1 c t!)SNB $ji% j&*s5 r j fjfi i** * -* ^fc^-OO UC8B The Bird-Thief at Sierra Leone. Page 62. THE AFRICAN WANDERERS; OR, 0f Carlos antr EMBRACING INTERESTING DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TRIBES, AND THE NATURAL PRODUCTIONS OF THE COUNTRY, BY MRS. R. LEE, AUTHOR OF ' ANECDOTES OF THE HABITS AND INSTINCTS OP ANIMAI S,' ' TREES, PLANTS, AND FLOWERS,' 'ADVENTURES IN AUSTRALIA,' ETC. JFuIlg EllustraUU. GRIFFITH & FARRAN, SUCCESSORS TO NHWBERY AND HARRIS, WEST CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON. E. P. BUTTON & CO., NEW YORK. MORRISON AND GIBB, EDINBURGH, PRINTERS TO HER MATESTY's STATIONERY OFFICE. PREFACE. ' WHERE we have suffered much, we love much,' is a saying verified by the undying interest which the Author of the following story takes in the western coast of Africa. To call the attention of the wise and good to a part of the continent (the river Gaboon) but little known, has been one of the chief objects of her present undertaking ; and in order to gain credit for her assertions, it is necessary that she should briefly state how far the fiction in her pages extends. With the exception of the field of battle, the finding of the two boys, the journey to Santander and Liverpool, the history of Carlos has been invented as a vehicle for carrying the reader into scenes which have hitherto been but faintly described. Antonio is only an imaginary personage after he lands in Africa. Every production^ every character is true ; and most of the circumstances are drawn from the personal experience of the Author or her friends. Among the latter she has to thank Captain William iv PREFACE. Allen, R.N., for allowing her to extract materials from his graphic description of Fandah ; also Mr. Freeman, whose conversation and reports (the latter supplied by the kindness of Mr. Beecham) have afforded her useful statements. One kindly impulse, one mite added to the exertions made in behalf of this magnificent land, will indemnify the Author for her labour, and the anxiety which necessarily attends publication. R. L. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER I. A Field of Battle in Spain Two Children found on the dead Bodies of their Father and Mother The Children taken care of by Captain Lacy, Sergeant Brown, and Kathleen Captain Lacy and the Sergeant quit Spain, taking Kathleen and the Children Embarkation at San- tander They reach Liverpool, i CHAPTER II. Colonel Lacy settles at Wavertree Characters of the Boys Colonel Lacy marries The Boys sent to School at Rugby They beg to be taken away They become Clerks Carlos gets tired and restless Wishes to go to Sea The Colonel sends him in a Ship bound to the WesternCoastofAfrica, II CHAPTER III. Carlos' first adventures on board the ' Hero ' Pilot comes on board When he returns, gives Carlos a Packet Carlos finds in it some Money, a Letter, and Prayer-book from Henriquez Carlos invited to receive Instructions in Navigation Characters of the Crew Carlos' Friend Antonio The Sports of the Men Portuguese Men-of- war A Shark in Cape de Verde Bay Carlos catches it, . 29 CHAPTER IV. The ' Hero ' touches at Goree Description of the Place Waterspouts Calm Some of the Crew fall sick New Rum Hatred of Gray towards Carlos Carlos moved to the Steerage The ' Hero ' anchors at the Isles de Los Description of Crawford King of Factory A Turtle caught A Monitor Lizard Mutiny Mutineers over- come and put in Irons Arrival of Kroomen The ' Hero ' meets with a Brig-of-war, the Captain of which brings the Mutineers to their Duty Sail for Sierra Leone A White Squall A Sandbank, 44 vi CONTENTS. PACK CHAPTER V. Sierra Leone Its Appearance Rats Spiders Market Thief Carlos saves Antonio from a Shark Cat-fish A Boy wounded by it Cape Mount Cape Palmas Elmina Governor of Elmina White Mullet Capsi- cums Cape Coast Surf Canoe Men Native coloured Women Hammer-headed Sharks Aggry beads Visit of Goldtakers to the Ship Their Dress Carlos becomes Second Mate, 60 CHAPTER VI. Crew revive Steer towards Land Spermaceti Whales Dolphin Cuttle-fish Brilliant Appearance of the Sea A Dead Body Booby Sickness Deaths Mr. Grant, the First Mate, dies Carlos becomes First Mate Cap- tain sickens and dies The Surgeon dies The Bodies taken in Boats to be buried Gray puts the Coffins ashore, and abandons his Companions Carlos and Antonio bury the Bodies Go to their own Boat They try to reach the Ship, but she sails out of Sight, . . . -77 CHAPTER VII. Carlos and Antonio determine to steer for Cape Lopez Water fails They suffer from Thirst A Heavy Dew falls The Boat drifts ashore They dig for Water See Trees and get to them, where they find a Stream Cocoa- nuts Crocodile Carlos climbs a Cocoa-nut Tree They sleep in the Boat Guinea-fowls Partridges Plantains Bananas Antonio builds a Hut Lizards Birds Sea-cow Calabashes They go to Sea They land again Crabs Flying-fishes Bonita Boat becomes a Wreck Distress of the Travellers Vultures Carlos wounds his Foot Antonio makes Knapsacks of old Sail They start for the Forest, 94 .CHAPTER VIII. Carlos' Foot painful and inflamed The last Drop of Water Reach the Forest Hibiscus Leaves Pine-apples Carlos sits down on what proves to be a Boa-constrictor Custard-apples The Travellers lie down under a Tree Lion They follow his Track and find Water Meet with the Body of a Negro Signs of a Slave Kaffle Find a disabled Boy They ascend a Tree with him The Boy finds Yams Lights a fire Rhinoceros Reach CONTENTS. vii PAGE a Town The Inhabitants crowd round and threaten them Saved by the Parents of the Boy Arrival of Prisoners Preparations for a Feast Guns taken from them The White Men led to the Feast The Boy and his Mother conduct the Travellers to the River They get into a Canoe and are paddled along by a Lad, . . -113 CHAPTER IX. Beautiful Scenery Elephants Pelicans Creek Man- groves Lizards Butterflies Birds Parrots Monkeys Forest in a Swamp Tree Oysters Rock Oysters Landing-place The Lad takes the Europeans to Naiingo Ipomeae Governor takes the Strangers to his House Food Bed Hospitality Supper Incheema Palm- wine Pipes and Tobacco Visit to the King Sand- flies -Head Wife Wondo Coffee Vegetable Butter and Tree Wondo an excellent Person Nando Roolai White Negro Harp and Songs Torches Feast in Honour of White Men Dances Drinking Old Song, . 131 CHAPTER X. Carlos gets tired of living idly He and Antonio turn Tailors and Carvers Appearance of the King Character of his Head Wife Wondo's Wife Hunting expedition Sweet Potatoes Nuts Epiphytes Creepers Silk Cot- ton Jessamine Snake in Plant Eyes of a Wild Beast A Sr.ake shot Huts Parrot-traps The Party chop Wood of different Sorts Bait the Wild-beast Pits Bush-rat Sugar-canes Genet Cats Porcupine Leo- pards Roolai and Wondo ask to be taught to pray, and to know the true God Sloth Monkeys Lion-monkey Wild Boar Carlos and Antonio rescue Wondo Honey-bird Wax Limes Fruits Return India-rub- ber Make Bottles, etc. Slave eating Honey, . . 147 CHAPTER XL French Mulattoes Expedition to shoot Buffaloes Hippo- potamus Buffalo shot The White Men sing Pinnace Wondo becomes sad A Storm Uneasiness of Rats Gaston Arrival of Slaves Condition of rejected Slaves Slave Girl frightened at White Men Slaver arrives Description of her Shining Mountain Danger of Euro- peans Forced to leave Naango Departure to the Bush Wondo accompanies them Gives them Instructions, . 166 viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER XII. The Travellers strike into the Forest Jays Pigeons They lose their way Antonio puts his Hand upon a Serpent Storm Chimpanzee Narrow Escape Build a Hut Silk-cotton Torrent Tamarinds 'Weaver-Birds Armadillo Carlos has the Fever Antonio also taken ill Carlos recovers from his stupor, and thinks his Friend dead His Joy at finding that he breathes Fluctuations Lime-juice Ague Conva- lescence Parroquets Singing-birds Inghena Infant Inghena killed by a Leopard Savage Attack of the male Inghena, CHAPTER XIII. The Travellers sleep on the Ground A Serpent lies on Carlos' Breast They contrive a Ladder, by which they mount the Trees and sleep Guavas Chameleon Para- sitical Plants Lichens Savannahs Pigmy Antelopes Termites Baobabs Shoot a large Antelope Lion Bulbous Plants Beetles Butterflies Tulip-tree Fire- flies Grasshoppers Locusts Crown Cranes Demoi- sells Rice Lake Crows Eagles Village Inhabi- tants run from the Strangers Fowls Make new Arrows Goats Sheep Stork Elephants' Tusks and Grinders Wild Dogs Wild Beasts Nightingales Deserted Village Banyan Tree Village in which the Inhabitants enter the House by the Root, CHAPTER XIV. The Bush Clearings Town Conduct of the Inhabitants White Men rescued Fed Chief of the People A Trader appears who speaks English Protects them Visit to the King Feast Dog's Flesh Musical Instru- ment The White Men Sing The Fetish men jealous Slaves offered to them Description of the Town Fetish House Their Friend named Ajimba Discussion upon Elephants Civilisation of Africa They give the King a Spade A Council Fetish man hates them Carlos gives him his Watch Take leave of the King See his Wives Evil Eye Start with Ajimba in Canoe Bulls and Cows Enter the Niger Reach the Residence of Ajimba Hospitably received Beer Market Visit the King They wait for a Vessel Life with the Natives, . . 2.24 CONTENTS. ix PAGE CHAPTER XV. The Travellers start for Fandah The Chadda Reach Pottinghia A Fete Mosquitoes Proceed on horseback to Fandah The King Civet Market-place Smith Review Kind old Woman Visit to a Moorish Priest Mohammedan Temple Skulls Qoeen Court of Justice Execution of Prisoners Thief Walk back to Pottinghia A Storm Robbers seize them Stab Ajimba Make the White Men Prisoners Antonio shot in the Leg, . 235 CHAPTER XVI. Antonio unable to proceed A Bed is made, and one of the Robbers helps Carlos to carry him on it Native Doctor Poultice of Pepper Doctor wishes to cup Antonio Carlos prevents him Antonio gets better The Ball comes out The Prisoners taken to a large Slave-market, and sold to a Moor They are stripped Carlos pleads for his Prayer-book The Europeans are made to beat Corn They are ordered to become Mohammedans They refuse To beguile their way Home, they sing They get Wood and carve it The King sends for them, and wishes to buy them The Moor refuses They carve a Stool for the King The Moor resolves to go southwards The Caravan starts for Yahndi The March Carlos secretly takes the place of one of the Arab Guards Kills a Lion Gooroo Nuts Arrival at Yahndi The White Men kept very strictly Herds of Cattle Gnu, . 261 CHAPTER XVII. Description of Yahndi and the Market The White Slaves are ill from Confinement Allowed to ride out with the Arab Guard Become accomplished Horsemen Their Master's conduct alter? They are again closely confined Approaching War They find Yusuf He tells them how to escape They start He supplies them with every- thing necessary, 2^5 CHAPTER XVIII. The Travellers pass the Outposts Ride at full speed They leave their Horses, and proceed on foot Ants Oranges Tarantulas Hyaena Pass Sallagha Coral Trees They bathe Tree Ferns Reach Koomassie Hear the Bell toll for Divine Service They enter the Missionary Chapel They accompany the Missionary x CONTENTS. PAGE Home He tells them that Letters had been sent from England, and offering rewards to those who would give Information concerning them They visit the King Court Criers King sends them a Present They go to him privately He promises to be their Friend Carlos sends him his Ring, and the Travellers depart, . . 33 CHAPTER XIX. Framfraham Edgewabin The Travellers free the Slave given to them by the King of Ashanti His name Cor- intchie Fomunnah Leopard Adamsee, Prah River Divisions into Families Berracoe Fessu Mansue Yancoomassie First Sight of the Ocean Cape Coast Received there with a Salute and great Rejoicings Kind- ness of Europeans Fetes and Presents Gold Mulatto Woman Mr. Mortimer's Fate Meet with Ajimba His Story They embark in the ' Nancy ' Calm Captain Turner's Stories of Pirates South-east Trades Fucus Natans The Azores Boats meet the Vessel Irish Channel The Reflections of Carlos and Antonio Cor- intchie's Curiosity They cast anchor in the Mersey, 322 CHAPTER XX. Carlos, Antonio, and Corintchie go ashore Proceed to Sergeant Brown's Kathleen recognises Carlos Carlos and Antonio dress themselves like Arabs, and with Cor- intchie drive to Colonel Lacy's His Birthday Party assembled Carlos and Antonio enter the room Henri- quez knows Carlos Joy Carlos relates his Adventures His Uncle The Travellers go to his house Henri- quez tells his Story, and how it was found out who he and Carlos were Fate of Gray, etc. Carlos and Antonio settle in Liverpool Conclusion, . . . 34 * THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. CHAPTER I. THE moon was sailing through a cloudless sky of that deep blue colour which is peculiar to the south, and illuminating the beautiful mountains and valleys of Spain. Glancing above and afar, the eye rested on none but the images of peace, and the bounty of the Almighty ; but on looking immediately around him, the spectator might receive a painful proof of how much man does to deface this fair creation. His strife and contention had been there, and the plain was strewn with the dead and the dying ; for it was the evening after a fearful battle, which had taken place between the two struggling parties, called the Carlists and the Christinos. On the occasion to which these pages refer, the Carlists had remained masters of the field, and the Christinos had fled in all haste, leaving their dead upon the ground. A fatigue-party, commanded by an English officer who had entered the service of Don Carlos, and formed chiefly of men of his own nation, was searching amidst the slain for those who might, though wounded, be 2 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. still alive, and was followed by carts, in which straw was laid to receive the sufferers. Strangers to the vengeance which men of the same country feel to- wards each other in civil war, the soldiers indiscrimi- nately sought for both friends and foes, and, carefully filling the vehicles, were about to return, when a low, wailing cry met their ear. ' Surely that was the cry of a child,' said Captain Lacy to his sergeant; 'how can it have come here ? Look for it, Brown.' The man obeyed, but his search was fruitless ; the sound had ceased, and nothing but the faint moans of those in the carts was heard, as even the slow motion at which they were going increased their pain. The wounded men were placed in a barn near the camp, where the surgeons were waiting to administer to their relief; and when the fatigue-party had rendered all the assist- ance that lay in their power, they returned to quarters to eat their scanty meal. The English captain, wrap- ping himself in his large cloak, tried to rest from the exciting labours of the day ; but it was a vain effort, for that wailing cry still rang in his ear. At length, starting from his rude couch, he exclaimed, ' I can bear it no longer ; that child's cry haunts me, and I must find out whence it comes.' On leaving his tent, he again summoned his sergeant, and both once more went to the field of battle. It was no delusion ; that plaintive cry had been borne through the stillness of the night to the camp, and now guided the steps of the Englishmen to the spot whence it proceeded. Under a small clump of tall bushes, apart from the rest of the plain, lay the body of a noble-looking Spaniard. A ball had pierced his heart, and his death must have been immediate. The THE ORPHAN CHILDREN. 3 countenance, though pale, had therefore resumed its natural expression, and seemed to tell how worthy he had been of the love of that wife who, also dead, lay stretched across him. By their side sat two little boys, one apparently three, and the other two years of age : the latter, exhausted with crying and hunger, had fallen asleep upon that mother's arm, which had so often formed his resting-place when in life ; while the other, leaning his head upon his father's motionless form, and grasping the hand of his little brother, con- vulsively sobbed, and at intervals uttered the cry which had arrested the attention of the Englishmen. For a few moments the soldiers paused, and the tears of the brave men rolled down their cheeks. ' This is a sad sight, sir,' said the Sergeant, who first broke silence ; ' she must have looked for him in the field, and then dragged him here in order to try and recover him. See, she has torn open his jacket and found the wound, and then her heart must have broken with grief,' he continued, as he gently raised the young woman from her husband's body. 'They were a beautiful couple, however, and well off, I should say, by the woman's dress.' 'What shall we do with the children, Brown ? ' said Captain Lacy, speaking for the first time; 'are both alive?' 'Yes, sir,' replied the Sergeant, ' one is asleep, and the other is too frightened at us to cry any more.' ' We cannot leave them here,' observed the officer ; ' they must go to the camp with us. Give one to me, and you take the other.' The sleeping child was safely laid in his arms, and the Ser- geant hugged the brother closely to him. Both then proceeded to Captain Lacy's tent, where these two rough men, like tender nurses, tried, by a little broth 4 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. and kind words, to assuage the fear and hunger of the elder ; while the poor infant was warmly wrapped in a cloak, and laid upon his benefactor's mattress. * Now we have done what we can for the poor little things,' said Captain Lacy, ' we must go back to the plain before our camp-women have stripped the bodies. I would not have the remains of those two rudely touched for the world. Follow me with the tools.' They proceeded to the task. The grave was dug ; the few ornaments and some gold coins belonging to the unfortunate pair were secured; and Captain Lacy, taking his prayer-book from his pocket, by that bright and silvery light read the English Service for the dead. The bodies were then laid side by side ; the earth was heaped over them, some of the branches belonging to the bushes above fastened down over it, both to pro- tect and conceal the mound ; and the soldiers slowly and sadly resumed their way to the camp. Before they reached it, however, Captain Lacy stopped, and said to his companion, ' Brown, my good fellow, take half the money and the ornaments which belong to those whom we have just interred; they are your share.' ' No, no ! ' vehemently exclaimed the Sergeant ; ' no such plunder for me ; I never yet stripped the dead, nor robbed the orphan. Keep all, sir, if you please, for the poor little boys ; they may like to have them, for the sake of their father and mother. I am almost tired of fighting in' this country, sir, for we see so many sad sights here, and this day has sickened me more than ever. I shall never forget that poor girl's face, nor the long black hair which shaded it. 'Tis true, she and her husband were not on our side, but they may be none the worse for that.' * You are an THE CONSULTATION. 5 honest man, Sergeant,' observed Captain Lacy. I hope I may be able to reward you some day for your good feelings ; but, like you, I am weary of such a war as this. We cannot, however, as honourable men, retreat from it at present; and at this moment we must both see what we can do further for the children.' On their return the infant was awake ; but after receiv- ing some nourishment, again fell asleep from fatigue. His example was soon followed by his brother ; but rest was banished from Captain Lacy's eyes. A soldier, and but little to depend upon beyond his profession, how was he to provide for the two helpless creatures who had thus been placed in his hands? Certainly he might find some one of the soldiers' wives who would attend to them at present ; but the future was too full of uncertainty, hardship, and suffering, for him to dare to think of it without apprehension. Placing his trust, however, in that Divine Being who had thus selected him to save these orphan children, he deter- mined to do all that lay in his power, and leave the rest to Heaven. At daybreak Sergeant Brown was summoned to a consultation in Captain Lacy's tent, the result of which was, his strong recommendation of a good-natured Irishwoman, the wife of one of the British soldiers, who, for a mere trifle, would take care of the children. He sought her ; and when the proposal was made, she willingly promised to watch over them as if they were her own, refusing any reward beyond the feeling of being useful; and she forthwith began to wash their soiled skins with a tenderness and vivacity which augured well for her skill. But her fair face and hair, and her blue eyes, in addition to the surrounding 6 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. scene, so bewildered the poor little things, that they shrieked, clung to each other, and imperfectly called for their parents. Kathleen, their new nurse, could not speak a word ot Spanish ; but the Sergeant and Captain Lacy caressed and soothed them in their native tongue, so that they became gradually recon- ciled to those who were so heartily engaged in their service. Too young to have received any lasting impression, they, in a few days, were even attached to their protectors ; but as, notwithstanding Kathleen's good-will, she could not give them her whole time, they were necessarily left much to themselves. The elder, therefore, who already appeared to be the graver of the two, soon learned to assist his brother, and to steady his tottering walk ; and both progressed much more rapidly than those children do, who have only soft carpets to move upon, nurses to feed and prevent them from falling down, and plenty of con- trivances to procure them amusement. To their benefactor they were an inexhaustible source of interest, and beguiled him of many an hour's fatigue ; though afterwards, when he was personally engaged in fierce strife with the enemy, he almost wished he had not taken charge of them ; for if he fell, what would be their fate ? In a few weeks the camp broke up, and the troops marched to a distant station ; when the Captain's boys, as they were called, were either seated on the top of the baggage, or travelled in the arms of those with whom they were especial favourites. The success of the Carlists was of short duration, and they retreated from place to place with diminished forces. At length their leader talked of quitting the country to which he had been asserting his right ; and PREPARE TO LEA VE SPAIN. 7 not till then did Captain or rather Colonel Lacy (in consequence of rapid promotion), turn his thoughts homewards, and, worn, harassed, and dispirited, long for that rest which wounds, hardship, and fatigue ren- dered absolutely necessary. The children had all the while been cherished by him with increasing affection ; and although they chiefly lived in his tent, there was scarcely any one in the camp who was not ready to sport with or assist them. They throve surprisingly ; and at the end of two years, when they appeared to be about four and five, they were as sturdy and hardy as children who were double their age, were friends with every individual in the camp, and were perfectly doated upon by their generous benefactor, Sergeant Brown, and Kathleen. Poor Kathleen ! death bereaved her of the husband whom she had followed with such toil and danger; and thus stricken, she clung with still greater affection to her young charges. They spoke both Spanish and English, the latter with a strong Irish accent, imbibed from their nurse ; but any instruction during their wandering and uncertain life had been perfectly out of the question. Writing to Madrid, and obtaining assistance from the English Ambassador there, to whose family he was distantly related, Colonel Lacy gathered together his arrears of pay, as well as the little property which he had been able to save from the wreck of the service, and, furnished with passports for himself, the two boys, Sergeant Brown, and Kathleen, he prepared to cross the Peninsula to Santander, a small seaport town in the north, where he hoped to find a vessel which would convey them to England. The country was in such a state that no party was safe ; the Carlists robbed the 8 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. Christines, the Christines plundered the Carlists, and the banditti stripped them both. For greater security, those who were obliged to travel generally assembled together in numbers, and hired waggons, in which a portion rode at a time, while the rest, marching on foot formed a sort of guard. Adopting this only chance of safety, slight as it was, Colonel Lacy and his followers joined other travellers bound for the same place, and in this manner reached Santander. On one occasion they had a very narrow escape from the bandits, who poured from the mountains into the narrow passes in such numbers, that it was impossible for a small force to make much stand against them. A waggon had been attacked by the ruffians only an hour or two before that of Colonel Lacy passed over a certain spot; and his party probably owed its safety to a necessity on the side of the robbers to secure their spoil .and prisoners, which took them off the road. The remains of the broken vehicle, and the bodies of one or two who had perished in defending themselves, or others, told but too plainly the history of the struggle ; and the succeeding passengers used all possible speed to reach a place of security before the marauders had time to return and overtake them. At length the cavalcade reached Santander without any serious disaster ; and there a scene presented itself which can scarcely be described, or even imagined. Numbers of British soldiers who had been serving in the Spanish armies of either party, without pay, and rendered utterly insensible to every good feeling by the lives of bloodshed, rapine, and cruelty, which they had been leading for several years ; without any one to superintend them, under no kind of authority ; EMBARK A TION A T SANTANDER 9 generally speaking, in rags, and even these, in many instances, gradually bartered away for food, they crowded to the port in order to obtain shipping for their native country. Some, who had not a single article of clothing, had taken the parchment manu- scripts which had been carelessly scattered far and wide as nothing worth, when the convents had been plun- dered, had cut them into something like shape, and transformed them into jackets and trousers. What would the poor industrious monks and learned men who wrote these have said, could they have foreseen the fate which attended their labours ? and who knows but that some precious document, some brilliant effort of intellect, may have thus been lost for ages ? Nothing could exceed the strange effect which this dress pro- duced, unless it were the lawlessness and misery of the unhappy wearers. It was hardly safe to be in the same town with them ; and when the vessels designed for their transport by the English government arrived at Santander, they flocked on board in such numbers that it was difficult to accommodate them. Colonel Lacy took a passage for himself and party in one which con- tained the least portion of this extraordinary cargo, and aided by the captain of the ship and the Sergeant, he contrived to keep his fellow-passengers in some sort of subjection. Finding a few of his former soldiers among them, they more willingly returned to proper discipline ; and during the short interval occupied by the voyage, no disaster occurred. The independent habits of the children soon reconciled them to the novelty of a sea voyage, and they slept on a locker in the cabin, without a thought of discomfort. As they neared the English shore, and were standing together upon deck, the io THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. Colonel asked the Sergeant where he was going, and what he meant to do with himself. The latter hesi- tated, coloured, and remained silent. ' What can I do for you, Brown ? ' inquired Colonel Lacy. The man's countenance brightened, and he then replied, ' If I may be so bold, sir, I must say I should be very unhappy if I were wholly to leave you and the children ; we have gone through so much together, that I feel as if I be- longed to you, and so Kathleen thinks. Your honour says that you mean to settle in a house of your own, and you will want some one to wait upon you. We wish to make a match of it ; and if you would take us as your servants till you could get better, we would do our best and serve you without wages. I have a bit of a pen- sion, you know, sir, which would keep us in clothes.' Pleased with such a proof of attachment, Colonel Lacy thought this would be an excellent arrangement for all parties, and replied, ' Be it so, then ; you and Kathleen shall remain with me, at any rate, for a time ; and the question of wages will be easily settled, by my giving you that which I would give to others.' Accordingly, as soon as the good-hearted soldier had settled all his affairs in London, the whole party journeyed together to Liverpool, where the Colonel's friends and relatives principally lived, and where he found, by the death of one of the latter, an inheritance awaited him v.-hich made him easy as to the future provision for his adopted children, who were looked upon by all with interest ; notwithstanding that there were several who thought their benefactor romantic in his devotion to their welfare. WAVERTREE. n CHAPTER II. THE air of Liverpool, impregnated by the smoke of many chimneys and factories, did not agree with Colonel Lacy's health, accustomed as he had been for years to live almost entirely in the field ; he there- fore took a house at Wavertree, within a walk of the town, and close to a day-school for boys, where his proteges commenced their education. Doubtful whether they had ever been baptized, and deeply impressed with the importance of this holy rite, he, soon after settling, had the ceremony performed, which admitted them as members of the English Church, under the name of Henry (which was Colonel Lacy's own) and Charles, in memory of that master for whom the soldier had fought and bled. However, as they were always addressed by himself and the Sergeant in Spanish, they retained the appellation of Henriquez and Carlos all their lives. They very early in life showed a great difference of character. Henriquez, the elder, was thoughtful, and would probably have been shy, had not the publicity of his life prevented it. His attachment to his benefactor was fervent and unceasing; but he evinced it rather by his perfect obedience to his will than by voluntary caresses, ex- cept, indeed, if the Colonel were ill, and then the 12 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. anxiety and affectionate devotion of Henriquez were unbounded. He was called at school the grave Don, or the Don; while his quicker and more animated brother was nicknamed ' Little Don Carlos.' Never was there a greater contrast than that presented, in many respects, by the brothers; for Carlos was as idle as Henriquez was industrious; he was careless and noisy, though full of affection, which he demon- strated in the most vehement manner. His fun, his talent for mimicry, his sparkling vivacity, won all hearts on a first acquaintance ; but he often tired even his best friends by his restless activity and love of change. Henriquez seemed rather to win affection gradually; but once obtained, it was never even momentarily withdrawn from him. For a time the little household went on smoothly and regularly, as might be expected under the direc- tion of two soldiers, who so much love order and obedience ; but the marriage of Colonel Lacy wrought considerable changes. Two children had been added to the party by Kathleen ; but as the Sergeant exer- cised his principles of discipline even over them, almost as soon as they were born, they had never troubled Colonel Lacy as long as he was a bachelor. To his lady, however, it was a very different matter , and to have the house already peopled by four chil- dren, she found to be past all endurance. As she made no impression on her husband when she tried to induce him to send the Browns away, and being determined to make a clearance of them, she tried to render their lives so miserable by petty annoyances, that they themselves would volunteer to leave the ser- vice. Still they loved their master too much to com- A DOMESTIC SCENE. 13 plain ; and he knew nothing of the system pursued by his lady, till one morning, after having been on the pre- vious day tormented beyond all bearing, the Sergeant entered his study, and making his usual military salute, steadily and quietly announced the necessity which he was under to leave Wavertree. ' What is the matter, Sergeant ? ' exclaimed the Colonel. ' Why should you wish to go away ? ' ' We could live with your honour till death,' was the reply ; ' but it cannot be expected that your lady should think of us as you do, and it is very natural that she should not like our children. It is therefore much better for you, sir, and for ourselves, that we should go.' The Colonel was surprised ; but the whole of Mrs. Lacy's plan seemed to be revealed to him in a moment, and he wondered that he could have been so long blind to her proceedings. ' What do you think of doing, Brown?' he asked. The Sergeant replied, that he thought of trying to procure a place as porter at some warehouse, and that he supposed Kathleen must take in washing. ' No, no !' hastily exclaimed the Colonel. 