by such a loss, seemed far greater than when a
successful speculation, caused temporary happiness. A Caffre's wants
were few, but all these he could supply, and his only anxiety was that
relative to wild beasts, poisonous snakes, and invasion by an enemy.

I went with my father to dine with the admiral at Simon's Town, and also
accompanied him to several other houses, to dinners, and entertainments
of various kinds. Soon after his arrival he wrote to my uncle, saying
that he still wished me to proceed to England to have my education
attended to, that he could stay at Cape Town about a month, and would
like me to remain with him during that period, after which I should
embark for England.

The month passed very rapidly. My father was also a guest of Mr
Rossmar's, for Cape people were famous for their kindness and
hospitality, and seemed as though we conferred a favour on them by
staying at their house. At length the ship arrived in which my father
was to return to India, and I bid him a long farewell, for it would be
five years before he could retire and come to England, where he
eventually intended to settle.

I now daily expected the arrival of the Indiaman in which passage had
been taken for my voyage to England, and five days after my father had
sailed, the ship was signalled, and a few hours afterwards anchored in
Table Bay. I had many friends to bid good-bye besides those with whom I
had been staying. The parting was very sad, but I promised that if
possible I would come again to the Cape, and stay a long time with my
various friends.

A voyage in the sailing-vessels of those days had much more romance and
interest in it than is now possible in a modern steamer. Formerly a
ship was dependent on the amount and direction of the wind; there was
always the excitement of watching the barometer, the clouds, etc, to
discover if possible any change of wind; a storm was a greater battle
than it now is; and the uncertainty of the duration of the voyage had
its charms. Some sailing ships were nearly eighty days in reaching
England from the Cape, others accomplished the voyage in a little over
fifty.

We had a fair wind on leaving Table Bay. I remained on deck watching
the Table Mountain gradually sink, as it were, on the horizon, and when
darkness came on I went to my cabin below, and felt dull and miserable.
There were about fifty passengers on board, mostly old Indians. My
story was known to them all, and se