red the distance lost in the
gale, passed Cape Agulhas in company with the steamship _Scotsman_,
now with a fair wind. The keeper of the light on Agulhas exchanged
signals with the _Spray_ as she passed, and afterward wrote me at New
York congratulations on the completion of the voyage. He seemed to
think the incident of two ships of so widely different types passing
his cape together worthy of a place on canvas, and he went about
having the picture made. So I gathered from his letter. At lonely
stations like this hearts grow responsive and sympathetic, and even
poetic. This feeling was shown toward the _Spray_ along many a rugged
coast, and reading many a kind signal thrown out to her gave one a
grateful feeling for all the world.

One more gale of wind came down upon the _Spray_ from the west after
she passed Cape Agulhas, but that one she dodged by getting into
Simons Bay. When it moderated she beat around the Cape of Good Hope,
where they say the _Flying Dutchman_ is still sailing. The voyage then
seemed as good as finished; from this time on I knew that all, or
nearly all, would be plain sailing.

Here I crossed the dividing-line of weather. To the north it was clear
and settled, while south it was humid and squally, with, often enough,
as I have said, a treacherous gale. From the recent hard weather the
_Spray_ ran into a calm under Table Mountain, where she lay quietly
till the generous sun rose over the land and drew a breeze in from the
sea.

The steam-tug _Alert_, then out looking for ships, came to the _Spray_
off the Lion's Rump, and in lieu of a larger ship towed her into port.
The sea being smooth, she came to anchor in the bay off the city of
Cape Town, where she remained a day, simply to rest clear of the
bustle of commerce. The good harbor-master sent his steam-launch to
bring the sloop to a berth in dock at once, but I preferred to remain
for one day alone, in the quiet of a smooth sea, enjoying the
retrospect of the passage of the two great capes. On the following
morning the _Spray_ sailed into the Alfred Dry-docks, where she
remained for about three months in the care of the port authorities,
while I traveled the country over from Simons Town to Pretoria, being
accorded by the colonial government a free railroad pass over all the
land.

The trip to Kimberley, Johannesburg, and Pretoria was a pleasant one.
At the last-named place I met Mr. Kruger, the Transvaal president. His
Excellency receive