'Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink.'
While we are in these latitudes, we may as well visit the two islands, which look so tempting after a long voyage on the great Atlantic. Come boys: St. Helena for Charles—Ascension for George."
CHARLES. "St. Helena was discovered by those pioneers of navigation, the Portuguese, on Saint Helen's day, the 21st of May, 1501. It is 1200 miles from the continent, in latitude 5° south, longitude 15° west. It is a beautiful island, inhabited by about 300 English families, whose ancestors took possession of it in 1600. The Portuguese stocked it well with cattle and fruit, and the English now benefit by their forethought. 'St. Helena,' says a clever writer,[20]'is the dark monument of the most conspicuous man that has arisen within the period of certain history.' Of course that means Napoleon Bonaparte. I have done."
GEORGE. "Ascension Isle lies between Africa and Brazil: it was discovered in 1508. It is about 39 miles in circumference, and of nearly a circular form. It has water only in one spot, called the Green Mountain, from the rich verdure with which it is covered. The natural productions are not numerous. Guinea-fowl have been introduced, and are now quite wild. Ten head of cattle were likewise imported, which have also taken to the woods, and are hunted by the garrison as required. This island was at one period overrun with enormous rats, to destroy which somebody with good intent imported a cargo of cats, which are now become as great a plague as their predecessors, keeping the sportsmen constantly on the alert to destroy them."
MR. STANLEY. "Well done, George! I am glad to hear you not only remember the information, but try to retain the phraseology of the geographers. That is the right method to improve your memory; do not halt at the trouble it cost you, for you will be abundantly repaid in the end."
DORA. "We have only one more bay on this side of the equator to notice. Among the numerous bays on the western coast of Africa, first in rank stands Kabenda Bay, near Congo. It is a very fine harbor, and is so agreeable a situation that it is denominated the 'Paradise of the Coast.' The sea is always smooth, and debarkation easy. The town of Kabenda stands amidst delightful scenery, composed of lofty cliffs, verdant hills, and deep luxuriant vales; it is resorted to principally by slavers, who trade thither for slaves, ivory, and wood. The poor inhabitants, strange to say, notwithstanding their oppression, have a great respect for white men, and believe that they know everything, or, in their dialect, 'sabe ebery ting.'"
MR. BARRAUD. "There is a fact worthy the attention of travellers connected with the kingdom of Loango, which you will perceive lies immediately north of Congo. It contains amongst its inhabitants numbers of black Jews scattered throughout the country. They are despised by the negroes, who do not even deign to eat with them. They are occupied in trade, and keep the sabbath so strictly that they do not even converse on that day; they have a separate burying-ground, very far from any habitation. The tombs are constructed with masonry, and ornamented with Hebrew inscriptions, the singularity of which excites the laughter of the negroes, who discern in these hieroglyphics only serpents, lizards, and other reptiles."
MRS. WILTON. "Crossing the line is no longer a novelty to such experienced voyagers as we are, and I think Dora may carry us on to our next station without further remark."
DORA. "The Gulf of Guinea."
MR. WILTON. "Plenty of sea-roomthere, Dora; but I hope we are to keep along the coast, for with the exception of Fernando Po and St. Thomas's, I know of no place where I should feel disposed to go ashore."
MRS. WILTON. "We are on a coasting expedition, although, for thefurtherance of science, we occasionally sail out of the direct track; and as, in this instance, the mention of your inclination to visit these two islands implies some knowledge of their situation, we expect you will furnish the meeting with the requisite information."
MR. WILTON. "Your mamma is very sharp upon me, George. Take warning by my case, and do not interfere with the pilot."
GEORGE. "Ha, capital! Now, papa, Ferdinand Po!"
MR. WILTON. "Our sojourn there will be very brief; not because the island is deficient in fertility, but simply because the society of the natives would be intolerable to civilized noses. They are the filthiest people in the whole world. Words cannot convey an idea of their disgusting nature. They have long hair matted together with red clay and palm oil. This composition has a most outrageous smell, and with it they smear their faces and bodies. They are, generally speaking, a stout, athletic, well made race of people, and particularly harmless in their dispositions, though from their appearance you would not imagine that to be the case, as each individual is always armed with a spear about eight feet in length, made of hard wood, and barbed at each end; which, added to their fierce color and smell, would daunt the courage of a more enlightened savage.
"St. Thomas's should have been first, as it is nearer the equator. It is one of the four Guinea Islands; Prince's Island and Anaboa will make up the number. I know very little of it, except that it helps to furnish the Portuguese shipping with provisions and fresh water. Now I have satisfied the demands of the meeting, and will promise not to interfere again."
CHARLES. "I shall be rejoiced at your interference, sir, if it always have the effect of bringing out your stores; and, now I am pilot for a short time, I beg to state that I shall not require any apology, should you interruptmein the discharge of my duty, but be thankful for the same.
"Fernando Po. It is in the Bight of Biafra, the coast of which bight is thus described by Dr. Bayle:—'This coast is forbidding in its aspect, dangerous to approach, repulsive when examined, and disgusting when known.' There: that is not a very inviting account: had we not better sail on? Who cries forward?"
