You have had some strange adventures up the country."

"Yes, sir," I replied, "I have been some years living entirely among the
Caffres."

"Is the account you have given of the shipwreck quite correct?"

"Everything I told the captain is just as it occurred."

"Don't you think the English women who are up there would come away if
they could?"

"No," I replied, "they told me themselves they would not leave now: they
have children, and have been well-treated; and they could not come again
to civilisation after living during some years as the wives of Caffres."

"Then," said the admiral, "if I sent a ship up there to bring these
women away, you don't think they would come?"

"I am certain they would not; and you would not be able to find them.
The Caffres would carry them up the country, and conceal them as soon as
your ship was seen to be landing men; and if you attempted to use force,
you might be opposed by several thousand warriors; who, though armed
with assagies only, would yet, in the rough bushy country, slaughter two
or three hundred men armed with muskets."

After some further conversation the admiral asked me what I wished to
do.

I replied that I had no money, no clothes, except what the captain had
given me, and no friends at the Cape; that I should like my father, who
was in India to know of my safety, and should like to receive his
instructions as to what he wished me to do. I added that, if I stopped
at the Cape, my father would pay any one for my keep as soon as he knew
where I was.

The admiral shook hands with me, and said I had better return to the
ship at present; but that he should be glad to see me at lunch in an
hour's time, and he would consider what should be done for me.

At the lunch I was fully occupied in answering questions about the
details of the shipwreck, and my adventures in the wild country of the
Umzimvubu. My description of the slaughter of the captain of the
merchant vessel, and his obstinacy in not being cautious enough, seemed
rather to amuse some of the officers who were present. Altogether, I
was much pleased with my treatment by the admiral, and returned in the
afternoon to the ship.

On the following morning I found that a Cape Town paper had a full
account of the shipwreck, and of my adventures among the Caffres, giving
my name, and stating who I was. I was amused at finding myself so
famous all at once, but did not then anticipate what would be the speedy
r