n between Umnini's Caffres and the Zulus; and if
any doubt had remained in the mind of the captain about these two tribes
being at enmity with each other, this fight would have placed the matter
on the side of certainty.

On the morning following the day on which we had escaped from the Zulus,
the captain sent for me to his cabin. On my entrance I found him
sitting near a writing-table on which were various papers; he told me to
sit down, as he wanted to ask me several questions. He then produced a
map of the coast of South Africa, and pointed to Natal Bay, the Umlass
river, and other places; and then asked if I could tell him exactly
where the ship in which I had been wrecked had gone on shore. I
estimated the distance from the Umzimvubu river, and with a pencil
marked the spot.

I then described to him the country inland, as far as I had been, and
pointed out that several small streams were not put down in the map.

After we had talked about these matters, the captain said, "Now tell me
more about yourself, who you are, and all that."

I gave the captain a history of my early days in India, and then
explained to him that I was on my way home to England to be educated by
my uncle, who was reported to be very rich, when our ship was wrecked.
When I told him the name of my father, he looked in a large book, and
then asked me my fathers Christian name. At first I could not recall
it, but after a little thought I said it was William Mark.

"Your father is alive and is now a colonel," said the captain, "but is
no doubt under the impression that you were drowned, as nothing was
heard of the ship you were in after she was seen at the Mauritius."

I was delighted to hear this news, and a great longing now came over me
to see my father and to again join civilisation. I told the captain
what my wishes were, but that I had no money and did not know how I was
to get to India, or to England; nor did I know whether my uncle was
alive, and whether I ought now to go to England. I was quite able to
take care of myself if alone in the African bush, or on the plains,
though enemies of various kinds might be around me; but I felt I should
be powerless among white men, whom, from my experience of the sailors in
the former ship, I had found very stupid and suspicious.

The captain told me he would take me to Simon's Town at the Cape, and
see what could be done about communicating with my friends.

It took, in those days, upwar