard and then one
easy. The steersman stands in the stern and steers
with an oar. He or one of the crew keeps up a mono-
tonous song, to which the crew reply in chorus, always
in time with their paddling.

The surf is heavy at Accra, and Frank held his
breath, as, after waiting for a favourable moment, the
steersman gave the sign and the boat darted in at
lightning speed on the top of a great wave, and ran up
on the beach in the midst of a whirl of white foam.

While the captain went up to Government House,
Frank, accompanied by one of the young officers who
had also come ashore, took a stroll through the town.
The first thing that struck him was the extra-
ordinary number of pigs. These animals pervaded

298

THE MARKET OF ACCRA.

the whole place. They fed in threes and fours in the
middle of the streets. They lay everywhere in the
road, across the doors, and against the wals. They
quarrelled energetically in side lanes and court-yards,
and when worsted in their disputes galloped away
grunting, careless whom they might upset. The princi-
pal street of Accra was an amusing sight. Some effort
had been made to keep it free of the filth and rubbish
whj<jh everywhere else abounded. Both sides were
li'tied by salesmen and women sitting on little mats
upon the low wooden stools used as seats in Africa.
The goods were contained in wooden trays. Here
were d9zens of women offering beads for sale of an un-
limited variety of form and hue. They varied from
the tiny opaque beads of all colours used by English
children for their dolls, to great cylindrical beads of
variegated hues as long and as thick as the joint of a
finger. The love of the Africans for beads is surprising.
The women wear them round the wrists, the neck, and
th« ankles. The occupation of threading the little
beads is one ot their greatest pleasures. The threads
used are narrow fibres of palm leaves, which are very
strong. The beads, however, are of unequal sizes, and
no African girl who has any respect for her personal
appearance wilU put on a string of beads until she
has, with great pains and a good deal of skill, rubbed
them with sand and water until all the projecting
beads are ground down, and the whole are perfectly
smooth and even.

Next in number to the dealers in beads were those
who sold calico, or, as it is called in Africa, cloth, and
gaudily-coloured kerchiefs for the head. These thite

OFF THE MOUTH OF THE VOLTA.

299

those
I, an<l
tliife

articles — beads, cotton cloth, and coloured handker-
chiefs — complete the list of articles required for the
attire and adornment of males and females in Africa.
Besides these goods, tobacco, in dried leaves, short clay
pipes, knives, small looking-glasses, and matches were
offered for sale. The majority of the salesi/i; omen, how-
ever, were dealers in eatables, dried fish, smoked fish,
canki — which is a preparation of ground com wrapped
up in palm leaves in the shape of paste — eggs, fowls,
kids, cooked meats in various forms, stews, boiled pork,
fried knobs of meat, and other native delicacies, besides
an abundance of seeds, nuts, and other vegetable pro-
ductions.

After walking for some time through the streets
Frank and his companions returned to the boat, where,
half an hour later, the captain joined them, and, putting
off to the Decoy, they continued the voyage down the
coast.

The next morning they weighed anchor off Addah,
a village at the mouth of the Volta. They whistled
for a surf-boat, but it was some time before one put
out. When she was launched it was doubtful whether
she would be able to make her way through the break-
ing water. The surf was much heavier here than
it had been at Accra, and each wave threw the boat
almost perpendicularly into the air, so that only a few
feet of the end of the keel touched the water. Still she
struggled on, although so long was she in getting
through the surf that those on board the ship thought
several times that she must give it up as impracticable.
At last, however, she got through; the paddlers waited for
a minute to recover from their exertions, and then made

300

LANDING THROUGH THE SURF.

out to the Decoy. None of the officers had ever landed
here, and several of them obtained leave to accompany
the captain on shore. Frank was one of the party.
After what they had seen of the difficulty which the
boat had in getting out, all looked somewhat anxiously
at the surf as they approached the line where the
great smooth waves rolled over and broke into boiling
foam. The steersman stood upon the seat in the stem,
in one hand holding his oar, in the other his cap. For
some time he stood half turned round, looking atten-
tively seaward, while the boat lay at rest just outside
the line of breakers. Suddenly he waved his cap and
gave a< shout. It was answered by the crew. Every
man dashed his paddle into the water. Desperately
they rowed, the steersman encouraging them by wild
yells. A gigantic wave rolled in behind the boat, and
looked for a moment as if she would break into it, but
she rose on it just as it turned over, and for an instant
was swept along amidst a cataract of white foam, with
the speed of an arrow. The next wave was a small
one, and ere a third reached it the boat grounded on
the sand. A dozen men rushed out into the water.
The passengers threw themselves anyhow on to their
backs, and in a minute were standing perfectly dry
upon the beach.

They learned that Captain Glover's camp was half a
mile distant, and at once set out for it. Upon the way
up to the camp they passed hundreds of negroes,
who had arrived in the last day or two, and had just
received their arms. Some were squatted on the
ground cooking and resting themselves. Others were
examining their new weapons, oiling and removing

CAPTAIN OLUVKK AND HIS OFFICBRS.

901

anded
npany
party,
jh the
iously
re the
ooiling
I stern,
►. For
atten-
^utside
ap and
Every
erately
)y wild
at, and

it, but
instant
n, with

small
ded on

water,
their

|ly dry

half a
le way
igroes,
|,d just
)n the
were
Loving

every spot of rust, and occasionally loading and firing
them off. The balls whizzed through the air in all
directions. The most stringent orders had been given
forbidding this dangerous nuisance; but nothing can
repress the love of negroes for firing off" guns. There
were large numbers of women among them ; these had
acted as carriers on their journey to the camp; for
among the coast tribes, as among the Ashantis, it is
the proper thing when the warriors go out on the war-
path, that the women should not permit them to carry
anything except their guns until they approach the
neighbourhood of the enemy.

The party soon arrived at the camp, which consisted
of some bell tents and the little huts of a few hundred
natives. This, indeed, was only the place where the
latter were first received and armed, and they were
then sent up the river in the steamboat belonging to
the expedition, to the great camp some thirty miles
higher.

The expedition consisted only of some seven or eight
English officers. Captain Glover of the royal navy
was in command, with Mr. Goldsworthy and Captain
Sartorius as his assistants. There were four other
officers, two doctors, and an officer of commissariat.
This little body had the whole work of drilling and
keeping in order some eight or ten thousand men.
They were generals, colonels, sergeants, quart-er-
masters, store-keepers, and diplomatists, all at once,
and from daybreak until late at night were incessantly
at work. There were at least a '^ozen petty kings in
camp, all of whom had to be kept in a good temper, and
this was by no means the smallest of Captain Glover's

302

AKMINU THE ALLIES.

difficulties, as upon the slightest ground for dis-
content each of these was ready at once to march away
with his followers. The most reliable portion of Cap-
tain Glover's force were some 250 Uoussas, and as many
Yorabaa In addition to all their work with the native
allies, the officers of the expedition had succeeded in
drilling both these bodies until they had obtained a
very fair amount of discipline.

After strolling through the camp the visitors went
to look on at the distribution of arms and accoutre-
ments to a hundred freshly arrived natives. They
were served out with blue smocks, made of serge, and
blue ni^ht-caps, which had the result of transforming
a fine-looking body of natives, upright in carriage, and
graceful in their .toga-like attire, into a set of awk-
;vard-looking, clumsy negroes. A haversack, water-
bottle, belts, cap-pouch, and ammunition pouch, were
also handed to each to their utter bewilderment,
and it w&s easy to foresee that at the end of tiie first
day's march the whole of these, to them utterly useless
articles, would be thrown aside. They brightened up,
however, when the guns were delivered to them. The
first impulse of each was to examine his piece care-
fully, to try its balance by taking aim at distant objects,
then to carefully rub off any little spot of rust that
could be detected, lastly to take out the ramrod and
let it fall into the barrel, to judge by the ring whether
it was clean inside.

Thence the visitors strolled away to watch a number
of Houssas in hot pursuit of some bullocks, which were
to be put on board the steamers and taken up the
river to the great camp. These had broken loose in

TROUBLESOME PASSENGERS.

303

care-

)jects,
that
and

ether

mber
were
the
bse in

the night, and the chase was an exciting one. Although
some fifty or sixty men were engaged in the hunt it took
no less than four hours to capture the requisite number,
and seven Houssas were more or \ef)S injured by the
charges of the desperate little animals, which possessed
wonderful strength and endurance, although no larger
than moderate-sized donkeys. They were only captured
at last by hoops being thrown over their horns, and
even when thrown down required the efforts of five or
six men to tie them. They were finally got to the
wharf by two men each: one went ahead with the
rope attached to the animal's horns, the other kept
behind, holding a rope fastened to one of the hind legs.
Every bull made the most determined efforts to get at
the man in front, who kept on at a run, the animal
being checked when it got too close by the man behind
pulling at its hind leg. When it turned to attack
liirn the man in front again pulled at his rope. So most
of them were brought down to the landing-place, and
there with great difficulty, again thrown down, tied,
and carried bodily on board. Some of them were so
unmanageable that they had to be carried all the way
down to the landing-place. If English cattle possessed
the strength and obstinate fury of these little animals,
Copenhagen Fields would have to be removed farther
from London, or the entrance swept by machine guns,
for a charge of the cattle would clear the streets of
London.

After spending an amusing day on shore, the party
returned on board ship. Captain Glover's expedition,
although composed of only seven or eight English
officers and costing the country comparatively nothing,

S04

A BAND OF HEROES.

accomplished great things, but its doings were almost
ignored by England. Crossing the river they com-
pletely defeated the native tribes there, who were in
alliance with the Ashantis, after some hard fighting,
and thus prevented an invasion of our territory on
that side. In addition to this they pushed forward
into the interior and absolutely arrived at Coomassie
two days after Sir Garnet Wolseloy. It is true that the
attention of the Ashantis was so much occupied by
the advance of the white force that they paid but
little attention to that advancing from the Volta; but
li.me the less is the credit due to the indomitable per-
severance and the immensity of the work accomplished
by Cai^tain Glover and his officers. Alone and single-
handed, they overcame all the enormows difficulties
raised by the apathy, indolence, and self-importance of
the numerous petty chiefs whose followers constituted
the army, infused something of their own spirit among
their followers, and persuaded them to march without
white allies against the hithe. ^ invincible army of the
Ashantis. Not a tithe of the credit due to them has
been given to the officers of this little force.