'I shall not ask you to stay, because I see clearly that this house is no longer comfortable for you ; but you shall not go till I have made some arrangements for your future wel- fare. So saying, he reached his hat, and walked into the city, where he spent the morning in making in- quiries for situations, and did not return till he had a prospect of procuring an advantageous post for his faithful followers. On reaching his own gate, the Colonel found the whole establishment in a state of disturbance : little Don Carlos, with his eyes red and swollen, and his whole countenance bearing marks of having been in a r 4 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. towering passion ; Henriquez endeavouring to soothe and reason with him, though himself much agitated : the Sergeant and his wife only just succeeding in quieting their own children, who had been bellowing at the top of their voices ; and Mrs. Lacy still in a state of great excitement. On returning from school, the two boys had found the latter scolding Kathleen more than usual ; upon which the Sergeant, who had just returned from working in the garden, coolly taking his wife's arm under his own, said 'your ladyship need not be so angry with my poor girl, seeing that she will not be here very long to trouble you. I gave the master warning this day, and it is only because he wished us to remain, that we are to stay a little time longer.' The moment the boys heard this they flew to their friends, declaring that they should never leave them, that they were sure there must be some mistake, and that their dear papa would never suffer them to go after being with him through so many battles, and after living with him for so many years. The Sergeant tried to explain, but Kathleen sobbed as if her heart would break. This was too much for Carlos to bear, and throwing his arms round her neck, he exclaimed, ' That it was that woman there that Mrs. Lacy who had done it ; and go they should not, in spite of all her wickedness.' The latter, in much anger, tried to take the boy away from his nurse by force, and in her turn abused him ; but he resisted, and declared that he would protect Kathleen till he died. A scene of violence ensued, which had only just subsided when the Colonel approached his house. Carlos and Hen- riquez were waiting for him in the drive, when the former, jumping into his arms, in an agony of grief, CARLOS AND MRS. LACY. 15 entreated him not to send the Sergeant and his family away. Henriquez took hold of his arm, and looked imploringly in his face. ' My dear Carlos,' said the Colonel, ' you are not in a fit state to talk about any- thing ; but you may be sure that our friends shall not be ill-treated. Wait for me here, my dear boys, till I have spoken with Mrs. Lacy on the subject. What passed between the husband and wife never transpired ; but in about half an hour the Colonel re- turned to the garden looking very grave, and said to Carlos, ' You have been rude to Mrs. Lacy, and have forgotten that she is my wife : therefore I expect you will make an apology. When you have begged her pardon I will talk to you.' There was no disputing the mild but authoritative tone of his benefactor, had the boy been so inclined ; and with his eyes cast down, Carlos suffered himself to be led into the pre- sence of the lady, when he begged her forgiveness for whatever he might have said when he was in a passion. Mrs. Lacy did not receive the apology very graciously ; but she knew th:.t her husband must be obeyed, and with some effort she restrained her feelings. The Colonel then told the boys that ' the Browns would not leave the neighbourhood, and not even the house, till they could be comfortably settled.' 'But then we shall not see them every day, papa,' said Carlos. ' No, my boy,' was the reply; 'but you would not be so selfish as to wish for anything which would inter- fere with their welfare ? ' This was a new view of the whole affair, and silenced Carlos. Order, though not contentment, was restored : the Browns looked sad, and the Colonel also, but he was, if possible, more kind to them than ever ; the boys lost their vivacity ; 1 6 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. Mrs. Lacy was stiff and cold to every one, and kept her room as much as she could, in order to avoid the sight of the offending parties. After an interval of some days, Sergeant Brown and his wife were appointed porter and housekeeper to one of the public institutions in Liverpool, with a salary which enabled them to live with great comfort, and put their children to school. It was the best asylum possible for a worthy old soldier ; but it was much more valuable in the eyes of Sergeant Brown, from the capability which it afforded of seeing his beloved master frequently, as well as the boys, who generally paid their friends a visit every half-holiday. All things in the family circle at Wavertree con- tinued to be peaceful for a time, and the Colonel flattered himself that even his wife was satisfied ; but he was unfortunately mistaken. The lady too often recollected that she had brought a fortune to her husband, to be moderate in her expectations. The lesson which Carlos had received was soon lost upon him ; and he was so impetuous and noisy, that Mrs. Lacy declared he would cause the destruction of her nerves. When reproved, he would be more quiet for a day or two, but only burst afresh into still more un- controllable spirits in consequence of the restraint. A whole holiday had given the lady so much of his presence, that she was completely tired of him, or fancied herself so ; and she asked Colonel Lacy if he always meant to keep those boys at the school near Wavertree. ' No,' said her husband, with a significant glance, which plainly told that he penetrated into her motives for the question ; ' at midsummer next they will go to Rugby. It is now March, and I expect that COL ONEL LA CY'S PLANS. 1 7 you will put up with Carlos' noise and thoughtlessness till then ; after that, you will be relieved of him for some time. I am sure Henriquez never gives you any cause for complaint.' Mrs. Lacy uttered no reply; and knowing that she must submit, made up her mind, though unwillingly, to tolerate the boys a little longer. When Colonel Lacy communicated his plans to his adopted sons, they were at first overwhelmed with sorrow, for the prospect of leaving him was heart- breaking to both ; but when he told them that it would be one of the steps which would lead to their becom- ing independent and providing for themselves, they were better reconciled. When in their room at night, however, Carlos said to his brother, ' I know why we are going away; it is all that Mrs. Lacy's fault. I must not call her that woman any more, for it made papa so angry.' ' Pray do not call her anything,' said Henriquez, ' but Mrs. Lacy.' ' You will see,' continued Carlos, ' how I will plague her till we go ! ' ' You forget,' retorted Henriquez, who more steadily con- sidered the matter, 'that when plaguing her, as you say, you plague papa also.' ' I did not think of that,' returned Carlos. 'Well, I will behave as well as I can ; but what do you think papa means to do with us when we leave school ? You are .twelve, and I am eleven, I suppose ; you may depend on it Mrs. Lacy will not let us have any peace in the holidays.' ' She will,' rejoined Henriquez, 'if you behave properly; you see she does not complain of me, or try to thwart me in any way.' ' But I know what she says of you,' continued Carlos. ' What does she say ? ' asked Henri- quez. ' She says you are sly,' answered Carlos. ' I iS THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. overheard her when she told one of her friends ; and I dared her before the lady to say so to papa, for it was false.' The colour rose into the cheeks of the noble boy, and with his peculiar disposition the accu- sation sank deeply into his heart ; scorn and anger agitated his whole frame, the more violent because his nature revolted from it ; he walked up and down his room, and opening the window, leaned out to cool his heated brow. At length, with a resolute effort, he subdued his passion, when Carlos, embracing him, told him it was not worth his notice. ' I know it is not,' said Henriquez, sighing ; ' but I wish it were mid- summer.' At length the holidays were over, and Colonel Lacy, wisely sparing his lady the trouble of outfitting the two boys for a public school, with the assistance of Kathleen, performed the task himself. Very sad were his proteges to leave their only earthly parent, and for some days previous to their departure, even the high spirits of Carlos were subdued ; even Mrs. Lacy s pet dog had a respite from him ; he was gentle and attentive to its mistress, and seemed as if he could never leave the side of his benefactor. He took leave of Kathleen with a hearty kiss, and eyes full of tears. Henriquez could not speak. Each boy shook hands with the Sergeant, and gave the children a parting pre- sent. Mrs. Lacy was so glad they were going, that she bestowed a cordial farewell upon them ; but the saying ' Good-bye' to the Colonel, from whom they had never been long separated, was the heaviest trial they had ever known. The excellent man pronounced a blessing upon them, faltered out an adieu which had little in it of the firmness of the soldier ; and when he CHARACTERS OF THE BOYS. 19 returned to his home to be no more cheered by their voices and sunny faces, he felt as if a blank had fallen upon his existence. Not so Mrs. Lacy ; she was im- moderately gay and happy, as if relieved from a weight of care ; and the Colonel could scarcely forbear to observe, that he would have been better pleased with some degree of sympathy on her part. Years passed away : the boys spent their holidays constantly at Wavertree ; and Carlos, having become much more manly, laid aside a number of those pro- voking ways, which, though little in themselves, yet prove of infinite consequence in the daily intercourse of families. The characters, however, of the two were not altered, only further developed. Henriquez was a persevering, industrious boy ; did not think he fully comprehended a thing until he had regarded it in every point of view, and when once understood, never forgot it; thus he excelled, for his years, in various branches of education, as well as in manly sports. As for little Don Carlos, as he was still called by his schoolfellows, though his rapidly increasing height rendered the first part of the epithet rather inapplic- able, he was a universal favourite. Impetuous and violent, he constantly gave offence, but was afterwards so sorry for his fault, so generous in accusing himself, that he was instantly forgiven by those whose feelings he had wounded. He was thoughtless, daring, and active ; but his was headlong courage, rather than that cool self-possession which Henriquez evinced. No boy in the school could vie with him in any of the agile sports there practised ; his love of adventure betrayed him into many scrapes, but he always seemed to get out of them again in a manner which surprised 20 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. every one, and which was so unaccountable to his companions, that they pronounced him to be the luckiest fellow in the school. He made a creditable figure at the periodical examinations ; but how he obtained his knowledge was a mystery, he was so insufferably volatile. But while Henriquez took the highest rank, and gained prizes, Carlos was satisfied with that which alone was necessary in order to pre- vent him from disgracing his benefactor. 'He will never make a shining or a deep scholar,' wrote his master to Colonel Lacy, 'not from want of power, but from his unsteady character ; and I should think him admirably calculated for a life of activity and enterprise.' The vacation again came round ; and four years spent at Rugby again excited the animadversions of Mrs. Lacy. Finding that hints met with no attention, she openly expostulated with her husband, on the con- tinued expense which he was incurring for those who had no claims of relationship upon him ; and, reason- ably enough, reminded him that he had now three children of his own, who were higher objects of duty. The Colonel, however, turned a deaf ear to her sug- gestions ; said, that ' when his two other boys required to go to school, their elder brothers (laying a stress upon these words which made the lady's cheeks tingle) would, in all probability, be able to provide for them- selves, and there 'was still plenty of time to look around him for the settlement of Henriquez and Carlos.' Finding herself thus thwarted, Mrs. Lacy, as a last resource, determined to express her opinion to the boys themselves. She told them plainly 'that they were now a burden upon the Colonel ; that he had DISCONTENT. 21 done more for them than he ought to have done, con- sidering that he was a married man with a family;' and working herself up to a high pitch of excitement as she proceeded, she said, ' they ought to be ashamed of eating the bread of his real children.' A new light seemed to burst upon Henriquez and Carlos ; their right to the kindness of Colonel Lacy had never before been questioned, but their position seemed now to be changed in a moment. The high, generous feelings, the nice sense of honour which well-disposed boys imbibe at a public school, made the struggle the greater. Henriquez did not trust himself to offer any reply ; and, seeing an ap- proaching storm gathering in Carlos' whole frame, and agitating him violently, he dragged him out of the room before it could find vent. Scarcely knowing what they did, they rushed from the house, went into the fields, and wandered they knew not whither, uttering their feelings to each other in broken sentences. They did not return till Colonel and Mrs. Lacy had gone out to dinner ; when, as if ashamed to look any one in the face, they sought their bedroom. ' We can never return again to Rugby,' said Henriquez. ' Where are we to go ? ' asked Carlos. ' Surely I could get a clerk's place,' observed Henriquez. ' I shall go to sea,' ex- claimed Carlos. ' Nonsense,' returned his brother ; ' you don't know what you say. Why should we not be always together as we have hitherto been, and try and get something to do near papa ? I am sure when he gets old, he will want us to take care of him, though we are not his real children, as she says.' 'That's true,' resumed Carlos ; ' but I hate that woman, and never wish to look at her again.' ' I hate her as much c 22 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. as you do,' retorted Henriquez, ' but ' ' There are no buts with me,' interrupted Carlos : ' I will not go back to Rugby, and I will not stay here. I detest learning and writing ; and I vote that we should tell papa what we feel to-morrow morning.' The brothers talked for some time longer, each defending his own plan, when they heard the carriage drive up to the door. Never did the Colonel's voice sound so musi- cally in their ears, as when, entering the hall, he asked the servant if the young gentlemen were come home ; and when told that they were in their own room, he observed that they were gone to bed very early. He gently opened their door as he passed to his own, and blessed his dear boys ; and grateful as that blessing was to them, it wrung their hearts to agony. In after years, amid toil, suffering danger, and wrong, it stole upon their ear ; the recollection of it seemed to soothe their sorrows, and more than once it preserved them in the hour of temptation. Morning dawned before the lads could go to sleep ; and at breakfast their pale faces and silence betrayed that something was wrong. They declined eating ; but, frightened at the consequence of her remarks, Mrs. Lacy, with unwonted kindness, pressed them to take food. To oblige her, or rather to oblige the Colonel, they complied ; but the toast remained un- touched on the plate of Henriquez ; and Carlos, after vainly endeavourig to swallow a morsel, hastily rose, exclaiming, ' It chokes me ! ' He then pushed his chair from the table, and rushed out of the room. ' Some- thing is the matter,' said Colonel Lacy. ' Henriquez, go to my study ; take Carlos with you, and wait there till I come.' Henriquez obeyed ; and Mrs. Lacy, who THE COLONELS FRIENDSHIP. 23 had no conception of the feelings attendant on gene- rous and elevated minds, exclaimed, ' I am sure I did not mean to hurt the boys. I only wanted to rouse them to exertion ; for you spoil them till they fancy that they are for ever to live as gentlemen, at yours and your children's expense.' ' What have you said ? ' asked the Colonel, with unusual sternness. ' I insist on knowing every word.' Thus urged, Mrs. Lacy confessed the whole ; at which her husband exclaimed, ' Poor fellows ! I do not wonder at their distress.' He left his wife to her own reflections, and, proceeding to the study, told the lads that he knew all that had passed, therefore no explanation was necessary ; that they were responsible only to him ; that they must be aware how very different his sentiments were to those of his wife ; and that they were quite as dear to him as his own children. His intentions towards them would prove this ; for he had always destined Henriquez for a learned profession, and Carlos for the army. After thanking him with all the deep fervour of their affec- tion and gratitude, the brothers respectfully urged him immediately to procure some situation in which they could maintain themselves. However small the emolument, they would make it sufficient to live upon ; ' for,' added Carlos, ' the thought of taking that to which we have no claim, and injuring the children of one who has been a father to us, is beyond our endurance.' He again mentioned his earnest desire to go to sea ; but Colonel Lacy would not hear of it ; insisted on their remaining quiet at Wavertree, at least for a time ; made it a duty to him that they should continue for a short period on the same footing as that which they had held all their lives ; and, in the mean- 24 TH'E AFRICAN WANDERERS. while, he would try to provide for their future career in a way which would be satisfactory to their feelings of independence. For the present, then, the lads were quieted, though it was impossible for them to be happy under Mrs. Lacy's roof; and they ardently longed for that which they called ' emancipation.' It was a severe lesson, but one which had the good effect of imparting a wholesome sense of humiliation on naturally proud spirits, marked in the one by an increase of thoughtful- ness, and in the other by subduing his often boisterous mirth. Colonel Lacy had much interest among the wealthy merchants of Liverpool ; and there was a general feeling of respect towards him, owing to his character and his conduct to the orphans. Conse- quently, exertions were immediately made ; and the result was, that two clerkships were in a few weeks placed at his disposal for his boys, each with a salary of sixty pounds per annum to begin with, and an in- crease according to service. ' With this,' said Colonel I/acy to them, ' you must take a lodging between you in the city; and I shall make arrangements with Kathleen to look after and market for you.' It was so sudden a change, however, from the care less and generous liberality of a schoolboy, that they committed many mistakes, especially Carlos. But Kathleen helped them out of their little embarrass- ments, they thought^ by her good management ; but. in fact, she had received orders from Colonel Lacy to apply to him in all difficulties ; and he it was who supplied the deficiencies, often smiling at the perplexities of the novices. Winter came, and the young Spaniards diligently THEY OBTAIN SITUATIONS. 25 devoted themselves to their duties, thereby giving great satisfaction to their employers. They met in the evening in their own little sitting-room, and breakfasted together; but their Sundays were always spent with Colonel Lacy, by his particular order ; for, besides the happiness he invariably felt at having them with him, he by it secured their attention to those religious duties which he knew formed the all-important part of their lives, and which were but too often neglected by those who spent the rest of the week immersed in business. The lads seemed to be happy and contented for several months ; but when spring returned, there was evidently a restlessness and alteration about Carlos : he no longer expressed any satisfaction at his comparative indepen- dence ; he no longer passed his evenings cheerfully with Henriquez, entering with zest into the books and drawings which formed the relaxations of both ; he no longer poured forth the numerous Spanish songs which he had learned, and sung as if by intuition ; he no longer whistled through his morning toilet; but, weary and dejected, he constantly, on his return from business, threw himself into a chair, and seemed to be brooding over some subject which he did not as yet care to communicate. ' I can bear this no longer/ said Henriquez to him at length, ' at least tell me what is the matter with you ? ' ' Do you not see ? ' replied Carlos ; ' do you not feel the glorious spring, the sun high in the heavens, the birds soaring in the sky, the leaves and the flowers expanding in the glittering rays, and everything inviting us to freedom? I hate the counting-house, I hate the desk, I hate the narrow dirty streets I hate them all, as I hate Mrs. Lacy,' he added, lowering his voice, for he knew that Henriquez 26 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. would scold him for these last words. ' Hush, Carlos !' said the latter ; ' you told me you would not say that again. I know it is of no use urging upon you how thankful we ought to be for our present situation, but I now appeal to your affection lor our dear Colonel, and for myself. What should I do without you, left alone as I should be, to struggle with what you know to be as uncongenial to me as it is to you? How should I be able to get through it all ? ' Ashamed of his selfishness, Carlos was silenced for a time, but again did his wishes assail him in an irresistable form. I was among his duties to visit the docks, where he saw vessels starting for all parts of the world ; and in an unguarded moment, he involuntarily confessed to his master, who was very much interested in him, that he felt the most intense desire to be a sailor, and an utter aversion to a sedentary employment. ' You must send that younger boy of yours to sea,' said the merchant to his friend the Colonel, when talking of him after dinner at Wavertree, ' even if it be only one voyage by way of trial. He will never settle till he has had some experience in the disagree- able part of such an occupation. I have known many a lad cured of this common propensity in that way ; but mind, he must enter as a common sailor, and have no indulgences.' Colonel Lacy sighed at this confir- mation of what he had long foreseen and feared : he was disappointed and distressed, but he could not help feeling the force of his friend's suggestion ; and after long deliberation, reflection, and consultation with others, he resolved that Carlos should be grati- fied. A ship was then in port, bound to the coast of Africa. The master was a gentlemanly person, who CARLOS GOES TO SEA. 27 had been in the navy ; and Carlos, to his great joy, was entered as one of the men. Accustomed to brave every- thing himself, Colonel Lacy never thought of shrink- ing from climate, and Carlos had no fear. ' You must rise from the lowest grade,' said his benefactor to him, ' it you would thoroughly understand your profession, and you must first be before the mast in order to learn how to command. At the beginning you must make up your mind to come in contact with all sorts of characters, which you must not suffer to contaminate you, must witness much coarseness and vulgarity ; and, educated as you have been for the station of a gentleman, I suspect these will be your greatest trials.' The kindness, the generosity, with which Colonel Lacy met the wilful Carlos' wishes, made him almost repent of his wayward resolution ; but the alternatives sickened him, dependence, and living with Mrs. Lacy, or else the close, dark counting-house, and its accompanying routine. His sanguine temperament made him bound over the steps by which he was to rise ; and in his fertile imagination, he saw himself standing on his own deck, his vessel freighted with the merchandise of his beloved Henri quez, spreading her white sails to a glorious breeze, the brilliant suns of southern climes bronzing his cheek, the dark blue waters sparkling around him, and the rich treasures of other countries poured out at the feet of his noble benefactor and his children. 'What a glorious pic- ture ! is it not, Henriquez ?' said he ; ' I only wish you could share freedom with me.' ' There is no such thing as freedom for us at present,' returned his brother : ' and much as I sigh after it, I would not 28 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. purchase it at the rate you must do, for all the happi- ness which it confers.' The parting scenes had better be passed over with- out description ; they served to convince all parties, except one, of the depth of their mutual affection, and she wondered why the Colonel should be in such low spirits about a wilful boy, who was nothing to him but an object of charity : this, however, she wisely kept to herself. ON BOARD THE ' HERO: 29 CHAPTER III. THE vessel in which Carlos was to sail was named the ' Hero ; ' and as she was to start immediately, he was ordered on board. Every hand was necessary for the final stowing away of the cargo, which consisted of bales of cotton goods, ammunition, muskets, iron bars, brass rods, pigs of lead, hats, cheeses, salt, and various etceteras. Although he had frequently super- intended the shipping of goods in his capacity of clerk, the novice was scarcely prepared for the scene of confusion which a merchant vessel presents when near her departure. The moment he set his foot on deck, he was accosted by one of two men with, ' Avast, brother ! lend us a hand to stow away this chest in the hold.' 'A likely-built young fellow,' said his companion, 'but somehow, he looks too much like a gentleman.' 'I did not come here to be a gentleman,' observed Carlos, overhearing him; and as he spoke, helped the slighter of the two sailors. This action won the hearts of his messmates, which might otherwise have been prejudiced against him by his appearance, and they never forgot it. ' Is Lacy come?' inquired the first mate, who, in the absence of the Captain, held the command. 'Ay, ay, sir,' was the reply. ' Then send him aft for orders,' con- tinued the officer; who, measuring Carlos with an 3 o THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. experienced eye as he obeyed the summons, seemed to regard him with peculiar satisfaction. Open, brave, and good-natured, Mr. Mortimer performed all his duties with cheerfulness, except one, and that was writing, which he detested much more than Carlos did ; and accordingly, as he knew the history of the latter, he had determined, if he found him good- natured, to make him his peculiar protege, and, inducing him to be useful in the capacity of his amanuensis, employ him as often as he could in the after-cabin. Satisfied with the expression of Carlos' handsome face, he desired him to go into the storeroom under the cabin, and help the steward to stow away the pri- vate stores which would be handed down to him by the latter; 'he is only a bit of a lad,' added he, ' and not to be trusted by himself, so some one must work with him.' Carlos cheerfully obeyed ; and as he pushed his way along the deck, amid hampers, boxes, bags, lanterns, spare rigging, bolts of canvas, sails, water casks, dried provisions, pickle-tubs, and dozens of ducks and fowls tied together by the legs in bunches, he advanced to the cabin-door, where the surgeon, a tall raw-boned Scotchman, with difficulty poised himself, as he stood smoking his pipe. He had evidently been taking more than one farewell glass with his friends ; but still had sufficient polite- ness to think that the fumes ot tobacco might be dis- agreeable to some ladies within, who, being a farmer's daughters, had come from the country with cakes, fresh butter, eggs, milk, and huge cabbages, for their cousin the Captain. They were accompanied by their brothers, and were sitting on the locker across the stern, taking tea amidst candlesticks, mugs, compasses, THE DANCE ON BOARD. 31 log-glasses, lamps, dishes, etc., looking very rustic and demure. Carlos involuntarily took off his hat when he saw them, but proceeded below to perform his task. This was barely ended, and he was looking round at the contents of the room, when he heard the blast of a trumpet, resounding from one end of the vessel to the other, and succeeded by an order to turn up all hands and clear away, which made him spring from the depths below, in expectation of at least a visit from the owners of the vessel. He aided in thrusting the unhappy ducks and fowls into their coops, rolling the casks to the side, and piling the other things one upon another; when, pausing for breath, he looked out for a boat full of dignitaries. Nothing of the kind, however, was to be seen, but the mate shouted, ' Silence fore and aft ; the Captain does not come on board till to-morrow morning ; and now, my lads, we'll have a dance.' A long roll upon the drum ensued, and then one of the country gentle- men took a violin from the corner in which he had hidden it, and began to scrape and tune his instru- ment. Carlos had never danced except with ladies and gentlemen, and involuntarily shrank from the romp which ensued ; but a thump on his back, with an injunction to take his partner, if he meant to be good for anything, caused him to advance towards one of the rosy-cheeked damsels. He so far forgot himself as to ask for the honour of her hand, at which she at first stared, and then, thinking he was mocking a fine gentleman by way of a joke, laughed heartily. This recalled him to his actual position, and leading her out, he mingled with the dancers. So contagious is genuine mirth, that in spite of the heaviness of his 32 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. heart and the novelty of the scene, he soon found himself joining in the laughter around him, and he became animated by the intricate mazes through which his lady led him. As he performed his part in so satisfactory a manner, he was evidently in great request, and was obliged to dance with each of the young damsels. Grog was handed round between the dances, mixed to the satisfaction of the female part of the company ; and the gaieties were ended at twelve o'clock, by another loud blast of the trumpet, and another long roll upon the drum. A boat was made ready, the farewells exchanged, and the visitors were sent ashore. Overcome with fatigue, Carlos threw himself on a chest and slept ; not, however, without considerable wonder that he should h^ve danced for hours, after immediately quitting his brother and Colonel Lacy. Even the few who composed the watch resigned themselves to slumber, and the ship was quiet till the morning sun was high in the heavens. It was Sunday; and Carlos, starting from his hard couch, was the first to shake off the fatigues of the preceding evening. The scene around him was any- thing but encouraging, and his heart misgave him, when he looked back to the comforts and refinements of the home he had voluntarily quitted, and which were so particularly enjoyed by him on that day of the week above all others. The nine o'clock bells from the various churches, recalling such different and orderly habits, seemed to invite him to return to pray in the temples raised to God; and he almost longed to regain the shore for that purpose alone. But little time, however, was given him for the indulgence of his thoughts ; for the first mate, hah dressed, issued THE PILOT. 33 from the cabin, roused the ship's crew, and ordered everything to be put in proper order ' made taut] as he called it, for the Captain's arrival. In two hours a complete metamorphosis had taken place; breakfast was over, and the men, in their blue jackets and trousers, their white shirts, and shining round hats, with long ends of ribbon floating from them, appeared to belong to a well-conducted vessel. The Captain came on board, prayers were read, and all present apparently listened with attention ; dinner ensued, and then the pilot arrived. A favourable breeze had sprung up, the anchor was weighed, the men cheer- ingly singing as they ran round with the capstan-bars, and the sailors' favourite plan was realized, viz. that of sailing on a Sunday. As soon as the ' Hero ' had well cleared the mouth of the Mersey, the pilot resigned her into the guidance of her commander ; but before he took his departure, he inquired for Carlos, into whose hands he put a small parcel, saying, that he had promised a young gentleman to deliver it at the last moment ; and before Carlos could inquire from whom it came, the man had slipped down the gangway into his boat, and pushed off. The sailor's duties are, of course, heavy at first, and Carlos had no opportunity of examining the con- tents of the packet at that moment; thrusting it, therefore, inside his waistcoat, he waited for the hour of leisure. He was not so violently assailed by sea- sickness as some are, but a faintness and dimness of vision occasionally crept over him, which made exer- tion very irksome ; still he did not flinch from his allotted occupations, and was very angry with himself for the thought that would creep in, in spite of ever}' 34 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. endeavour to keep it out, that the sailor's life was not quite what he had expected. He was stationed in the first night-watch, and, approaching the binnacle, he contrived to open his packet, and read the following letter : 'Mv BELOVED CARLOS, I know you refused all offers of money from our benefactor ; I therefore, as your elder brother, insist on my right to supply you to the extent of my power, only regretting that my means are so far below my will. I have turned the little sum into gold, which passes everywhere, and I entreat of you to keep it till the hour of need arrives ; then make use of it as the representative of myself, whose affectionate wishes you will follow by such a proceeding. To this I add, what I am sure will be a comfort to you, even when you least expect it. It is a small prayer-book (much more portable than that given you by the Colonel), which you will be always able to keep about your person ; and can consequently look into it at any moment that may be snatched from more active duties. I was so afraid you would refuse my offerings, from fear of robbing me, that they will not be put into your hands till you can no longer communicate with the shore. Receive them with the fervent and incessant prayers of your loving ' HENRIQUEZ.' It would be difficult to describe the emotions of Carlos as he perused this letter. Ashamed of his own wilfulness, wondering at what he now thought his want of affection, he paced the deck without exchanging a word with any of his companions of the watch ; and CARLOS ACTIVITY. 