her relative position with us-whispers began to be heard amongst the crew, in which the sounds of "Flying Dutchman" became distinctly audible. However, on coming in view of the Cape, with the Table Mountain, and its noble canopy of snow-white clouds, we lost sight of our supposed air-born consort, safely entered False Bay, and anchored before Simon's Town without feeling the malign influence of her "Evil Eye." CHAPTER IV. THE CAPE. "Once more upon the waters! yet once more, Still must I on; for I am as a weed Flung from the rock, on ocean's foam to sail Where'er the surge may sweep, the tempest's breath prevail." BYRON. WE left the little Iris floating quietly at rest on the now smooth and tranquil waters of False Bay, under the walls of Simon's Town. Before landing her passengers, and whilst they are all collected together on the quarter-deck gazing at the novel scene around, I will e'en say a few words of my shipmates from the Mauritius, who, besides myself, were only three in number. First, there was Captain Lane of the Company's Service, returning home from the Madras Presidency; secondly, a youngster of the name of Miller, whose father held some civil appointment at Port Louis, whilst the promising youth in question was proceeding to England with the hopes of obtaining an ensigncy in the army, and last, though not least, appeared the gaunt ungainly form of Dr. Jonas,* the hero of the following pages. This individual, who might be some three or four-and-forty years of age, had long been employed in a medical capacity at Calcutta, and was returning to his native land to enjoy the fruits of his labours, with a disposition, the natural amiability of which was sweetened, in the same proportion that his personal charms had been increased, by a protracted residence of some twenty-five years under the tropics. The whole of this interesting group, with the skipper at our head, were soon ashore, * For obvious reasons, many of the names mentioned in this and the following chapters are assumed, though the circumstances detailed are founded on facts. and rapidly proceeding to the Clarence Hotel, not a little struck with the novelty of every surrounding object. With the very name of "Africa" is conveyed to the mind the association of boundless burning deserts-the tinkling of the camel's bell-the roar of the lion-or the fleeting form of the ostrich pursued by the swarthy Bedouin, the woolly-headed negro, or savage Caffre. Slavery-cannibalism-long and slender canoes-tall waving palm-trees, or mangroves, fanned by the sea-breeze, and nodding o'er the margin of the deep, were ever the pictures coupled in my thoughts with the sound of that magic name. How different from these airy visions was the reality presented by the southernmost extremity of this great and still partly unknown continent! Here the still early spring of these southern latitudes-for the period of our visit was about the middle of August-had not yet brought forth the green budding of vegetation, whilst the white and snowy tops of the Hottentot mountains distantly glittering in the sun, the keen breeze, the smoke issuing from the comfortable-looking English-like habitations all proclaimed us no longer within the influence of the tropics, but that we were now inhaling the fresh air of a less glowing though far healthier clime! Such were our impressions as we strolled slowly up towards the hotel, and our associations of home were still more strongly awakened on entering its solidly-built and substantial walls. Fireplaces, curtains, and carpets-objects long since forgotten, now reininded us of childhood's home-of days long gone by, recalling many sweet, and maybe a few bitter reflections, whilst hope and fear, aroused by long dormant associations, were likewise fluttering their pinions, and anxiously—at least in one breast-peering into futurity! After bespeaking a good dinner of mine rubicund-faced host of the Clarence, and having provided ourselves with horses, the whole party, with the exception of the doctor, set out to explore. His physiognomy looked, if possible, more yellow and bilious than ever, and, as he skulked away from our cheerful party, something very ominous was strongly marked in his forbidding countenance, and downcast though searching cat-like grey eye. In high glee and spirits at being released from our long confinement, we gaily cantered over the rough and rock-bestrewn roads in the neighbourhood of the bay, now admiring the, to us novel, and European look of the variety of heaths and shrubs with which the surrounding hills were beautifully clad; then, galloping along the smooth sand of the beach, we were lost in wonder at the strange shapes of the numerous dead penguins washed ashore, and thickly scattered along its margin, or at the huge bones of the Leviathan of the deep, which were here applied to useful purposes