Captain Glover invited his visitors to pass the night
on shore offering to place a tent at their disposal; but
the mosquitoes are so numerous and troublesome along
the swampy shore of the Volta that the invitations
were declined, and the whole party returned on board
the Decoy. Next day the anchor was hove and the
ship's head turned to the west; and two days later,
after a pleasant and une »entf ul voyage, she was again
off Cape Coast, and Frank, taking leave of his kind
entertainers, returned on shore and reported himself as

A HUNT FOR SKULKERS.

305

most

com-

re in

iting,

■y on

•ward

nassie

it the

3d by

d but

i; but

ie per-

ilished

single-

iculties

ance of

itituted

among
ithout
of the
m has

e night

al; but

\e along

Itationa

board
Lnd the
|s later,
LS again
lis kind

nself as

ready to perform any duty that might be assigned to
him.

Until the force advanced, he had nothing to do, and
npent a good deal of his time watching the carriers
starting with provisions for the Prah, and the doings
of the negroes.

The order had now been passed by the chiefs at a
meeting called by Sir Garnet, that every able-bodied
man should work as a caiTier, and while parties of
men were sent to the villages round to fetch in people
thence, hunts took place in Cape Coast itself. Every
negro found in the streets was seized by the police;
protestation, indignation, and resistance, were equally
in vain. An arm or the loin cloth was firmly griped,
and the victim was run into the castle yard, amid the
laughter of the lookers-on, who consisted, after the
first quarter of an hour, of women only. Then the
search began in the houses, the chiefs indicating the
localities in which men were likely to be found. Some
police were set to watch outside while others went
in to search. The women would at once deny that
anyone was there, but a door was pretty sure to be
found locked, and upon this being broken open the
fugitive would be found hiding under a pile of clothes
or mats. Sometimes he would leap through the win-
dows, sometimes take to the flat roof, and as the houses
joined together in the most confused way the roofs
offered immense facilities for escape, and most lively
chases took place.

No excuses or pretences availed. A man seen limp-
ing painfully along the street would, after a brief ex-
amination of his leg to see if there was any external

(800) u

306

LOADING UP PROVISIONS.

mark which would account for the lameness, be sent
at a round trot down the road, amid peals of laughter
from the women and girls looking on.

The indignation of some of the men thus seized,
loaded, and sent up country under a strong escort was
very funny, and their astonishment in some cases
altogether unfeigned. Small shopkeepers who had
never supposed that they would be called upon to
labour for the defence of their freedom and country,
found themselves with a barrel of pork upon their
heads and a policeman with a loaded musket by their
side proceeding up country for an indefinite period.
A school teacher was missing, and was found to have
gone up with a case of ammunition. Casual visitors
from down the coast had their stay prolonged. Lazy
Sierra, Leone men, discharged by their masters for in-
curable idleness, and living doing nothing, earning
nothing, kept by the kindness of friends and the aid
of an occasional petty theft, found themselves, in spite
of the European cut of their clothes, groaning under
the weight of cases of preserved provisions.

Everywhere the town was busy and animated, but
it was in the castle court-yard Frank found most
amusement. Here of a morning a thousand negroes
would be gathered, most of them men sent down
from Dunquah, forming part of our native allied
army. Their costumes were various but scant, their
colours all shades of brown up to the deepest black.
Their faces were all in a grin of amusement. The
noise of talking and laughing was immense. All
were squatted upon the ground, in front of each was
a large keg labelled "pork." Among them moved two

FEMALE CARRIERS.

307

) sent

ighter

ieized,

rt was

cases

had
3on to
funtry,

1 their
Y their
period,
o have
^'isitors

Lazy
for in-
jarning
the aid
spite
under

^ed, but
most

legroes
down
allied

[t, their
black.

. The
All

Lch was

kd two

or three commissariat officers in gray uniforms. At
the order, " NTiw then, off with you," the negroes would
rise, take off their cloths, wrap them into pads, lift the
barrels on to their heads, and go off at a brisk pace;
the officer perhaps smartening up the last to leave with
a cut with his stick, which would call forth a scream
of laughter from all the others.

When all the men had gone, the turn of the women
came, and of these two or three hundred, who had
been seated chattering and laughing against the walls,
would now come forward and stoop to pick up the
bags of biscuit laid out for them. Their appearance
was most comical when they stooped to their work,
their prodigious bustles forming an apex. At least
two out of every three had babies seated on these
bustles, kept firm against their backs by the cloth
tightly wrapped round the mother's body But from
the attitudes of the mothers the position was now
reversed, the little black heads hanging downwards
upon the dark brown backs of the women. These
were always in the highest state of good temper, often
indulging when not at work in a general dance, and
continually singing, and clapping their hands.

After the women had been got off three or four hun-
dred boys and girls, of from eleven to fourteen years
old, would start with small kegs of rice or meat weighing
from twenty-five to thirty-five pounds. These small
kegs had upon their first arrival been a cause of great
bewilderment and annoyance to the commissariat offi-
cers, for no man or woman, unless by profession a
juggler, could balance two long narrow barrels on the
head. At last the happy idea struck an officei of the

1 1

308

THE ASHANTIS RECROSS THE PRAH.

department that the children of the place might be
utilized for the purpose. No sooner was it known that
boys and girls could get half men's wages for carrying
up light loads, than there was a perfect rush of the
juvenile population. Three hundred applied the first
morning, four hundred the next The glee of the
youngsters was quite exuberant. All were accustomed
to carry weights, such as great jars of water and
baskets of yams, far heavier than those they were
now called to take up the country; and the novel
pleasure of earning money and of enjoyirg an expedi-
tion up the country delighted them immensely.

Bullocks were now arriving from other parts of the
coasl, and although these would not live for any time
at Cape Coa.st, it was thought they would do so long
enough to afford the expedition a certain quantity of
Iresh meat; Australian meat, and salt pork, though
valuable in their way, being poor food to men whose
appetites are enfeebled by heat and exhaustion.

It was not till upwards of six weeks after the fight
at Abra Crampa that the last of the Ashanti army
crossed the Prah. When arriving within a short dis-
tance of that river they had been met by seven thousand
fresh troops, who had been sent by the king with orders
that they were not to return until they had driven the
English into the sea. Ammon Quatia's army, however,
although still, from the many reinforcements it had
received, nearly twenty thousand strong, positively
refused to do any more, fighting until they had been
home and rested, and their tales, of the prowess of the
white- troops so checked the enthusiasm of the new-
comers, that these decided to return with the rest.

ht be
n that
rrying
of the
16 first
3f the
itemed
jr and
■f were
I novel
jxpedi-

of the
ly time
so long
atity of
though
I whose

16 fight
ii army
lort dis-
lousand
orders
en the
>wever,
it had
dtively
id been
of the
le new-

!St.

CHAPTER XXL

THE ADVANCE TO THE PRAH.

LARGE body of natives were now kept at

work on the road up to the Prah. The

swamps were made passable by bundles of

brushwood thrown into them, the streams

were bridged and huts erected for the

reception of the white troops. These huts

were constructed of bamboo, the beds being made of

lattice- work of the same material, and were light and

cooL

On the 9th of December the Himalaya and Tama'^
arrived, having on board the 23d Regiment, a battal-
ion of the Rifle Brigade, a battery of artillery, and a
company of engineers. On 18th, the Sarmatian
arrived with the 42d. All these ships were sent otf
for a cruise, with orders to return on the 1st of Jan-
uary, when the troops were to be landed. A large
number of officers arrived a few days later to assist
in the organization of the transport corps. Colonel
Wood and Major Russell were by this time on the Prah
with their native regiments. These were formed
principally of Houssas, Cossoos, and men of other
fighting Mahomedan tribes who had been brought

310

THE ROAO UP.

down the coast, together with companies frpm Bonny
and some of the best of the Fantis. The rest of the
Fanti forces had been disbanded, as being utterly useless
for fighting purposes, and had been turned into carriers.

On the 2Cth of December Frank started with the
General's staff for the front. The journey to the Prah
was a pleasant one. The stations had been arranged at
easy marches from each other. At each of these, six
huts for the troops, each capable of holding seventy
men, had been built, together with some smaller huts
for officers. Great filters formed of iron tanks with
sand and charcoal at the bottom, the invention of
Captain Crease, R.M.A., stood before the huts, with tubs
at which the native bearers could quench their thirst.
Along by the side of the road a single telegraph wire
was supported on bamboos fifteen feet long.

Passing through Assaiboo they entered the thick
bush. The giant cotton-trees had now shed their light
feathery foliage resembling that of an acacia, and the
straigiit, round, even trunks looked like the skeletons
of some giant or primeval vegetation rising above the
sea of foliage below. White lilies, pink flowers of a
bulbous plant, clusters of yellow acacia blossoms, occa-
sionally brightened the roadside, and some of the old
villafje clearinors were covered with a low bush bearins:
a yellow blossom, and convolvuli white, buff, and pink.
The second night the party slept at Accroful, and the
next day marched through Dunquah. This was a
great store station, but the white troops were not to
halt there. It had been a large town, but the Ashantis
had entirely destroyed it, as well as every other village
between the Prah and the coast. Every fruit tree in

lonny
i the
seless
rriers.
h the
Prah
red at
3C, six
iventy
r huts
3 with
ion of
ih tubs
thirst,
b wire

i thick
r light
nd the
eletons
►ve the
[•s of a
5, occa-

,he old
Rearing
pink.

id the
I was a
Inot to

thantis
Ivillage

tree in

A TROPICAL FOREST.

