of the water's edge, she yet raised a large wave by
her submergence, which lifted the boats, and caused them to dance for
some minutes. The darkness was fearful after the late glare of the
burning ship; and so awful was the sight of this crowd of human beings,
hurried into a next existence whilst their spirits were stirred with
feelings of murder and rapine, that a dead silence of near a minute
prevailed in the two boats, the sailors even being awe-struck at the
catastrophe.

The voice of the lieutenant first broke the silence, and it seemed to
all a relief to hear a human being speak.

"I will light a lantern, that we may keep together," said the
lieutenant, "and to show any poor struggling wretch, who may not have
gone to the bottom, that there is help at hand. Keep near us with your
boat, Jones, and we'll pull off in ten minutes."

"Ay, ay, sir," was the reply. "There won't be any come up again alive.
A sinking ship takes down her crew with her."

Allowing about fifteen minutes for a chance of saving a life, during
which time the lieutenant pulled over the spot beneath which the slaver
had sunk, he consulted a compass which he had placed in the boat, and
taking the rudder, directed the men to arrange themselves at the oars,
and to commence their long pull towards Simon's Bay.

"If no wind comes against us," said the officer, "and the sea remains
smooth, we shall reach Simon's Bay by steady pulling before to-morrow
night: so give way, men, and let's make the most of smooth water."

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

OFF IN THE BOATS--THE STORM--A FAIR WIND--A COUNCIL--THEY STEER FOR
ISLANDS--LAND.

It was soon found that a lantern was not necessary to enable the second
boat to follow that in which were the lieutenant and Hans. The singular
and beautiful phosphorescent light caused by the dipping of the oars and
the passage of the boat through the water was so brilliant, that even
the faces of the crew were visible every now and then to each other,
whilst a long star-spangled wake trailed behind the boats, and showed
long after, where they had passed. To the sailors accustomed to
traverse these regions there was nothing new in this sight, though they
fully appreciated the advantages of it as a means of keeping a straight
course, and of being able to follow the leading boat. To Hans and the
Zulus it was a subject of wonder and admiration. The latter in some
manner connected it with the burning ship, and seemed to