35 more than one tear of repentance wetted his cheek. For what had he exchanged the society of such a brother as Henriquez ? For that of a set of men, in- different alike to his presence or his absence, inferior to him in education, and with whom there could be no exchange of intellect, which certainly affords the purest of all enjoyments. ' But then, 1 said he to him- self, and starting from his reverie, ' it is the first step towards a life of enterprise and independence, and in it I shall surely become better acquainted with the wonders of God.' The shrill whistle which announced the change of the watch enabled him to go below, and he spent part of the time allotted to rest in secur- ing his treasures in such a manner that they should never leave him ; and into the bag which contained them, he put a ring which had been given him by one of his schoolfellows, thinking it ridiculous to wear it on his finger in the position in which he stood among his messmates. Light winds detained the ' Hero ' for some time in the Irish Channel, during which period Carlos became tolerably initiated into his nautical duties. No matter how dirty or how disagreeable the task, he was the first to begin and the last to leave off work. The agility for which he had been so famed in his school- boy days now proved of infinite service to him : he was equally ready to go aloft and below j and although every one felt his mental superiority, even envy was obliged to acknowledge that that superiority did not stand in the way of his activity and obedience. At length the ship cleared the land, and dashed across the Bay of Biscay. ' Sail ahoy ! ' said a man employed at the mast-head. The glasses were out in a moment, 36 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. and two homeward-bound Indiamen were discovered, bearing down full upon them. As they neared the ' Hero,' the three vessels backed their sails to speak each other ; and Carlos had an opportunity, while the commanders were engaged in questions of latitude and longitude, names of vessels and ports which had been left and which were to be attained, etc., of con- templating the noble sight which the Indiamen pre- sented. Their sails were set, even to the moon-rakers and sky-scrapers, in order to catch the light breezes aloft, and their hulls bent gracefully under the weight like a swan dipping its head into the waters as it swims along, now dividing them with its breast, and now gently expanding its wings as it prepares again to stoop. 'When,' said Carlos, 'shall I command such a vessel as that?' forgetting the hundreds of human lives, and the amount of wealth, for which such a command would render him fearfully responsible. Seeing that the young sailor tried to understand alt he saw, the Captain, who dared not show him any preference at first, at length asked Carlos it he would like to observe the sun every day in order to ascer- tain the latitude in which they might be, and being answered in the affirmative, offered to lend him a sextant for the purpose ; but the Colonel had pro- vided him with this instrument, and with it he daily took his station on deck by the side of the Captain and first mate, just before twelve o'clock. Besides this instruction, he was allowed to read some books on navigation ; and on pretence of teaching him yet more, Mr. Mortimer often enticed him into the cabin when the Captain was asleep, but in reality employed him in keeping his log for him. THE ISLAND OF MADEIRA. 37 The beautiful island of Madeira, for which nature has done so much, and man so little, was passed at such a distance, that a mere glimpse was obtained of its sharply pointed, lofty mountains, studded half-way up the sides with lovely villas and gardens. The towering peak of Teneriffe, rising abruptly from the sea, was long in sight, and conveyed the idea of a painted scene at a theatre, rather than a reality. The calmer waters and beautiful weather gave less to do on board, and Carlos had an opportunity of becoming better acquainted with the characters of those around him, than when they were always busily employed. They formed a motley assemblage from various coun- tries, each individual of which was, as sailors generally are, strongly stamped with his national peculiarities ; although the frank, open-hearted manner, and mode of speaking, the childish simplicity with which every impulse is obeyed, was common to almost all. The principal friends of Carlos were his two first acquaintances on board, whom he had helped with the chest. One of these was a Venetian, named Antonio. He had been a gondolier, then a sailor in the Mediterranean, and lastly had entered the English service. He was well versed in all the languages of the south ; consequently was able to converse in Spanish with Carlos, which was a great tie between them. The two friends, when work was over, would often sit in the main- top, teaching each other the songs of their respective countries ; Antonio telling romantic stories, or instructing Carlos how to carve bones and wood. He was one of the greatest mimics and best buffoons ever seen, and the favourite of the whole ship's crew. He was Carlos' washerman, for D 33 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. this was an office to which the latter felt an uncon- querable repugnance, and for the performance of which he offered Antonio all his allowance of grog. This, however, was not accepted, the Venetian being of the same temperate habits as himself; and he therefore distributed it among the others of the ship's crew. Another perfection possessed by Antonio was that of making canvas trousers, laying the material upon the deck, and shaping it with his knife ; he was also a good mender and maker of sails ; in short, he could turn his hand to any and everything, and was the merriest of the whole set, except, indeed, the Irishman, Johnstone, whose voice and laughter might be often heard in the hold, or aloft, in calm or storm, in fact, on almost all occasions, but who was always ready to help a friend in distress or perplexity. The second favourite of Carlos was Hall, a sturdy Englishman, whose curling, light brown hair, blue eyes, gigantic form, and prodigious strength, showed un- erring tokens of his Saxon descent. He more than any of the other men felt the superiority of the young Spaniard ; his manner towards him was always respect- ful, and he even seemed to extend over him the pro- tection which a Newfoundland dog does over his smaller canine brethren. His great delight was to put Johnstone into a furious passion (no difficult matter, by the by), he himself never losing his temper. On these occasions, the quick-witted Irishman would load him with the most humorous abuse, and as Hall sat laughing beside him, at last end the scene by finding out the joke, and joining in the mirth at his own expense ; but this by no means prevented him from being again deceived on the morrow. SAILORS' SPOKTS. 39 It was the custom of the good-natured Captain to make his men leave off work at four o'clock every afternoon, and encourage them to play at various games, as a substitute for bodily sport. In hare and hounds, Antonio and Carlos were unmatched; only Johnstone ever being able to catch them when they personated the first of these animals : the wonder was to see them chased, for when their pursuers thought themselves sure of them at one end of the vessel, they had most unaccountably slipped to the other, almost gliding through the air ; and when Hall was seeking them in the forecastle, they would be climbing up one of the masts. Hall, however, made the best bear, and constructing a den for himself with the spare spars which lay midships on the deck, he would throw a frieze coat over him, and with an occasional roar from his capacious lungs, await the blows of the rest of the men, who struck him as they rapidly passed by with knotted ropes-ends. When tired of his position, he would catch a leg of the enemy, and there was no escape from that powerful grasp ; down came the victim upon the deck, those behind tumbling over him in their headlong course, and lie was then made to take the bear's part. It was observed that Hall never caught Carlos, and that Carlos either crawled from under the mass of forms, or leaped over it with his wonted agility. The whole vessel shook from stem to stern on these occasions, while the first mate openly laughed, and the Captain, half hidden by the cabin door, tried to conceal his enjoyment ot the scene ; and each secretly lamented that his dignity would not suffer him to join in the fun. On bright moonlight nights, Sandy, the Scotchman, a straightforward, cold-looking, quiet personage, was 40 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. dragged from his hammock with his bagpipes, and made to play Scotch reels, while his messmates danced, and invented steps and figures which, for variety and intricacy, would have shamed the best dancing-master in Europe. ' Surely you'll get up and see the fleet we're passing through,' said Johnstone one morning to Carlos, as he lay sleeping in his hammock. 'What fleet?' asked Carlos, opening his eyes. ' They are Portuguese men- of-war,' answered the Irishman, ' cruising about in these seas ; so make haste and get up.' Only half of Carlos' time for rest was expired ; nevertheless he rose immediately, and was much surprised, as he ascended to the deck, not to see a single mast or sail. A trium- phant laugh from Johnstone and others convinced him that he had been tricked ; but the real sight was so pretty that he forgot to be angry. A slight breeze just curled the blue waters of the Atlantic, and the sun made every bubble glitter with his rays. Over the whole expanse were scattered a multitude of small, white, pink, and blue bladders, with curling tendrils depending from them, and about the size of a common butter-boat. They seemed to be come out to enjoy themselves ; and yielding to every motion of the waves, they floated along, as if they had abandoned themselves to pleasure. Johnstone had made use of the English sailors' name for them when he summoned Carlos, who would not have missed seeing them on any account. He dipped a bucket into the water, and bringing up one, began to handle and examine it. The bladder was soon empty, for it contained nothing but water, and the animal lay like a number of strings in his hand ; he was, however, very glad to A SHARK. 41 throw it overboard again, for it stung him, as if it had been a bunch of nettles. 1 The approach of the continent of Africa was made manifest by a quantity of red sand, which was wafted from the desert, and deposited on the larboard side of the sails ; and although out of sight of land, some curious insects more than once were discovered, which undoubtedly came from the same quarter. Contrary winds detained the ' Hero' for some days in the bay of the Cape de Verde, and there it was that Carlos saw sharks for the first time. The cry of ' Shark ! shark !' was loudly given by the watch ; but all that could be seen was a small, pointed, black substance, coming towards them, just peeping above the surface of the waves, and which was the fin on the back of the fearful animal. ' He's a hungry one,' said Mr. Mortimer, ' he is bearing down so fast on us ; get the hook out, put a piece of salt pork upon it, hang it out over the stern, and let us catch the fellow.' The shark, however, was not hungry, or he was too cunning to be taken in ; he swam round the bait, and touched it occasionally with his projecting muzzle, but never attempted to take it in his mouth. He con- tinued, however, to follow the ship, and was soon joined by three or four others, with whom all attempt at capture proved equally unsuccessful ; but their com- pany was esteemed a bad omen by the superstitious sailors. Carlos, whose curiosity to see a shark was much excited, examined the hook every time he had an opportunity of going near it, in the hope of finding one of the sharks hanging to it ; but for several days 1 This mollusca is called the Phy salts Holothuria^ Pfiy salts of Linnrcus- 42 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. he was disappointed. One afternoon, however, when in the cabin he cautiously peeped out of the stern window, and saw one of the huge creatures on its back, lying with its mouth open, just under the bait. Dexterously and suddenly he jerked the chain, and the hook entering the lower lip, the monster was caught. Down went the log-book, away went all idea of etiquette in the Captain's cabin. Carlos flew on deck, proclaiming his victory; and all hands, except the steersman, throwing aside their employments, rushed off to haul the animal in, and before the Captain, who was asleep in his berth, could rise to inquire what was the matter, it lay floundering on the deck, having thrown the ship's boys down with the lashing of its thick fleshy tail. It was soon despatched with knives, and Carlos then had an opportunity of examining the formidable rows of teeth. It was a true shark, 1 and measured twenty-five feet in length ; had breathing-holes in the sides of its neck ; and its upper triangular teeth had double points, while the under had only one, which was very sharp, and pro- ceeded from a broad base ; altogether forming an apparatus which made Carlos shudder to look at. The monster was white underneath, of a brownish grey on the back and sides, and the fins were black. It was soon cut up ; the cartilaginous arches which support the teeth were taken out, with the teeth attached to them, and hung up to dry, reminding Carlos of the men-traps set in gentlemen's grounds to catch poachers ; the backbone was given to Antonio ; and some steaks were cut off (for sailors will eat any- thing), a portion of which was consigned to the cook 1 The Squalus carcharias. THE SHARK CAUGHT. 43 to be dressed for supper, and the rest rubbed with salt, and placed in the caboose chimney, to be smoked. The remainder of the body was thrown overboard, where it was eagerly devoured by its brethren ; but the ship did not lose the smell of it for some days in spite of the scouring which the deck received. Carlos was prevailed on to taste the steaks, but one mouth- ful was sufficient for him, and took away all desire for another. Antonio, after dividing the backbone into four portions, made three walking-sticks, by thrust- ing an iron rod through them ; and separating and cleansing the rest of the vertebras, converted them into rings, with which the men afterwards fastened their Sunday handkerchiefs. All, however, were first hung up to dry for some time, as the bones of sharks are softer than those of the generality of fishes ; the hard or bony matter contained in them being de- posited in grains, instead of threads or fibres, and resembling cartilage. 44 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. CHAPTER IV. THE ' Hero ' at last weathered the point, or Cape de Verde, which runs far into the sea, completely verifying the geographical explanation of the term, and came to anchor close to the little island of Goree, which had been completely hidden by it The latter was about six miles from the mainland ; and here Carlos received a better impression of the natives of Africa than he had formed from the black cook on board, who was a native of Congo, and consequently no favourable specimen of personal beauty. The Jaloffs, on the contrary, are a handsome race, and some of their mulattoes may be termed beautiful ; most of those who came alongside the vessel to sell their fruits and provisions were neatly dressed and well-behaved. The first order given on arrival was, that no person should purchase rum ; and even punish- ment, was threatened to those who should have taken any on board. The Captain then asked Carlos if he could row ; and, being answered in the affirmative, he made him one of the boat's crew, and ordering his gig to be manned, proceeded to the shore. He did more; for, knowing Carlos' abilities, he took him with him wherever he went as his clerk, and thus gave him an opportunity of seeing the interior of the CARLOS AS CAPTAIN'S CLERK. 45 merchants' houses, and rapidly surveying the tiny fortress on the hill, with the batteries below, which defended the island. Chairs, stools, cane-sofas, and matting, formed the principal furniture ; but the dress of the higher classes of women struck Carlos as peculiarly graceful. It consisted of a handkerchief twisted round the head in a conical shape, and fre- quently ornamented with gold ; a full skirt of cotton, and a large piece of the same material, or of muslin, thrown over the shoulders. The trade was soon accomplished ; being only the sale of iron bars, pow- der, shot, and some Manchester prints, which were selected on board in the evening by the merchants themselves. Most things are supplied to this settle- ment by the French, to whom it was ceded by the English. Passing the entrance to the Gambia, on leaving Goree, the vessel steered for the Isles de Los, those little fairy specks of earth which lie like sparkling gems upon the ocean. The main object of the voyage was to trade in the Bight of Benin, therefore time would have been lost had the ' Hero' touched at all the places on the way. In this part of the passage some degree of alarm was felt at the sight of two waterspouts not veiy far from each other, which seemed to be rapidly approaching the ship. The enormous black clouds above, with their long descending funnels, forming deep abysses in the sea, and whirling the waters round with prodigious force, were fearful to behold, but inex- pressibly grand. Orders were given to load two small guns which stood on deck, and which were placed there for the purpose of signals in case of distress ; and as soon as the ' Hero ' showed by her motion that 46 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. she was feeling the influence of the phenomenon, they were fired through the spouts, as they are called, and the latter were immediately dispersed. They were succeeded by a dead calm, and, as a current was set- ting in towards the shore, some apprehensions were entertained that the ship might drift too near the land ; therefore, to keep her head right, the boats were manned and fastened to her bows, and the crew took it in turns to tow her along. The sun was scorching ; there was but little air that little seemed only to add to the heat, and the men evidently suffered from their exertions. The next morning several of them complained, and were placed on the sick-list ; but their symptoms were such that the surgeon, Mr. Fraser, suspected there was another cause for their illness. On communicating his suspicions, the Cap- tain ordered a search to be made, which but con- firmed them ; for several rum bottles, both empty and full, were found secreted in the men's chests and hammocks, and which, in spite of orders to the contrary, and vigilance to enforce them, had been secretly conveyed on board at Goree. Nothing can be more injurious to the constitution than new and bad spirit; and it has laid the seeds of many a fever which has been attributed solely to climate. With such warnings constantly before their eyes, it is surprising that English sailors will persevere in drinking it; for, if questioned, they will most of them own how pernicious it is, and that they thus take away their best chance of escaping from a climate which in itself is so baneful to European life. As the surgeon had predicted, several of the crew were dis- abled, but none of them died. Carlos himself felt SICKNESS ON BOARD. 47 indisposed, in consequence of his exertions in the boat ; but his temperate habits soon enabled him to shake off his malady. Antonio was not attacked ; but poor Hall, who could not practise the same forbear- ance, was sadly reduced. The Spaniard and the Italian waited on the sick, comforted them as much as lay in their power, and endeavoured to cheer their spirits. Carlos frequently, instead of sleeping, would read to them, thereby exciting much astonishment that such a scholar as he should be a common sailor like themselves. One of the men, who was by far the most ill, always refused assistance, and never would be sponged with vinegar and water, as the surgeon had ordered ; but having fainted one day as he at- tempted to rise, the doctor desired Carlos to strip him, that cold water might be thrown over his body. Carlos obeyed, and then exclaimed, ' I see why the poor fellow would never suffer his shirt to be taken off.' The back of the wretched man was covered from one end to the other with deep scars, which crossed each other in various directions, and which told too plainly of the punishment which he had undergone. 'He must have been flogged through the fleet,' ob- served Mr. Fraser, who had been in the navy ; ' I have seen more than one man made wholly good-for- nothing by such means ; and I never liked the expres- sion of this fellow's countenance.' Gray (for that was the sailor's name) recovered his senses, and when he became aware that his secret was discovered, wr.s frantic with rage. ' This is your doing ! ; he exclaimed to Carlos ; ' but for you this would never have been known.' Mr. Fraser explained that Carlos had un- dressed him by his orders, and both promised secrecy : 48 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. but the man, collecting all his remaining strength, struck a turious blow at Carlos, which made him reel. The blood of the latter rushed into his cheeks, his naturally impetuous temper was roused, and with flashing eyes he was about to retaliate, when Mr. Fraser caught his arm, and said, 'Stop, Lacy, the man does not know what he is about.' Carlos' up- lifted hand fell passively by his side ; and after a momentary struggle with his feelings, he thanked Mr. Fraser for his interference, and owned that he had been very wrong to give way to his passion. Gray had again sunk down ; but his eyes rested on Carlos with so malignant an expression, that the surgeon shuddered, and sending his assistant away, hastened to tell the Captain what had happened. ' I have long had my eye upon that Gray,' said the master of the ' Hero,' ' and I suspect he was the chief agent in con- veying the rum on board. He is ripe for any mischief; and I have such strict orders to take care of Lacy, without showing any preference, that, even if I were not inclined to do so of my own accord, I should think it my duty to separate him from Gray.' Then, turning to the first mate he told him to order Lacy's hammock to be in future slung in the steerage, instead of the forecastle. This was in all respects a happy change for Carlos, and the removal to a more airy sleeping-place had perfectly restored him to strength, when the ship dropped her anchor opposite Crawford's Island, and between those of Tamara and Factory. After breakfast the next morning, the usual party for the boat was summoned, and all proceeded to the islands. The Captain dined ashore at Crawford, during which time, as there were only two or three THE KING OF FACTORY. 49 native houses, besides that of the English merchant, he gave his men leave to roam about as they pleased, hoping that the ramble would prove beneficial to their health. Carlos, Antonio, and Hall went together, and were delighted at the beauty of the finely-cut foli- age of the mimosas, the broad leaves of the bananas, the lovely flowers, and the exquisite plumage of the birds as they darted from bough to bough. Among them was a splendid oriolus, covered with black and yellow feathers. The walking party were much an- noyed, as they ascended the grey rock, by the number of millipedes, which lay so close together, that they could not avoid frequently stepping upon and crushing them. They at first fancied that they were venomous, like the centipedes ; but these thick brown creatures, with their multitude of legs, were perfectly harmless. Having explored the whole of Crawford in a very short time, Carlos, in his own name and that of his companions, asked permission to take the boat and go to Tamara and Factory ; all pledging themselves that there should be no repetition of the misdemeanour committed at Goree. Leave was granted, and on landing at Factory, they visited the native monarch who resided there in a thatched house, and who, with all the shrewdness of his race, detected Carlos' superiority, and presented him with two white beans and a red one in token of amity ; at the same time giving him to understand in English, that, had the latter colour predominated, it would have been a declaration of enmity. He took them to see the schools, where a Marabout for they were all Moham- medans was teaching the children, who, for want of boards or slates, were writing Arabic on the sand with 50 THE AFRICAN 'WANDERERS. pointed sticks. The king gave them all some oranges, and they returned to fetch their Captain. On coming close along shore, the boat's crew perceived a turtle lying fast asleep just under the surface of the water. Of course this was considered as a fair prize, and they secured it ; but as they lifted it in, the boat was nearly swamped by its enormous weight and size. ' This will be a capital present for the Captain/ said Carlos, ' but what shall I do with this large dead lizard, which the old woman gave me just now, when we came away from Tamara?' ' It is a monitor,' said Hall ; ' and when I was in the West Indies I used to see such things eaten, but I never tasted them myself.' * You may take my word for it they are very good,' observed Antonio, ' for I have often heard so ; there- fore you may give it to me, Lacy, if you do not like it yourself.' ' You are quite welcome to it,' rejoined Carlos, ' for I do not fancy a supper of lizard.' The next day the English merchant from Crawford went on board the * Hero,' where he was regaled with the salted beef of England, and some turtle's eggs, of which the reptile had been full, and which she had probably gone to the shore to deposit. The flesh had been generously yielded to the ship's crew, in order to afford them a fresh and strengthening mess after their late illness. The lizard was skinned and roasted, and Carlos was prevailed on to taste it. To his surprise, he found it to be like the most juicy, deli- cate chicken ; and he was equally astonished at the agreeable, wholesome flavour of the turtle, when cooked without the rich and stimulating condiments which are lavished upon it when served at European tables. In the afternoon the Captain returned with the mer- THE MUTINY. 51 chant, who promised to send him back to the vessel in a few hours in his own boat, and this gave all his men time to make everything ready for a fresh start the ensuing morning. Tea on board ship is often accompanied by such viands as serve to render it a substantial meal ; and, in pursuance of this custom, the first mate had ordered the turtle, which had been left by the men, to be served for the cabin table. Work was over; and Carlos was standing quietly by the side of the vessel, watching the broad shadows cast by the cocoa-nut trees. on shore, when the steward hastily summoned the cook. The man obeyed, muttering something which could not be understood, and in a few minutes he was seen again, retreating backwards in an attitude of defiance. Mr. Mortimer followed, and ordered him to the caboose in a loud voice ; the cook aimed a blow at him with a long knife, which had gone so far as to tear his waistcoat, when Carlos pulled the man's hand back, and seizing the knife, threw it into the sea. At that moment Carlos felt himself forcibly pulled behind, and four of the crew dragged him towards the fore part of the ship. He would have been carried down into the forecastle, had not Hall come up just at the time, and rescued him with his vigorous arm. ' I will keep them at bay,'' said he to the astonished Carlos, ' while you retreat to the after cabin. I will join you there in a minute. I do not want any help,' he added, seeing that Carlos still lingered near him ; 'run to Mr. Mortimer; Antonio is there.' Carlos obeyed, though without knowing why, and found the officers, with the Italian, the steward, and one or two others, defending themselves against a large portion 52 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. of the crew, and trying to prevent their entrance into the cabin. He attacked them in the rear, which made a division in favour of the weaker party ; when Gray, who was the ringleader, aimed a furious blow at Carlos with an iron bar, which would probably have been fatal, had not Hall, who then joined him, felled the ruffian to the ground. Taking Carlos by the arm, he rushed with him through the assailants, and, standing by the side of the officers, caused a cessation of hostilities. Thus reinforced, Mr. Grant, the second mate, had time to get to the firearms, and reappearing with a brace of loaded pistols, fired one of them into the air. Johnstone, who had been held back by superior force, now made his escape to the officers, and the numbers began to equalize. Not, however, till some blood was shed were the mutineers overcome ; they were then put in irons, lodged in the forecastle with closed hatches, and an armed guard placed over them till the Captain should arrive. Signals were made to request him to return imme- diately ; and it was with great satisfaction that he was seen, very shortly after, to enter the merchant's boat, and steer for the vessel. ' Do tell me, sir,' said Carlos to Mr. Mortimer, when things were somewhat quieter, ' what all this means ? ' ' A mutiny, I suppose,' was the answer ; ' but what the cause may be I really cannot imagine. The turtle was burnt and smoked, the potatoes were dried up, I now think on purpose to provoke me ; and when I sent for the cook to tell him of it rather than find fault with him before the men, the fellow was insolent. I ordered him out of the cabin ; he refused to stir, and stood there abusing me ; but I drove him forward THE INQUIRY. 53 with my fists. I am afraid, however, that this is only the beginning of some preconcerted plan, for the man began to bawl for help as if I had been murdering him ; the others then rushed at me in a body, intend- ing, I have no doubt, to get into the cabin and take possession of the chest of small arms. Fortunately, Mr Fraser and Mr. Grant were on their guard, and defended them till we could muster sufficient force to get the better of the rascals. You do not know, Lacy, what a horrible thing mutiny is. I cannot think that our men, who have hitherto been so orderly, can have willingly engaged in it ; and therefore I suppose they must somehow have been tempted. I suspect that that fellow Gray is at the bottom of it ; but when the Captain comes, we shall hear the rights of the story.' ' What is the matter ? ' said the Captain, as he stepped on deck. ' I can hardly tell you, sir,' returned Mr. Mortimer. ' There has been a row with the men, but what they want I don't know. They have never been themselves since they took the new rum.' When Mr. Mortimer had described the foregoing scene, the Captain ordered the men to be released from their irons, and brought to him under a guard. The mandate was obeyed, but the looks of the culprits said nothing in their favour. They had evidently been drinking too much ; for it is the custom with many sailors to save their grog for days, and then take it at one sitting. They said they had started up in defence of the cook, who, although black, was their messmate, and they would not stand by and see him murdered; that they were half-starved, and worked almost to death ; that they would bear their wrongs no longer, and 54 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. were determined to have justice in some way or other. These men had always been indulged with the best salt provisions in considerable quantities ; had been allowed coffee, cocoa, rice, oatmeal, treacle, potatoes, fish, soup, puddings twice every week, etc. ; and their hard labour was no more than being obliged to get the goods out of the hold. There were twenty- five men to work the ship, and therefore none could be called upon for much exertion in that respect ; in short, the mischief more probably lay in over-indul- gence, rather than privation or extraordinary toil. Stung with their ingratitude, the Captain ordered them back into confinement till they came to their senses ; upon which Gray sprang upon him, and would have knocked him down, had not Mr. Mortimer interposed. As it was, the Captain reeled under the blow; but soon recovering himself, although very gentle on most occasions, he became like an enraged lion, and dealing his strokes right and left, soon silenced all the mutineers ; their irons were again put on, and they were taken back to their prison with an allow- ance of biscuit and water. The first mate was sent to them the next morning to know it they showed any signs of repentance for what had happened ; but their only answer to the appeal was a petition, which some of them had drawn up, asking for more and better food, and less labour. Of course this could not be complied with, and they continued sullen and ob- stinate. Most inconvenient were the consequences of this disturbance, for the duties of the ship fell so much more heavily on the well-disposed; and in such a ARRIVAL OF KROOMEN. 