811

the clearing had also been destroyed, and at Dunquah
they had even cut down a great cotton-tree which was
looked upon as a fetish by the Fantis. It had taken
them seven days' incessant work to overthrow this giant
of the forest.

The i/)xt halting-place was Yancoomassie. When
approaching Mansue the character of the forest changed.
The undergrowth disappeared and the high trees grew
thick and close. The plantain, which furnishes an
abundant supply of fruit to the natives and had sus-
tained the Ashanti army during its stay south of the
Prah, before abundant, extended no further. Mansue
stood, like other native villages, on rising ground, but
the eavy rains which still fell every day and the
deep swamps around rendered it a most unhealthy
station.

Beyond Mansue the forest was thick and gloomy.
There was little undergrowth, but a perf'?ct wilderness
of climbers clustered round the trees, twisting in a
thousand fantastic windings, and finally running down
to the ground, where they took fresh root and formed
props to the dead trees their embrace had killed. Not
a flower was to be seen, but ferns grew by the roadside
in luxuriance. Butterflies were scarce, but dragon-flies
darted along like sparks of fire. The road had the
advantage of being shady and cool, but the heavy rain
and traffic had made it everywhere slippery, and in
many places inches deep in mud, while all the efforts
of the engineers and working parties had failed to
overcome the swamps.

It was a relief to the party when they emerged
from the forests into the little clearings where villages

312

ARRIVAL AT THE PRAH.

had once stood, fcr the gloom and quiet of the great
forest wefghed upon the spirits. The monotonous
tK)o-too of the doves — not a slow dreamy cooing like
that of the English variety, but a sharp quick note
repeated in endless succession — alone broke the hush.
The silence, the apparently never-ending forest, the
monotony of rank vegetation, the absence of a breath
of wind to rustle a leaf, were most oppressive, and the
feeling was not lessened by the dampness and heavi-
ness of the air, and the malarious exhalation and smell
of decaying vegetation arising from the swamps.

Sootah was the station beyond Mansue, beyond this
Assin and Barracoo. Beyond Sootah the odours of
the forest became more unpleasant than before, for at
Fazoo they passed the scene of a conflict between
Colonel Wood's regiment and the retiring Ashantis.
In the forest beyond this \vere the remains of a great
camp of the enemy's, which extended for miles, and
hence to the Prah large numbers of Ashantis had
dropped by the way or had crawled into the forest to
die, smitten by disease or rifle-balls.

There was a general feeling of pleasure as the party
emerged from the forest into the large open camp at
Prahsue. This clearing was twenty acres in extent,
and occupied an isthmus formed by a loop of the river.
The 2d West Indians were encamped here, and huts
had been erected under the shade of some lofty trees
for the naval brigade. In the centre was a great square.
On one side were the range of huts for the general and
his staff. Two sides of the square were formed by the
huts for the white troops. On the fourth was the hos-
pital, the huts for the brigadier and his staflT, and the

THE WORK OF THE ROYAL ENGINEERS.

313

trees

Iquare.

tl and

)y the

|e hos-

id the

post-office. Upon the river bank beyond the square
were the tents of the engineers and Halt's battery of
artillery, and the camps of Wood's and Russell's regi-
ments. The river, some seventy yards wide, ran round
three sides of the camp thirty feet below its level

The work which the engineers had accomplished was
little less than marvellous. Eighty miles of road had
been cut and cleared, every stream, however insigni-
iicant, had been bridged, and attempts made to corduroy
every swamp. This would have been no great feat
through a soft wood forest with the aid of good work-
men. Here, however, the trees were for the most part
of extremely hard wood, teak and mahogany forming
the majority. The natives had no idea of using an
axe. Their only notion of felling a tree was to squat
down beside it and give it little hacking chops witb a
large knife or a sabre.

With such means and such men as these the mere
work, of cutting and making the roads and bridging
the streams was enormous. But not only was this
done but the stations were all stockaded, and huts
erected for the reception of four hundred and fifty
men and officers, and immense quantities of stores, at
each post. Major Home, commanding the engineers,
wa«* the life and soul of the work, and to him more
than any other man was the expedition indebted for
its success. He was nobly seconded by Buckle, Bell,
Mann, Cotton, Skinner, Bates and Jeykyll, officers of
his own corps, and by Hearle of the marines, and Hare
of the 22d, attached to them. Long before day-
light his men were off to their work, long after night-
fall they returned utterly exhausted to camp.

MAKING A BKIDOE.

Upon the 1st of January, 1874, Sir Garnet Wolseloy,
with his staff, among whom Frank was now reckoned,
reached the Prah. During the eight days which
elapsed before the white troops came up Frank found
much to amuse him. The engineers were at work,
aided by the sailors of the naval brigade, which
arrived two days after the general, in erecting a bridg
across the Prah. The sailors worked, stripped to the
waist, in the muddy water of the river, which was
about seven feet deep in the middle. When tired of
watching these he would wander into the camp of the
native regiments, and chat with the men, whose
astonishment at finding a young Englishman able to
converse in their language, for the Fanti and Ashanti
dialects differ but little, was unbounded. Sometimes
he would be sent for to headquarters to translate to
Captain Buller, the head of the intelligence department,
the statements of prisoners brought in by the scouts,
who, under Lord Gifford, had penetrated many miles
beyond the Prah.

Everywhere these found dead bodies by the side of
the road, showing the state to which the Ashanti army
was reduced in its retreat. The prisoners brought in
were unanimous in saying that great uneasiness had
been produced at Coomassie by the news of the advance
of the British to the Prah. The king had written to
Ammon Quatia, severely blaming him for his conduct
of the campaign, and for the great loss of life among
his army.

All sorts of portents were happening at Coomassie, to
the great disturbance of the mind of the people.
Some of those related singularly resembled those said

)lseley,
ikonecl,
which
found
work,
which
bridg'
to the
ch was
ired of
I of the
whose
able to
^shanti
letimes
slate to
I'tment,
scouts,
r miles

side of
i army
ight in
>ss had
dvance
ten to
onduct

among

ssie, to
Deople.
36 said

AN ADVENTURE WITH AN ALLIGATUIU

315

to have occurred before the capture of Rome by the
Goths. An aerolite had fallen in the market-place of
Coomassie, and, still more strange, a child was bom
which was at once able to converse fluently. This
youthful prodigy was placed in a room by itself, with
guards around it to p^ nt anyone having converse
with the supernatural . isitant. In the morning, how-
ever, it was gone, and in its place was found a bundle
of dead leaves. The fetish men having been consulted
declared that this signified that Coomassie itself would
disappear, and would be become nothing but a bundle
of dead leaves. This had greatly exercised the credulous
there.

Two days after his arrival Frank went down at
sunset to bathe in the river. He had just reached the
bank when he heard a cry among some white soldiers
bathing there, and was just in time to see one of them
pulled under water by an alligator, which had seized
him by the leg. Frank had so often heard what was
the best thing to do that he at once threw off his Nor-
folk jacket, plunged into the stream, and swam to the
spot where the eddy on the surface showed that a
struggle was going on beneath. The water was too
muddy to see far through it, but Frank speedily came
upon the alligator, and finding its eyes, shoved his
thumbs into them. In an instant the creature relaxed
his hold of his prey and made off, and Frank, seizing
the wounded man, swam with him to shore amid the
loud cheers of the sailors. The soldier, who proved to
be a marine, was insensible, and his leg was nearly
severed above the ankle. He soon recovered con-
sciousness, and, being carried to the camp, his leg was

3ie

AN AMBASSADOR.

amputated below the knee, and he was soon after*
wards taken down to the coast.

It had been known that there were alligators in the
river, a young one about a yard long having been cap-
tured and tied up like a dog in the camp, with a string
round its neck. But it was thought that the noise of
building the bridge, and the movement on the banks,
would have driven them away. After this incident
bathing was for the most part abandoned. The affair
made Frank a great favourite in the naval brigade, and
of a night he would, after dinner, geneially repair
there, and sit by the great bonfires, which the tars kept
up, {^ld listen to the jovial choruses which they raised
around them.

Two days after the arrival of Sir Garnet, an ambas-
sador came down from the king with a letter, inquiring
indignantly why the English had attacked the Ashanti
troops, and why they had advanced to the Prah. An
opportunity was taken to impress him with the nature
of the English arms. A Gatling gun was placed on the
river bank, and its fire directed upon the surface, and
the fountain of water which rose as the steady stream
of bullets struck its surface astonished, and evidently
filled with awe, the Ashanti ambassador. On the fol-
lowing day this emissary took his departure for Coo-
massie with a letter to the king.

On the 12th the messengers returned with an
unsatisfactory answer to Sir Garnet's letter; they
brought with them Mr. Kuhne, one of the German
missionaries. He said that it was reported in Coo-
massie that twenty thousand out of the forty thousand
Ashantis who had crossed the Prah had died. It is prob-

NEWS FllOM COOMASSIB.

Sir

ith an
they

German
Coo-

)usand
prob-

able that this waA exag^^erated, but Mr. Kuhne had
counted two hundred and seventy-six men carrying
boxes containing the bones of chiefs and leading men.
As these would have fared better than the common
herd they would have suffered less from famine and
dysentery. The army had for the most part broken up
into small parties and gone to their villages. The
wrath of the king was great, and all the chiefs who
accompanied the army had been fined and otherwise
punished. Mr. Kuhne said that when Sir Garnet's
letter arrived, the question of peace or war had been
hotly contested at a council. The chiefs who had been
in the late expedition were unanimous in deprecating
any further attempt to contend with the white man.
Those who had remained at home, and who knew
nothing of the white man's arms, or white man's valour,
wfere for war rather than surrender.