by form *The frequent repetition of this word, so fascinating to the "old Indian,” will be excused when the reader reflects for how long a period the author had come under that denomination. The Cape is celebrated for the variety and luxuriance of the heaths with which its hills are thickly covered. ing enclosures around the humble huts belonging to the fishermen of Simon's—or, as it is sometimes called-False Bay. The magnitude of these vestiges bore convincing evidence to the enormous size of the monsters to whom they had appertained, and which are frequently found here in very considerable numbers, no less than thirteen having, during the preceding season, been killed in the waters of the bay; and at the very moment we were looking on, a dark object, like a smooth piece of black rock, protruding its form above the surface of the shining mirror at our feet, and from whence suddenly issued a thin white column of water, which momentarily sparkled in the rays of the setting sun, announced to us the vicinity of something "very like a whale." Presently we could see several long, sharp-built boats, shoved off in haste from the dark-looking craft we had previously noticed at anchor in a remote part of the bay, making with astonishing rapidity towards the spot where the monster had last given signs of existence. Although wishing heartily to be nearer the scene of action, to witness the stroke of the harpoon, the unravelling line following its successful application, and consequent pursuit, our present situation was too remote to enable us to participate in the excitement of the ensuing chase; and, not wishing to run the risk of having our beefsteaks spoiled, we set spurs to our nags, and were soon all four seated at that ne plus ultra of an Englishman's epicurism on return from "Foreign Service." The steaks were juicy, tender, done to a turn; and we were sedulously employed in washing them down with some delicious Constantia, when a note was brought in by mine host and delivered to the skipper, who at first appeared rather taken "aback," but on handing it round, for the edification of all present, it proved to be an elegant composition of our friend the doctor, containing the modest request that his passage-money might be refunded, as he could no longer stay on board a vessel where his delicacy was constantly hurt by "coarse and ungentlemanlike" conversation. Now, although at table-the only place where we had ever seen anything of this saintly son of Esculapius our ideas naturally flowed, and were expressed with that freedom we had been used to at a military mess-still, seeing the canting propensities of our shipmate, we were particularly guarded in what we said, to avoid giving offence; but the old hypocrite had evidently not got amongst his own cloth, did not feel comfortable, and to give us the slip had had recourse to a proceeding which called for an immediate expla nation on our part. I accordingly, in the name of the whole of us, sought him, produced the offensive epistle, and very politely inquired if he were the author of the same? On his replying in the affirmative, I next asked whether the terms he made use of applied to the whole party, or to any particular member of it? His answer was, that they merely related to Captain Lane; on which, making a low bow, I instantly proceeded to report the result of the negotiations to my constituents; whereupon the "captain" flared up uncommonly, and was for making an instant and summary example of old "Pilgarlic." However, I tried to pacify him by saying that I would endeavour to extract an apology from our friend, on which mission I next started; but finding him resolute neither to retract his words, nor give the requisite satisfaction, I with great suavity of manner, said, that in this case, I was commissioned to inform him he was a poltroon, and might consider himself horsewhipped. He answered that he would report me to the Horse Guards, which I said he was perfectly welcome to do, and there our conference ended. It was not without difficulty that I at last succeeded in pacifying to a certain degree the irate son of Mars, and at a late hour, making at last our escape from the charms of the Constantia, we retired to our respective places of rest. I had scarcely closed my eyes, when I was startled by the appalling cries of "fire !" and jumping up en chemise, with the rest of my wardrobe under my arm, I rushed into the passage in time for a scene of the most original description, and in which the actors engaged, though not exactly in puris naturalibus, were (both male and female) only one remove from the same. In the first place, and most conspicuously situated, was our portly host, busily engaged in handing up buckets of water, which active occupation had added a yet more vivid hue to his already shining and rubicund countenance; against which