plain what had
happened. I found that we had been rescued by an emigrant ship bound
for the Cape of Good Hope. I was in hope that she might be able to land
us at Sierra Leone, but I found that she could not possibly go out of
her course; indeed, that we were much to the southward of that place,
and that on to the Cape we also must go. In a very few minutes I
became, I must own, reconciled to the necessity. When the cabin
passengers found that I was a midshipman they rigged me out in very
comfortable clothes, and clubbing together presented me with a sum of
money, as they said, to enable me to live comfortably, till I could find
my way back to my ship. When, also, they heard how gallantly Peter
Pongo had rescued me, they gave him a handsome present. He could
scarcely comprehend his good fortune, and as he looked at the money he
evidently thought himself the owner of boundless wealth. I had the best
of everything at the chief cabin table, and could not help thinking how
pleasant it would be to live the life of a passenger on board an
emigrant ship all the year round. I was therefore very much surprised
to hear some of them grumbling from morning to night, complaining of
having nothing to do, and wishing that the voyage was over. If they had
lived in a midshipman's berth for a few months, I rather suspect that
they would have thought themselves well off. I need not describe our
passage to the Cape; it was a very pleasant one. I was very happy
during the short time I remained at that curious old Dutch place, Cape
Town. I saw the table-mountain and the tablecloth on the top of it, and
then a sloop of war called there, and the commodore, who was there,
ordered me and Peter Pongo a passage back to Sierra Leone. I was never
idle, for I found ample employment in teaching Peter to read, and
wonderful was the progress he made. He was a great favourite on board
the corvette on account of his intelligence and amiable manners, and the
gallant way in which he had preserved my life. On entering the harbour
of Sierra Leone, there, to my great satisfaction, lay our schooner, with
the pennant flying at her masthead, and the British ensign at her peak.
I got a boat from the corvette, and at once pulled on board. I could
see at a glance that the schooner had been turned into a man-of-war.
She had been bought, as I afterwards found, into the service. I was in
plain clothes, and Peter Pongo who accompanied me, was very nicely