Mr. Kuhne was unable to form any opinion what
the final determination would be. The German mis-
sionary had no doubt been restored as a sort of peace-
ofTering. He was in a bad state of health, and as his
brother and his brother's wife were among the captives,
the Ashanti monarch calculated that anxiety for the
fate of his relatives would induce him to argue as
strongly as possible in favour of peace.

Frank left the camp on the Prah some days before
the arrival of the white troops, having moved forward
with the scouts under Lord Gifford, to whom his
knowledge of the country and language proved veiy
valuable. The scouts did their work well. The Ash-
antis were in considerable numbers, but fell back
gradually without fighting. Russell's regiment were

; I
11 i

(i ;
ii i

318

TEUIUBLL PORTENTO.

in support, and they pressed forward until they neared
the foot of tlie Adansee Hills. On the IGth Raits
artillery and Wood's regiment were to advance with
two hundred men of the 2d West Indians. The
Naval Brigade, the Rifle Brigade, the 42d, and a hun-
dred men of the 23d would be up on the Prah on the
17th.

News came down that fresh portents had happened
at Coomassie. The word signifies the town under the
tree, the town being so called because its founder sat
under a broad tree, surrounded by his warriors, while he
laid out the plan of the future town. The market-place
was situated round the tree, which became the great
fetisn tree of the town, under which human sacrifices
were offered. On the 6th, the day upon which Sir
Garnet sent his ultimatum to the king, a bird of ill
omen was seen to perch upon it, and half an hotir
afterwards a tornado sprang up and the fetish tree was
levelled to the ground. This caused an immense sen-
sation in Coomassie, which was heightened when Sir
Garnet's letter arrived, and proved to be dated upon
the day upon which the fetish tree had fallen.

The Adansee Hills are very steep and covered with
trees, but without undergrowth. It had been supposed
that the Ashantis would make their first stand here.
Lord GifTord led the way up with the scouts, Russell's
regiment following behind. Frank accompanied Major
Russell. When Gifford neared the crest a priest came
forward with five or six supporters and shouted to him
to go back, for that five thousand men were waiting
there to destroy them. Gifford paused for a moment
to allow Russell with his regiment tb come within sup-

THE ADANSEB HILLS.

319

sared
plait's

with

The

hun-
in the

penrd
er the
>er sat
lile he
rplace

great
•rifices
ch Sir

of ill
I hour
ee was
je sen-
en Sir
upon

with
)poaed

here,
issell's
Major

came
him
raiting
[oment
In sup-

porting distance, and tlien made a rush with his scouts
for the crest. It was found deserted, the priest and
his followera having fled hastily, when they found that
neither curses nor the imaginary force availed to pre-
vent the British from advancing.

The Adansee Hills are about six hundred feet
high. Between them and tlie Prah the country was
once thick with towns and villages inhabited by the
Assins. These people, however, were so harassed by
the Ashantis that they were forced to abandon their
country and settle in the British protectorate south of
the Prah.

Had the Adansee Hills been held by European troops
the position would have been extremely strong A
hill if clear of trees is of immense advantage to men
armed with rifles and supported by artillery, but to
men armed only with guns carrying slugs a distance
of fifty yards, the advantage is not marked, especially
when, as is the case with the Ashantis, they always
fire high. The crest of the hill was very narrow, in-
deed a mere saddle, with some eight or ten yards only
of level ground between the steep descents on either
side. From this point the scouts perceived the first
town in the territory of the King of Adansee, one of the
five great kings of Ashanti. The scouts and Russell's
regiment halted on the top of the hill, and the next
morning the scouts went out skirmishing towards
Queesa. The war drum could be heard beating in the
town, but no opposition was offered. It was not, how-
ever, considered prudent to push beyond the foot of the
hill until more troops came up. The scouts therefore
contented themselves with keeping guard, while for

320

A chief's palace.

:iU

i (i

the next four days Russell's men and the engineer
laboured incessantly, as they had done all the way
from the Prah, in making the road over the hill prac-
ticable.

During this time the scouts often pushed up close to
Queesa, and reported that the soldiers and population
were fast deserting the town. On the fifth day it was
found to be totally deserted, and Major Russell moved
the headquarters of his regiment down into it. The
white officers were much surprised with the structure
of the huts of this place, which was exactly similar to
that of those of Coomassie, with their red clay, their
alcoved bed places, and their little courts one behind
the other. Major Russell established himself in the
chief's palace, which was exactly like the other houses
except that the alcoves were very lofty, and their
roofs supported by pillai-s. These, with their red
paint, their arabesque adornments, and their quaint
character, gave the the court-yard the precise appearance
of an Egyptian temple.

The question whether the Ashantis would or would
not fight was still eagerly debated. Upon the one
hand it was urged that if the Ashantis had meant to
attack us they would have disputed every foot of the
passage through the woods after we had once crossed
the Prah. Had they done so it may be confidently
affirmed that we could never have got to Coomassie.
Their policy should have been to avoid any pitched
battle, but to throng the woods on either side, continu-
ally harassing the troops on their march, preventing
the laen working on the roads, and rendering it im-
possible for the carriers to go along unless protected on

NEGRO FETISHES.

321

srineer

3 way

prac-

lose to
ilation
it was
moved
;. The
ructure
ailar to
y, their
behind
' in the
r houses
id their
p.eir red
quaint
)earance

»r would
Ithe one
leant to
It of the
crossed
itidently
lomassie.
pitched
•ontinu-
jventing
it iin-
jcted on

either side by lines of troops. Even when unopposed
it was difficult enough to keep the carriers, who were
constantly deserting, but had they been exposed to
continuous attacks there would have been no possibility
of keeping them together.

It was then a strong argument in favour of peace
that we had been permitted to advance thirty miles
into their country without a shot being fired. Upon
the other hand no messengers had been sent down to
meet us, no ambassadors had brought messages from
the king. This silence was ominous; nor were other
signs wanting. At one place a fetish, consisting of a
wooden gun and several wooden daggers all pointing
towards us, was placed in the middle of the road.
Several kids had been found buried in calabashes in
the path pierced through and through with stakes;
while a short distance outside Queesa the dead body
of a slave killed and mutilated but a few hours before
we entered it was hangins: from a tree. Other fetishes
of a more common sort were to be met at every step,
lines of worsted and cotton stretched across the road,
rags hung upon bushes, and other negro trumperies of
the same kind.

Five da^s later the Naval Brigade, with Wood's regi-
ment and Rait's battery, marched into Queesa, and
the same afternoon the whole marched forward to
Fomana, the capital of Adansee, situated half a mile
only from Queesa. This was a large town capable of
containing some seven or eight thousand inhabitants.
The architecture was similar to that of Queesa, but the
king's palace was a large structure covering a consider-
able extent of ground. Here were the apartments of

(200) X.

\-:n

4 i-

322

AN ASHANTI CITY.

the king himself, of his wives, the fetish room, and the
room for execution, still smelling horribly of the blood
with which the floor and walls were sprinkled. The
first and largest court of the palace had really an im-
posing effect. It was some thirty feet square with an
apartment or alcove on each side. The roofs of these
alcoves were supported by columns about twenty-five
feet high. As in all the buildings the lower parts were
of red clay, the upper of white, all being covered with
deep arabesque patterns.

Fomana was one of the most pleasant stations which
the troops had reached since leaving the coast. It lay
hig\i above the sea, and the temperature was consider-
ably lower than that of the stations south of the hills.
A nice breeze sprang up each day about noon. The
nights were comparatively free from fog, and the town
itself stood upon rising ground resembling in form an
inverted saucer. The streets were very wide, with
large trees at intervals every twenty or thirty yards
along the luiddle of the road.

;iSI

nil

and the
le blood
1 The
' an im-
with an
jf these
nty-five
rts were
:ed with

IS which
. It lay
jonsider-
the hills.
)n. The
the town
form an
de, with
iy yards

CHAPTER XXIL

THE BATTLE OF AMOAFUL.

WO days after the arrival at Fomana the
remaining members of the German mission,
two males, a female, and two children, were
sent in by the king with a letter containing
many assurances of his desire for peace, but
making no mention of the stipulations which
Sir Garnet Wolseley had laid down. The advance was
therefore to continue. The rest of the troops came up,
and on the 25th Russell's regiment advanced to Dom-
piassee, Wood's regiment and Rait's battery joining
him the next day. That afternoon the first blood
north of the Prah was shed. It being known that a
body of the enemy were collecting at a village a little
off the road the force moved against them. Lord
Gifford led the way, as usual, with his scouts. The
enemy opened fire as soon as the scouts appeared; but
these, with the Houssa company of Russell's regiment,
rushed impetuously into the village, and the Ashantis
at once bolted. Two of them were killed and five
taken prisoners.

The next halting-places of the advance troops were
Kiang Bossu and Ditchiassie. It was known now that

324

PREPARATIONS FOR A GREAT BATTLE.

Ili

II!

Ammon Quatia was lying with the Asha^ti anay at
Amoaful, but five miles away, and ambassadors arrived
from the king finally declining to accept the terms of
peace. Russell's and Wood's regiments marched for-
ward to Quarman, within half a mile of the enemy's
outposts. The white troops came on to Insafoo, three
miles behind. Quarman was stockaded to resist an
attack. Gordon with the Houssa company lay a
quarter of a mile in advance of the village, Gifford
with his scouts close to the edge of the wood. Major
Home with the engineers cut a wide path for the
advance of the troops to within a hundred yards of
the ^ village which the enemy held.