showed, in strong relief, the bilious-looking phiz of the Doctor, now more yellow and ghastly than ever, from the effect of the bright flames by which it was illumined, whilst the long spindle shanks protruding from beneath a very short and scanty calico shirt, which merely did the duties required by common decency, looked more as appertaining to a skeleton than to a being of flesh and blood. Next came the landlady loud in lamentations, wringing her hands, and followed by some three or four domestic nymphs, fully displaying all those charms peculiar to Dutch booresses and Hottentot beauties on such peculiar occasions. The picture would, however, be incomplete if our own little party were not added to this select and fashionable ré-union. The flames-which issued from a recess, partitioned off with boards from the long passage in which we stood, and appropriated as a place of rest to one of the aforementioned lovely nymphswere at last, by dint of water and wet blankets, extinguished, and the question next arose of how all this commotion had originated. Whilst standing up to our ancles in water, amidst heaps of wet mattresses, blankets, empty buckets, and dripping linen, we were gravely engaged in discussing this important question, the fair owner of the still smoking tenement suddenly rushed forward, and aiming a blow at the head of poor young Miller, which instantly felled him to the ground, shrilly exclaimed, "this is the villain who did it, and he was hid, I am sure, for his own wicked purposes, under my bed with a lighted candle!" The poor youth had no sooner got on his legs, and was attempting to deny the charge, when the chaste though wrathful virgin-crying out "No! no! I'm mistaken; this is the ruffian, and if you was as big as a loin (lion) I'd knock you down"-made such a violent blow at me with her mutton fist, that as I scientifically ducked my head from the impending stroke, she-not meeting with the expected resistancetumbled over me headlong on the floor, displaying in her fall a thousand new charms, to contemplate which none of us were, however, tempted to remain; and the flames being now completely extinguished, we all made a hasty retreat, and securely barred our respective doors against any further vengeful attempts of the formidable and ireful Amazon, whose property as well as virtue had just run such imminent risk, by that deep-laid scheme of the designing scoundrel, who had no doubt the villanous intention of raising a flame in her chaste bosom, by setting fire to her bed! * * * * In the course of my peregrinations I had seen many very different specimens of horse-flesh, and samples of the Rosinante breed, but never did I behold such an assemblage of carrion as were paraded next day before the Clarence Hotel, for the purpose of carrying us across to Cape Town, a distance of some three or fourand-twenty miles. Literally not one sound limb could be mustered amongst the whole set: they appeared to have monopolized every failing which accident, disease, toil, or ill treatment so often entail on this noble animal. They were each and every one like friend Petruchio's steed, "troubled with the lampas, infected with the fashions, full of windgalls, sped with spavins," &c.; and as we mounted their galled backs, we despaired of ever arriving at the end of our journey, besides having some slight misgivings, if, by the very attempt, we should not bring ourselves under Mr. Martin's Act. However, we were assured that their appearance alone was against them, that once warm in the saddle they would prove very Bucephali; and the event justified this prediction. The first couple of miles along the smooth sandy beach gave them an opportunity of making their limbs much more dégagé than at first starting; and by the time we had reached the Halfway House, where we each had a glass of capital ale, they bowled along like racers, over the fine broad and level road, which would not have disgraced an English turnpike. Hitherto we had passed over an open heathy country, on which were grazing large flocks of sheep remarkable for the size of their tails, composed of enormous masses of fat; and the skipper, being a bit of a wag, assured us that in the more fertile parts of the country, where this appendage was increased by the greater richness of the pasture, it was no uncommon thing to see numerous flocks of sheep, each tackled to a wheelbarrow-being totally unable in any other manner to carry the weight of their tails! The wagons we occasionally met with on the road, their extraordinary-looking drivers, and the large teams of oxen employed to drag them along, likewise attracted our attention. These vehicles are complete ambulatory habitations, in which whole families, carrying every requisite of "board and lodging," often make journeys of seven or eight hundred miles into the interior, the teams of |