that they had put me on shore; that, if I had not been well
acquainted with the habits of the Zulus, I should have been assagied or
made prisoner by these people.

As we pulled down the bay towards the bar, the officer told me he
intended taking me on board the ship to see the captain, and to tell him
what I had seen and known about the slaughter at Natal.

Before we had gone halfway to the ship, I became very sick. There was a
heavy sea on for a boat, and I was unaccustomed to the motion, so that I
was soon suffering from the effects of the waves on the boat.

I, however, scrambled up on to the deck of the ship, and found myself in
the presence of several officers, who looked at me with astonishment.
The officer who had brought me in the boat told a tall officer, who, I
afterwards learned, was the captain, what my previous history had been.
The captain at once was deeply interested, and inquired all particulars
about the shipwreck, and what had become of those who had escaped
drowning. I told him that I was the only male survivor, that the others
had by a mistake been assagied, as it was supposed they were
slave-catchers. The females, I said, were the wives of Caffres, and
would not wish to leave their adopted country. The captain having
listened to all I had to tell him, asked me if I should like some
clothes, for I was dressed like a Caffre. Upon my intimating that, if I
remained in the country clothes would be useless, but if I were to be
taken away I must have some raiment, the captain took me to his cabin,
and having sent for some of the midshipmen, I was soon rigged out in a
suit of clothes that fitted me tolerably well. From the captain I
learned that he had come up to Natal to make inquiries relative to the
murders that had been committed on the white people, and to punish the
murderers. I explained to him that the Caffres who lived near the
Umlass and in the neighbourhood, had nothing to do with the slaughter of
these people; that it was a war-party of the Zulus which had come down
the country for the purpose of killing all white men. He seemed,
however, disinclined to believe that the people in the country were not
a party to the massacre, till I told him of the fight we had with the
Zulus, and our battle near the Umlass river.

On that night I slept on board ship, and by the following morning had
quite recovered from my sea-sickness. The captain sent for me very
early, and asked if I could guide