55 climate it was dangerous to tax them with extra labour. It was therefore madness to sail while matters remained in this state ; and the Captain made up his mind to continue where he was till his rebellious men should be tired of their position, and consequently return to their former good conduct. , While thinking over their perplexities one morning, the first mate saw a long sharp canoe issue from a small creek in the island of Tamara, and come in the direction of the vessel. She was filled with those industrious and valuable natives of Africa, whose home is the Kroo country, and who, from their fidelity, activity, and power of speaking all the languages of the coast, almost always accompany the African traders in their outward-bound voyage. They generally make their appearance for this purpose at Sierra Leone ; are slight in form, bear excellent characters, are quiet, obliging, and intelli- gent ; and, with few exceptions, return in their fragile conveyance the moment the vessel to which they have been attached starts for home. On some occa- sions, however, they have been prevailed on to go as far as England, of which expedition they are always very proud ; and they then get back by another trader going to the coast. They eat scarcely anything but rice, a stock of which is generally placed on board for their use ; and they spend their gains in their native country, rarely, if ever, preferring to live away from it. Their canoes may often be seen like minute specks upon the ocean, paddled by from five to ten men ; and though a larger wave than usual will often swamp their fragile conveyance, they right it again, jump in, and paddle on as if no disaster had happened. It was a providential circumstance which had 56 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. brought the Kroomen as far north as the Isles de Los, or Los Idolos, more properly speaking ; but they said there were very few traders just then on the coast, and they had come this distance in the hope of meeting the first new arrival. Their chief, Ben Liver- pool, so named because he had once visited that city, presented what he called his books, and which, in fact, were the testimonials given to him by the various masters under whom he and his men had served. These were all so much in their favour, that the Cap- tain gladly struck a bargain with them, and he was in this manner relieved from his painful dilemma. All was made ready for sailing; the disaffected men still refusing to come to any terms short of their demands ; the island of Factory was passed ; the point rounded; and, on the other side, to the great joy of the Captain, lay a brig-of-war. ' Ah, my lads ! ' ex- claimed Mr. Mortimer, 'this will soon bring you to your senses ; ' thereby alluding to the rebels. Com- munications took place between the vessels, and the commander of the war-brig, Captain Hamilton, pro- mised to interpose his authority. In the evening he went on board the ' Hero ' with some degree of state ; his boat's crew dressed in blue jackets, white trousers, and straw hats ; and a midshipman took the helm. He was received with all the cere- mony possible : each man present had put on his best clothes; the Captain and his mate stood in the gangway with their hats off; and he was ushered into the cabin, where he was informed of all that had passed. He ordered the offenders to be brought on deck, where he addressed them ; told them they had no excuse for their conduct ; and THE MUTINEERS SUCCUMB. 57 when he concluded his lecture, he said, 'If they did not immediately return to their duty with cheer- fulness, and promise to behave well in future, there were plenty in his brig who would be glad to exchange places with them ; and he should draft them into his own crew. They well knew what would await them there if they misbehaved themselves ; that he should never be many hour's sail from them, as the track of the trader was that of the " Flora," and that his eye would be always upon them, with full power to punish as he thought proper.' A slight shudder passed over Gray's frame at these words, and he was one oi the first to submit. The others, after a few moments' hesitation, followed his example ; said they were sorry for their conduct, and professed a strong desire to return to their duties. Thoughtless and fretful from fever and rum, they might perhaps be excused ; and they spoke heartily and sincerely, except Gray, who uttered his apology with so many more words than were necessary, and so rapidly and eagerly, that fear, not conviction, had evidently influenced him. Carlos good-naturedly assisted in taking off his irons ; but the wretched man whispered in his ear as he knelt by his side, ' I hate you ! ' pronouncing this with a bitter- ness of tone and look which but too well vouched for its truth. The expression went to Carlos' heart ; he recollected that he had but too often made use of the same against one whom he had considered as his enemy, but never till it was directed towards himself did he feel its full and unchristian 'force. He deter- mined to write to Mrs. Lacy as soon as he should reach Sierra Leone, and ask her forgiveness for this and all his other misdemeanours. He felt for the first 58 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. time how often he must have provoked her beyond endurance, and the only thought which soothed him was the hope of making reparation. Tranquillity being restored, the merchantman at length sailed for Sierra Leone ; but at about a day's distance from the island, a slight disaster occurred. The cabin-party was at dinner, and Carlos below in the steerage, when . all at once there was a reeling motion in the ship ; she was taken aback, one of her yards was shivered to pieces, and fell with much noise, and the sails were split to ribbons. A general rush was made for the deck; the Captain shouted forth his orders, each man obeying instantaneously, and the ship wore round. In an equally short time the whole sea was as perfectly tranquil as if nothing un- usual had happened. Carlos looked bewildered, when Mr. Mortimer shaking him by the arm, said, ' There's a white squall for you. Look aloft at that little round cloud whizzing away in the sky; it's that which caused all this commotion. They do not often come as far north as this ; but we shall have plenty of them below the Bight.' The vessel proceeded ; but as there was a proba- bility of her having been rapidly and imperceptibly taken out of her course by the squall, just as she neared the mouth of the river of Sierra Leone, the Cap- tain stood anxiously watching the colour of the water. Suddenly he gave "orders for sounding, and Antonio stood in the chains with the lead in his hand. Swing- ing it round, he, in melodious tones, sang, * A quarter less ten ; ' meaning thereby, in ten fathoms all but a quarter. In about twenty minutes he heaved again ; then it was 'a quarter less seven.' 'Heave again THE SAND-BANK. 59 directly,' exclaimed the Captain. ' By the mark six,' sang Antonio. ' All hands put about ship,' was the next order rapidly given, and as rapidly executed the Captain himself, in the emergency, lending a help- ing hand. ' Now heave, Antonio,' shouted he. ' By the deep nine,' was the song. ' All's well now,' said Mr. Mortimer, 'she's in deeper water;' and he seemed to breathe more freely. Carlos asked Hall for an explanation, and was told that the ship had nearly come upon a shoal which lies outside the river. ' Per- haps,' said he, 'the squall sent us on faster than the Captain thought ; or perhaps the shoal may be laid down a mile or two out of its right place, as these things often are. One minute more, and we must have struck.' 60 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. CHAPTER V. As the Krooman had stated, but few vessels hap- pened at that time to be lying in the beautiful port of Sierra Leone, and the 'Hero' came to anchor just opposite to the principal landing-place. Fair was everything to the eye. Freetown, with its regular streets, steepled church, white verandahed houses, warehouses, and lovely looking villas, placed on the rising ground; the whole interspersed with beautiful trees, and backed by mountains ; the exquisite foliage, the gay birds, the glorious sun, adding brilliancy to every hue; the fleecy clouds, which every now and then rested on the tips of the high points of land (for the light rains had just passed away), all presented a scene so attractive, that no one would have thought anything injurious could lurk underneath it. But this lovely river brought with it the most pernicious gases, from the decayed vegetable matter which floated on its surface ; and the swamp beyond, covered as it was with the most luxuriant verdure, cast its baneful in- fluence over the lovely city, till it had become the inevitable grave of hundreds of victims. As usual, Carlos accompanied the Captain on shore, and while waiting in the ante-room of one of the merchants' houses, he heard a rushing and pattering noise, with RA TS A 2' SIERRA LEONE. 6 1 now and then a gentle squeak, behind him. Turning round, he saw a door which led to a storeroom, and which did not quite touch the floor. Through the aperture left, a number of little feet showed that a regiment of rats were passing by ; and he was not at all sorry that they had chosen another apartment for the peregrination. Tired of standing, he seated him- self in a large chair, and leaning back his head, his eyes naturally rested on the roof, for there are no ceilings in these countries, on account of the insects and reptiles which they would harbour ; and on the white-painted planks he saw a spider, the body of which was the size of a shilling, but its long legs ex- tended over a surface as large as a pudding-plate. As he did not know the habits of these insects, and that they remain torpid, as it were, for weeks at certain periods, he fancied that it would immediately fall upon him, and shifted his position. This, however, was of no use, for another and another, in the same state, made it impossible for him in so small a space to get out of their way, and he began to feel quite uncom- fortable. He knew that spiders have numerous eyes, and he could not help fancying that, though invisible at that distance, they were fixed upon him, ready to let themselves down when they had settled where to drop. He was at length relieved by the entrance of the Captain and the owner of the house ; but in vain did he cast uneasy glances upwards. Neither took the hint; or if they followed his looks above, they thought there was nothing uncommon to be seen. Having been commissioned by the Captain to get some fresh fish for his taole, when one or two of the merchants dined on board, Carlos went through the 62 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. market-place with the purchase he had made in a basket hung over his arm. He was thinking whether it could be a salmon, it so much resembled those which he had seen at the fishmongers in Liverpool, when sud- denly he felt his basket much lighter, and looking into it, perceived that the fish was gone. Turning suddenly round, in order, if possible, to catch the thief, he saw Hall convulsed with laughter, and who, unable to speak, pointed to a large bird of the stork kind, called a Jabiru, whose crop betrayed that he was the offender. It was a tame pet, which was suffered to walk about where it pleased, and thrust its long beak into every- thing the natives regarding it with superstitious reverence, and the Europeans tolerating it for its dex- terity, and the droll incidents which it occasioned. On reaching the ship, Carlos found his friend An- tonio enjoying a bathe in the river, and expostulated with him, saying, that the Captain had warned them not to go into the water, on account of the numer- ous sharks which invested it ; but Antonio only laughed at his fears, said that ' the sharks were such cowards, they dared not come near him,' and con- tinued his amusement. Carlos went into the cabin to give an account of his purchases, when a loud cry of 'Antonio! Antonio! swim for your life; he is coming fast upon you,' met his ear. In a moment he was on deck, and saw the Italian striking out with his utmost strength to try and save himself from the murderous jaws of a huge shark. Most of the men stood breathless by the side, but two were in the chains, each ready with a rope, by which to haul up their companion as soon as he was sufficiently near to catch hold 01 it. All, however, seemed to be in ANTONIO'S A r ARROW ESCAPE. 63 vain ; Antonio was becoming exhausted, and his speed consequently slackened. He stretched out his hand ; he was still a yard from the rope ; the monster all but touched his legs, and was about to turn on his back in order to seize his feet, when Carlos, who had snatched up a harpoon lying on deck, darted it with unerring aim, and the waters were instantly tinged with blood. Sick and dizzy from agitation, he could not at first tell whether the blood flowed from his friend or the shark. A warm embrace, however, soon convinced him that his blow had been effectual. Antonio had seen the movement in his favour, and receiving new energy from it, again struck out, reached the rope, and was immediately hauled up in safety. A loud cheer bade him welcome, and all the sailors crowded round Carlos to shake him by the hand. There was only one exception to the general feeling, and only one pair of eyes that malignantly scowled upon him. * How dreadful is hatred ! ' said Carlos to himself ; ' I am glad I have written to Mrs. Lacy.' The Captain took the opportunity of again pointing out the necessity of prudence ; but thinking that Antonio had been sufficiently punished by fright, he imposed no further chastisement on him than to for- bid his again going on shore, some privation being necessary for the sake of example. At the end of a week, sail was again set, and the ship dropped anchor for the night just outside the river. It was a glorious evening, and as the men had but little to do, they put out several fishing-lines. A pull at one of them showed that the bait was taken, and it was accordingly hauled up. The prize proved to be a large silurus, or cat-fish; so named from its 64 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. fancied resemblance to that domestic animal, the mustachios of which are represented by the barbs of the fish. The men had been treated to fresh provi- sions while in port, so they let the silurus, which is not a tempting morsel, lie neglected on deck, till one of the boys, nicknamed Paul Pry, on account of his superabundant curiosity, supposing it to be dead, seated himself close to it, in order to examine it more thoroughly. Presently he gave a violent shriek, and exclaimed that he was stung. The blood flowed even through his sailcloth trousers, and showed that he really had been wounded in the thigh. ' Poor fellow ! ' said Hall, ' the beast has struck him with his back fin ; and they say, in other parts where I have been, that its wounds are poisonous. The piece should be cut out directly, or he will be sure to die.' ' Carry him to the doctor,' said those who stood around; and they accordingly conveyed him to the surgeon, laying him upon the cabin table. Mr. Fraser, who had already retired to his berth, instantly arose, and after examining the wound, took out his instrument-case, and producing a sharp scalpel, rapidly passed it round the incision, then drawing the edges together, fastened them with adhesive plaster, put on a bandage, gave the boy a composing draught, and desired that, as he was agitated by terror, he should be carried to his hammock. He was lifted with the utmost tenderness and care, undressed, and gently laid in his bed by those very men who, but an hour before, would have buffeted and kicked him about as nothing worth ; for the heart of the sailor is full of feeling and compassion to others in the moment of suffering. Carlos lingered behind the BOY WOUNDED BY A CAT-FISH. 65 rest, under pretence of helping the surgeon to put away his instruments ; and the latter, seeing that he wished to say something, encouraged him to speak. ' I should like to know, sir,' said Carlos, ' if the fin of the cat-fish does really contain poison, as Hall says.' 'No,' replied Mr. Fraser, 'its bad reputation arises from the first spine of its back fin being toothed like a deeply-notched fine saw. It strikes with this fin, having the power of raising and depressing it at pleasure, with much force ; and when it is drawn back from the wound, the flesh is so torn by the teeth, that it becomes quite ragged, and is apt to fester, especially in warm climates. There is no other foundation for the story of poison ; and as there is nothing like a clean wound for healing, you saw me scarify that of the boy.' As daylight dawned, the mate of the ' Hero' saw with pleasure that the 'Flora' was hovering about in the offing ; he made a signal that all was well, and then steered towards the leeward coast. The progress of the ship was arrested for a few days off St. Anne's shoals, close to what are called the horse latitudes a name which arises from an old story of a vessel, with a cargo of horses, being becalmed in that spot so long, that the crew were obliged to eat these animals. The ' Hero ' made no voluntary pause till she arrived at Cape Mount, which forms the northern extremity of the flourishing American colony of Liberia. A couple of bullocks were there taken in for the use of the ship ; fresh provisions being thought one means of securing health. They were full-grown, but not larger than English calves. The American governor sent off a canoe, to ask the Captain ashore ; but the 66 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. latter, anxious to proceed, declined the invitation, and went on to Cape Palmas, where there was also a very flourishing settlement, equally unvisited by the ' Hero.' On reaching the Dutch settlement of Elmina, Carlos and the Captain went ashore, in order to visit the king of the town, the son of a former Dutch governor and a native woman. He was a large, dark man, who had been educated in England, and was then a lively, intelligent boy; but a long residence in his own country, and the rare intercourse which he held with polished Europeans, had completely changed him ; and when, in the days of his wealth (which was re- ported to be very considerable), he revisited the scenes of his youth, he found no enjoyment in them. Most of those whom he had known were dead or dispersed, and, unable to accommodate himself to the forms of English society, he changed his intention of remaining for some time, and suddenly returned to Africa, where, surrounded by a multitude of children and servants, who would have been slaves before the days of abolition, it was difficult to suppose that he could be the rich man he was reported to be, and yet feed so many mouths. The castle was situated not far from the mouth of a river, celebrated for the enormous white mullet caught in it, and which are of a remark- ably fine flavour. Carlos was invited by the king to stay to dinner with the Captain, and placed at the lower end of the table, with the sons of the house ; and when one of these delicious fishes was brought in, which had been caught that morning, about a mile from the estuary, he could not help thinking of all he had read at school concerning the famous fish named CAPE COAST CASTLE. 67 by the Romans Mutlus, after the sandals worn by the kings of Alba, and which it was supposed to resemble in colour. The Elmina specimen was as large as a cod-fish, and would have fetched an enormous sum in those ancient days. It was fortunate for Carlos that he liked it, and could make a meal of it ; for all the other viands were so strongly impregnated with the small capsicums called bird or Chili pepper, that they almost took the skin off his uninitiated palate. In the evening the visitors walked out to the country or garden house ; a snake rushing across their feet as a matter of course, and in the building itself, multi- tudes of lizards playing at hide-and-seek. In the garden were naturalized many West Indian fruits, such as the delicious cherry, the sugar-sop, sour-sop, etc. Bearing with them a basket full of these deli- cacies, presented to Carlos by the royal sons, he and the Captain rejoined the 'Hero' just as she was get- ting ready to drop down to the next settlement on the Gold Coast, belonging to the English. The vessel let go her anchor in the open roads before Cape Coast Castle ; which, though larger than that of Elmina, also presents a long range of white buildings. It is more imposing, because these are placed on a rock called Tarbara, rise from the spur in front, and occupy two sides of the quadrangle. They are regularly fortified with bastions, curtains, ramparts, etc., and the walls are gun-proof; but it would be difficult to hold them long against European troops. They are commanded by neighbouring heights ; but on these Martello towers have been erected, and form the outworks. The native town is interspersed with merchants' houses, which are also seen straggling for 68 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. some distance into the bush. There was no landing there in boats, on account of the violent lashing of the surf against the low rocks and sand. The ship's boats, therefore, either approached as closely as possible, and their contents were emptied into canoes which took them ashore, or canoes were hired ex- pressly for the use of each ship. The Captain of the ' Hero ' adopted the latter plan, and, going to town with him, Carlos was much struck with the chorus kept up by the canoe-men, who form a caste by them- selves. It resembled chanting ; and when he looked at them, he could not help laughing at the hideous faces which they made, and with which they try to intimidate strangers. On nearing the shore, they leap out of the canoe, watch for the incoming wave, and run it up the sand with the water ; but even then the passengers are constantly obliged to be carried a short distance, if they would escape a wetting. Wherever there are Englishmen there are luxuries ; and the dwellings at Cape Coast were superior to those of Elmina ; the apartments were well furnished, and even decorated, and generally faced with veran- dahs or galleries running along the first floor. That next the ground was devoted to stores, and frequently a large hall, where the numerous male servants sat and slept on the bare floor, while the women were admitted up-stairs, and lay upon matting. Among the former were always a multitude of boys who had lived with Europeans, in order to 'learn sense,' as they called it ; that is, they were not paid any wages, or fed, but had the run of the house, in order to learn how to become servants in their turn, and to pick up what they could. The kitchens, or cook-houses, as NATIVE WOMEN TRADERS. 69 they were termed, were generally detached from the main building, and often at one end of the gallery. Those belonging to the castle occupied the lower part of one wing, and faced the sea. In its vicinity a number of vultures, called Turkey buzzards, were always to be seen, either hovering about to pick up the offal thrown out, or thoroughly gorged, sitting upon the neighbouring guns, in so stupid a condition that it was easy to knock them over wath the hand. Carlos was pleased to find a church within the walls of the fortress, and a school in the town, to which numbers of children daily repaired. At Cape Coast were the headquarters of the Wesleyan missionaries, who at that time had also begun their labours in the neighbouring countries. The Fantees, who form the native population of Cape Coast, had themselves asked to hear the word of God ; and the cause seemed to be prospering, inasmuch as the conduct of the natives was better; many of them had, of late years, risen to great respectability, and warmly en- couraged the spreading of the gospel. It w r as, however, with the merchants that Carlos had most to do; and he was surprised to find the native women among the keenest traders. Their objects were chiefly ornaments ; Manchester prints for themselves and their children, and India cottons for their followers. Coral they bought with avidity ; and one of them gave gold dust for some strings of it, which amounted in value to the sum of sixty pounds. This was to be placed round the loins, under the skirt, to support an enormous cushion, which all wore on their backs. Beads, unless new and fanciful, were bestowed upon their servant* ; and nothing delighted F 70 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. them more than European jewellery, unless it were too strongly alloyed with copper. The mulatto women, some of them quite lair, were often remarkably handsome, and all extremely well-conducted. On going one morning to the house of one of these, who was the chief woman in the country, from her birth and wealth, she called Carlos into the room where she was dealing out the provisions for her people and household. For the former she had selected two fishes of tolerable size, which he had not seen before, and which struck him as so disgusting, that he thought he never could have eaten them, for he still retained all his European prejudices concerning food. They were two young hammer-headed sharks, so called from the peculiar development of their heads on each side, and which the poorer classes esteemed as a delicacy. The mulatto laughed at his abhorrence, and asked him many questions about himself. She shook her head when she heard he was going to the Bight of Benin ; told him to take care of himself, for that many persons died there ; cautioned him against eating too much fruit, or going out into the sun ; and above all, told him, if he were taken ill, to keep a good heart, and feel sure that he would get well again, for he was slight in figure, and lively in disposition, and had not too much colour. Then taken out a little box from a large chest, which was carefully locked, she opened it ; and among a number of exquisite articles of delicate gold workmanship, lay several curious-looking beads. One of these she pre- sented to Carlos, telling him it was an Aggry bead, and that some thought there was a charm in them. For herself she did not believe it ; but at all events, VISIT TO THE GOLD-TAKERS. 71 she would give him that as a curiosity, and to remind him of all she had said. Carlos questioned her still further about the bead, which looked as if composed of various substances, was very hard, and had evidently passed through the fire. She informed him that these precious relics were dug out ot the ground, generally with a quantity oi gold, and were found by chance ; the natives said that smoke always issued from the place where they lay, but this she did not credit ; that many were thought wortli one or two slaves, and he that possessed most of them was esteemed as rich and fortunate. 1 Carlos thanked her exceedingly, not only for her present, but for the kind interest which she took in him : the former he put into the little bag which contained his prayer-book, at which she seemed much pleased ; and when he took his leave of her, she watched him with her eyes full of tears till he entered the canoe, thinking what might probably be his fate in such a climate ; for she had seen many, equally full of youth and vigour, fall among the foremost. One afternoon, as Carlos was copying out some accounts in the cabin, and the Captain was dining ashore with one ot the principal merchants, the first mate summoned him on deck, saying, ' Come and tell me who these black fellows are, each paddled along in a five-handed canoe. I think they must be kings at least, by the manner in which they sit in their chairs, and the large umbrellas held over their heads.' Carlos pronounced them to be two gold-takers, one in the 1 These curious beads are many of them fac-similes of those found in the tombs at Thebes, etc. Vide * Essay on the Super- stitions, Customs, and Arts of the Ancient Egyptians, etc., Bowdich.' 72 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. service of the governor, named Cracon, and the other in that 01 the merchant where the Captain was en- gaged. These men are always of the highest respec- tability and acknowledged fidelity, and their office is to separate the adulterations from the real gold dust which passes into the master's hands in the way of commerce, and is so frequently mixed with brass and copper filings. They also weigh it, and superintend its melting into bars, in which form it is sent to Europe. Each was accompanied by a servant in a handsome cloth, who took charge of the fancy silk umbrella. The men came on board with a grace and dignity which would have shamed many a minister of state. They had fine persons : one slight and pliant, the other looking like a black Jupiter ; their heads were entirely shaved, with the exception of a small patch a little on one side, from which hung a very handsome gold ornament. They had no European beads on, but round their wrists were bracelets of Aggry beads, mixed with strings charmed by the Fetish man or priest ; also heavy gold manillas in the form of snakes. Round each ankle was a string of golden ornaments, made in the shape of little bells, stools, musical instruments, weapons, etc. ; thick gold rings were upon their fingers ; and their sandals were made of leather of various colours, beautifully worked in narrow stripes, and the straps of which had a large tuft of many coloured silks. An ample cotton cloth of native manufacture, striped blue, white, and red, was wrapped round them like a Roman toga, and this was decorated at the lower edge with a fringe of cowries, which rattled with the slightest motion, and made the cloth so heavy, that THE G OLD- TAKERS B UY HA TS. 7 3 it was difficult for the wearer to walk when he had it on. On reaching the deck of the ' Hero,' the gold-takers lowered their cloths from the left shoulder, which was the most respectful salutation they could give ; and then said they were acquainted with the Captain, who had sent them to trade with the first mate. Carlos presented Mr. Mortimer to them, upon which they each snapped their fingers within his as a sign ot friendship, and then followed him into the cabin, where he set before them the best things which the ship afforded. One very freely partook of the good cheer ; but the other scarcely touched the drinking part of the entertainment, saying, that a blow on his head from a fall made rum or wine too strong for him. When the repast was over, the guests inquired for hats. The mate could scarcely forbear to utter his accustomed ' Whew ! ' when anything uncommon occurred. Carlos and Mr. Grant, the second mate, with difficulty suppressed a laugh,, but, concealing their mirth, brought the article for the inspection of the traders. It was no common hat, however, which these gentlemen required ; each must have one deco- rated with gold. Several were produced ; and at last, one with gold binding, band, and rosette, was chosen by the slighter man ; while the Jupiter pre- ferred that which had gold strings from the sides, fastening at the top of the crown with a golden button, on which he looked with great satisfaction. It was scarcely large enough for his thick and round head, but he could not resist the trimmings. Carlos could not forbear smiling, as he held a looking-glass before each, that they might see if their purchases were 74 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS, becoming ; and when the larger customer was obliged to stick his a little on one side to keep it on, he burst into a shout, which was followed by Mr. Mortimer and Mr. Grant, and at last joined in by the good-natured creature himself, who seemed to regard it as a sign that he ' looked handsome.' Both natives Avere so pleased, that they paid the high price asked by the mate without hesitation, and on going away, asked him to visit them the next day. He pro- mised to do so, if he could obtain permission from the Captain ; for, said he to Carlos, in a whisper, ' It must be high fun to dine with these fellows.' Poor Mr. Mortimer ! the leave was granted, and in his best sailor's garb he went ashore. He did not drink too much, but he partook of the black soup, made chiefly from fresh palm-nuts, and which, when they have once tasted, few Europeans can resist, and ate too freely of the delicious fruit placed before him. He returned with a quantity of the latter, which the gold-takers had dashed, or given him. He had ex- posed himself to the sun, and afterwards to the night- dews, and the next morning all the premonitory symptoms of fever and dysentery appeared. These rapidly increased ; and for three days he revived and sank alternately, and at the end of that time was so reduced that there was not the least chance of his being able to do duty for many weeks. The surgeon was of opinion, that if he proceeded further along the coast, to where the climate was even more prejudicial, there was no chance of his recovery. It was there- fore with deep regret that he was left in the hospital at Cape Coast, scarcely conscious of what was doing for him, and his mind so prostrated, that he did not THE CAPTAIN'S PRECAUTION. 75 understand what was meant by the heartfelt adieus which his messmates gave him. He was laid in a canoe and conveyed to the shore ; the second mate was promoted to his place, and Carlos at once installed in that of Mr. Grant. This promotion was, in some respects, the most judicious that could be made, and in others not equally so, for it increased the envy which several had felt at his being always in attendance on the Captain. The latter, in telling his men that they must consider Carlos as their officer, attributed the advancement to his scholarship, at which no one could reasonably grumble; and cer- tainly the young mate bore his honours so meekly, that no one could justly complain of him. Antonio and Hall were less familiar when they addressed him ; but he soon convinced them that no estrangement on his part was likely to take place, as far as they were concerned. The loss of Mr. Mortimer made a sensible impres- sion on the Captain, who, from that moment, evidently became restless and anxious, watched every symptom in his men with intense interest, rose several times during the night to prevent them from sleeping in the open air, which they were apt to do during the great heat, and redoubled every precaution. He hastened to finish his business at Cape Coast, and sailed from it as soon as possible, determined not to touch any- where else till he reached his ultimate destination, the Calabar river. He hoped that by getting into the open sea, he should destroy any germs of fever which might be lurking in the constitutions oi the sailors, little knowing how insidious they are, and what a grasp they frequently take before they openly declare 76 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. themselves. He was strongly advised to go to Accra for a time, which is decidedly the healthiest spot in the whole country, and called the Montpelier of the leeward coast, with its open savannahs and fresh breezes. His fears, however, prevented him; and anxious to shorten his stay as much as possible, he steered direct for Calabar, while all his crew were apparently in good health. He did not think of him- self, and every effort was made to preserve the very men who had even threatened his life. Carlos could not help being struck with this lesson of forgiveness, and seconded him in everything. Among other pre- servatives invented and practised by Mr. Fraser, bitters, as they were called, were given out every morning to the crew instead of grog. They were made of quassia, and other bitter drugs, steeped in sherry ; and at eleven o'clock each man 'came aft, and was made to drirrk a wineglassml in presence of the surgeon. Those who appeared to be less robust had strengthening things administered in the shape of food ; while the strong and full of habit had cooling draughts administered to them. For himself, the doctor declared that he had no fear, for he had been inured to a West Indian climate. THE CREW REVIVE. 