will of Heaven,--the whole of the crew and passengers (with the
exception of sixteen who had previously attempted to gain the shore by
a hawser, and one man who was left on board in a state of intoxication)
were all safely landed, even to the little children who were coming home
in the vessel; among whom was my poor Elizabeth."

Alexander made no observation when Sir Charles paused for a while: the
latter then continued:--

"By the time that they had all gained the shore, the day was far spent;
the natives, who were of the Caffre race, and who had been busy in
obtaining all the iron that they could from the mainmast, which had
drifted on shore, left the beach at dark. The wretched sufferers lighted
fires, and having collected some casks of beef and flour, and some live
stock, they remained on the rocks during that night. The next morning
the captain proposed that they should make their way to Cape Town, the
Dutch settlement, to which they all unanimously consented; certainly a
most wild proposition, and showing very little judgment."

"Could they have done otherwise, my dear uncle?"

"Most certainly; they knew that they were in a country of lawless
savages, who had already come down and taken by force every thing that
they could lay their hands upon. The Captain calculated that they would
reach Cape Town in sixteen or seventeen days. How far his calculation
was correct, is proved by the fact that those who did reach it at last
were one hundred and seventeen days on their journey. But even admitting
that the distance could have been performed in the time stated by the
captain, the very idea of attempting to force their way through a
country inhabited by savage people, with such a number of helpless women