Everyone knew that the great battle of the war
would be fought next morning. About half-past seven
on the morning of the 31st of January the 42d Regi-
ment entered the village of Quarman, and marched
through without a halt. Then came Rait's artillery,
followed by the company of the 23d and by the Naval
Brigade. The plan of operations was as follows. The
42d Regiment would form the main attacking force.
They were to drive the enemy's scouts out of Agamassie,
the village in front, and were then to move straight
on, extending to the right and left, and, if possible,
advance in a skirmishing line through the bush.
Rait's two little guns were to be in their centre moving
upon the road itself. The right column, consisting of
half the Naval Brigade, with Wood's regiment, now
reduced, by leaving garrisons at various posts along
the road, to three companies, was to cut a path out to
the right and then to turn parallel with the main road,
80 that the head of the column should touch the right

my at
.rrived
rms of
id for-
aemys
I, three
sist an

lay a
Gifford

Major
*or the
irds ot*

he war
;t seven
1 Begi-
parched
rtillery,
Naval
The
force,
tmassie,
(traight
(ossible,
bush,
moving
iting of
it, now
along
out to
n road,
e right

THK nRST SHOTS.

325

of the skirmishing line of the 42d. The' left column,
consisting of the other half of the Naval Brigade with
the four companies of Bussell's regiment, was to pro-
ceed in similar fashion on the left. These columns
would therefore form two sides of a hollow square*
protecting the 42d from any of those flanking move-
ments of which the Ashantis are so fond. The com <
pany of the 23d was to proceed with the headquarter-
statf. The Bitie Brigade were held in reserve.

Early in the morning Major Home cut the road to
within thirty yards of the village of Agamassie, and
ascertained by listening to the voices that there were
not more than a score or so of men in the village.
Gifford had made a circuit in the woods, and had
ascertained that the Ashanti army was encamped on
rising ground across a stream behind the village.

Frank had been requested by Sir Garnet Wolseley
to accompany the 42d, as his knowledge of Ashanti
tactics might be of value, and he might be able by the
shouts of the Ashantis to understand the orders issued
to them. The head of the 42d Begiment experienced
no opposition whatever until they issued from the bush
into the little clearing surrounding the village, which
consisted only of four or five houses. The Ashantis
discharged their muskets hastily as the first white
men showed themselves, but the fire of the leading files
of the column quickly cleared them away. The 42d
pushed on through the village, and then forming in
skirmishing line, advanced. For the first two or three
hundred yards they encountered no serious opposition*
and they were then received by a tremendous fire from
an unseen foe in their front The left column had not

326

A TREMENDOUS FIRE.

gone a hundred yards before they too came under fire.
Captain Buckle of the Engineers, who was with the
Engineer labourers occupied in cutting the path ahead
of the advancing column, was shot through the heart.
A similar opposition was experienced by the right.

The roar of the fire was tremendous, so heavy indeed
that all sound of individual reports was lost, and the
noise was one hoarse hissinor roar. Even the crack of
Rait's guns was lost in the general uproar, but the
occasional rush of a rocket, of which two troughs with
parties of Rait's men accompanied each wing, was
distinctly audible.

The 42d could for a time make scarcely any way,
and t|he flanking columns were also brought to a stand.
Owing to the extreme thickness of the wood and their
ignorance of the nature of the ground these columns
were unable to keep in their proper position, and
diverged considerably. The Ashantis, however, made
no effort to penetrate between them and the 42d. For
an hour this state of things continued. The company
of the 23d advanced along the main road to help to
clear the bush, where the Ashantis still fought
stubbornly not two hundred yards from the village,
while two companies of the Rifle Brigade were sent up
the left-hand road to keep touch with the rear of
Russell's regiment.

When the fight commenced in earnest, and the 42d
were brought to a stand by the enemy, Frank lay
down with the soldiers. Not a foe could be seen, but
the fire of the enemy broke out incessantly from the
bushes some twenty yards ahead. The air above
was literally alive with slugs, and a perfect shower of

TUKOUGU TlIK SWAMP.

327

leaves continued to fall upon the path. So bewilder-
ingly dense was the bush that the men soon lost all
idea of the points of the compass, and fired in any
direction from which the enemy's shots came. Thus
it happened that the sailors sent in complaints to the
general that the 23d and 12d were firing at them, while
the 42d and 23d made the same complaint against the
Naval Bngade. Sir Garnet, who had taken up his
headquarters at the village, sent out repeated instruc-
tions to the commanding officers to warn their men to
avoid this error.

For two hovLva the fight went on. Then the column
to the left found that the Ashantis in front of them
h^d fallen back; they had, however, altogether lost
touch of the 42d. They were accordingly crdv^red to
cut a road to the north-east until they came in contact
with them. In doing so they came upon a partial
clearing, where a sharp opposition was experienced.
The Houssas carried the open ground at a rush, but the
enemy, as usual, opened a heavy fire from the edge of
the bush. The Houssas were recalled, and fire was
opened with the rockets, which soon drove the Ashantis
back, and the cutting of the path was proceeded witli.

In the meantime the 42d were having a hard time
of it. They had fought their way to the edge of the
swamp, beyond which lay an immense Ashanti camp,
and here the fire was so tremendously heavy that the
advance was again completely arrested. Not an
enemy was to be seen, but from every bush of the
opposite side puffs of smoke came thick and fast, and
a perfect rain of slugs swept over the ground on which
they were lying. Here Halt's gun, for he was only

.''

328

A DESPERATE STRUGGLE IN THE WOODS.

able from the narrowness of the path to bring one into
position, did splendid service. Advancing boldly in
front of the line of the 42d, ably assisted by Lieutenant
Saunders, he poured round after round of grape into
the enemy until their fire slackened a little, and the
42d, leaping to their feet, struggled across the swamp,
which was over knee-deep. Step by step they won
their way through the camp and up the hill. Every-
where the dead Ashantis lay in heaps, attesting the
terrible effect of the Snider fire, and the determination
with which they had fought.

Beyond the camp, upon the hill, the bush was
thicker than ever, and here, where it was impossible
for the white soldiers to skirmish through the bush,
the Ashantis made a last desperate stand. The narrow
lane up which alone the troops could pass was torn as
if by hail with the shower of slugs, while a large tree
which stood i. arly in the centre of the path and caused
it slightly to swerve, afforded some shelter to them
from the storm of bullets which the 42d sent back
in return. Here Rait brought his gun up again to
the front and cleared the lane. The bush was too
thick even for the Ashantis. The gun stopped firing
and with a rush the regiment w^ent up the narrow path
and out into the open clearing beyond. For a short time
the Ashantis kept up a fire from the houses, but the 42d
soon drove them out, and a single shot from the gun
down the wide street which divided the town into two
portions, bursting in the midst of a group at the further
end, killed eight and drove all further idea of resistance
in that direction from their minds.

It was now about twelve o'clock ; but although the

A RENEWED ATTACK BY THE ENEMY.

329

ler
ce

Ashantis had lost their camp and village, and had
suffered terribly, they were not yet finally beaten.
They had moved the principal part of the force which
had been engaged upon our left round to the right,
were pressing hard upon the column there and the 2^d,
and were cutting in between the latter and the 42d,
when a fortunate accident enabled U3 to meet this
attack most effectively. The left column had cut its
path rather too much to the east, and came intc the
road between the 42d and 23d, forming a connecting
link between them; while the right column, having at
last cut away the whole of the brushwood in which
the Ashantis had so Ions: wedo;ed themselves between
them and the road, w^ere now in direct communication
with the 23d. They had been reinforced by a company
of the Rifle Brigade. Our front, therefore, was now
entirely changed, and faced east instead of north. The
Ashantis in vain tried to break the line, but desisted
from their efforts.

The firing died away, and it was thought that the
battle was over, when at about a quarter to one a
tremendous fire broke out from the rear of the column,
showing that the Ashantis were making a last and
desperate effort to turn our flank, and to retake the
village from which we had driven them at eight in the
morning. So near was the rear of the column to the
village that the slugs fell fast into the reserve who
were stationed there. Three companies of the Rifles
were sent up to strengthen the line, and for three-
quarters of an hour the roar of musketry was as heavy
and continuous as it had been at any time during the
day. Then, as the enemy's fire slackened. Sir Garnet

iii

330

THB FI AL REPULSE OF THE ENEMY.

I
[

, I

gave the word for the line to advance, sweeping round
from the rear so as to drive the enemy northwards
before them.

The movement was admiiably executed. The Bonny
men of Wood's regiment, who had fought silently and
steadily all the time that they had been on the defen-
sive, now raised their shrill war-cry, and slinging their
rifles and drawing their swords — their favourite
weapons — dashed forward like so many panthers let
loose. By their side, skirmishing as quietly and
steadi'i^^ as if on parade, the men of the Rifle Brigade
searched every bush with their bullets, and in live
minutes from the commencement of the advance the
Ashatntis were in full and flnal retreat. The battle
ended at about half -past one, having lasted five hours
and a half.

The Ashantis were supposed to have had from fifteen
to twenty thousand men in the field. What their loss
was could not accurately be calculated, as they carry
off their dead as fast as they fall; but where rushes
were made by our troops, as they had not time to do
this, they lay everywhere thick on the ground. By
the most moderate computation they must have lost
over two thousand. Ammon Quatia himself was
killed, as well as Aboo, one of the six great tributary
kings. The body of the king's chief executioner was
also poinf^d out by some of the prisoners. They
fought with extraordinary pluck and resolution, as
was shown by the fact that although wretchedly
armed, for upwards of five hours they resisted the
attack of troops armed with breech-loaders, and sup-
ported by guns and rockets. Their position was a

THE ATTACK ON QUARMAN.

331

I a

good one, and they had, no doubt, calculated upon
coming down upon us from the rising ground, either
on the flank or rear, with advantage, should we succeed
in pushing forward.

Upon our side the loss in killed was very slight, not
exceeding eight or ten. The 42d out of a total of four
hundred and fifty had a hundred and four wounded, of
whom eight were officers. In the right-hand column.
Colonel Wood, six naval officers, and twenty men of
the Naval Brigade, with many of the native regiment*
were wounded. Of the sixty engineer labourers twenty
were wounded; while of their five officers Captain
Buckle was killed. Major Home and Lieutenant Hare
wounded, together with several of their white soldiers.
Altogether our casualties exceeded two hundred and
fifty. Fortunately but a small proportion of the
wounds were serious.

