fresh provisions. Thence I hoped to carry
the trade wind across the Atlantic, and round the Cape, though I thought
it possible that I might have to touch at the Cape, unless we had an
unusually fast run, for water. You see our little craft couldn't carry
enough for ourselves and the sheep for as long a time as we could have
wished, and yet you may depend on it we wasted none. I have often
thought of the story of the poor Arab who, wishing to make the caliph
the most valuable present in his power, took him a skin bottle full of
muddy water from the desert. He, when journeying across the desert
esteemed it of more value than silver, gold, or precious stones. We,
too, learned how to value fresh water, and I would not have filled up my
cask with wine instead of it, had I been offered the finest in the
world. We were especially favoured with fine weather and a fair wind,
and we made good use of our time, for every one on board was as busy as
a bee from morning till night. We had prayers regularly morning and
evening out of the Prayer-book, and on a Sunday I read out of Galpin's
sermons, and that the lessons it taught might not be forgotten I used to
talk about them every day for the week which the Sunday began, and asked
the young people questions about it. Then I set them their lessons, and
Mary or Peter heard them, and they got on famously. They gave their
mind to the work, do you see, and did it well.

CHAPTER FOUR.

THE RESCUED STRANGER.

We made the Desertas off Rio without having had one day on which my wife
and the children couldn't be on deck with comfort. They were tried
somewhat by the heat, for it was hot in our little cabin with the sun
striking down on the deck all day, but they didn't mind that much. I
was most anxious about the sheep. I had made up my mind that we were to
do great things with them, and I dreaded any of them dying. We used to
have them up on deck every day to walk about, two at a time, and they
all became as tame as lambs; indeed, they lived like aldermen, and grew
as sleek and fat, for we kept them well washed and clean, for I couldn't
help thinking that would be conducive to their health.

It was necessary to go into Rio, but I was sorry to have to do it on one
account. It is so beautiful a place that I thought my wife and daughter
might think meanly of our future home after it. It is a beautiful
country, with its magnificent harbour, and surrounding hills, and
tropical