M.S. 'Orestes.' I went to her with 'Pioneer,' and sent
'Lady Nyassa' round by inland canal to Kongone. Next day I
went into Kongone in 'Pioneer'; took our things out of her,
and handed her over to the officers of the 'Orestes.' Then
H.M.S 'Ariel' came and took 'Nyassa' in tow, 'Orestes' having
'Pioneer.' Captain Chapman of 'Ariel' very kindly invited me
on board to save me from the knocking about of the 'Lady
Nyassa,' but I did not like to leave so long as there was any
danger, and accepted his invitation for Mr. Waller, who was
dreadfully sea-sick. On 15th we were caught by a hurricane
which whirled the 'Ariel' right round. Her sails, quickly put
to rights, were again backed so that the ship was driven
backward and a hawser wound itself round her screw, so as to
stop the engines. By this time she was turned so as to be
looking right across 'Lady Nyassa,' and the wind alone
propelling her as if to go over the little vessel. I saw no
hope of escape except by catching a rope's-end of the big
ship as she passed over us, but by God's goodness she glided
past, and we felt free to breathe. That night it blew a
furious gale. The captain offered to lower a boat if I would
come to the 'Ariel,' but it would have endangered all in the
boat: the waves dashed so hard against the sides of the
vessel, it might have been swamped, and my going away would
have taken heart out of those that remained. We then passed a
terrible night, but the 'Lady Nyassa' did wonderfully well,
rising like a little duck over the foaming billows. She took
in spray alone, and no green water. The man-of-war's people
expected that she would go down, and it was wonderful to see
how well she did when the big man-of-war, only about 200 feet
off, plunged so as to show a large portion of copper oh her
bottom, then down behind so as to have the sea level with the
top of her bulwarks. A boat hung at that level was smashed.
If we had gone down we could not have been helped in the
least--pitch dark, and wind whistling above; the black folks,
'ane bocking here, another there,' and wanting us to go to
the 'bank.' On 18th the weather moderated, and, the captain
repeating his very kind offer, I went on board with a good
conscience, and even then the boat got damaged. I was hoisted
up in