While the battle was raging at one o'clock Quarman
was attacked by a strong body of Ashantis comihg
from the west, probably forming part of Essarman
Quatia's force. Captain Burnett, who was in command,
having under him Lieutenant Jones of the 2d West
Indian regiment, and thirty-five me' nf that corps and
a few natives, conducted the defence, and was well
seconded by his men. Although the attacking force
was very greatly superior, and took the little garrison
by surprise — for they did not expect, while a great
battle was raging within a distance of a mile, that the
Ashantis would be able to spare a force to attack a de-
tached party — the garrison defended itself with great
gallantry and complete success, not only beating off the
enemy whenever they attacked, but sallying out and

• 5

332

THE NIGHT ATTER THE BATTLE.

assisting to bring in a convoy of stores whiph was close
at hand when the attack began.

Amoaful was a town capable of containing two or
three thousand inhabitants. Great quantities of grain
and coarse flour were found here. These were done
up in bundles of dried plantain leaves, each bundle
weighing from five to fifteen pounds. This capture
was of great service to the commissariat, as it afibrded
an abundant supply of excellent food for the carriers.
The troops were in high spirits that night. They had
won a battle fought under extreme difficulty, and that
with a minimum of loss in killed. There were there-
fore po sad recollections to damp the pleasure of victory.
Frank had been twice struck with slugs, but in neither
case bad these penetrated deeply, and he was able io
sit round the camp fire and to enjoy his glass of rum
anc. water. Two kegs of rum were the only stores
which that night came up from the rear, thanks to the
consideration of a commissariat officer, to whom the
soldiers felt extremely grateful for providing them
with an invigorating drink after their long and
fatiguing labours of the day.

At about a mile and a quarter from Amoaful lay the '
town of Bequah, the capital of one of the most power-
ful of the Ashanti kings. Here a considerable force
wc^s known to be collected before the battle, and here
many of the fugitives were believed to have rallied.
It would have been impossible to advance and leave
this hostile camp so close to a station in our rear.
Lord GifTord was therefore sent out at daybreak to re-
connoitre it. He approached it closely, when twenty
men sprang out from the bush and fired at him, for-

THE ATTACK ON BEQUAII.

333

tunately without hitting him. When he returnerl and
made hia report the general determined to attack and
burn the place, and orders were issued for a culuiim,
consisting of Russell's regiment, Rait's battery, and
the Naval Brigade, supported by the 42d and com-
manded by Colonel M'Leod, to start at one o'clock.

The march was not opposed through the bush, but as
the scouts entered the clearing a heavy fire was opened
upon them. Lord Gifford and almost the whole of his
party were more or less severely wounded when the
sailors rushed in to their support. For a short time
the enemy kept up a heavy tire from the houses, and
then fled leaving about forty of their number dead on
the ground. The town, which was about twice the
size of Fomana, was burned, and the column returned to
the camp.

A great portion of the town was destroyed a: 'i th^
place stockaded, and then all was in readiness for the
advance upon Coomassie. Amoaful was to be left in
charge of the 2d West Indians, who had now come up.
Each man received four days' rations and each regiment
was to take charge of its own provision and baggage.
The advance started at seven in the morning, Russell's
regiment, Rait's battery, and the Rifle Brigade. Then
came the headquarter stafl" followed by the 42d and
Naval Brigade. The hammocks and rations went on
with the troops. The rest of the baggage remained
behind. The road diflered in nothing from that which
had so long been followed. It bore everywhere marks
of the retreating enemy, in provisions and other articles
scattered about, in occasional dark stains, and in its
plants and grass trampled into the ground, six feet in

334

THE ADVANCE CONTINUED.

I I

breadth, showing that the usual negro way of walking
in single file had been abandoned. The rate of pro-
gression was slow, as the country had to be thoroughly
searched by the advance. There were, too, many
streams to be crossed, each causing a delay.

At one of the villages there was a large camp, where
about a thousand men were assembled to make a
stand. The defence was, however, feeble in the ex-
treme, and it was evident that they were greatly
demoralized by their defeat on the 1st. Russell's
regiment carried the place at a rush, the enemy
firing wildly altogether beyond the range of their
weapons. Several were killed and the rest took pre-
cipitately to the bush. A few shots were fired at
other places, but no real resistance took place. On
reaching the village of Agamemmu, after having taken
six hours in getting over as many miles, the column
halted, and orders were sent for the baggage to come
on from Amoaful. The troops were set to work to
cut the bush round the village, which was a very small
one, and a breast-work was thrown up round it. The
troops were in their little tentes d'abri packed as closely
together as possible outside the houses, but within the
stockade. The carriers slept in the street of the
village, where so thickly did they lie that it was im-
possible for anyone to make his way along without
treading upon them.

News came in that night that Captain Butler with
the Western Akims had arrived within two days'
march of Amoaful, but that without the slightest
reason the king and the whole of his army had left
Captain Butler and retired suddenly to the Prah.

FOMANA ATTACKED.

335

At the same time they heard that the army of the
Wassaws under Captain Dalrymple had also broken
up without having come in contact with the enemy.
From the rear also unpleasant news came up. The
attack upon Quarman had been no isolated event.
Fomana had also been attacked, but the garrison there
had, after some hours' fighting, repulsed the enemy.
Several convoys had been assaulted, and the whole road
down to the Prah was unsafe. The next morning,
after waiting till a large convoy came safely in, the
column marched at nine o'clock, Giiford's scouts,
Russell's regiment, and Kait's battery being as usual in
front. The resistance increased with every step, and
the head of the column was constantly engaged. Several
villages were taken by Russell's regiment, who, full
of confidence in themselves, and their officers, carried
them with a rush in capital style. It was but six
miles to the Dah, but the ground was swampy and the
road intersected by many streams. Consequently it
was not until after beinor ei^i^ht hours on the road that
the head of the column reached the river, three
hours later before the whole of the troops and their
baggage were encamped there.

^.i|

Iwith

lays'

Ltest

left

*ruh.

Qt=:=axx^so==Tor=^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^s^So^^^^o^= (3>

r=T n r=ry=T n r=v : — t i > c

^=XX=>G=ICj»^rrJ^=30C^Elg>

CHAPTER XXIIL

THE CAPTURE OF COOMASSIE.

PON the afternoon of the arrival of the Eng-
lish column upon the Dah the king made
another attempt to arrest their progress,
with a view no doubt of bringing up fresh
reinforcements. A flag of truce came in
with a letter to the efiect that our rapid
adv^ance had much disconcerted him, which was no
doubt true, and that he had not been able to make
arrangements for the payments claimed ; that he would
send in hostages, but that most of those whom the
general had asked for were away, and that he could
not agree to give the queen-mother or the heir-appa-
rent These were, of course, the principal hostages,
indeed the only ones who would be of any rcMl
value. The answer was accordingly sent back, that
unless these personages arrived before daybreak the
next morning we should force our way into Coo-
massie.

The Dah is a river about fifteen yards wide and
three feet deep at the deepest place. The Engineers
set to work to bridge it directly they arrived, Russell's
regiment at once crossing the river and bivouacking on

HARD FIGHTINO.

337

the opposite bank. It was unfortunate that this, the
first night upon which the troops had been unprovided
with tents, should have turned out tremendously wet.
The thunder roared, the lightning flashed, and the rain
came down incessantly. Tired as the troops were
there were few who slept, and there was a general
feeling of satisfaction when the morning broke and
the last day of the march began. The rain held up a
little before daybreak, and the sky was clear when at
six o'clock Wood's Bonny men, who had come up by a
forced march the evening before, led the advance.
Lieutenant Saunders with one of Rait's guns came
next. The Rifles followed in support.

Before the Bonny men had gone ha t a mile they
were hotly engaged, and the combat was foi two hours
a repetition of that of Amoaful. Saunders advanced
again and again to the front with his gun, and with
a few rounds of grape cleared the sides of the path
of the enemy. At last, however, the Bonny men
would advance no farther, and Lieutenant Eyre, the
adjutant of Wood's regiment, was mortally wounded.
Lieutenant Saunders sent back to say it was impossible
for him to get on farther unless supported by white
troops. The Rifles were then sent forward to take the
Bonny men's place, and slowly, very slowly, the advance
was continued until the clearing round a village could
be seen fifty yards away. Then the Rifles gave a
cheer and with a sudden rush swept through to the
open and carried the village without a check. In the
meantime the whole column had been following in the
rear as the Rifles advanced, and were hotly engaged in
repelling a series of flank attacks on the part of the

338 DESPERATE ATTACKS UPON TUB REAR-GUARIX

enemy. These attacks were gallantly persevered in
by the Ashantis, who at times approached in such
masses that the whole bush swayed and moved as
they pushed forward.

Their loss must have been extremely large, for our
men lined the road and kept up a tremendous Siiider
fire upon them at a short distance. Our casualties
were slight. The road, like almost all roads in the
country, was sunk two feet in the centre below
the level of the surrounding ground, consequently
the men were lying in shelter as behind a breast-
work, while they kept up their tremendous fire upon
the foe.

fhe village once gained, the leading troops were
thrown out in a circle round it, and the order was
given to pass the baggage from the rear to the village.
The operation was carried out in safety, the path
being protected by the troops lying in a line along it.
The baggage once in, the tioops closed up to the vil-
lage, the disappointed foe continuing a series of des
perate attacks upon their rear. These assaults were
kept up even after all had reached the cleared space of
the village, the enemy's war-horn sounding and the
men making the woods re-echo with their wild war-cry.
The Naval Brigade at one time inflicted great slaughter
upon the enemy by remaining perfectly quiet until
the Ashantis, thinking they had retired, advanced full
of confidence, cheering, when a tremendous fire almost
swept them away.

