cattered widely apart, and that in
many extensive districts none were to be found.

Climbing to the mast-head, I had a look round with my telescope, and I
felt certain that I saw several herds of animals feeding on the plains
in the interior. Some were antelopes and deer of various sorts; and
then, as I watched, to my great delight I saw a number of large animals
come out of a wood. They were elephants--not two or three, such as
might be seen in the Zoological Gardens--but a whole drove, fifty or
sixty at least, magnificent, big fellows. They were on their way,
apparently, to a river to drink. I longed to be on shore to hunt them,
and I almost envied Barwell and his companions the sport I fancied they
would enjoy. I was called on deck by the order to make sail. The wind
had come round to the northeast, and was fair for running out of the
harbour. As the anchor was hove up the people we had left behind waved
to us, and, it appeared, were cheering; but whether they did so to wish
us farewell, or in derision, we could not tell. With our
sadly-diminished crew we stood away to the southward. Just as we left
the harbour the captain once more came on deck. The mates could
scarcely convince him of what had occurred.

"I knew that we were not far off land," he remarked, "The smell of the
shore brought me to myself."

Strange to say, this was perfectly true; and from that time till they
were again in harbour neither he nor Mr Grimes touched spirits, and
appeared to be as sober as any man could be.

Such were some of my early experiences in the merchant service. It must
not be supposed that all ships are like what the _Orion_ then was, or
that there are many of her size commanded by such a man as Captain
Gunnell, with such a first mate as Mr Grimes; but still there are some,
and I might almost venture to say many, which are in no better
condition, and I have met with numerous instances where a state of
things equally bad had existed on board. This has arisen from the
absence of religious principle, from the want of education, and from the
intemperate habits of the officers. I am far from wishing to dissuade
any of those who read my travels from entering the merchant service. It
is an honourable and useful career; but I would urge them to endeavour,
by every means in their power, to improve their minds, and especially to
be on their guard against the vice of drunkenness, which has proved the
destruction of so many