imously consented; certainly a
most wild proposition, and showing very little judgment."

"Could they have done otherwise, my dear uncle?"

"Most certainly; they knew that they were in a country of lawless
savages, who had already come down and taken by force every thing that
they could lay their hands upon. The Captain calculated that they would
reach Cape Town in sixteen or seventeen days. How far his calculation
was correct, is proved by the fact that those who did reach it at last
were one hundred and seventeen days on their journey. But even admitting
that the distance could have been performed in the time stated by the
captain, the very idea of attempting to force their way through a
country inhabited by savage people, with such a number of helpless women
and children, and without any arms for their defense, was indeed an act
of folly and madness, as it eventually proved."

"What then should have been their plan?"

"Observe, Alexander, the ship was wrecked not a cable's length from the
shore, firmly fixed upon a reef of rocks upon which she had been thrown;
the water was smooth, and there was no difficulty in their
communication. The savages, content with plundering whatever was washed
on shore, had to the time of their quitting the rocks left them
uninjured. They might have gone on board again, have procured arms to
defend themselves and the means of fortifying their position against any
attempt of the savages, who had no other weapons but assaguays or
spears, and then might have obtained the provisions and other articles
necessary for their support. Armed as they might have been, and numerous
as they were, for there were one hundred and fifty souls on board at the
time of the wreck, they might have protected themselves until they had
built boats or small vessels out of the timber of the wreck; for all
their carpenters and blacksmiths were safely landed on shore with them.
By taking this course they might have coasted along shore, and have
arrived without difficulty at the Cape."

"Most certainly, sir, it would have been the most judicious plan."

"The captain must have been very deficient in judgment to have acted as
he did. He had every thing to his hand--the means--the men to build the
boats, provisions, arms, sails and cordage, and yet he threw all these
chances away, and attempted to do what was impossible."

"He was not one of those who were saved, I believe, sir?"

"No, he is one of those who have