arked
by some odd-colored, tumbled-down cliffs and the remains of a great
iron butt, where, more than a hundred years ago, the Grosvenor, a
splendid clipper ship, was wrecked. The men nearly all perished or
were made away with, but a few women were got on shore and carried
off as prizes to the kraals of the Kafir "inkosis" or chieftains.
What sort of husbands these stalwart warriors made to their reluctant
brides tradition does not say, but it is a fact that almost all the
children were born mad, and their descendants are, many of them,
lunatics or idiots up to the present time. As the afternoon draws on a
chill mist creeps over the hills and provokingly blots out the coast,
which gets more beautiful every league we go. I wanted to remain up
and see the light on the bluff just outside Port d'Urban, but a heavy
shower drove me down to my wee cabin before ten o'clock. Soon after
midnight the rolling of the anchor-chains and the sudden change of
motion from pitching and jumping to the old monotonous roll told us
that we were once more outside a bar, with a heavy sea on, and that
there we must remain until the tug came to fetch us. But, alas! the
tug had to make short work of it next morning, on account of the
unaccommodating state of the tide, and all our hopes of breakfasting
on shore were dashed by a hasty announcement at 5 A.M. that the tug
was alongside, the mails were rapidly being put on board of her, and
that she could not wait for passengers or anything else, because ten
minutes later there would not be water enough to float her over the
bar.

"When shall _we_ be able to get over the bar?" I asked dolefully.

"Not until the afternoon," was the prompt and uncompromising reply,
delivered through my keyhole by the authority in charge of us. And he
proved to be quite right; but I am bound to say the time passed more
quickly than we had dared to hope or expect, for an hour later a bold
little fishing-boat made her way through the breakers and across the
bar in the teeth of wind and rain, bringing F---- on board. He has
been out here these eight months, and looks a walking advertisement of
the climate and temperature of our new home, so absolutely healthy
is his appearance. He is very cheery about liking the place, and
particularly insists on the blooming faces and sturdy limbs I
shall see belonging to the young Natalians. Altogether, he appears
thoroughly happy and contented, liking his work, his position,
everything