77 CHAPTER VI. THE expectations of the Captain were so far realized, that, for the first few days, the whole crew seemed to revive, and cheerfully perform their allotted duties ; the favourable symptoms increased as the ship stood out ko sea ; and when, after a short period, they again steered for land, the men continued to be active and happy. The weather, however, soon became intensely hot ; there was scarcely a ripple upon the waters, and the chief way made by the 'Hero' was owing to the current. At a little before ten a dead calm generally took place, the sea became like glass, and the sails flapped listlessly round the masts; but at half-past eleven a slight breeze set in from the sea. This lasted till a little before ten at night, when, generally speak- ing, the calm again took place. Then the land breeze blew till the next morning ; and this was the usual routine of the twenty-four hours. The latter, how- ever, was much the colder of the two ; and those who could scarcely bear their linen clothes on during the day, were glad to wear their warmest woollen garments at night, and even then shivered. There was not much to do on board ; but sails were mended, awn- ings made, casks were prepared for holding palm-oil, and fishing was much encouraged. When in deep water, it was a frequent amusement to watch for the 78 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. spermaceti whales, which frequent the whole range of these seas. Their spoutings, as they are called, cer- tainly did not resemble the fountains which are often represented as issuing from them in prints ; neverthe- less they do eject water from the vent at the top of their heads to a great height, which, spreading out like a fan of fine mist, glitters in the sun, and has an exquisite effect. They would play frequently round the ship in numbers, but their presence did not banish a multitude of fishes, which were to be seen at a great depth in the clear liquid. Among them was the moon or sun-fish, 1 for it bears both names, which, looking as if half of it had been cut off, lay stupidly on the sur- face of the water, and was easily taken, but was only good for making glue. Then there was the pilot-fish, with its bright blue stripes; 2 and one vulgarly called a dolphin, 3 which has been so often mentioned by the poets for its beautiful changes of colour when dying. On first leaving the water it is of a bright silvery hue, and dark bluish grey on the back ; but as it expires, every colour of the rainbow is seen on its surface, all most exquisitely passing one into the other, and becoming brighter as the agony of the animal in- creases. These hues, however, cease at its death. One inhabitant of the deep, of the tribe of Mollusca, was of an extraordinary shape, and excited much curiosity ; the sailors called it the devil-fish, and it certainly was ugly enough to justify any evil name which might be bestowed upon it. Its shape was triangular, in consequence of a fleshy fin on each side, which appeared to be continuous with the body. A number of suckers issued from its head, placed on the 1 Orthagoriscus. 2 Ccntronotus ductor. 3 Coryphaena. THE DEVIL-FISH. 79 side of a fleshy appendage ; and some processes like enormously long arms, with what appeared to be a hook at the end, seemed to be thrown out in search of prey. The Congo cook and Kroomen told mar- vellous histories of these animals, insisting on it that they threw these long arms into the canoes and dragged men out, who became so enveloped in them that they could not escape ; that they even fastened themselves at the bottom of small canoes and pulled them down, men and all, and that there was no remedy on such occasions but to chop oft the arms. There was probably some exaggeration in these stories ; but no one could see the animal without feeling sure that it had great powers of destruction. One of them, on being struck with violence, sent forth a dark liquid which coloured the water all round, and which let Carlos into the secret of its being a sepia, or species of cuttle-fish. 1 The sea had occasionally appeared to sparkle in several parts of the voyage, but the hopes ot seeing it on fire, to speak like a sailor, had never been realized according to the notion which Carlos had formed from reading accounts of it. He was, however, completely gratified one night when the ship came into what the men called the heel of a storm. The clouds had cleared off, but the water was still agitated by the previous wind, so that a white foam crowned the surface of the ocean in every direction; and this glittered with a light unlike that of any other luminous appearance. It was not deep, nor orange enough for fire, but it was pale and sparkling, seeming to be constantly renewed as every bubble rose over its 1 Sepia octopodia. 8o THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. neighbour ; at a distance it looked like one broad sheet of light, and was much increased in the ship's track, from which a bucketful was drawn up astern, in order to try and ascertain the cause of the appearance. The liquid soon lost its brightness when stationary, but it was renewed every time it was shaken ; and on taking some up in his hand, Carlos perceived several small animals of a red or brown colour, from which luminosity evidently proceeded. They were of various shapes, but chiefly that of a wheel, and were accompanied by a quantity of very minute shining particles, which Antonio assured him were the remains of decayed fishes. With all these beautiful phenomena around him, Carlos was never weary of looking out ; but he was sadly disturbed one evening by a very ghastly spec- tacle. The Captain and he were leaning over the side of the ship earnestly conversing, when the former suddenly ceased speaking, and by the bright moon- light Carlos saw him turn excessively pale. On being asked what was the matter, he pointed to a dark object lying below, close to the ship. A heave of the latter soon sent it to a short distance, and both saw with horror that it was a dead human body with the face uncovered. It was evidently that of one who had died at sea ; and having been imperfectly fastened in its wrapper, the shot put in to sink it had escaped, and it had floated along with the current. Some efforts were made to push it to a distance, but it rose again and again, and continued to follow the vessel for several days, rendered still more appalling by the numbers of sea-birds which preyed upon it. 'The men will think this a bad omen, 1 said the Captain, A BOOBY CAUGHT. 81 ' for we are all more or less superstitious ; ' and he was right. The crew shook their heads ; were evi- dently impressed with an apprehension which they could not lay aside ; and as for Carlos, that distress- ing countenance haunted him day and night, and even he felt it impossible to get rid of an indefinable dread of the future. He thought that he should never again look upon the birds with patience ; but he could not help feeling interested in one which seemed to attach itself for several days to the ship, and which would, under other circumstances, have afforded him much diversion. It was called a Booby 1 in common language ; belonged to the genus of peli- cans; and constantly hovered in the immediate vicinity of the 'Hero,' darted into the water two or three times in the course of the day, came out again with a fish in its beak, and then perched itself on the yards, especially those of the studding-sails, which are set to catch the light winds of the tropics. After this it appeared to be quite stupid, and suffered itself to be taken by the hand. It was much more amusing when it settled itself in one of the open stern-windows, twisting its head from side to side, apparently listen- ing to the conversation of those within. Then a gull was caught, and Carlos tried to tame it. It was one of the rarer species with black legs, termed the Ivory Gull ; was very gentle, and allowed him to caress it ; but after about a week it refused to eat, though he tried to tempt it in many ways, and it died a few days after. These innocent enjoyments were soon to have an end; grief was near; and fever again manifested 'Sola. 82 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. itself. * I am sorry to tell you, sir,' said Carlos to the Captain one morning, 'that two of our men have sickened during the night, and are now quite unable to get out of their hammocks.' ' Summon the doctor !' . exclaimed the Captain mournfully. The usual reme- dies were skilfully applied, but the disease proved the strongest.; and on the fourth morning, Antonio was called upon to sew the poor fellows up in their ham- mocks. The service for the dead was read over them by the Captain with an unsteady voice ; and long was it before Carlos forgot the plashing sound with which the mortal remains of his companions were consigned to the deep. The effect of these deaths on all the survivors was most striking, for each thought them but the beginning of new misfortunes ; and the gloom which ensued, although but a natural consequence, was the worst feeling for the health which could show itself. On Mr. Grant it took a strong hold ; for his quick, lively temperament was peculiarly liable to receive impressions. He had hitherto laughed at all fears ; and although he considered his promotion to be first officer as dearly purchased by the loss of Mr. Mortimer, he could not help feeling a little proud of the elevation. From the moment, however, that these two men died, he sank both in body and in mind. The ensuing morning he stood by the side of Mr. Fraser, who had not yet risen, and said, ' My turn is come, doctor. I have got the fever. I am now going to lie down, never to rise again in this world.' Mr. Fraser started up in alarm, felt his pulse and head, examined his tongue, questioned him as to his symp toms, and could not perceive anything to apprehend 'Nonsense,' he cried, 'your pulse is healthy, your DEATH OF THE FIRST MATE. 83 tongue clean ; you say you have no pain anywhere, and there is not a sign of fever about you. A dose of quinine will set you all right by to-morrow.' ' Of course I shall take what you give me, sir,' observed Mr. Grant, ' but I know it will all be useless ; fever or no fever, I feel that I shall die.' ' Of course you will die,' rejoined the surgeon, ' if you are determined to do so ; but rouse yourself, man, you have no more fever than I have, and don't be afraid.' ' I am not afraid,' said the mate calmly; 'but for all that, nothing can save me.' Then turning to Lacy, he continued, ' Brother, take care of my things, and see them de- livered at the place to which I have directed them ; go yourself, if you can, to the house when you get back to Liverpool, and tell them there all about me. I awoke last night suddenly, and felt that the hand of death was upon me ; and I have done all I can to settle my mind ever since.' So speaking, he went to his berth, from the side of which the doctor scarcely stirred the whole day, putting everything in practice that medicine or reason could devise. At night, seeing that his patient was in a tranquil slumber, and that his pulse, which had become more and more de- pressed, was again stronger, he himself went to repose. About four o'clock the next morning, Carlos, who was lying awake in the adjoining berth, heard a groan, and hastening to the sufferer, found him dead. This sad occurrence formed one of many instances on that fatal coast of the consequences of mental depression ; as if the vital force were weakened by the inhaling of some deleterious gas, and was naturally followed by a prostration of the mind. The death of Mr. Grant obliged the Captain to 84 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. take a more active part in the duties of the ship than he had hitherto done ; and trembling for him also, Mr. Fraser urged him to abandon the rest of the voyage, and steer immediately for England, adding, that he would give him a certificate for its having been abso- lutely necessary. ' It is madness,' said he, ' to go up a river while your men are in this condition ; not one of you will be left alive.' ' I cannot answer it to my conscience,' replied the Captain, after some reflection, ' not to perform that which I engaged to do. The ship is loaded for the Calabar trade, her papers are made out for that place ; I cannot return with her cargo unsold, and I am not justified in going anywhere else.' ' That may be,' rejoined the surgeon, ' but at any rate stand out for Prince's Island, and remain there some little time to get your men into proper order.' ' What is the use?' again returned the Captain, 'they were al] quite well soon after we left Cape Coast; but, although this is the healthiest time of the year, directly we approach the shore they sicken again, and I question if any of us live to take the ship home. Hall, you say, is sick, and several others ; and if it were not for the Kroomen, we should not have hands enough to go through the work. Even now I shall be puzzled to get the goods out of the hold.' ' Surely these reasons,' persisted Mr. Fraser, 'speak louder for Prince's Island, or St. Thomas' even, than for Cala- bar;' but the Captain shook his head, and remained fixed in his intentions. Poor Hall was no more; another and another sickened ; but Gray seemed to bear a charmed life, and to walk unconcernedly amidst the dead and the dying, as if nothing but health and vivacity were CAPTAIN FALLS SICK AND DIES. 85 around. The shore began to open upon them by a long flat line of coast ; the breezes became unsteady ; they entered a wide estuary, and land covered with wood was seen at a distance. Preparations were made for barter with the natives, and the goods required for that purpose were very gradually brought on deck ; and as no rain was expected, a tarpaulin was quite enough to protect them from the dew at night, which became profuse on nearing the land. No extra fatigue was given to the men who still con- tinued unscathed ; and at night the anchor was let go, that almost all might rest and avoid exposure. The Captain constantly stood on deck in the sun, to superintend his arrangements, while Carlos gave orders in the hold. One day eight bells (twelve o'clock) were rung, and dinner was shortly after announced. The cabin trio assembled, but, to the great consternation of the surgeon, the Captain pushed his plate from him, saying that he had a violent head- ache, and could not eat. Every suggestion that his skill could furnish was immediately put in practice by Mr. Fraser, although there was but one set of reme- dies ; and for a while the naturally strong constitution of the patient gave a hope that he would recover. In the meanwhile, Carlos was in the sole command of the vessel, and his energetic mind seemed to rise to meet the occasion, or rather he received strength from above to fulfil his duties. He carefully concealed the ensuing deaths from his kind-hearted master, for fear of depressing him further. He kept the ship at anchor, that she might not be still more surrounded by the vapours of the shore, and himself saw all Mr. Eraser's commands executed. 86 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. Antonio was invaluable to .him, and seemed almost to anticipate his wishes. The Kroomen were orderly and attentive, but appeared to be used to such scenes. The few white men, besides Antonio and Gray, who could work, performed their allotted tasks with listless indifference, as if they felt themselves doomed ; and even the latter was quiet. Having seen the ship made snug for the night, and given the last orders, after an absence of three or four hours from the cabin, Carlos returned to it to rest himself; but as he passed the Captain's state- room, he there saw Mr. Fraser on his knees, his face buried in the quilt thrown over the sick man, and his hand grasping one which was no longer able to return the pressure. The frank, gallant sailor, who had cared for every one but himself, had breathed his last with- out a struggle ; not, however, unconscious of his ap- proaching fate, for his Bible was found open where he had been reading the i yth chapter of the Gospel of St John, and his emaciated fingers lay upon it, as if it had only fallen from them- when they had no longer the power to hold it Inexpressibly grieved and shocked, Carlos stood for a moment perfectly appalled. He then sought to raise Mr. Fraser from his knees. ' Take me to my berth,' said the surgeon ; ' I shall be the next victim. I have for some days felt that I too was stricken ; but I kept up as long as there was life in the noble-hearted creature just gone. I hoped it would be a slight attack ; but I am certain there is that within me which says it is impossible I can survive, and I must make use of the little time in which I may remain conscious. Let me have an hour to myself,' he added, as he lay down, ' and then come SURGEONS SICKNESS AND DEATH. 87 to me again.' Carlos tottered rather than walked up the companion-stairs in an agony of distress, which threatened to overwhelm him. At first every con- sideration was lost in the grief he felt at parting with those who had become dear to him, during long inter- course in that narrow space which so tries the tempers of men, and in the afflicting scenes which had of late so heavily crowded upon every individual; but as the hour wore away, he became sensible to the danger of his own position, and if he were to escape the fever, he felt that he was now in the uncontrolled power of a fierce and bitter enemy. One friend alone seemed to be at hand, and that was Antonio ; but as he sat mournfully brooding on all this, he recollected that he had a Friend who was even then watching over him, and who was able to save from all danger and suffering if He pleased. Lifting then his heart to that Friend, and seeking His aid through the only true medium, he became sufficiently composed to return to the surgeon. As Carlos asked how he felt himself, Mr. Fraser took hold of his hand, and said, 'I grow weaker every minute, and shall not be here long; therefore all I have to say must be told now. Don't cry, my poor fellow,' continued he, seeing the tears streaming down the cheeks of his young friend. ' Your lot is perhaps the worst. I have been beaten about the world from early childhood, and have few left who will lament my death. I have been wild and reckless, and have estranged those who would otherwise have loved me, and I know it to have been my own fault. But this voyage has brought me to a sense of my errors, I hope ; and I had determined to lead a very 88 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. different life if it had pleased God to spare me. Now I have but one thing left, which is to seek the mercy of that God, through His Son, and humbly to hope, that although late, my repentance may be accepted. But, my dear Lacy, time and strength are passing away, and I must talk to you about yourself. An awful responsibility will fall upon you ; but there are three or four who will surely stand by you. Antonio is wholly your friend ; the Scotchman is getting better, and will be faithful; and Johnstone also but he is in a very precarious condition still. We are in sight of land, therefore you are bound to take me and the Captain ashore to be buried. Lay me under some tree, for I have often thought of late that I should like to have a grave under one of the palms.' Mr. Fraser paused, his mind evidently beginning to wander; but after a quarter of an hour he made another effort, and said, * As soon as we are provided for, you had better take the vessel to Fernando Po, which is the nearest place where you will meet with Europeans. You must not attempt to go on to Calabar, for the natives there, when they see your condition, will probably board you in numbers, murder you all, and take possession of everything ; therefore get away as fast as you can to a place of greater safety. Perhaps you may meet with the " Flora," and she will render you assistance.' The dying man again sank back upon his pillow, his hand locked in that of his friend and sole attendant. After a few minutes had elapsed, he asked Carlos to read him some of the prayers of the church, and first of all the confession- Carlos obeyed, and Mr. Fraser feebly repeated it after him. He then joined his hands, as if in fervent CARLOS TAKES COMMAND. 89 prayer. He requested to hear the 5ist Psalm, and evidently followed it, for his lips moved as if he were saying the words to himself; but as Carlos paused, in order to find another passage of Holy Writ, he turned round and saw that his auditor had sunk into a stupor. From that stupor he never awoke, and about midnight he passed away to that land from which there is no return. Frequently during the night had Antonio visited the cabin to request Carlos to take some refreshment, and see if he could be of service ; and now, when all was silent, and had been so for some time, he crept softly in again. Unwilling, however, to disturb the mourner, he seated himself on the companion-stairs to be ready if he were called. Morning began to dawn, and as it shone on the cold faces of the dead, Carlos burst into a paroxysm of grief. This in some measure relieved him ; and when it had subsided, Antonio endeavoured to rouse him to action by asking if he had any orders to give. ' You have passed the night in the open air,' said Carlos, ' you are quite cold. Why did you run such a risk ? recollect your are now my only friend.' ' Never fear for me, sir,' said the faithful Italian, 'my Venetian blood does better in these countries than that of the English, and so will your Spanish ; but what must be done now ? ' The two consulted together, and agreed that it would be best to follow Mr. Fraser's wishes and advice in every- thing. Carlos therefore ordered the anchor to be weighed, and with the little breeze which remained, endeavour to get the ship somewhat nearer to the island. In about an hour he thought he was at a distance from it which might easily be attained by the 90 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. boats, and the anchor was again dropped. Calling the carpenter to him, he said, ' You must put some planks together as well as you can, so as to make two coffins.' 'Two, sir!' said the man, with an air of consternation. 'Even so,' said Carlos, striving to subdue his own emotion ; ' the Captain and the surgeon are both gone.' The man perfectly reeled, and hiding his face with his rough hands, burst into tears. ' My good fellow,' said Carlos gently, ' get to work immediately, for we must be quick in what we have to do ; the sun will get high, and we must be under weigh and out to sea before night.' ' I should think so,' said a deep low voice in Carlos' ear ; he started, and turning quickly round, saw Gray with his eyes fixed upon him, expressing what he felt, and which look Carlos afterwards recollected through life. Spite, defiance, and treachery, were all there; and there was a security of villany about the man which must have put Carlos on his guard, had he not been in too distressed a state of mind to be capable of observation. The last offices for the dead were performed ; they were laid in their narrow houses, and brought on deck. 'Man the boats to go to the island,' said Carlos ; but Gray stepped forward and exclaimed, ' I suppose Mr. Lacy, you mean to kill us all by send- ing us ashore in the heat, and asking us to stand in the sun and dig > graves.' 'If the men are afraid,' observed Carlos, ' although it is not my place to leave the ship, I must go. I know one who will help me. Come, Antonio,' he continued, ' put the tools into the boats, and we will take the Kroomen. You shall have Mr. Fraser, and I the Captain,' Upon this BURYING THE DEAD. 91 Gray offered to take charge of one ; said that he had no objection to be of use if the Kroomen rowed, and as he was the strongest and healthiest of all the crew, he should best perform the work. Carlos was sur- prised, but declined his services. Saying, however, that he would at least take one boat, and lifting one of the coffins down the side, with the assistance of the Kroomen, he seated himself at the helm, and was ready before Carlos and Antonio had procured the spade and some ropes. There was nothing to be done then but to permit him to go, and the three started with their melancholy freight for the point of land, which looked like an island at high water. That island was lovely to behold j some tall trees stretched their arms over it, as if to protect it from the fierce rays of the sun ; and under their shade grew a multitude of bushes, which still glittered with the plentiful dew of the preceding night. The gay birds fluttered through the branches, and the most gorgeous flowers now and then peeped from between the open- ings. No perfume, however, was there ; for as the place was approached, a rank odour was perceptible, which proceeded from some low mangrove-trees, whose roots and under-branches were slimy, and which encircled the spot so as to make access difficult. The boats rowed round in order to find an opening, which, after a little search, was accomplished. The coffins were landed, and leaving them in charge, of Gray, Carlos and Antonio penetrated into the interior to find a suitable spot. Some little time was spent in choosing a place which they thought would correspond with the wishes expressed by Mr. Fraser ; and as they wandered about, Carlos suddenly stopped, and ex- 92 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. claimed, ' I fancied I heard a shout. There again ! there certainly was a voice.' ' I did not hear it,' said Antonio. Both stopped again to listen, but all was quiet, and they with some difficulty found their way back to the landing-place. Great was their astonish- ment when they saw the coffins abandoned ; and hastening through the bushes, perceived that only one boat was there, and that without its crew. ' How very extraordinary ! ' said Carlos ; ' where can they be ? we can never haul these up alone.' They called, but no answer was returned ; when Carlos, suddenly seizing Antonio's arm, exclaimed, ' Look there ! ' and he be- held all the men in the one boat, rowing as fast as they could towards the vessel. Even as they spoke, such was their speed, that they appeared like a mere speck upon the waters. ' That cowardly rascal Gray,' said Carlos, ' is frightened at being out in the sun, and has taken all the men away that he may get back the faster. It will be impossible for us now to take the coffins to the spot we picked out, and we must put them into the ground as near the first tree as we can ; it is lucky they have left us the ropes and the spade. We, at least, can perform the most important part of our duty.' Digging a hole in the sand, the two Europeans laid their dead side by side, and Carlos, taking the prayer- book of Henriquez from the bag in which it was sus- pended round his neck, read the burial service ; then covering the coffins, the two took the way to their own boat, in order to get back to the ship as speedily as their strength would permit. On arriving, their thirst was excessive, and Carlos said, ' Look in the locker ; I ordered a small cask of water, to be put into it, for I knew we should want it.' ' What's this ? ' exclaimed CARLOS AND ANTONIO ABANDONED. 93 Antonio, as he lifted up the lid, and saw a large bundle wrapped in an old sail. They opened it, and found that it contained a woollen dress for each, and spare linen trousers ; some biscuit, powder, shot, bullets, a hatchet, and t\vo or three pieces of salt pork and beef; and instead of one, two casks full of water. Upon the clothes were pinned a paper, on which some trembling characters were traced. With the greatest difficulty they read these words : ' It's a' we could do for ye ; there are guns under the planks.' Raising some planks which lay at the bottom of the boat, they saw two guns with bayonets, the locks of which were carefully wrapped round with woollen stuff to keep them from the wet. A horrid suspicion came over the mind of each, to which neither of them seemed to dare to give utterance. They looked into the vacant space for some minutes, and then Carlos exclaimed, ' What is to become of us, Antonio ? ' ' They have abandoned us,' returned his companion, 'that's pi etty clear. Let us get into the boat, and push off ; perhaps we may still see the vessel, and there are surely some on board who would not consent to such a thing, though we do not know who are Gray's accomplices ; perhaps, if they see us, they may stop that wretch from fulfilling his intentions.' They rounded the island and stood out for the 'Hero;' they made signals ; they tied a handkerchief on to one of their oars, and held it as high as they could ; they shouted ; they roared with all the strength of despair but it was of no use. A light breeze sprang up ; the ' Hero ' spread her sails, and was soon out of sight. ' It is all over with us,' said Carlos, and threw himself at full length in the bottom of the boat. 94 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. CHAPTER VII. UNABLE to afford any comfort, wholly unable to offer any advice, in the dangerous and forlorn situation in which they were placed, Antonio allowed his fellow- sufferer to remain quiet for some time, and strange to say he slept, ay, and slept for some hours ; and Antonio, seeing that he did not wake, securing the oars, and throwing the sail over both, lay down beside him and slept also. It was one of those periods of suffering when the calm of despair creeps over the mind, and soothes even by its intensity. The over- wrought energies are tired out ; nothing can be done ; and the spirits sink for a while under the weight of bodily exhaustion. The night was far advanced before either of them awoke, and then Carlos was the first to rise. He looked around him with asto- nishment, and it was some little time before he could recollect all that had passed, or understand how he and Antonio should be in an open boat on the ocean ; but, refreshed and invigorated by that rest which he had so long required, he felt more calm, and he prayed for strength, while he coolly contemplated their probable fate. Hope, however, which is always strong in the youthful heart, and which, even in some old ones, is undying, whispered a vision of the future ; and he said to himself, ' Why should I have been pre- CARLOS AND ANTONIO. 95 served in the battle-field, why should I have escaped the fever when all were dying around me, to perish here in the open sea? No, it surely is not the will of my Father in heaven to destroy me now, and He will give me courage and resources by which I may get through even this trouble. Antonio,' continued he aloud, seeing his companion gradually becoming conscious, ' look about you, man, and tell me what you think of our prospects ? ' 'I see very little in the prospect, sir,' answered Antonio, turning himself completely round. Don't call me sir any more,' said Carlos ; ' there is no difference of rank here ; we are brothers in misfortune, as we are brothers in the sight of God, so give me your advice.' After a pause, Antonio exclaimed, 'All I can think of is to get to Fernando Po.' 'But I am afraid,' returned Carlos, ' that while we slept we have got off our course, and we cannot tell, without instruments of any kind, where we are.' ' Well, then,' rejoined Antonio, ' sup- pose we take it in turns to pull for five or six days in the direction in which you suppose it may lie.' ' Five or six days ! ' observed Carlos ; ' how shall we get food for all that time ? ' ' Let us see,' continued Antonio, ' how much biscuit there is in the bundle.' The deserted men again examined their little store ; found, besides what they had already seen, some cold boiled rice, a little tub of oatmeal, a few herrings, and some fishing-lines and hooks. ' This, with manage- ment, may do,' said Carlos ; ' the water will be our greatest difficulty, for the casks are small.' His heart again sank within him, and he sat a long time con- sidering their unhappy position. At length, he added, ' I know that the current sets veiy strong to the south 96 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. all along this coast, and we must have drifted a great way ; therefore we are far from the latitude of Fer- nando Po, and we shall never fetch it up again. I really think the best way would be to steer south-east at once, and try to make the land. That once reached, we can coast along, and may meet with human beings, although they may be only savages. Moreover, the Captain told me that vessels often touch at Cape Lopez, and we may fall in with them either there, or on their way to it.' ' Besides which,' observed Antonio, ' we can go ashore and look about us for water, " and can always stop during the great heat ; we will haul the boat on to the sand, turn it keel upwards, get under it, and be sheltered from the sun. Carlos could not help smiling ; and Antonio continued, ' To be sure it is a great many miles for two men to accomplish in a little boat, but there are no heavy seas here to swamp us ; and if we find food ashore, we need not be in a hurry, and can rest as often and as long as we like.' ' I wonder,' observed Carlos, ' who put those things into the boat for us ! It could not have been Gray himself, for he evidently had no good- will towards us ; yet it must have been some one who knew what was going to happen. The writing is that of the Scotchman, and if he did it, he must have befriended us slyly ; but then, why did he not warn us of it? Perhaps Gray, whose plot it must have been, intimidated the rest, and they were too weak to resist him. I am certain now that one of the Kroo- men shouted to us ; but I dare say Gray silenced him. We must be as sparing as possible of every- thing we have, and not mind a little hunger. We must also save our powder and shot as much as THE WATER FAILS. 