it unlikely that in
Portuguese hands the Zambesi will ever be of any more value to the world
than it has been.

After a hurried visit to Senna, in order to settle with Major Sicard and
Senhor Ferrao for supplies we had drawn thence after the depopulation of
the Shire, we proceeded down to the Zambesi's mouth, and were fortunate
in meeting, on the 13th February, with H.M.S. "Orestes." She was joined
next day by H.M.S. "Ariel." The "Orestes" took the "Pioneer," and the
"Ariel" the "Lady Nyassa" in tow, for Mosambique. On the 16th a circular
storm proved the sea-going qualities of the "Lady of the Lake;" for on
this day a hurricane struck the "Ariel," and drove her nearly backwards
at a rate of six knots. The towing hawser wound round her screw and
stopped her engines. No sooner had she recovered from this shock than
she was again taken aback on the other tack, and driven stem on towards
the "Lady Nyassa's" broadside. We who were on board the little vessel
saw no chance of escape unless the crew of the "Ariel" should think of
heaving ropes when the big ship went over us; but she glided past our
bow, and we breathed freely again. We had now an opportunity of
witnessing man-of-war seamanship. Captain Chapman, though his engines
were disabled, did not think of abandoning us in the heavy gale, but
crossed the bows of the "Lady Nyassa" again and again, dropping a cask
with a line by which to give us another hawser. We might never have
picked it up, had not a Krooman jumped overboard and fastened a second
line to the cask; and then we drew the hawser on board, and were again in
tow. During the whole time of the hurricane the little vessel behaved
admirably, and never shipped a single green sea. When the "Ariel"
pitched forwards we could see a large part of her bottom, and when her
stern went down we could see all her deck. A boat, hung at her stern
davits, was stove in by the waves. The officers on board the "Ariel"
thought that it was all over with us: we imagined that they were
suffering more than we were. Nautical men may suppose that this was a
serious storm only to landsmen; but the "Orestes," which was once in
sight, and at another time forty miles off during the same gale, split
eighteen sails; and the "Pioneer" had to be lightened of parts of a sugar-
mill she was carrying; her round-house was washed away, and the cabin was
frequently knee-deep in water. When the "Orestes" came into Mosambique
harbour nin