r which I paid 200
pounds. For Yram's three daughters and for Mrs. Humdrum's grand-daughter
I took four brooches each of which cost about 15 pounds, 15s., and for
the boys I got three ten-guinea silver watches. For George I only took a
strong English knife of the best make, and the two thousand pounds worth
of uncoined gold, which for convenience' sake I had had made into small
bars. I also had a knapsack made that would hold these and nothing
else--each bar being strongly sewn into its place, so that none of them
could shift. Whenever I went on board ship, or went on shore, I put this
on my back, so that no one handled it except myself--and I can assure the
reader that I did not find it a light weight to handle. I ought to have
taken something for old Mrs. Humdrum, but I am ashamed to say that I
forgot her.

I went as directly as I could to the port of which my father had told me,
and reached it on November 27, one day later than he had done in the
preceding year.

On the following day, which was a Saturday, I went to the livery stables
from which my father had bought his horse, and found to my great delight
that Doctor could be at my disposal, for, as it seemed to me, the very
reasonable price of fifteen shillings a day. I shewed the owner of the
stables my father's order, and all the articles he had left were
immediately delivered to me. I was still wearing crape round one arm,
and the horse-dealer, whose name was Baker, said he was afraid the other
gentleman might be dead.

"Indeed, he is so," said I, "and a great grief it is to me; he was my
father."

"Dear, dear," answered Mr. Baker, "that is a very serious thing for the
poor gentleman. He seemed quite unfit to travel alone, and I feared he
was not long for this world, but he was bent on going."

I had nothing now to do but to buy a blanket, pannikin, and billy, with
some tea, tobacco, two bottles of brandy, some ship's biscuits, and
whatever other few items were down on the list of requisites which my
father had dictated to me. Mr. Baker, seeing that I was what he called a
new chum, shewed me how to pack my horse, but I kept my knapsack full of
gold on my back, and though I could see that it puzzled him, he asked no
questions. There was no reason why I should not set out at once for the
principal town of the colony, which was some ten miles inland; I,
therefore, arranged at my hotel that the greater part of my luggage
should await my return, and s