It was six hours from the time at which the
advance began before the rear-guard entered the
village, and as but a mile and a half had been tra-

THE LAST STUCJQGLE.

339

'ere

versed and Coomassie was still six miles away, it was
evident that if the Ashantis continued to fight with
the same desperation, and if the baggage had to be
carried on step by step from village to village, the
force would not get half-way on to Coomassie by
nightfall.

The instant the baggage was all in, preparations
were made for a fresh advance. Bait's guns, as usual,
opened to clear the way, and the 42d this time led
the advance. The enemy's fire was very heavy and
the Highlanders at first advanced but slowly, their
wounded straggling back in quick succession into the
village. After twenty minutes* work, however, they
had pushed back the enemy beyond the brow of the
hill, and from this point they advanced with great
rapidity, dashing forward at times at the double,
until the foe, scared by the sudden onslaught, gave way
altogether and literally fied at the top of their speed.
War-drums and horns, chiefs' stools and umbrellas, lit-
tered the next village and told how sudden and complete
had been the stampede. As the 42d advanced troops
were from time to time sent forward until a despatch
came in from Sir A. Alison saying that all the villages
save the last were taken, that opposition had ceased,
and that the enemy were in complete rout. Up to
this time the attack of the enemy upon the rear of
the village had continued with unabated vigour, and
shot and slug continually fell in the place itself. The
news from the front was soon known and was hailed
with a cheer which went right round the line of de-
fence, and, whether scared by its note of triumph or
because they too had received the news, the efforts of

340

THE ENTRY INTO COOMASSIE.

the enemy ceased at once, and scarcely another shot
was tired.

At half-past three the baggage was sent forward
and the bes.J4uarter stafl' and Rifle Brigade fol-
lowed it There was no further check. The 42d and
several companies of the Ride Brigade entered Coo-
massie without another shot being fired in its defence.
Sir Garnet Wolseley soon after arrived, and taking off
his hat called for three cheers for the Queen, which
was responded to with a heartiness and vigour which
must have astonished the Ashantis. These were still
in considerable numbers in the town, having been told
by ^he king that peac3 was or would be made. They
seemed in no way alarmed, but watched, as amused
and interested spectators, the proceedings of the white
troops.

The first thing to be done was to disarm those who
had guns, and this seemed to scare the others, for in a
short time the town was almost entirely deserted. It
was now fast getting dark, and the troops bivouacked in
the market-place, which had so often been the scene of
human sacrifices on a large scale. Their day's work
had, indeed, been a heavy one. They had been twelve
hours on the road without rest or time to cook food.
Water was very scarce, no really drinkable water
having been met with during the day. In addition to
this they had undergone the excitement of a long and
obstinate fight with an enemy concealed in the bush,
after work of almost equal severity upon the day
before, and had passed a sleepless night in a tropical
rain-storm, yet with the exception of a few fever-
stricken men not a single soldier fell out from his

A FIRE AT NIGHT.

341

lay
cal
er-
hia

place in the ranks. Nor was the first night in Coo
massie destined to be a quiet one. Soon after two
o'clock a fire broke out in one of the largest of the
collections of huts, which was soon in a blaze from
end to end. The Engineers pulled do vn the huts on
either side and with great difficulty prevented the
flames from spreading. These fires were the result of
carriers and others plundering, and one man, a police-
man, caught with loot upon him, was forthwith hung
from a tree. Several others were flogged, and after some
hours' excitement the place quieted down. Sir Garnet
was grea.ly vexed at the occurrence, as he had the
evening before sent a messenger to the king asking
him to come in and make peace, and promising to spare
the town if he did so.

Although Coomassie was well known to Frank he
was still ignorant of the character of the interior of
the chiefs' houses, and the next day he wandered about
with almost as much curiosity as the soldiers them-
selves. The interiors even of the palaces of the chiefs
showed that the Ashantis can have no idea of what we
call comfort. The houses were filled with dust and
litter, and this could not be accounted for solely by
the bustle and hurry of picking out the things worth
carrying away prior to the hurried evacuation of the
place. From the roofs hung masses of spiders'-web,
thick with dust, while sweeping a place out before
occupying it brought down an accumulation of dust
which must have been the result of years of neglect.
The principal apartments were lumbered up with
drums, great umbrellas, and other paraphernalia of pro-
cessions, such as horns, state chairs, wooden maces, &c.

342

THE ROYAL PALACE.

Before the door of each house stood a tree, at the foot
of which were placed little idols, calabashes, bits of
china, boi*es, and an extraordinary jumble of strange
j}d» A ends of every kind, all of which were looked
Mpvva ii7 fetish. Over the doors and alcoves were sus-
pc' i >i ki variety of charms, old stone axes and arrow
tips, nuts> ^u irds, amulets, beads, and other trumpery
articles.

The palace was in all respects exactly as the king
had left it The royal bed and couch were in their
places, the royal chairs occupied their usual raised
position. Only, curiously enough, all had been turned
roun(J and over. The store-rooms upstairs were un-
touched, and here was found an infinite variety of
articles, for the most part mere rubbish, but many
interesting and valuable: silver plate, gold masks, gold
cups, clocks, glass, china, pillows, guns, cloth, caskets,
and cabinets, an olla podrida, which resembled the
contents of a sale-room.

In many of the native apartments of the palace
were signs that human sacrifice had been carried on to
the last minute. Several stools were found covered
with thick coatings of recently shed blood, and a hor-
rible smell of gore pervaded the whole palace, and,
indeed, the whole town. The palace was full of fetish
objects just as trumpery and meaningless as those in
the humblest cottages. The king's private sitting-room
was, like the rest, an open court with a tree growing
in it. This tree was covered with fetish objects, and
thickly hung with spiders' webs. At each end was a
small but deep alcove with a royal chair, so that the
monarch could always sit on the shady side.

THE KING'S UED-CUAMBER.

'^3

Along each side of the little court ran a sort of
verandah, beneath which was an immense assortment
of little idols and fetiches of all kinds. From one of
the verandahs a door opened into the king's bed-room,
which was about ten feet by eight It was very dark,
being lighted only by a small window about a foot
square, opening into the womt 3 artments. At one
end was the royal couch, a r set' edstead with cur-
tains, and up(»n a ledge by t^ • i >ar side (that is to say
the king had to step over the !e^^:;o to get into bed) were
a number of pistols and oth r weapons, among them an
English general's sword, bea. a)^ the inscription, " From
Queen Victoria to the King of Ashanti." This sword
was presented to the predecessor of King Coffee.
Upon the floor at the end opposite the bed was a couch
upon which the king could sit. and talk with his wives
through the little window.

In the women's apartments all sorts of stuffs, some
of European, some of native manufacture, were found
scattered about in the wildest confusion. The terror
and horror of the four or five hundred ladies, when
they found that their husband was about to abandon
his palace and that they would have no time to re-
move their treasured finery, can be well imagined.

In almost every apartment and yard of the palace
were very slightly raised mounds, some no larger
than a plate, others two or even three feet long.
These were whitewashed and presented a strong con-
trast to the general red of the ground and lower walls.
These patches marked the places of graves. The
whole palace, in fact, appeared to be little better than
a cemetery and a slaughter-house in one. A guard

/■*>■:

S44

TO THX COAST I

'was placed over the palace, and here, as elsewhere
through the town, looting was strictly forbidden.

All day the general expected the arrival of the
king, who had sent a messenger to say he would be in
early. At two o'clock a tremendous rain-storm broke
over the town, lasting for three hours. In the even-
ing it became evident that he was again deceiving usi
and orders were issued that the troops, in thf» morning,
should push on another three miles, to the tombs of
the kings, where he was said to be staying. Later on
however, the news came that the king had gone right
away into the interior, and as another storm was coming
up it, became evident that the rainy season was setting
in in earnest. The determination was, therefore, come
to, to burn the town and to start for the coast next
morning.

All night Major Home with a party of Engineers
was at work mining the palace and preparing it for
explosion, while a prize committee were engaged in
selecting and packing everything which they consid-
ered worth taking down to the coast. The news of
the change of plan, however, had not got abroad, and
the troops paraded next morning under the belief that
they were about to march still farther up the country.
When it became known that they were bound for the
coast there was a general brightening of faees, and a
buzz of satisfaction ran down the ranks. It was true
that it was believed that a large amount of treasure
was collected at the kings' tombs, and the prize-money
would not have been unwelcome, still the men felt that
their powers were rapidly becoming exhausted. The
hope of a fight with the foe and of the capture of Coo-

THE BURNINQ OF CUOMASSIK,

345

massie had kept them up upon the march, iDut now that
this had been done the usual collapse after great exer-
tion followed. Every hour added to the number of
fever-stricken men who would have to be carried down
to the coast, and each man, as he saw his comrades fall
out from the ranks, felt that his own turn might come
next.

At six o'clock in the morning the advanced guard of
the baggage began to move out of the town. The main
body was off by seven. The 42d remained as rear-
guard to cover the Engineers and burning party.
Frank stayed behind to see the destruction of the
town. A hundred engineer labourers were supplied
with palm-leaf torches, «,nd in spite of the outer coats
of thatch being saturatv^d by the tremendous rains the
flames soon spread. Volumes of black smoke poured
up, and soon a huge pile of smoke resting over the
town told the Ashantis of the destruction of their
blood-stained capital. The palace was blown up, and
when the Engineers and 42d marched out from the
town scarce a house remained untouched by the
flames.