97 we can for occasions of self-defence, or great emer- gency. Now, I think we ought to recruit our strength by obeying our appetites ; it is rather unfortunate that this is the first time I should have been hungry for many days.' The two friends ate some of the rice, and drank a small quantity of water ; then took it in turns to row, according to the best of their knowledge, in the direc- tion ot the shore. Observing, however, how strong the current was in their favour, they unhesitatingly husbanded their strength, by resting during the great heat of the day. Their only guides, like the naviga- tors of old, were the heavenly bodies, and these enabled them to make even more way by night than by day. They pursued their plan for several revolu- tions of the four-and-twenty hours, and still saw no signs of land. Water was getting scarce ; and then Carlos suggested that they should steer direct east ; ' for,' said he, ' we do not seem to come to anything by going on in this manner.' On they went, but still they were in the open sea; the last drop of water was drained from the cask, and no land appeared. They rowed the whole evening the whole night, the expanse of waters still surrounded them; their parched tongues refused to move ; and, giving themselves up to the fate which seemed to await them, each locked a hand in that of the other, their heads became con- fused, and creeping under the sail, they lay down to die. In a short time they became insensible ; but a heavy, and to them refreshing, dew fell, moistened their covering, restored them to a little animation, and they were roused to complete consciousness by the boat striking against something hard. They rose 98 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. and for a time a new energy seemed to inspire them ; to get ashore had been their object, and now it was accomplished for them. They were too weak, how- ever, to haul the boat up out of the reach of the surf ; but she had a kedge, and with this they contrived to fasten her so that she could not get adrift. They then landed, and, by the dawning light, saw nothing but dreary waste. ' Let us dig,' said Carlos ; ' per- haps the water may be less salt after filtering through the sand.' They tried it, but it was not drinkable ; they went some yards farther inland, and it was only brackish ; they went still farther, and did not procure any. They sucked their wet sail, sopped some biscuit in the best water which they had found, and swal- lowed it as well as their swollen throats would permit, and, in a little time after, were able to crawl to the top of a hillock of sand, which was at a little distance from them. 'Joy! joy !' cried Carlos; 'I see some trees not very far off; and where there are trees in this country, there is most probably water. I am younger than you are, Antonio ; therefore I will go in search of it.' ' There is not much difference between us,' replied his companion ; ' nothing shall separate us. But before we go, had we not better dig a hole in the sand, take our things out of the boat, and bury them, that no one may find them?' ' I do not see a sign of anything but ourselves in human shape,' returned Carlos, s.miling at his friend's useless caution ; ' and I really think that we shall exhaust our little strength by the exertion. I should say that they are quite safe in the boat.' Antonio yielded, and, with their guns in their hands, they started, slowly pro- ceeding towards the t^ees. Frequently, however, were THEY LAND AND FIND WATER. 99 they at first obliged to stop and rest; but as they approached, the verdure seemed to give them new life, for there is nothing so dreary or disheartening as a waste of sand. When near enough to ascertain what the trees were, and that they were cocoa-nuts, they absolutely bounded forth in a state of delight ; they rushed through the tall, rank grass, and in a few minutes found themselves on the banks of a stream. They lay down flat, and putting their lips to the water, drank a long deep draught, heedless of what the hidden dangers might be around them. The effect was almost intoxicating, and they now felt that they could conquer every difficulty. Just then Carlos heard a rustling and crushing of the grass and reeds close to him, and seizing Antonio by the arm, turned sharply round, exclaiming, ' Run ! run ! there is a huge beast 1' The huge beast, as he called it, pur- sued them ; but the instant the travellers ascertained what it was, they ran in a zig-zag direction, and thus gained ground upon it. They escaped unhurt ; and when the danger was over, could not help laughing at the adventure. They concluded, however, that they could not be far from some large river ; ' for,' said Carlos, ' crocodiles do not constantly inhabit such small streams as that, though we have proved that they make snug retreats in them, when they communicate with a larger body of water.' ' How do you know?' asked Antonio. 'I have read a great deal about natural history,' answered Carlos, 'as I have always been very fond of it, and I expect that I shall find my little knowledge useful now. That tells me that crocodiles turn with difficulty; and that is why I pulled you first one way and then the other, ioo THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. till, I suppose, you thought me mad.' ' What is the difference, if any, between a crocodile and an alli- gator?' inquired Antonio. 'Alligators,' replied Carlos, ' have wider and blunter muzzles, some of the lower teeth lodge in holes in the upper jaw, their feet are only half webbed, and they are more slender in their proportions than crocodiles. None have been found in Africa or India, although travellers often mention them. I suppose they think that they are the same as crocodiles.' 'Let us go back to the boat,' said Antonio, ' and now we know where to get water, take some rest. I feel as strong as a lion, and shall certainly be able to get down some cocoa-nuts by and by, that we may have a feast for supper.' The boat was hauled up high and dry, and as soon as the sun began to decline, the forlorn men took their sail, their water-casks, their ropes, and their hatchet to cut down the trees. On arriving at the spot, how- ever, Carlos said, ' It is a pity to cut down these beautiful trees. I watched the negroes, both at Cape Coast and Sierra Leone, as they climbed the palms ; and I dare say that I could do the same, for they say that sailors are like cats. A rope will do as well as a hoop ;' so saying, he formed a loop of one of the ropes, put it round himselt and the tree, set hands and feet against the trunk, and slipping the loop which sup- ported him at every step, in the manner of the natives, he reached the top. There he found a large spatha, or sheath, full of 'cocoa nuts, and having had the pre- caution to put his hatchet into his waistband, he soon separated it from the tree. 'Avast there, below !' he called out to his companion, ' take care ot your head ; and Antonio jumped aside just as the enormous weight : 4P"4P Carlos climbs a Cocoa-nut Uee.Page 100. II THEY KILL SOME BIRDS. 101 fell to the ground. It was easy enough for Carlos to descend ; and when he had done so, both set to work with their knives, cleared away the thick, fibrous, green rind of several of the nuts, and boring a hole at the top with the point of one of their knives, took a draught of the sweet milk, which appeared to them the most delicious thing they had ever tasted ; then, chopping open the nuts with their hatchet, they scooped out the pulp by way of more solid food, and putting the remainder into the sail, dragged them to the boat. ' What glorious things,' said Antonio, ' we can make out of these shells with our knives ! We must lay in a good stock of them j but, perhaps, we may find some other treasures here, so we had better make some stay in these parts ; there is no need for us to hurry.' ' Agreed,' returned Carlos, ' and before we start again we must lay in a regular stock of pro- visions.' The friends slept in the boat that night, and, guns in hand, set off the next morning before sunrise for the stream. ' If we could see something useful to shoot,' observed Antonio, 'it would be as well, for that would frighten the crocodiles also ; but I do not like to waste my powder and shot on them alone.' They had not proceeded far along the banks before several guinea-fowls and speckled partridges flew from the jungle, almost touching them as they passed. Firing at random amongst them, they killed several. ' Now,' exclaimed Carlos, ' we will have a roast ! But let us load our guns first, for fear we should en- counter a panther, or a lion, who might dispute with us for our prey, and think we are poaching in their pre- serves. I only hope we shall not eat too much, for ro2 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. we are not used to such luxuries.' Lighting some branches and leaves by firing a little gunpowder over them, each plucked his bird, and setting it upon a stake, roasted it in the embers before it had become cold, and consequently tough. They then cooked others, which supplied them with food that would keep for several days ; and after this they proceeded farther, to explore the banks of the stream, and the neigh- bouring jungle. At a little distance they saw some broad green leaves floating gracefully over the water's edge, and hanging irom them were bright scarlet flowers, and large bunches of oblong fruit. They proved to be plantains and bananas. 1 ' This is indeed providential,' said Carlos ; ' the plantains are not ripe, and will supply us with bread, which is the stafif of life, and keep for months when roasted.' They returned to their fire, cooked their prize, and, heavily laden, were returning to the boat, when Antonio ex- claimed, * A thought has just struck me ; and he immediately began cutting down the tall leaves of some young cocoa-nut trees which were springing from the ground. ' You can never carry everything,' said Carlos. 'Then I shall drag it,' was the reply. So, tying the leaves into a bundle, and lashing them, as he termed it, round his waist with a rope, he pro- ceeded with his train, which now and then bade fair to drag him backwards, as it caught against some obstacle, and the purport of which was no further explained by him, than by a mysterious shake of the head, when Carlos endeavoured to guess. On reach- ing the shore, he begged his friend to take care of the rest of the things, for he was going to be very busy ; 1 Musa Sapientum. ANTONIO BUILDS A HUT. 103 and with his knife began to strip the leaflets off the large middle rib of the leaves, till the latter resembled slender poles. These he stuck at certain distances into the sand, tied them together at the top with cocoa- nut fibres, and spreading the sail over the whole, clapped his hands with delight, and exclaimed, ' There; did you ever see such a beautiful hut? Here we will sleep, and sit when the sun is high, and carve our cocoa-nuts, and ' ' Stop, stop ! ' said Carlos, laughing, 'we are not going to live here for ever.' ' Xo,' returned his companion ; ' but while we are here, we may as well enjoy ourselves.' The shelter thus afforded during the ensuing night was pronounced to be the perfection of comfort ; and in the morning, as much refreshed as if they had slept amid the paraphernalia of a European bedroom, they repaired to the stream. ' The bush, as the people of Africa call the wild wooded country, is not such a bad place after all,' said Antonio ; ' everything you want is found there ready-made.' 'Yes,' rejoined Carlos, ' and that is one reason why the natives are so indo- lent. Those who have only to stretch out their hands to gather their food will never work for it : and then they want so little clothing. Thus, with many of these nations, wants must be created among them before they will become thoroughly active and industrious. That is also one of the reasons why they persist in the slave-trade, for it gives them much less trouble than tilling the ground, or carrying on manufactures.' ' If there are guinea-fowls,' said Antonio, as he and Carlos walked to the bush next day, ' there must be eggs. Would it not be a good thing to hunt for their nests?' 'I should have no objection to some 104 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. roasted eggs,' replied Carlos; 'but I am afraid, in seeking for them, we should find much worse enemies than even a crocodile, and I have no fancy for firing our guns on that which will not do for food. As we must not stay long in any one spot, we had better get our provisions in as quickly as possible ; and I wish we could contrive something to hold more water than our casks will contain.' ' We can fill the empty cocoa- nut shells,' observed Antonio. ' Yes/ rejoined Carlos, ' till we sink the boat, for there are plenty to be had here.' The friends wandered on, carefully looking around them at every step. They saw multitudes of the most beautiful lizards, some of which had large orange crests on their head, and which chased each other through the grass, and up and down the trees, gliding along so noiselessly that they did not frighten the gay birds in the boughs above them. They were never weary of admiring the latter, some of which were so tiny, and so jewelled in their plumage, that Antonio called them humming-birds. Carlos, how- ever, told him that naturalists are pleased to say, that there are none of these fairy-birds in Africa, their sub- stitutes not having the same arrangement of pen- feathers. They were fortunate enough not to meet with many serpents; and those they did see slunk away at their approach. One, it is true, rushed across Carlos' naked foot, which made him pause for a minute ; but as 'he did not irritate it in any manner, it did not molest him. ' Hush ! ' said Antonio, suddenly, ' there is such a strange beast looking at us on the other side of the river. Do you think it will come across?' Carlos turned round, and saw a most extraordinary animal, SEA-COW AND CALABASH TREE. 105 directly opposite to them, lying upon the grass, with two of the same kind, much smaller, close to it. ' Are they whales ? ; asked Antonio. ' No,' said Carlos, laughing ; ' whales do not come ashore to graze, and these are eating the herbage around them.' 'They have whiskers,' observed Antonio, ' and the largest is evidently the mother, and suckles her young ; yet her body ends in a large oval fin. She has no teeth in front, and her short fore-legs are just like fins with nails at the end.' 'It must be a Manatus, or Sea- Cow,' said Carlos. ' I don't think she will hurt us, so we will not try to kill her. Let us see if she will be frightened if we roar.' The two began to make as loud a noise as they could ; upon which the animal, pushing one of her young into the water, and taking the other up with her two fore-fins, plunged into the river and disappeared. After this adventure, the travellers separated, in order to make further discoveries ; and presently Carlos shouted, ' Here's a treasure, Antonio, just what we want!' 'A nest of eggs, is it?' asked Antonio. 'No,' said Carlos, 'nothing to eat or drink, but tend- ing towards the latter, for it is a calabash tree ; and here we may have vessels of all sizes for holding water.' They gathered a number, but found them too heavy to carry ; so they, on the spot, scooped out the inside, and then tying them together by the stalks which they had left on, slung them across their shoulders, and went back to the shore. Here, as they sat under their hut, during the mid-day heat, they found ample employment in preparing the calabashes for their purposes. The first, however, which they put into the sun to dry, cracked all to pieces ; and, lef THE AFRICAN WAXDERERS. taught by expfnenr?, they filled the others with wet sand before they exposed them to the scorching rays, and the moisture was gradually abstracted with that of the sand. After two days' work of this kind, they were possessed of bowls, dishes, and several hollow ^CKels for holding water ; and Antonio carved two OBcellent spoons out of the cocoa-nut shells. They then prepared their stock of provisions for a further voyage ; they roasted their plantains, and packed them into calabashes ; and each guinea-fowl that was cooked, was enveloped in plantain-leaves, and laid in an empty cocoa-nut shell They climbed some more trees, and had a large stock of the cocoa-nuts them- selves ; they cut off bunches of bananas, procured as much water as they could cany, took down their hut carefully, laid the sail, poles, and cords in the boat, and, after stowing everything away in the most com- modious manner, they launched their bark once more into die wide ocean, cheerfully saying, * Now for Cape Lopez!' At first the boat was leaky, but they baled her out and she swelled again. They did not land for rr. days, continuing to pull as incessantly as their strength .would permit After a very hot night, however, they required rest, and again went ashore. ' This is not at all encouraging,' said Carlos, looking around him ; 'there is nothing to eat here, except some crabs. I never before saw so many collected in one spot ; there must be something close by on which they feed, but I do not see it_ They gave us a capital dish one day when I lunched with Mr. Williams at Cape Coast ; he called it by its native name of " Kut- takim Kicky," and said it was a stew made of crabs. ROASTED CRABS. 107 We have neither the butter, nor the eggs, nor that deliriously glutinous vegetable the Encruma, 1 to con- coct such a thing here ; but we might roast some of the crabs.' 'You catch them then,' said Antonio, ' while I look for some weed and drifted wood for a fire ; but take care that they do not pinch you with their claws. We may as well cook enough for several days.' While the crabs were on the fire, Carlos ob- served, ' I must own that it is very cruel thus to roast these poor creatures before they are quite dead.' ' Yes, I know that,' rejoined Antonio ; 'but they boil lobsters alive in England. I have seen them put into the saucepan with the water quite cold, and heard them crawl about as it becomes warm.' ' If they had plunged them at once into the boiling water,' resumed Carlos, ' they would not have suffered more than a moment ; but it is said, that such a plan makes the flesh flabby, and of bad flavour, which, however, is often an excuse for various acts of cruelty in the kitchen, such as crimping fish, etc. ; but I hope our necessities justify us, for we could not eat them raw.' 'I am quite astonished,' continued Antonio, 'to find that everything agrees with us, and we keep up our strength with that which is often sour, not to say worse, and drink water which would not be suffered to come near our noses elsewhere; yet we are perfectly well, though rather thin and baked.' ' I suppose,' re- turned Carlos, ' it arises from taking so much exercise in the open air, and from our being so abstemious.' They set up the hut that night, and had several hours of sound rest ; but, towards morning, Antonio started up, saying, ' What is that walking over me ? ' 1 The Okioe of the West Indies; Hibiscus esculentus. io8 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. and shaking Carlos, whose slumbers were heavy from fatigue, they both rose, and perceived that they were covered with crabs of all sizes ; the hut also was in- vaded by them, not only inside, but outside, in great numbers, crawling in every direction. They examined their boat, but this also was full. They had no alterna- tive, therefore, but to throw them out, and pushing off a little way into the sea, and letting go the kedge, finish their nap once more upon the ocean. The kedge dragged, and, as the boat drifted, they were awakened by a rushing noise ; and hastily rising, they saw a large, glittering bluish fish, of considerable size, leaping out of the water into the midst of a shoal of flying-fishes, which fluttered in the air in order to escape from its voracity. 1 'That's a Bonita,' 2 cried Antonio. ' What a breakfast we will make to-morrow of these flying-fishes which have fallen into the boat, and escaped the jaws of one enemy to enter those of another ! I know how sweet they are ; for we caught some, one watch, between Sierra Leone and Cape Mount, by hanging some lanterns about the masts, when they flew on board and dropped down dead on the deck. We ate them the next morning while you were asleep. Let us lie here quietly a little while longer, and then we shall perhaps get a larger number. We will cut off their long fins, split them open, roast some upon sticks, and dry the rest in the sun.' After wait- ing some time, another shoal made its appearance ; and loaded with their prize, the sailors went ashore. It was the custom of the travellers, when they left their boat for any length of time, to empty it of every- thing, in case it should be taken from them by any 1 Exocetus volitans. 8 Scomber pelamys. WRECK OF THE BOAT. 109 unexpected party ; for although they had not as yet met with any signs of human beings, they knew not how long this might be the case. Fortunate for them was it that they pursued this practice, for, after spend- ing the whole day in cooking and drying their fishes, and the night in sleep, they awoke to the painful con- sciousness that their only mode of conveyance was destroyed. They had pulled down the poles of their hut, folded the sailcloth, and packed up all their pos- sessions, when Antonio exclaimed, 'Where's the boat?' She was nowhere to be seen ; but, far out to sea, they beheld a dark substance, now and then rising above the waves ; and soon after, some planks were washed ashore, which they recognised as having belonged to their boat. They stripped and swam to fetch her in, hoping to be able to mend her ; but the wreck was too complete ; and without wood, without nails, or in fact any of the proper implements or materials, it was in vain to think of ever floating in her again. The frequent dragging ashore, the lying in that fierce sun for days at a time, had completely worn her out, and shrunk the wood ; and, instead of repining, the de- serted men had every reason to be thankful that she had not foundered at sea : this was their first feeling, but the next was the total frustration of all their hopes of getting to Cape Lopez by her means. The dreary sand lay on one side, presenting, as far as the eye could see, not a sign of vegetation, and on the other were the gently-heaving waters, equally lifeless for their purposes. Not the slightest shade could be found ; food there was none, except what such a chance as an emigration of crabs, or a shoal of flying- fishes, presented to them ; and they seated them- no THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. selves by the broken planks in the deepest dejection. ' I don't think that anything can help us now,' said Carlos ; ' and we shall soon be food for those large vultures which are even now wheeling about over our heads, in anticipation of a meal ; they have picked our fish-bones, and most probably will pick ours before long, for we shall die of starvation.' ' That little book round your neck does not teach you that, Lacy,' observed Antonio. ' Did you not, only last night, read that " they went astray in the wilderness, out of the way, and found no city to dwell in ; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. So they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress?'" 1 'You are right, dear Antonio,' said Carlos ; ' by God's help, we shall yet be pre- served.' ' Not if you- let your foot bleed in that manner,' observed Antonio. ' What have you done to it?' Carlos looked down, and beheld a stream of blood flowing from a wound on the outside of his foot, and, on examining it, found a sharp piece of the shell of the worm-like serpula, 2 so common on that coast, still sticking to the flesh, and which he supposed had adhered to the sunken rocks on which he had stepped when he went in search of the boat. The wound was bound up with a shred of sailcloth ; and both then reviewed their stores, preparatory to a walking expedi- tion and they were convinced that they could not have remained much longer at sea, for their last cocoa- nut was eaten; almost everything else was getting extremely low, and, what was of still more importance, they had very little water left. ' We have plantains, and fish enough, however,' said Antonio, 'and you 1 Ps. cvii. 4, 5, 6, Prayer Book version. 2 Serpula vermicularis. PREPARE FOR A JOURNEY. in must not walk for a day or two. You shall stay here in the hut, while I go in search of what we want.' ' No, no,' said Carlos, ' you must not leave me ; you know not how long it may be before you find water. In the meanwhile, we can gather some of the shell-fish we see here, and which we have hitherto overlooked. I do not suppose they will poison us as mussels often do ; at any rate we must try them ; and when they have been spread out in the sun, we can add them to our fish : so let us go to work, and take out the animals. If we had any great stock, we could not carry it ; for we shall now have to bear everything on our shoulders, and the lighter our baggage is the better. We can smoke these creatures over a fire, made of the pieces of the boat.' ' But I don't like to burn the poor old thing,' said Antonio. ' Oh ! we've no business to be sentimental,' observed Carlos. Antonio strolled up and down the shore, gathered together several shells with their inhabitants, 1 at the same time remarking how little the variety there was in them, and how few of any size ; whereas, he had heard that in some countries the most beautiful kinds lay thickly strewn upon the shore. The greater part of the ensuing night was spent in making arrange- ments for a land journey. Antonio cut the sail into square pieces, to which he fastened strings, made by untwisting one of the ropes, and so contrived knap- sacks, into which he put their clothes, spare powder, etc., in short, everything which would go in such a compass ; and Carlos made bags to sling across the shoulders, containing their dried mollusca, and the 1 Purpura, Donax, Venus ; Area seuilis ; Oliva nana and Cypraea, Buccinum, Murex, etc. T 12 THE AFRICA AT WANDERERS. remainder of their crabs and fish ; and each was to take a water-cask. Carlos carried the axe, and An- tonio took charge of the spade. Some powder and shot were distributed round their waists ; and their guns, which were their heaviest burthens, remained in their hands. ' It costs me more to leave the hut than anything else,' said Antonio ; but we cannot load ourselves with the pole. I'm thinking that if we meet with natives, they will take me for a monkey of some sort. Your hair, Lacy, is hanging over your shoulders, and your mustachios are very respectable for your age ; but your beard does not trouble you much ; whereas mine reaches to my waist, and, joined to my hair, whiskers, and mustachios, must produce an effect which may be serviceable, for I am sure it vrould frighten the fiercest enemy.' THEY REGRET THE SEA. 113 CHAPTER VIII. Ax about four o'clock in the afternoon, the two friends cast a long and lingering look at that beautiful ocean which had for so many nights cradled them on its surface, and lulled them to sleep with its gentle undu- lations. 'Shall we ever see the sea again?' said Antonio. 'Nay,' said Carlos, 'you are taking my part now, from which you roused me so lately ; it we do not see it, we shall never behold our friends any more.' ' I have been on it,' continued Antonio, ' ever since I was a child, and it has been like a mother to me ; no wonder that I am sorry to lose sight of it, and feel depressed.' Carlos' foot was still very painful when he walked ; and the morning was far advanced while they were still upon the burning sands. They now verified the poetical description often given of 'Afric's burning clime.' They thought, however, that in the far east they saw something like the dim outline of trees, and accordingly directed their steps towards it. They had put on their shoes, thinking that their feet, now un- used to much exercise, would be protected by them ; but they were soon obliged to take them oft again, lor they could not bear their chafing pressure. They therefore tied them up in their knapsacks, and pro- ceeded barefooted. Carlos' wound, however, was 1 1 4 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. not benefited by this arrangement, and before night- fall it had become so inflamed with motion, and the heat of the sand, that he could not go any farther. He lay down, but the sand scorched him, and he hastily rose again. ' Let us sit upon our knapsacks,' said Antonio ; and they untied them from their backs, and converted them into seats. 'The sun is hottest at the top,' continued the Italian ; ' I will dig a deep place, and you shall cool your foot by putting it into the hole.' This was repeated several times, which gave great relief to the sufferer. ' Is there any water ? ' said he. ' Yes,' replied Antonio, ' plenty for to-day : take a good draught ; ' so saying, he filled a cocoa-nut shell with it, and Carlos drank it eagerly. Scarcely, however, had he swallowed the last drop, when he perceived that he had taken all there was. 'You have given me all ! ' he exclaimed. ' You wanted it most,' answered his companion. ' We shall get into the forest to-morrow, and there find plenty. We must be in the neighbourhood of some large river, I am sure ; for there seem to be hills at a great distance, and all here is flat.' Carlos slept, and Antonio soon followed his example ; both rising refreshed after a few hours' rest. The former limped onwards, support- ing himself by his musket ; and as the dew was heavy towards morning, both put on their woollen clothes to protect themselves from what they knew to be in- jurious ; but they had become inured to damp, and only felt its cooling effects. At length, about noon the next day, they reached the outskirts of a forest ; and worn and weary as they were, they could not help admiring the extraordinary beauty of the foliage, so unlike anything which memory recalled to them as THE FOREST. 115 existing in Europe. Huge trees, wholly unknown to civilised man, spread their enormous arms over those of lower stature, while at every interval the tall and stately palms gracefully waved their enormous plumed heads, almost to the semblance of a breeze. ' Who would think that those bending leaves were so strong,' said Antonio, ' and that their mid-ribs should be use- ful for so many things ? Ah, my dear hut ! you were made of them, and I shall never see the like again ; ' upon which he assumed a very pathetic expression. Carlos burst into a laugh, and rejoined : ' I do think, Antonio, if ever we get back to England, instead of living in a house, you must ask my dear Colonel to give you a corner of a field, and let you build yourself an African hut for your abode.' ' No such thing ! ' returned Antonio, ' unless you will give me the African climate ; the cold, damp ground of England would lay me up with a rheumatic fever. But do you see those broad leaves, Lacy? they look just like mallows (Hibiscus); and I am sure if you applied some oi them to your foot, they would cool you and relieve your pain.' The application recommended by Antonio was most 1 serviceable ; but the absence of the sea breeze began to be felt by both, and they were more oppressed by the heat than they had ever yet been. ' I suspect,' said Carlos, ' by the position of the sun at this time, just over our heads, that we must be close upon the equator ; do you not see that it is nearly vertical ? ' ' To be sure I do,' exclaimed Antonio ; ' and what is more, I feel it too. But look here, I have something which will cool our mouths.' So saying, he displayed a pine-apple, which he had just cut from beneath its i n6 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. tuft of long, sharp-pointed leaves. It was neither very large nor very finely flavoured, and not to be compared with those enormous golden pines which Carlos had tasted at Cape Coast ; nevertheless it was very grate- ful, as well as several others which they gathered. They then penetrated farther into the forest, where the closeness of the atmosphere became more and more intolerable, and both sank down as if they could not get any farther. Antonio rested upon a heap of leaves and branches, and Carlos upon what he sup- posed to be the fallen bough of a tree. He leaned his head upon his hands, and for a few minutes neither of them spoke ; but then the poor fellow started up as pale as death, and catching Antonio by the arm, dragged him some yards from the spot. Surprised at this sud- den movement, the latter could not at first speak ; but recovering himself, he exclaimed, ' Are you mad, Lacy ? or what is it, a lion?' seeing how alarmed his com- panion was. ' No ; worse ! ' was the answer. ' As I was sitting I felt something tremble under me, and looking both to the right and left, a sort of shivering motion was visible among the leaves for a great distance. I put my hand down to examine the wood, as I thought, and' felt the scales of what I now perceive was a huge snake.' Antonio was almost as much frightened as Carlos ; but after a pause said, ' It must be sick, or else it would have come after us. Shall we go and look at it ? ' ' Not yet,' replied Carlos, ' I have not quite re- covered from my fright.' ' The sooner the better,' re- sumed Antonio ; ' and we cannot go away from here too quickly, for I don't like such neighbours ; so let us pick up our bundles and start. Besides, I think I see a path yonder ; and we had better follow it, lor BOA- CONSTRICTOR. 