een set at defiance; they were told that the life
of a Hottentot was as important in the eye of God, and in the eye of the
law, as that of a Dutch boor, and that the government would hold it as
such. Thus was the first blow struck; but another and a heavier was
soon to fall upon those who had so long sported with the lives of their
fellow-creatures. The press was called to the aid of the Hottentot, and
a work published by a missionary roused the attention of the public at
home to their situation. Their cause was pleaded in the House of
Commons, and the Hottentot was emancipated for ever."

"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander; "my blood has been boiling at the
description which you have been giving. Now, when I hear that the poor
Hottentot is a free man, it will cool down again."

"Perhaps it will be as well to leave off just now, Mr Wilmot," said Mr
Fairburn; "we will renew our conversation to-morrow, if wind and weather
permit, as the seamen say."

CHAPTER FIVE.

The next day the ship was off Rio, and immediately sent her boats for
provisions and supplies; the passengers did not land, as the captain
stated that he would not stay an hour longer than was necessary, and on
the second evening after their arrival they again made sail for the
Cape.

The gulls were flying in numbers astern of the ship, darting down and
seizing everything edible which was thrown overboard, and the
conversation turned upon aquatic birds.

"What difference is there in the feathers of aquatic birds and others?"
inquired Alexander: "a hen, or any land bird, if it falls into the
water, is drowned as soon as its feathers are saturated with the water."

"There is, I believe, no difference in the feathers of the birds,"
replied Mr Swinton; "but all aquatic birds are provided with a small
reservoir, containing oil, with which they anoint their feathers, which
renders them water-proof. If you will watch a duck pluming and dressing
itself, you will find it continually turns its bill round to the end of
its back, just above the insertion of the tail; it is to procure this
oil, which, as it dresses its feathers that they may carefully overlap
each other, it smears upon them so as to render them impenetrable to the
water; but this requires frequent renewal, or the duck would be drowned
as well as the hen."

"How long can a sea-bird remain at sea?"

"I should think not very long, although it has been supposed otherwise;
but we do not know so