the Caffres, with whom a constant feud was maintained.
The English also found them a fierce, warlike, and treacherous people,
and have constantly been at war with them, or engaged in forming
treaties which were as often broken. Happily, by the judicious
management of Sir George Grey, the enlightened governor of Cape Colony,
the disputes with the Caffres were terminated; the Boers--as the Dutch
farmers are called--were satisfied--while the contented Hottentots, long
kept in slavery, were freed at the passing of the Slave Emancipation
Bill, when the glorious announcement was made throughout the world that
no human being could be longer held in slavery on British soil.

I forgot before to mention that as soon as we reached Table Bay a full
statement had been lodged with the proper authorities of the attack
which had been made on us by the pirates, and of the mode in which we
had been robbed. Full particulars were accordingly sent to all the
vessels on the west coast, and directions given to them to look out for
the pirate; but we learned that there was very little chance of our
having any redress, as of course he would take care to keep out of the
way of all men-of-war for some time to come, at all events. I cannot
say that I felt very much interested in the matter, and my chief fear
was that, should the pirate be captured before the _Orion_ sailed, we
might be detained to give evidence against the crew. All my thoughts
were occupied with devising means by which I might discover Alfred.

We were not to leave the Cape without a gale. I had been walking the
deck with Mr Henley, expecting to receive our orders for getting under
way, when he pointed to Table Mountain.

"See, the table-cloth is spread right over the table," he observed. "We
shall not get to sea without a storm."

Then, as I looked up, I saw a dense white cloud which seemed to be ever
pouring over the edge of the table, but never to get lower; indeed, most
appropriately, from its appearance, is it called the table-cloth.

Mr Henley explained how this happened. "Table Mountain terminates in a
ridge of high land, which covers the larger portion of the promontory of
the Cape of Good Hope. The side immediately above the town is 4000 feet
high. During the day, when the air is warmer than the water," he
observed, "there is a considerable evaporation which saturates the warm
air overhanging the basin. The warm air thus laden with moisture rising
to the ed