1 1 7 that must have been made by man.' They approached the enormous reptile, and saw, indeed, that it was one of the largest boa-constrictors. Finding that it was still immovable, they ventured to examine it, and fol- lowing it in all its length, they saw a pair of antelope horns sticking out of its mouth, while its swollen body showed that the rest of the animal had been swallowed by it ' The secret is out,' said Antonio ; 'the beast has eaten so much that it cannot move. I shudder to think that he might have chosen us.' ' Let us shoot him,' proposed Carlos. ' No, no ! ' returned Antonio. ' I know how to manage it better than that. I'll show you how I learned to kill snakes in Barbary ; ' so saying, he proceeded to the tail of the animal, and giving it a blow with the hatchet, broke its spine. ' It will never move again,' continued he. ' Perhaps some time or other we may be driven to eat one, for I have heard say that they are just like veal ; at present, I am not reduced to dining off snakes.' Thanking God for their deliverance, and with re- newed energy in their hearts, they pushed on through the jungle till they came to a somewhat closer space. ' Oh, Giove ! ' cried Antonio, ' here's meat and drink for us at once. Look at that fruit above our heads !' ' Custard-apples ! ' * exclaimed Carlos ; ' I saw some at Cape Coast. You must climb the tree, Antonio, for I cannot with my lame foot.' The fruit was gathered, and some saved for another meal. Antonio, however, would have eaten more, had not Carlos repeated the caution he had frequently received on his way along the coast, not to eat too much fruit at first ; adding, ' for although we have lately had plantains, and cocoa- 1 Anona. n8 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. nuts, and bananas, we have always had flesh or fish ; and these latter fruits, especially the banana, are not as mischievous as others. By the by, do you know that the Portuguese never will cut bananas with a knife, and always bite or break them?' 'No,' answered An- tonio ; ' why ? ' ' Because, when the fruit is cut, its cells or divisions appear in the shape of a cross ; and then they do not like to eat it. But it is getting late, and I want to know where we shall pass the night.' ' Ah, my dear hut ! ' cried Antonio, with a sigh, ' how I miss you ! ' ' You are quite silly about your hut,' said Carlos ; ' but as I see no better place, suppose we sleep under this large tree. We can wrap ourselves up in our jacket, scrape a heap of leaves together, and lie down. There are no snakes here, as far as I can see.' Forming as good a bed as they could, they lay down, and were presently asleep. How long they had remained so, they could not tell ; but they were roused by a heavy tread and crackling noise near them. ' What's that ? ' said Antonio. ' Keep still for your life ! ' answered Carlos, in a low voice. ' I am sure it is a wild beast, and our only chance is not to move a finger scarcely to breathe.' It was a noble lion, who, as he approached them, seemed to sniff the air, as if scenting his prey, erected his mag- nificent head, lifted one paw from the ground, and paused as If to listen. However, he passed on, lash- ing his sides with his long tail. Not till even the echo of his footsteps was no longer heard, did either of the travellers venture to move, when Antonio whispered, ' Are we safe, Lacy ? ' ' Yes, for the present,' replied Carlos. 'Had we not better get our guns ready? continued Antonio ; ' for if he should come back this ALARMED BY A LION. 119 way, we may find it necessary to shoot him.' ' He probably will return by the same path,' observed Carlos, 'and the wisest thing is to get out of the track. I have had sleep enough for to-night.' Re- tiring therefore to some little distance, and sitting with their loaded guns in their hands, they anxiously waited till day should appear. ' The lion,' observed Carlos, ' was most probably on his way to the water- side to drink, and if we follow his footsteps, we also shall find water.' Carlos was right. As soon as it was sufficiently light, they cautiously pursued the track, and came to a small stream, at which they drank, filled their casks, and refreshed themselves with a bathe, fearless of crocodiles. This was of infinite service to both, and hopefully they again went their way along the path which they had previously dis- covered. The chief adventure of the ensuing day was finding the body of a negro, who appeared to have recently died, and which Carlos proposed to bury; but An- tonio dragged him away, saying, 'We had better attend to ourselves, and he is past any good that we can do for him.' ' From appearances,' said Carlos, ' I should think that a slave kaffle had passed this way not long since, and we are lucky to have escaped.' ' Why ? ' asked Antonio ; ' are we not white men ? ' ' Certainly,' replied Carlos ; ' but such inhuman brutes as slave-dealers would not hesitate ill-treating two defenceless men. However, the danger is over now, and by keeping in its track, we shall probably be led to some town.' As they journeyed on, their suppositions respecting slave-traders were confirmed by several indications, 120 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. such as the breaking down of bushes, the fragments of corn-meal where the party had evidently rested ; and soon they stumbled over something which lay in their path. ' Another body ? ' asked Antonio. ' It is a child,' said Carlos, stooping to raise it. ' He is not dead, and perhaps we may save him. He must have been abandoned by the unfeeling wretches, be- cause he could not keep up with them. Give me some water.' He poured a little down the throat of the insensible sufferer, and bathed his face with it. ' He lives ! ' cried he, exultingly. ' Have we any plan- tains, any food?' Antonio produced their scanty store ; but the poor child, when he opened his eyes, seemed frightened and bewildered, screamed, and, after one look at his preservers, obstinately hid his face in his hands, not daring to glance at them again. The voice of kindness, however, will, sooner or later, find its way ; and when, as the child sat rocking him- self backwards and forwards, Carlos gently pulled away one hand, and put a piece of plantain to his mouth, he raised his eyes, and stared with astonish- ment, but some degree of confidence. On seeing Antonio, however, he again screamed, and clung to Carlos as if for protection. ' It's my beard and whiskers,' observed Antonio ; ' I told you so. What shall we do with him ? We can never sleep in a tree with him as we did last night, and we have very little food. Stop ! I have it,' continued he, after a pause ; 'he can ride upon my back.' ' Evening draws on apace,' said Carlos ; ' let us have our supper, and then find a way to secure the child. One thing is certain, that we must take him with us wherever we go.' The Europeans divided their slender meal into three The Deserted Slave-boy. - -Page 123. THEY FIND A CHILD. 121 portions, one of which was eagerly devoured by the little negro. They then sought for a tree which might be easily mounted, and having found -it, Carlos first ascended, and Antonio, fastening the ropes together, tied one end round the body of the child ; the other was held by Carlos, who gently drew the little thing up to him ; then lashing both himself and the boy to the most convenient bough which he could find, with Antonio on the other side, they all three slept soundly. They let the child down the next morning in the same way, and then sought for food. He soon became accustomed to them, appeared to be about six years old, and very intelligent. When they showed him their empty provision bags, he instantly comprehended what they wanted ; and as they went on, searched on all sides for something to eat. After some time he stopped, clapped his hands, began to try to clear away the bushes, and to scrape the ground up with his hands ' I do not see anything,' said Antonio ; ' but he must mean that there is a root to be had where he is seeking ; suppose I try with the spade.' This made the child stare ; but when Antonio, with little diffi- culty, turned up an irregular, brown-looking tuber, he laughed with delight ; then hastily collecting fuel, he made it into a large heap, procured sparks by rubbing two sticks quickly against each other ; and thus set- ting light to the mass, he waited till the flames had subsided, and in the ashes placed the tuber, which he turned frequently. It proved to be a yam (Ignamia), and was soon cooked and devoured by the party. They dug up others, and prepared them in the same manner to carry with them. On these, with more plantains and custard-apples, which they occasionally 122 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. found, they subsisted tolerably well for several days. Of small animals there were none, and the birds did not penetrate into that thick part of the forest. ' Who would have thought,' said Antonio, ' that that delicate little flower, like brown velvet, and that slender creep- ing stalk, should have such a large root?' 'It is not the root,' replied Carlos, ' but a swelling of the stem which contains nourishment for the whole plant, in the manner of bulbs. The wild yam found here is not equal to those introduced upon the coast ; it is not so farinaceous, is darker in colour, and I believe is called the hog yam.' As the poor child walked with difficulty in con- sequence of over-fatigue, ill-treatment, and swollen limbs, the young men took it in turns to carry him on their shoulders. From his elevated position, he told them which way to go, lor he seemed perfectly to recollect the path ; and as he saw objects before they did, he more than once gave them notice of approach- ing danger. As they proceeded in this way, he one day made signs for them to stop ; and he himself, descending from Carlos' shoulders, took a hand of each, and hastily dragged them behind some trees. As they stood there, something appeared to be forc- ing its way through the jungle, which would have crossed their path had they remained in it. It was a huge rhinoceros, advancing with a slow step, grunting as he walked, rubbing himself against the trees, and occasionally whetting the horn which came out of his nose. He seemed to perceive the party ; but they did not provoke him, and he did not offer to molest them ; for as these animals do not eat flesh, they are very seldom the first to attack man. THEY REACH A TOWN. 123 At the end of a few days, the cries of delight which were uttered by the child, led them to suppose that they were near some place which he recognised. He pointed to some smoke which curled up between the trees; the forest gradually became thinner, and a native town, with a broad river flowing about a quar- ter of a mile from it, burst upon their gaze. The trio proceeded by the directions of the child, till they found themselves opposite the entrance of a small bamboo house, neatly, and even tastefully constructed, and where an old woman was pounding maize with a long-handled wooden pestle, in a mortar made from the hollowed trunk of a tree. The instant she caught sight of the travellers, she uttered a yell which re- sounded through the whole town, and so roused the inhabitants, that with spears and knives in hand, many of them rushed to the spot. On seeing the extraordinary appearance of Carlos and Antonio, as- tonishment at first kept them silent ; but this soon gave place to the most violent gestures, shouts, screams, and exclamations. Some threatened and rushed up to the strangers with their knives and shook them close to their faces ; others just touched them with their spears, and all pressed round with such eagerness, that the white men thought they should be killed, either from suffocation, or by the weapons levelled at them. They scarcely dared to make an effort to save themselves, for fear their move- ments should be construed into defiance; and they knew that resistance was hopeless from the disparity of numbers. During this time the boy was sitting upon Carlos' shoulder, and did all in his power to keep off his countrymen, by signs, and by crying out i2 4 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. to them ; but the former were unheeded, and his voice was too feeble to be heard amidst the clamour ; in fact, they did not even seem to see him. A woman, however, shrieking with all her might, rushed through the multitude, who, checked by her cries, parted in order to give her a passage. With wild gestures she threw herself at Carlos' feet, who, instantly compre- hending that it was the mother of the child whom they had rescued from death, placed her lost one in her arms. All was now changed : instead of threats and insults, the Europeans were in danger of being suffocated from joy and gratitude ; but they were at length conducted with triumphant shouts to one of the principal houses in the town. As they went along, her son appeared rapidly to relate to his mother how he had been saved by the strangers, for they saw him act the whole ; and she, making them enter her dwelling with many gesti- culations of joy, instantly endeavoured to provide for their comfort. In a short time, the father, as they supposed, made his appearance. He had not been in the crowd ; but some of the natives having gone to him, to announce the arrival of his child, he united his efforts to those of his wife in order to honour and welcome the deliverers. There was no communica- tion, however, except by gesture, and this was sooner comprehended by Antonio than Carlos ; and inter- preting the signs 'made to them, he and his friend followed the man to a separate room, across a small court, where he gave them matting and soft cushions to sit and lie upon. In a short time after, he brought them a meal of stewed goat's flesh, fowls, cassada- break, sweet potatoes, and salt, and gave them some KINDNESS OF THE NATIVES. 125 fresh palm wine to drink. Their host, by taking them to the back of his premises, kept off the multitude ; and fastening a door with a rude wooden latch on one side, and letting down a curtain of bamboo cloth over the aperture through which they had entered, left them to repose. ' We have got into good quarters here,' said Antonio. ' I should think so too,' observed Carlos ; ' if the teeth of these people were not filed to a point, and if there were not a strange and sullen expression about most of them.' ' What do you suppose then ? ' asked Antonio. ' I have always heard a bad character of those savages,' returned Carlos, ' who file their teeth ; but as it may be only fable, we had better not think about it. At any rate, we seem to have some claim to their gratitude, by having saved the child ; but I see you can scarcely keep your eyes open, and I am nearly in the same condition.' ' Here goes then for a nap,' exclaimed Antonio ; ' but I shall sleep upon my arms ; that is, I shall hold my gun fast, and shall tie the strings of my knapsack round my wrists ; and I advise you to do the same.' The feeling of security from wild animals, with a dry bed of matting from which they could not fall, as they might from the boughs of a tree, was so delicious to the travellers, that they slept soundly for the rest of the day and the night. They were awoke early the next morning by a tremendous shouting, yelling, and screaming, mingled with a noise of drums, the ringing of metal, the clash of various substances, the sounds of which they could not recognise, and bursts of a wild sort of chant. They were about to rise and gratify their curiosity, when their host brought them water in i26 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. large brass pans for ablution, with cotton cloths by way of towels ; and not long after reappeared with a breakfast of broiled fowls and millet paste. Their little friend also came, placing himself close beside them, and trying, by his devoted attention, to convince them of his good-will. They asked, as well as they could, the reason of the noise which they had heard ; but as they did not comprehend the child, when his father had left them, he led his friends through the wooden door to a back part of the town, where, in a sort of temporary shed, they saw a number of men who were evidently prisoners ; for they were bound with cords, not only to each other, but their feet were so tied that they were unable to walk. They sat upon the ground in the deepest dejection ; and a sullen sort of despair seemed to have taken possession of them, which bordered upon apathy. On seeing the two white men, a glance passed rapidly among them, accompanied by a sort of scowl ; but their heads quickly sank again upon their breasts, and they ap- peared to take no further notice of anything. ' These are slaves,' observed Carlos, ' and they suppose we are come to buy them. The noise we heard was, doubtless, in honour of their arrival. But as some of them are wounded, there has evidently been a fight of some sort ; perhaps the poor creatures resisted capture.' But turning to the child, who made some intelligible gestures, he gathered from him that there had been a war, and that these were prisoners brought in by the conquerors. On entering the town, the Europeans found the whole place in commotion, preparing for a fete in the evening. The huts were decorated with large boughs PREPARATION FOR A FEAST. 127 of trees and palm leaves ; bowls and calabashes full of palm wine were set in the sun to ferment ; the pestles and mortars were going incessantly, in order to make the heavy dough used as bread; wooden platters were being washed ; fruits and vegetables were heaped in piles, while handfuls of capsicum pods were collected, and everything bespoke a feast upon a grand scale, even the presence of the newly-arrived white men seemed to be secondary to the impending gaiety. ' But I do not see what animals they are going to roast,' observed Antonio. ' I wish I did,' returned Carlos ; ' perhaps they will not slaughter them till the evening, for meat turns in a few hours in this hot country.' They attempted to stroll into the forest in order to pass the scorching noon-tide heat there : but they were met on all sides by some of the natives who, with vehement gestures, immediately turned them back again. ' This looks very like being prisoners,' exclaimed Carlos : ' I am not sure that our lives are secure till to-morrow morning ; and I think we had better go back to the hut, where we may be safer, and, at any rate, we can attempt to defend ourselves with our guns.' They accordingly returned to their apartments, and had just taken the bayonets off to clean their weapons, when their host came in, and courteously requested them to give them up to him. They pretended not to understand him, when he tried very gently to take them out of their hands ; but this they firmly resisted, and he left them. Presently, how- ever, he returned with several persons, who appeared to be a chief and his suite, if a diadem of parrot's feathers were a mark of dignity, and if a number of ivory and brass rings round the arms and wrists, and i 2 8 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. rows of beads covering the neck of one, bespoke a high station. His countenance bore strong marks of sullen ferocity ; and commanding those who followed him to wrest the muskets out of their hands, the Europeans suddenly found themselves defenceless. To attempt to prevent this would have been perfectly useless ; and when search was made for their powder and shot, they quietly resigned that which they had about their persons, only too glad to save the rest of their things. Their host apparently told them that the guns should be restored ; but as they were appre- hensive of further robbery, they remained close to their knapsacks the whole day, except, indeed, when one at a time, led by their little friend, went cautiously to peep at what was going forward. A meal was brought to the white men by the child about sunset, and in half an hour the light of numer- ous fires and torches was blazing all round. The clangour of metal and the occasional firing of the guns were heard, mingled with loud cries ; while shouts of human beings, frantic screams, loud recita- tives, as if a narrative of exploits, and the noise of many feet passing and repassing, all saluted their ears. Now and then a tremendous shout was heard, as if every inhabitant of the place had yelled at the same moment, and was succeeded by a dead silence for about a minute, and which was again broken by the same succession of noises. After about two hours ot suspense, the curtain before the entrance to their room was suddenly pulled aside, and a party ot natives rushing in, bore the Europeans irresistibly along with them, to what appeared to be the principal group of the place, who were seated round a large fire in the THE FEAST. 129 middle of the street. The man with the diadem was there, and the father of the child whom they had saved. The child himself, with his mother, who, as a female, was not permitted to eat with the men, hovered round and helped to wait upon the party ; often, however, putting a morsel or two into their own mouths as they performed their offices. Large pots of coarse earthen- ware were placed upon the fire, the contents of which were distributed in wooden platters or bowls; each was first offered to the chief, who picked out the pieces which he liked best, and then sent the remainder round to the rest of the circle. The meat was torn to shreds with the fingers, and then conveyed to the mouth with wooden spoons. All was greediness, noise, and uproar. Many rose, and drawing their triangular knives out of their brazen sheaths, struck them together, and flourished them in every direction as they danced ; others threw their long spears into the air, and leaping up, caught them in their descent. Only a few muskets were fired ; those of Carlos and Antonio were in the hands of the chief's followers. Food and drink were offered to the strangers, which Antonio was about to accept, when Carlos said to him, ' I have the most horrid suspicions about the flesh ; and if we drink we shall get intoxicated, and then it will be all over with us. Only pretend to ac- cept what they give us, and when they are not looking, let us throw it away.' ' We shall perhaps be the next victims,' observed Antonio. 'Very likely,' returned Carlos ; ' but we must not hasten our fate.' The two sat uneasily watching the progress of the feast, and nothing could exceed the filthy excesses which were committed ; but repletion and intoxication soon K 130 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. mastered men, women, and children : the noise gra- dually subsided, consciousness diminished, and the whole populace seemed at length to be involved in a general stupor. When all had been quiet for some time, the Europeans heard a slight noise behind them, and their little friend gently touched the shoulder of each. As they turned round, he made signs to them to be silent and follow him, they thought to their room ; but he led them in another direction. Unwilling to abandon their knapsacks, they endeavoured to go back and fetch them ; but the child so earnestly im- plored them to proceed with him, that, as his intentions towards them were likely to be good, they obeyed his request. Striking through an angle of the forest, they reached the side of the river, and there found a lad seated in a canoe, the mother of the little boy on the bank, and all they possessed in the fragile bark, with the exception of their muskets ; their bayonets, how- ever, were quite safe. The woman made signs for them to enter the canoe ; and at once comprehending that she was favouring their escape, they followed her orders. She, with the utmost volubility, rapidly gave directions to the lad ; then pointing to her child, tossing her arms up in the air, and bowing herself to the ground as the strangers seated themselves, she hastily disappeared with her son through the forest. BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. 131 CHAPTER IX. THE canoe, dexterously paddled by the lad and as- sisted by the current, rapidly passed every object ; and by morning's dawn it came to a spot where another river appeared, and both uniting, formed a large body of water which flowed to the west. There was more difficulty in proceeding through this ; and seeing that the lad was tired, both the Europeans took it in turns to assist him. Their awkwardness was at first amusing, and several times they were in danger of upsetting the canoe ; but they soon became more expert, their strokes were more regular, and they made rapid way through the noble sheet of water, which increased in beauty as they went along. On one side was an open country ; and, standing up, they saw mountains in the distance, sharply cutting the deep blue sky, and al- most white with the intense flood of light which the sun poured upon them. 'Those hills,' said Carlos, ' cannot be volcanic, for their outlines are not pointed enough. I should say that they have been there as long as the country has been created. What beautiful savannahs, with here and there a noble clump ot trees ! Look at it well, Antonio ; for if it should please God to lead us back safe to our own land, we shall like to think of what is more beautiful than anything I ever heard or read of. Look again, see that mighty, dark 1 32 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. mass moving slowly along; now it separates into several portions, and speckles the plain.' The lad, who saw the direction in which their heads were turned, exclaimed, ' Elephant ! ' ' Ah, you speak English,' cried Antonio ; but the negro shook his head, and it appeared that he only knew a few words. ' I shall never be tired of looking at this magnificent country,' said Carlos ; but the negro making signs to him to sit down, he was forced to obey. The canoe went swiftly on, and, as the sun was high, shot across the river, and passed under the shade of the lofty trees which entirely clothed its banks on that side. ' Look, Lacy,' said Antonio, ' look at those people in white, sitting in a row along the water's edge ; do you think they are waiting to catch us ? ' Carlos for a few minutes gazed at them with some apprehension; but he burst out laughing as they approached, and saw a row of pelicans, some of which, however, were of the most delicate rose-colour. Each stood still as if made of stone, with its eyes fixed upon the water beneath : suddenly one, and then another, darted their heads into the river; and as they did so, the enormous bag which proceeded from their lower jaw became distended ; and when it was quite full, most of them slowly flew away across the forest. 'They are going to feed their young,' said Carlos ; ' and now you know, Antonio, what has given rise to the fable of the pelican ^feeding her children from her own breast.' ' Ah ! ' said Antonio, ' I suppose this is one of the wondrous stories which t those who travel are able to contradict ; but I know that people sometimes do not like to be told that that which has been believed for many years is not true. You have heard THE BEAUTIFUL FOREST. 133 of that beautiful shell called the Argonaut, have you not? They say that the first idea which ancient people had of sails and rowers was taken from the animal of that shell, which was reported to stick up a little sail, and row along with its arms ; but they have no sail to set, and the oars or arms are nothing but a number of suckers which lie out of the shell in order to procure food, and not to produce motion.' At about two o'clock, before the sun began to decline, they came to an opening in the forest, caused by a creek, which the lad entered ; but the canoe soon became so entangled in the bushes which grew under the water, or just peeped their heads above it, that all hands were required to effect a passage. The barrier once passed, they steadily pur- sued their course, and saw oh one side of them a high hill, covered with trees and jungle ; and the other side was flat, although equally covered with forest. A cry of admiration and astonishment burst from both the travellers as their eyes first took in the whole view. ' These myrtle-like trees,' said Antonio, in the water, under the water, and out of the water ; and those that are out have long things like pieces of coral hanging from them. Look, Lacy, these berries open at the bottom, and leaves come out of them ; they are growing in the air.' ' Ah, then,' cried Carlos, 'I know what they are, for I have read about them ; they are the scarlet-berried man- groves (Rhizophora). The seed drops out of the berry when ripe enough, but still remains attached to its covering ; the first leaves and fibres of the root spring forth, and it does not fall till the young plant is strong enough to support itself in the mud below ; otherwise, i 3 4 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. it would sink and become rotten.' ' How beautiful ! ' exclaimed Antonio; 'I wish we could know all that God does.' ' It would be too much for our minds if we could,' resumed Carlos ; ' but let us, placed as we now are, in the midst of His wonders, observe all we can ; and the more we see, rely on His goodness, which has provided for the meanest of His creatures with as much love and care as He has bestowed on those who are called reasonable. See what brilliant fishes, wholly unknown to us, are playing in the waters; observe those flashing insects, hovering over the surface ; behold those exquisite flowers hanging down the bank ; watch those splendid birds as they whirl through the air ! All we have suffered is amply repaid by witnessing such glories as these.' As the travellers advanced, their admiration was changed into wonder ; and both were struck with the admirable beauty of the scene on one side, and its awful grandeur on the other. To the high rocks of sand, streaked red, orange, and yellow, were attached innumerable creepers, some of which hung in festoons and ropes, covered with blossoms, or occasionally floated into the air; and among them lizards, like sparkling gems, darted along, creating a flash of light ; butterflies of every varied hue sported in the life-giving sun, now with long feathery fringes to their lower wings, and now with pieces like glass and silver set in them ; while innumerable tiny creatures, sparkling with jewelled throats and breasts, pursued them from twig to twig. On the tops of the largest trees were grey parrots, screaming and flying at each other, or defying the numbers of monkeys which climbed the trees in pursuit of them. Sometimes the latter sue- OYSTERS ON A TREE. 135 ceeded in snatching the red feathers from the parrots' tails, in order to suck the quill part, and they in their turns pecked at the droll animals with their strong beaks ; and then ensued such a squeaking, chattering, and screaming, as to deaden all other sounds. But what a contrast was offered by the opposite side of the creek ! It was a forest in a swamp ; immense trees, bare of branches to a great height, stood in a thick, black, stagnant liquid. Nothing else seemed to be alive in it ; even the trees themselves appeared to be pillars of stone ; and as their naked trunks became gradually lost to sight from the gloom and the dis- tance, they looked like the receding columns of an edifice too vast for human hands to have erected. And truly so it was : those glorious trees, in their silent majesty, bespoke the matchless power of the Creator, and reared their gigantic heads as if to say, We live in splendour and beauty, where man cannot even breathe. The silence of the Europeans was broken by an impediment in their way : it was a tree which had fallen from the sunny bank directly across the creek ; and such was the carelessness of the inhabitants, that they stepped over it each time that they passed, rather than be at the trouble of removing it ' More won- ders, Lacy!' exclaimed Antonio; 'there are oysters growing on that tree.' ' Yes,' said Carlos ; ' and on those branches along the bank close to the water's edge.' So saying, he broke off one of the boughs, and each taking out his knife, opened the shells, and ate their contents, not forgetting also to supply their companion. They were small, but very delicate in flavour, unlike the huge rock oysters which they had 136 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. seen on the coast ; one of which, cut in pieces, made an ample stew, and whose shells resembled a large stone. Stepping over the tree while the canoe passed underneath, they proceeded till they came to what was evidently a landing-place. ' Naango ! ' exclaimed the lad; and jumping out, fastened the canoe to the stump of a tree. The others also stepped ashore ; they took their knapsacks, and other possessions, on their backs ; and when their guide said, ' Come, come ! ' they followed him through an ascending path in the forest. At the summit of the hill they suddenly emerged from the trees, and beheld a large, wide street, com- posed of well-constructed houses of bamboo, thatched with palm-leaves, and most of them decorated with carved doors, painted with red and yellow ochre, which the travellers afterwards learned came from some large pit at a distance from the town. These houses consisted of several rooms, and most had gabbled points. The forest all round was cleared for a considerable space ; but here and there some huge trees threw their vast shade across the street, and afforded a cool retreat from the sun. The trunks of several were enwreathed with Ipomese in full blossom, varying from pale blue and pink to the deepest shade of red and violet. With these was mixed the yellow Thunbergia; and all were fora time lost in the foliage, but appeared again from between the branches, and spread their vivid colours before the sun. There was an air of comfort and neatness pervading the whole, which augured well for the reception of the strangers ; and the natives, who saw them, though they looked TRUE HOSPITALITY. 