the _Matilda Ann_ of New London. She was engaged in
the whale and seal fishery between Kerguelen Land and the neighbouring
Heard Islands; and as she was empty, having transferred her oil to a
homeward-bound whaler belonging to the same owners, her captain readily
accepted the offer made him by Mr Meldrum on behalf of Captain Dinks,
to charter the schooner to convey the survivors of the passengers and
crew of the _Nancy Bell_ to the Cape of Good Hope, whence they would
easily be able to get a passage back to England or to their original
destination in New Zealand.

"I guess that air prime," said Mr Lathrope; "but I've hed enuff v'yging
fur a spell, and I kinder kalkerlate I'll make tracks to hum. I don't
mind either, darkey, if I take you along o' me! I've got a fust-rate
brown-stone front in Philadelphy, and I'll chuck you in as cook, if you
like, hey?"

"Golly, massa, you don't mean dat, suah!"

"Guess I dew," said the American deliberately.

"Tank you, massa; den you ken take down de bill, I ain't no longer to
let--I'm on, yah, yah!" shouted Snowball, giving way to the most
obstreperous merriment, in order to testify his satisfaction at Mr
Lathrope's engaging him in his service, the darkey having always had a
hankering after the American from his thorough appreciation of his
cookery.

Mrs Major Negus was true to the last.

"What an extremely fishy smell!" she exclaimed as she went on board the
whaler which had so opportunely come to rescue them from the solitude of
Desolation Island. "I'm sure I wish Captain Dinks had secured a passage
for us in a more respectable ship after choosing to cast away his own!"

But little more remains to be added.

The whaling schooner reached Table Bay in safety, without encountering
any storms similar to that which had led to the loss of the _Nancy
Bell_, and all the rescued castaways were shortly afterwards landed at
Cape Town. Here, Captain Dinks, who had recovered much from his wound
since he was taken off the island, secured a passage home to England for
himself and officers and such of the passengers of the lost ship as
desired to go back thither, sending on to New Zealand, at the owners'
expense, those who preferred proceeding to their original destination.

Amongst these latter was Mrs Major Negus and her son, "the Major" being
extremely anxious to join her husband at Waikatoo as soon as possible.
Mr Meldrum and his family also went on; the ex-commander in the Roya