The troops had proceeded but a short distance before
they had reason to congratulate themselves on their
retreat before the rains began in earnest, and to rejoice
over the fact that the thunderstonns did not set in
three days earlier than they did. The marsh round
the town had increased a foot in depth, while the next
stream, before a rivulet two feet and a half deep, had
now swollen its banks for a hundred and fifty yards on
either side, with over five feet and a half of water in
the old channel. Across this channel the Engineers

346

WADINO ACROSS A RIVER.

had with much difllculty thrown a tree, over which
the white troops pussetl, while the native carriers had
to wade across. It was laughable to see only the
eyes of the taller men above the water, while the
shorter disappeared altogether, nothing being seen but
the boxes t^aj carried. Fortunately the deep part
was only three or four yards wide. Thus the carriers
by taking a long breath on arriving at the edge of the
original channel were able to struggle across.

This caused a terrible delay, and a still greater one
occurred at the Dah. Here the water was more than
two feet above the bridge which the Engineers had
made on the passage up. The river was as deep as
the previous one had been, and the carriers therefore
waded as before; but the deep part was wider, so wide,
indeed, that it was impossible for the shorter men to
keep under water long enough to carry their burdens
across. The tall men therefore crossed and recrossed
with the burdens, the short men swimming over.

The passage across the bridge too was slow and
tedious in the extreme. Some of the cross planks had
been swept away, and each man had to feel every step
of his way over. So tedious was the work that at
five in the afternoon it became evident that it would
be impossible for all the white troops to get across — a
process at once slow and dangerous — before nightfall.
The river was still rising, and it was a matter of
importance that none should be left upon the other
side at night, as the Ashantis might, for anything they
could tell, be gathering in force in the rear. Con-
sequently Sir Archibald Alison gave the order for the
white troops to strip and to wade across taking only

A LAUGHABLE INCIDENT.

S47

their helmets and giins. The clothes were made up in
bundles and carried over by natives awimniing, while
others took their places below in case any of the men
should be carried off their feet by the stream. All
passed over without any accident.

One result, however, was a laughable incident next
morning, an incident which, it may be safely asserted,
never before occurred in the British B..'^y. It was
quite dark before the last party were over, and the
natives collecting the clothes did not notice those of
one of the men who had undressed at the foot of a
tree. Consequently he had to pass the night, a very
wet one, in a blanket, and absolutely paraded with his
regiment in the morning in nothing but a helmet and
rifle. The incident caused immense laughter, and a
native swimming across the river found and brought
back his clothes.

As the journeys were necessarily slow and tedious,
owing to the quantity of baggage and sick being
carried down, Frank now determined to push straight
down to the coast, and, bidding good-bye to Sir Garnet
and the many friends he had made during the ex-
pedition, he took his place for the first time in the
hammock, which with its bearers had accompanied him
from Cape Coast, and started for the sea. There was
some risk as far as the Prah, for straggling bodies of
the enemy frequently intercepted the convoys. Frank,
however, met with no obstacle, and in ten day^ after
leaving the army reached Cape Coast.

Ostik implored his master to t^ke him with him
across the sea; but Frank pointed out to him that
he would not be happy long in England, where the

348

FRANK'S RETURN TO ENGLAND.

customs were so different from his own, and where
in winter he would feel the cold terribly. Ostik
yielded to the arguments, and having earned enough
to purchase for years the small comforts and luxuries
dear to the negro heart, he agreed to start for the
Gaboon immediately Frank left for England.

On his first arrival at Cape Coast he had to his great
satisfaction found that the Houssas who had escaped
from Coomassie had succeeded in reaching the coast in
safety, and that having obtained their pay from the
agent they had sailed for their homes.

Three days after Frank's arrival at Cape Coast the
mail steamer came along, and he took passage for
England. Very strange indeed did it feel to him when
he set foot in Liverpool. Nearly two years and a half
had elapsed since he had sailed, and he had gone
through adventures sufficient for a lifetime. Ej was
but eighteen years old now, but he had been so long
accustomed to do man's work that he felt far older
than he was. The next day on arriving in town he
put up at the Charing Cross Hotel and then sallied out
to see his friends.

He determined to go first of all to visit the porter
who had been the earliest friend he had made in Lon-
don, and then to drive to Ruthven's, where he was sure
of a hearty welcome. He had written several times,
since it had been possible for him to send letters, to his
various friends, first of all to his sister, and the doctor,
to Ruthven, to the porter, and to the old naturalist.
He drove to London Bridge Station, and there learned
that the porter had been for a week absent from duty,
having strained his back in lifting a heavy trunk. He

OLD FRIENDS.

349

long

therefore drove to RatclifF Highway. The shop was
closed, but his knock brought the old naturalist to the
door.

" What can I do for you, sir?" he asked civilly.

" Well, in the first place, you can shake me by the
hand."

The old man started at the voice. " Why, 'tis Frank ! "
he exclaimed, " grown and sunburnt out of all recol-
lection. My dear boy, I am glad indeed to see you.
Come in, come in; John is inside."

Frank received another hearty greeting, and sat for
a couple of hours chatting over his adventures. He
found that had he arrived a fortnight later he would
not have found either of his friends. The porter was
in a week about to be married again to a widow who
kept a small shop and was in comfortable circum-
stances. The naturalist had sold the business, and
was going down into the country to live with a sister
there.

After leaving them Frank drove to the residence of
Sir James Ruthven in Eaton Square. Frank sent in
his name and was shown up to the drawing-room. A
minute later the door opened with a crash and his old
school-fellow rushed in.

" My dear, dear, old boy," he said wringing Frank's
hand, " I am glad to see you ; but, bless me, how 3~ou
have changed! How thin you are, and how black! I
should have passed you in the street without knowing
you; and you look years older than I do. But that is
no wonder after all you've gone through. Well, when
did you arrive, and where are your things? Why have
you not brought them here?"

! I

350

FUTURE PLANS.

Frank said that he had left them at the hotel, as he
was going down early the next morning to Deal. He
stayed, however, and dined with his friend, whose
father received him with the greatest cordiality and
kindness.

On leaving the hotel next morning he directed his
portmanteau to be sent in the course of the day to Sir
James Ruthven's. He had bought a few things at
Cape Coast, and had obtained a couple of suits of
clothes for immediate use at Liverpool.

On arriving at Deal he found his sister much grown
and very well and happy. She was almost out of her
mind with delight at seeing him. He stayed two or
three days with her and then returned to town and
took up his abode in Eaton Square.

" Well, my dear boy, what are you thinking of doing ?"
Sir James Ruthven asked next morning at breakfast.
"You have had almost enough of travel, I should
think."

" Quite enough, sir," Frank said. " I have made up
my mind that I shall be a doctor. The gold necklace
which I showed you, which Ammon Quatia gave me,
weighs over twenty pounds, and as it is of the purest
gold it is worth about a thousand pounds, a sum
amply sufficient to keep me and pay my expenses till
1 have passed. Besides, Mr. Goodenough has, I believe,
left me something in his will. I sent home one copy
to his lawj^er and have brought the other with me.
I must call on the firm this morning. I have also
some thirty pounds' weight in gold which was paid
me by the king for the goods he took, but this, ot*
course, belongs to Mr. Goudenough's estate."

MR. GOODENOUGH'S WILL.

351

up
ace
me,
est
uin
till
ve,

Upon calling upon the firm of lawyers, and sending
in his name, he was at once shown in to the principal.

"I congratulate you on your safe return, sir," the
gentleman said. " You have called, of course, in refer-
ence to the will of the late Mr. Goodenough."

" Yes," Frank replied. " I sent home one copy from
Coomassie and have brought another with me."

" We received the first in due course," the gentleman
said, taking the document Frank held out to him
" You are, of course, acquainted with its contents."

" No," Frank answered, " beyond the fact that Mr.
Goodenough told me he had left me a legacy."

*' Then I have pleasant news to give you," the lawyer
said. " Mr. Goodenough died possessed of about sixty
thousand pounds. He left fifteen thousand each to
his only surviving nephew and niece. Fifteen thousand
pounds he has divided among several charitable and
scientific institutions. Fifteen thousands pounds he
has left to you."

Frank gave a little cry of surprise.

" The will is an eminently just and satisfactory one,"
the lawyer said, " for Mr. Goodenough has had but
little intercourse with his relations, who live in Scot-
land, and they had no reason to expect to inherit any
portion of his property. They are, therefore, delighted
with the handsome legacy they have received. 1 may
mention that Mr. Goodenough ordered, that in the
event of your not living to return to England, five
thousand pounds of the portion which would have
come to you was to be paid to trustees for the use of
your sister, and the remaining ten thousand to be
added to the sum to be divided among the hospitals."

'6o2

SETTLED IN LiFIt

"This is indeed a surprise," Frank said; "and I sh;i!l
be obliged, sir, if you will at once draw out a papei'
for me to sign settling the Hve thousand pcunds at
once upon my sister. Whatever may happen then she
will be provided for."

The accession of this snug and most unexpected
fortune in no way altered Frank's views as to his
future profession. He worked hard and steadily end
passed with high honours. He spent another three
years in hospital work, and then purchased a partnoi--
ship in an excellent west-end practice. He is now
considered one of the most rising j< ■ ng physicians of
the day. His sister keeps house for him in Harley
Street; but it is doubtful whether she will long con-
tinue to do so. The last time Dick Ruthven was at
home on leave he persuaded b^r that it was her
bounden duty to endeavour > make civilian life bear-
able to him when he should attain captain's rank, and,
in accorciano?: v'th his father's wi^h, retire from the
army evenk wbic \ are expected to take place in a few
months' time.

Ruthven often laughs and tells Frank that he is
a good soldier spoiled, and that it is a pity a man
should settle down as a doctor who had made his way
in life " by sheer pluck."

?i-.^-.

THE END.

'and I shall
)ut a paper
I pounds at
en then she

unexpected
i as to his
teadily end
3thcr three
1 a partnei'-
He is now
lysiciaiis of
in Harley
I long con-
v^en was at
t was her
1 life bear-
rank, and,
s from the
36 in a few

that he is
ty a man
le his way