137 upon them with curiosity, and suspended their labours in order to have their fill of gazing, did not press upon them with that savage inquisitiveness which they had experienced on the former occasion. Advancing to one of the houses, evidently the resi- dence of no common person, the lad motioned to the Europeans to stay outside while he went in ; but he very soon returned with a native in a European hat and a handsome tunic, who gravely saluted them in English, and asked them to come into his house. Astonished at this reception, they bowed, and descend- ing two steps, found themselves in a large room, with an earthen floor and two windows. It was furnished with several chairs, and a table of European manu- facture, mingled with those of native workmanship. ' Are you hungry ? ' said their host ; and on their replying 'Yes,' some excellent cassada-bread and some fish were set before them. On their refusing to take rum, a drink very like chocolate was offered ; and they were served in earthenware, both of African and European workmanship, calabashes, and wooden bowls, some of which were tolerably carved. When they had made a good repast, their entertainer said, ' The sun is still high up in the sky ; will you sleep ? ' They gladly accepted the offer, and were conducted to a room in which were two beds, with four posts, entirely surrounded and ceiled by cloth made from the bamboo. The same material covered the pillows, and , being finer, looked like brown holland j the sacking was of a coarser material, and formed of a different kind of grass. Besides these were two large, old-fashioned, white and gold arm-chairs, the seats and backs of which were covered with blue and silk 138 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. damask, and looked like French furniture ; the floor was covered with iron bars. ' Sleep here till the sun is quite down,' said their kind receiver. ' I will then send you water to wash ; ' and, closing the door, retired. ' Well,' exclaimed Carlos, as he undressed and pre- pared to stretch himself upon the bed, 'this is true hospitality ! This man receives us, poor, defenceless, lestitute wanderers ; never asks whence we came, how we got here, or whither we are going ; gives us the best of everything, and suffers us to go to rest without a single inquiry. It is sufficient for him that we are strangers, and in need.' ' I do not know how to get into a bed,' said Antonio, dwelling so much on his safety and comfort that he took but little notice of his companions verbal reflections ; but lying down at full length, a murmur of satisfaction issued from his lips, and before Carlos closed his eyes, he heard it gradually decrease, and the tranquil breathing told that the sleeper was perfectly at ease. The most refreshing slumbers invigorated the two young men, and enabled them to start up with alacrity, when two youths appeared, each carrying a large brass pan full of water, some native soap, cotton towels, a small cupful of a white greasy substance with which to anoint their skins, and some aromatic leaves to impart perfume. ' I wish I could get rid of some of this hair,' said Antonio ; ' I do think that a shave would be a great comfort ; but all in good time, and we must be thankful for having hitherto escaped so many dangers.' ' Depend on it,' returned Carlos, ' the last was the most fearful.' Having dressed themselves in their cloth suits, SUPPER. 139 which, from having been so little worn, were still good, the travellers went to the sitting-room, through a long passage which had rooms on each side, and which they afterwards learrfed were the apartments of the men of the family. The passage itself led to the dwellings of the wives, female slaves, the cooking- houses, and the court, where every household labour was carried on. The evening meal was ready, con- sisting of fried goat's mutton, plantains, fowls, maize bread, some sweet beans of delicious flavour, fried bananas, peppers, large and well-flavoured nuts called Kolla, the size of an Orleans plum, and a fruit named Incheema. This was like a small melon in shape and colour, and possessed a thick orange rind, within which was a quantity of greenish pulp, containing some hard dark-brown seeds. The pulp alone was eaten, and in flavour resembled a green-gage. Carlos requested his generous host to eat with them; he complied ; and all were attended by male and female slaves, who frequently changed their platters and offered them palm-wine. Good water, however, was such a treat to the Europeans, that they were satis- fied with this beverage. The repast finished, native pipes, made of red clay, were brought in, and tobacco was offered. Carlos refused, but Antonio delightedly enjoyed the narcotic with the master of the feast, who now asked for their history. As Carlos narrated it, he every now and then tossed up his chin and shook his head, particularly when anything very dangerous was related, but made no comment till Carlos had finished. He then said, ' Those people whose child you saved were fcaylees. Lucky for you you took that child, for without that 1 40 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. they would have killed you. They have had war lately, and taken those prisoners whom you saw in the shed : one part will be sold as slaves, one part you saw eaten, and the rest will be eaten soon. Very bad people those ; they don't care for goats, pigs, or fowls when they can get man. You would have been saved to the last, and then eaten too. They eat father, mother, children, who die in sickness, anything to get man's flesh. That lad who brought you back belongs to some people below here, and was trading up the river when the Kaylees came to the place where he was, and took him prisoner with the others ; your coming away saved his life. Now you must not go from here till English ship comes to take you. English sometimes trade with Us, and they will carry you home. Mostly French people seen here.' ' But how, then, do you speak English so well ? ' asked Carlos. ' We all speak English/ was the reply,- 'because we like English, and English ships used to come in plenty, but now they fear sickness ; and one ship's crew was killed close by. But come now and see my brother the King, for I am only the Governor ; he will make bad quarrel with you, and me too, if you do not go to him ; he is sick and cannot move, but he knows all that happens.' The Europeans expressed their desire to do that which was proper. The Governor immediately rose, and led them to a house not far off, of the same di- mensions as his own ; but the sitting-room was raised, and reached by three steps. Here they found his Majesty reclining on a mat, his paralytic limbs covered with a cloth, and his head and shoulders supported by cushions. His wives fanned away with grass fans the minute sand-flies which came in myriads, stinging the VISIT TO THE KING. 141 exposed parts of the person, while they themselves are almost too small to be perceived. The head wife had on a scarlet and yellow petticoat, fringed with little bells, which jingled with every movement, and she seemed to consider herself the great lady of the place. Her royal husband, in very tolerable English, lamented his inability to rise and receive his guests ; held out his hand to them and insisted on hearing their history ; then calling to one of his wives, he ordered her to bring two mats, which were beautifully woven in patterns, with grasses of different colours, and pre- sented one to each of the white men. Carlos, after thanking him, said he was sorry that they were too destitute to have anything to give in return; but if ever they should reach England, they would send him a present which should mark their gratitude. When the party returned to the Governor's house, they saw a very fine young man, with the most agree- able expression of countenance, standing at the door. He welcomed them with much grace and openness of manner ; and the Governor told them it was his son Wondo, who was just come from an expedition into the bush. He spoke English remarkably well, and though a little cautious at first, before the evening was over he seemed to consider the strangers as friends. On entering, they were agreeably surprised at finding some excellent coffee ready for them. Antonio said it was as good as any he had ever tasted in his own dear Venice, and was told that it grew wild in some parts' of the neighbouring forests. The next morning they were regaled with a sweet, whitish, compact-look- ing butter, which they recognised as the cosmetic pre- sented to them the night before, and which they found 1 42 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. proceeded from the seeds of a large tree. ' If you would like to see the tree,' said Wondo, ' we will go to one which grows a little way in the bush.' They accepted the proposal, and accordingly started before the great heat came on, hatchets in hand, to clear the way. ' You must not let the King see that you have a hatchet of your own,' said Wondo, ' or he will expect you to give it to him ; he likes presents too well.' ' I have been thinking,' said Antonio, ' that we shall never want shoes again till we can get another pair, and mine are much too heavy to wear in this country ; suppose we give them to the King.' Carlos agreed to this; and they went on, thrusting long poles into the grass before them to frighten away the snakes, till they came to a tall tree with broad leaves, from which hung green pods, having a contraction near the middle. On picking up some which had fallen to the ground, they found they had a white, tasteless pulp inside, surround- ing several large, flattish brown seeds. 'We break these seeds,' said Wondo, 'and boil them in water, when the butter rises to the top ; we then take it off with a flat spoon and let it grow cold ; but some people squeeze out the butter from the seeds by beating them a great deal, and then it is dirty, and not so good to the taste.' 1 The more the young men saw of Wondo, the more confidence did they feel in him ; his character appeare 1 to possess a rare solidity, and a truthfulness, which is by no means frequent among black men, and which made them rely on everything he said. They there- fore frequently sought information from him on various points, and he was generally able to satisfy them, for 1 Bassia Parkii (Bowdich). THE GOVERNOR'S SON. 143 he had often travelled into the neighbouring countries to trade. 'Where did the Kaylees get those large knives, Wondo?' asked Carlos one day, 'and their cotton dresses also ? ' ' They make them both,' was the reply, 'for they have plenty of iron and cotton in their country ; so have we, but we make nothing. Something they trade a little with the ships, where they get brass rods and beads. But when they come here, we watch them very closely ; and they do not like that, for they are great thieves. They make plenty of things with wood and iron, for they are clever ; while we are stupid, and do nothing but trade, and buy what others make.' Two new guests joined the Governor's party in the course of the day ; one named Nando, who, according to Wondo, was his cousin, a very good fellow, and always laughing ; the other was Roolai, the great hunter. He had just killed several animals in the bush, and on returning with the spoil, said he would make a great feast to do honour to the white men. Accordingly, the preparations were immediately com- menced ; but as the sun was getting high, Wondo led his friends into the house, saying, 'Now you shall see one of cur white men ; there he stands,' and he pointed to a strange figure close to the door. ' He belongs to my father, 1 continued Wondo; 'and he says there are plenty more like him in his own country far away.' To the astonishment of Carlos and An- tonio, a white negro was before them. The projecting muzzle, large mouth, flat nose, and retreating forehead, the characteristics of his race, were much exaggerated in him ; but his crisp, woolly hair was almost yellow in colour, his eyes were of a dark blue, and from 144 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. seeing imperfectly in the day-time, they were constantly blinking, and had a vacant expression. His skin was of a reddish-white, and when his cloth fell accidentally from his shoulders, a number of blotches were seen in various parts of his body. He slowly retired as the party entered the house, where they had not been long seated before the inner door opened, and Antonio involuntarily started. The white negro issued from it, carrying a small harp ; the frame-work was of a yel- lowish wood, with a carved head on the upright ; the strings were made of the runners of a tree ; and when the man struck the first few chords, it gave a deep rich tone. He seated himself, and began a low re- citative, as if to preface what followed. At length he burst into a song of defiance, which Wondo said was the war-cry of his native land. He rapidly passed his fingers over the strings, and all seemed bustle and activity; the notes then changed to a mournful air, accompanied by a low wailing. ' Those are the pri- soners lamenting,' observed Wondo. The negro then shouted sounds of victory, and at that moment he appeared to be perfectly frantic; he put the harp upon his foot, tossed it up and down, stretched out the arm that was free, and performed a number of gestures; the sounds then gradually died away as if they were retreating to a distance, the whole having a highly dramatic character. ' How very extraordinary ! ' exclaimed Cados ; ' it is perfect inspiration. Where did he get that harp ? ' 'He made it here,' replied Wondo ; ' but he tells me there are plenty in his own country. I took him prisoner in a war which we had with ' ' Hush ! ' cried Antonio, ' he is beginning again.' The musician recommenced by imitating the NATIVE DANCING. 145 voices of birds ; and to this succeeded a soft measure which again changed into a lively strain, as if for dancing. In the midst were heard the names of some of those present 'He is praising us,' whispered Wondo, 'and he will end by describing a hunting party.' When it became dark, cleft sticks were stuck into the floor of the Governor's room, and torches placed in the slits. These were composed of palm-leaves, tied together at each end, and filled with a sweet- smelling gum. A deputation, however, shortly arrived, inviting the whole party to the/# poor Caspar, although I have often dismissed the idea as foolish and romantic. I am a lone old man, now getting into years ; and should be glad to find some tie which might make my old age happy." ' Dates were compared, the persons of our father JfENRIQUEZ' NARRATIVE. 353 and mother were described, an old servant questioned, who said my likeness to Don Caspar had struck her also, but more than that, my voice and carriage. I was sent for ; the ring which I always wore was said to resemble one which had been in my father's pos- session, and which you recollect the Sergeant took off his finger ; the other ornaments were obtained from England, and recognised by the servant, and our parentage was established. 'Satisfied with my identity, Don Andreas would have made no further inquiries ; but the Colonel, determining not to leave anything undone, actually repaired to the spot where he had buried the bodies, and persuaded my uncle and the old nurse to go with him. With great difficulty he found the place, but plains are not often disturbed in that country. Some of the neighbouring people were paid for clearing away the bushes and digging up the ground ; and the remains were actually discovered. Of course there was but little left ; but the colour of my mother's hair was remembered by the nurse, and identified with that found in the grave. The clothes fell to dust when touched ; but a metal plate, belonging to a military cap, was still perfect, and on it was scratched the name of " Caspar de la Rosa." All doubts now vanished ; the remains were taken to consecrated ground, and wealth, rank, and family were restored to me. I hope I may be forgiven, however, for hav- ing at first looked on them with a feeling amounting to indifference ; for you, Carlos, were not to share them with me. This, however, was but an ungrateful return for the blessings which thus flowed upon me, and I strove to rouse myself from such a sickly state of mind. 354 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. My uncle wished me to remain with him in Spain, and to claim the property which had been my father's. But I could not separate myself from my best friend ; and, moreover, I had a secret feeling that in Liverpool I was on the spot where the first news of you \vas likely to arrive. I had no difficulty in obtaining my inheritance, to which my uncle added what he called his sister's portion. A life of idleness was irksome to me, and I dreaded its effect upon my character. I had begun my career in commerce, and it interested me. My uncle felt the force of what I said, and con- sented to my becoming a merchant on a large scale ; and the extent of my affairs had put me in communi- cation with all parts of the world. One-half of the property has been carefully saved for you, Carlos, and you may use it as you please, either in conjunction with me or any one else ; or you can live upon it. I endeavoured at first to divide my time between England and Spain ; but I soon found that this did not answer. I never was away from the former, but I found that my presence had been required ; and at length my good uncle consented to take up his abode here entirely, and I had no longer any reason to absent myself. This is our house, and of course yours also, as well as everything which I pos- sess. At another time we will deliberate upon the future ; but morning dawns, and you ought to be in bed; to-morrow we > will talk further.' 'My excel- lent Henriquez,' said Carlos, ' how much better you have always been than I ever was ! But I have been well chastened, and hope I shall never forget the lessons I have received. I have been a wayward, spoiled child ; but now I will be your pupil, and you A CHANCE. 355 shall find me docile and obedient for the rest of my life.' Carlos and Antonio both undressed ; but no sooner had the former sunk into the soft feather bed, than he started up again, and rolled himself on to the floor. Antonio, after making the experiment for half an hour, exclaimed, ' I shall be suffocated if I stay here,' and followed his example. As to Corintchie, he thought his accommodations the most luxurious he had ever met with, and did ample justice to the first bed in which he had ever slept. In about three hours the travellers rose perfectly refreshed, and threw open the windows for air. They strolled into the park and into the stables, longed to have a ride upon the beautiful horses, but thought it would be indecorous to indulge their wild propensities just now, and recollected that they must behave like civilised men. They returned to their rooms and made a more careful toilette, put on the European clothes which had been given them at Cape Coast ; but they could not endure as yet to tie up their throats. The dark glossy curls of Carlos, therefore, were seen to steal on his neck ; and when he met his uncle at the breakfast table, Don Andreas started, but welcomed him with a warmth which far exceeded that of the preceding evening, saying, 'This is the like- ness I longed to see ; this is indeed the child of my dear Isabella, and she is perpetuated in him. I am a happy old man,' continued he, ' to have two, nay three, such fine young men to take care of me, and grace my table ;' and as Colonel Lacy walked in to share the meal, he observed that the group was complete. The first operation when breakfast was over was to send for the tailor, and by the next day the young 35(5 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. men, including Corintchie, were presentable. The pre- cious treasures from Africa were passed through the Custom-house, and some of them given to Colonel and Mrs. Lacy, and the Browns ; and as calmer mo- ments succeeded to the deep emotions which all had felt, the commonplaces of life came under considera- tion. Carlos willingly obeyed the wishes of his friends by sharing his brother's occupations ; and as it pleased God to bless their endeavours, they were the channel through which many blessings flowed upon their fel- low-creatures. Commerce with the western coast of Africa was a principal feature in the transactions of Carlos, in the hope of benefiting a country in which he took an undying interest ; and when he reflected on the immense riches of that beautiful land, and the universal spirit of traffic which pervades its inhabi- tants, he hoped that sooner or later its natural pro- ductions would wholly supersede the degrading and inhuman slave-trade, which stamps it with the seal of barbarity. The increasing consequence of the brothers, and Carlos' experience in one quarter of the world, gave weight to their opinions with men high in the ser- vice of their adopted country ; and their suggestions being acted upon, were most important to the welfare of their sable brethren : for it is the fashion either to depreciate the negro character too much, or estimate it too highly; and few persons view it with that moderation which ensures justice. Convinced that the enormous quantities of calomel, colocynth, quinine, etc., with occasionally profuse bleedings, in cases of fever, only increased the danger, Carlos suggested that other systems of medicine should be tried, till the CONCLUSION, 357 baneful effects of the climate were ameliorated, and white men found that they could live in Western Africa. Hand in hand with those efforts walked Christianity. Men were educated purposely to en- lighten their countrymen, whose complexions and con- stitutions were partially or wholly tinged with negro blood ; and they by degrees carried the blessings of revealed religion into the heart of the continent. Among these was the son of Wondo, for whom Carlos sent, and who was joyfully entrusted to his care by the father. The education of these men was liberal in solid things ; and along with one or two of the arts of more polished life, they were always taught any eminently useful occupation for which their talents fitted them. All the individuals who had been kind to Carlos, and who survived, sooner or later tasted of his bounty; and some years afterwards he was even happy enough to serve his friend Yusuf, and secure his assistance in importing Arab horses. Corintchie proved a most valuable servant, preferring to remain in the capacity which 'kept him in constant communication with his beloved masters, but whose example of piety and fidelity had much influence over those of his country- men who came in contact with him. Antonio, the generous, devoted Antonio, who shared the affections of the whole circle into which he had been received, and who was an especial favourite with Mrs. Lacy and her children, never married, but spent his whole life with Carlos. The brothers settled a sum of money upon him, which made him wholly independent; but this did not make him idle. He tried by industry to supply the deficiencies of his 353 THE AFRICAN WANDERERS. early education, and became the confidential super- intendent, the second self of the merchant brothers, attended to all their shipping concerns, and secured respect for them and for himself in every class. If Don Andreas had been asked which of his nephews he loved the most, it would have been im- possible for him to have supposed that he had any preference ; but there was a tenderness in his manner towards Carlos, of which he was himself unconscious, but which Henriquez perceived only to increase his own love. Nor was he less gratified at the reputation which his brother had secured, even though his per- sonal attendance was commanded in the highest quarters. To the solicitations of learned bodies who sought for his contributions, Carlos was glad to answer by communicating all the knowledge he possessed ; but he found it very difficult to check the accumulated entreaties of the fairer sex that he would give them his autograph, or make a sketch for their scrap-books. At length, however, some new wonder came, and the collectors left the African traveller in peace. The children of the Browns flourished under the auspices of the brothers ; and when Colonel Lacy, in his declining years, looked around, and saw how his endeavours had been blessed, he rejoiced in the hour when the cry of the wailing orphans met his ear, and he had obeyed the impulses of his heart, by adopting for his own. the excellent Henriquez and little Don Carlos. MOKRISON AND G1BB, EDINBURGH, PRIXTHRS TO HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICR. 4 M G 83-D. A CATALOGUE OF BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG, OF ALL AGES, SUITABLE FOR PRESENTS AND SCHOOL PRIZES, ARRANGED ACCORDING TO PRICES, FROM HALF-A-GUINEA TO SIXPENCE EACH. PUBLISHED BY GRIFFITH, FARRAN, OKEDEN & WELSH (SUCCESSORS TO NEWBERY AXD HARRIS), WEST CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON. E. P. DUTTON AND CO., NEW YORK. 20M. 9/87. V. T. & S. BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG, Arranged according to Prices. Seven Shillings and Sixpence each, cloth elegant. Illustrated. Alice's Wonderland Birthday Book. By E. STANLEY LEATHES and C. E. W. HOLMES. 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After the celebrated German Work of Dr. HEINHIOH HOFFMANN. Thirtieth Edition. Twenty- four pages of Illustrations (or mounted on linen, 5s.). The Fools' Paradise. Mirth and Fun for Old and Young. Funny Picture Book (The); or, 25 FUNNY LITTLE LESSONS. A free Translation from the German of "DEB KLEINE ABO SOHUTZE." In the Land of Nod ; a Fancy Story. By A. C. MARZATH. Loves of Tom Tucker and Little Bo-Peep. Written and Illus- trated by THOMAS HOOD. Spectropia ; or, SURPRISING SPECTRAL ILLUSIONS, showing Ghosts everywhere, and ef any colour. By J. H. BROWN. GRIFFITH, FARRAN, OKEDEN AND WELSH, GRIFFITH, FAEKAN, OKEDEN AND WELSH. 9 THE HOLIDAY LIBRAKY. A Series of 15 Volumes for Boys and Girls, well illustrated, and bound in cloth, with elegant design printed in gold and colours, gilt edges. The size is Foolscap 8vo, and as each volume contains upwards of 300 pages of interesting tales of all descriptions, they form one of the most attractive and saleable series in the market. Price VoL I. ., n. m. iv. v. vi. vn. Two Shillings, each volume containing Two Take, well Illustrated. LIST OF BOOKS IN THE SERIES. Children's Fionio. Holiday Tales. rx ( Christian Elliott. ' ( Sunny Days. I Wrecked, Not Lost. {Discontented Children. Holidays among Moun- tains. \ Adrift on the Sea. ( Hofer the Tyrolese. Alice and Beatrice. Julia Maitland. Among the Brigands. Hero of Brittany. i Cat and Dog. i Johnny Miller. (" Children of the Parson- 1 age. (Grandmamma's Belies. Vol. vni. : XI. xn. ( Stolen Cherries. ( Harry at School. j Claudine. ( Our White Violet \ Fickle Flera. i William Tell. I Paul Howard' s Captivity. < Amy's Wish. ' ( New Baby. i Neptune. ' i Crib and Fly. i What became of Tommy ' ( Geoffrey's Great Fault. Two Shillings, cloth elegant, Illustrated. Captain Fortescue's Handful. By C. MABRYATT NORRIS. Children's Gallery. Four Parts, price 2s. each. Elsie Dinsmore ) Elsie's Girlhood > By MARTHA FARQUHARSON. Elsie's Holidays) A Far-away Cousin. By K. D. CORNISH. How to Make Dolls' Furniture AND TO FURNISH A DOLL'S HOUSE. With 70 Illustrations. Small 4to. Illustrated Paper Model Maker. By E. LANDELLS. In envelope. Mademoiselle's Story. By MADAIIE RYFFEL. Mamma's Bible Stories. First Series. FOB HER LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS. Mamma's Bible Stories. Second Series. Mamma's Bible Stories. Third Series. Illustrated by STANLEY BERKELEY. The three Volumes can be had in a handsome case. Price 6s. Scenes of Animal Life and Character. FROM NATURE AND RECOLLECTION. In Twenty Plates. By J. B. 4to, fancy boards. Seeking His Fortune. Uniform in size and price with above. Two and Two ; OR, FRENCH AND ENGLISH. By Mrs. SEYMOUR. Wonders of Home, in Eleven Stories (The). By GRANDFATHER GREY. Young Vocalist (The). Cloth boards. (Or paper, Is.) ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON. 10 BOOKS FOB THE YOUNG PUBLISHED BY Price One Shilling and Sixpence each. Babies' Museum (The). By UNCLE CHARLIE. Paper boards. Children's Daily Help. By E. G. Bevelled boards, gilt edges. Directory of Girls' Societies, Clubs, and Unions. Conducted on unprofessional principles. By S. F. A. CAULFIELD. Little Margaret's Ride to the Isle of Wight ; or, THE WONDERFUL ROCKING-HORSE. By Mrs. F. BROWN. Coloured Illustrations. Our Wild Swan and other Pets. By HELEN WEBLEY PARBY, Author of " An Epitome of Anglican Church History." With coloured illustrations by HARRISON WEIR. Price Is. 6d. Rivals of the Cornfield. By the Author of " Genevieve's Story." Seasons' Songs and Sketches. 4 Vols. small quarto. Price 1/6 each. I. Spring. II. Summer. III. Autumn. IV. Winter. Taking Tales. In Plain Language and large Type. Four vols. May also be had in 2 vols., 3*. 6d. each j and in 21 parts,[cl. limp, price 6 d. each. ANGELO SERIES OF EIGHTEENPENNY BOOKS. Square l&mo. Cloth elegant, fully Illustrated. Angelo ; or, THE PINE FOREST rs THB ALPS. By GEBALDDSTB E. JEWSBURY. 6th Thousand. Aunt Annette's Stories to Ada. By ANNETTE A. SALAMAN. Brave Nelly; or, WEAK HANDS AND A WILLING HEART. By M. E. B. (Mrs. GELLIE). 5th Thousand. Featherland; or, How THE BIRDS LIVED AT GREENLAWN. By G. M. FENS. 4th Thousand. Humble Life : A Tale of HUMBLE HOMES. By the Author of " Gerty and May," &c. Kingston's (W. H. G.) Child of the Wreck ; or, THE Loss OF THE ROYAL GEORGE. Lee's (Mrs. R.) Playing at Settlers ; or, THE FAGOT HOUSE. Twelve Stories of the Sayings and Doings of Animals. Little Lisette, THE ORPHAN OF ALSACE. By M. E. B. (Mrs. GBLLIE). Live Toys ; or, ANECDOTES OF OUR FOUR-LEGGED AND OTHER PETS. By EMMA DAVENPORT. Long Evenings ; or, STORIES FOR MY LITTLE FRIENDS. By EMILIA MARRY AT. Three Wishes (The). By Mrs. GELLIE (M. E. B.). GRIFFITH, FARRAN, OKEDEN AND WELSH, GRIFFITH, FABBAN, OKEDEN AND WELSH. 11 The CHEERY SERIES of EIGHTEENPENNY BOOKS. 1/6 PRESENTS AND PRIZES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. Thirty-six volumes, well illustrated, small 8vo, clearly printed on good paper, and strongly bound inelegant cloth boards, gilt edges. Adventures in Fanti-land. By Mrs. R. LEE. African Cruiser (The). By S. WHITCHURCH SADLER. Always Happy ; or, Anecdotes of Felix and his Sister. Aunt Mary's Bran Pie. By the Author of " St. Olave's." Battle and Victory. By C. E. BOWEX. A Child's Influence. By LISA LOCKTEB. Constance and Nellie. By EMMA DAVENPORT. Corner Cottage, and its Inmates. By FRANCES OSBORNE. Distant Homes. By Mrs. J. E. ATLMER. Father Time's Story Book. By KATHLEEN Kxox. From Peasant to Prince. By Mrs. PIETZKER. Girlhood Days. By Mrs. SETMOCR. Good in Everything. By Mrs. BARWELL. Granny's Wonderful Chair. By B. F. BROWNE. Happy Holidays. By EMMA DAVENPORT. Happy Home. By LADV LUSHINGTON. The Heroic Wife. By W. H. G. KINGSTON. Helen in Switzerland. By LADT LUSHINGTON. Holidays Abroad ; or, Eight at Last. By EMMA DAVENPORT. Lucy's Campaign. By M. and C. LEE. Lost in the Jungle. By AUGUSTA MARRTAT. Louisa Broadhurst. By A. MILNER, Master Bobby. Mudge and Her Chicks. My Grandmother's Budget. By Mrs. BRODERIP. Our Birthdays. By EMMA DAVENPORT. Our Home in the Marshland. By E. L. F. Parted. By N. D'ANVERS. Pictures of Girl Life. By C. A. HOWELL. School Days in Paris. By M. S. JEUNE. Starlight Stories. By FAXNY LABLACHE. Sunnyland Stories. By the Author of " St. Olave's." Talent and Tatters. Tittle-Tattle : and other Stories for Children. Vicar of Wakefield (The). Willie's Victory. ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON. 12 BOOKS FOB THE YOUNG PUBLISHED BY THE HAWTHORN SERIES OF SHILLING BOOKS. PRESENTS AND PRIZES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. Forty-two volumes, well illustrated, small 8vo, clearly printed on good paper, and strongly bound in elegant cloth, boards. Adrift on the Sea. By E. M. NORRIS. Alice and Beatrice. By GRANDMAMMA. Among the Brigands. By C. E. BtfwEN. Amy's Wish : A Fairy Tale. By Mr. G. TYLER, Cat and Dog; or, Puss and the Captain. Children of the Parsonage. By the Author of " Gerty and May." Children's Picnic (The). By E. MARRYAT NORRIS. Christian Elliott ; or, Mrs. Danver's Prize. By L. N. COMYN. Claudine ; or, Humility the Basis of all the Virtues. Crib and Fly : the Story of Two Terriers. Daughter of a Genius (The). By Mrs. HOFLAND. Discontented Children (The). By M. and E. KIRBY. Ellen, the Teacher. By Mrs. HOFLAND. Eskdale Herd Boy (The). By LADY STODDART. Fickle Flora and her Seaside Friends. By EMMA DAVENPORT. Geoffrey's Great Fault, By E. MARRYAT NORRIS. Grandmamma's Belies. By C. E. BOWEN. Harry at School. A Story for Boys. By E. MARRYAT NORRIS. Hero of Brittany (The) ; or, The Story of Bertrand du Guesclin. History of the Robins (The). By Mrs. TRIMMER. Hofer, the Tyrolese. By the Author of "William Tell." Holiday Tales. By FLORENCE WILFOHD. Holidays among the Mountains. By M. BETHAM EDWARDS. Johnny Miller. By FELIX WEISS. Julia Maitland. By M. and E. KIRBY. Life and Perambulations of a Mouse (The). Memoir of Bob, the Spotted Terrier. Mrs. Leicester's School. By CHARLES and MARY LAMB. Neptune : The Autobiography of a Newfoundland Dog. Never Wrong; or, The Young Disputant; and It was only in Fun. New Baby (The). By the Author of " Our White Violet." Our White Violet. By the Author of " Gerty and May." Paul Howard's Captivity. By E. MARRYAT NORRIS. Eight and Wrong. By the Author of " Always Happy." Scottish Orphans (The). By LADY STODDART. Son of a Genius (The). By Mrs. HOFLAND. Stolen Cherries (The) ; or Tell the Truth at once. Sunny Days. By the Author of "Our White Violet." Theodore; or the Crusaders. By Mrs v HOFLAND. "What became of Tommy. By E. MARRYAT NORRIS. William Tell, the Patriot of Switzerland. By FLORIAN. Wrecked, not Lost. By the Hon. Mrs. DUNDAS. GRIFFITH, FARRAN, OKEDEN AND WELSH, GRIFFITH, FABBAN, OKEDEN AND WELSH. 13 Price One Shilling each continued. Easy Beading for Little Readers, Paper Boards. Fragments of Knowledge for Little Folk. Paper Boards. The Nursery Companion. Paper Boards. The Picturesque Primer. Paper Boards. Thtie Four Volumes contain about 450 picture! ; each one being complete in itself, and bound in an attractive paper caver, in btards (also with coloured Illustrations, 2s.) Tin Four Volumes bound together form the "Favourite Picture Book," bound in cloth, price 5s., or coloured Illustrations, yilt edges, 103. 6