"Forward all," exclaimed Mr. Stanley; and Charles was about to proceed, when George interrupted him to inquire if the chimpanzee were not a native of these parts.
MR. STANLEY. "Yes, my boy; it is found not very far from the equator."
GEORGE. "Is it not the largest ape in Guinea?"
MR. STANLEY. "Right again. I will tell you all I know about the gentleman. Its height is four feet, and there is no appearance of a tail. Monsieur de Grandpié gives an account of one which he had the opportunity of observing during a voyage. This animal had learned to heat the oven, and was particularly careful that no coals should escape to set fire to the vessel. It perfectly understood when the oven was sufficiently heated, and never failed to apprise the baker of the circumstance; while he in his turn so entirely confided in it, that he hastened with his bread as soon as the animal went to fetch him, and was never once led into an error. When they turned the capstan, it endeavored to assist with all its power, like a sailor. When the sails were loosened, it mounted the yards of its own accord. It belaced the shrouds as well as any sailor; and observing how the end of the rope was fastened to prevent its hanging, it did the same to the rope of which it had possession. It was as clever as many of the men, and much more nimble, and was treated by the sailors as one of their own crew. This animal died on the passage, owing to the brutal treatment of the second mate. It bore his cruel usage with the greatest resignation, raising its hands in a suppliant manner to implore a remission of the stripes he inflicted. From that moment it refused to eat, and died of hunger and suffering on the fifth day, almost as much regretted as one of the crew would have been. The chimpanzee generally walks upright, supported by the branch of a tree, after the manner of a walking-stick. The negroes dread it, and with much reason; for it is powerful, and uses its power with great harshness whenever they meet. I believe you may see a chimpanzee in the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park. We will go some day on speculation, George. Now, Charles, 'forward!'"
CHARLES. "The Bight of Benin washes the coast of Dahomey and other countries, known also by the name of the Slave Coast. Dahomey, including the subjugated districts, extends at least 150 miles into the interior. The principal town is Abomey, lying about three degrees east longitude."
MRS. WILTON. "Whidah on this coast must be noticed, as it is so connected with Dahomey. It was once an independent kingdom; but in the year 1727 was conquered by Guadja Irudo, King of Dahomey. Its capital contains about 20,000 inhabitants. In Whidah the religion is pagan; but for some unaccountable reason they worship their divinity under the form of a particular species of snake, calleddaboa, which is not sufficiently large to be terrible to man, and is otherwise tamable and inoffensive. Thesedaboasare taken care of in the most pious manner, and well fed on rats, mice, or birds in theirfetishhouses or temples, where the people assemble to pay their adoration, and where those also who are sick or lame apply for assistance."
GRANDY. "Their creed is an odd mixture. They believe in two beings, equal in power; the one doing good, the other evil; and they pray to the demon to allow them to remain unmolested by the magicians, who are constantly endeavoring to injure them."
MR. STANLEY. "In Dahomey the tiger is an object of religious regard; but the people wisely deem it the safest mode of worship to perform their acts of devotion to his skin only, and it is stuffed for that purpose. The government of this country is entirely despotic. The sovereign may cut off as many heads as he likes, and dispose of his subjects' property as he thinks fit, without being accountable to any earthly tribunal. He has from three to four thousand wives, a proportion of whom, trained to arms under female officers, constitute his body-guard."
CHARLES. "What a royal regiment! all queens; why the sight of them would strike terror into an English army. I should throw down my weapons directly."
MR. STANLEY. "But their enemies are not so gallant, and hesitate not to fight this female army, who very often gain the advantage by being so well disciplined."
MR. BARRAUD. "In Dahomey, at a particular period of the year, a grand annual festival is held; and, amidst feastings and rejoicings, deeds are done from which the civilized mind recoils with horror. Numbers of human victims are sacrificed in solemn form.
"They are generally prisoners of war set aside for the purpose; but as seventy is the required number, should there not be so many prisoners, the king makes it up from his own subjects. Their bodies are thrown to wild beasts, while their heads are used to decorate the walls of the royal palace! Still more barbarous is the notion of enjoying the gratification of trampling on the heads of their enemies; and, in order to do this, the King of Dahomey has the passage leading to his bedchamber paved with the skulls of his enemies!"
EMMA. "O cruel murderous people! Sail on, Charles, and leave them far behind. Is not the next coast Ashantee?"
CHARLES. "Yes; Ashantee is at present the most powerful state in all Western Africa, and, in fact, rules over a considerable portion of it. The natives are remarkable for oratory, and will discourse fluently on a given subject for hours. A taste for music is also extensively cultivated, and their taste is evidenced by the native band at Cape Coast Castle, which plays admirably by ear several of the most popular English tunes. The Ashantees, and the natives of the countries contiguous to this coast, build their houses of mud and sticks, which composition they call 'swish.'"
MR. WILTON. "They are a more civilized set than the people of Dahomey; and the Danes have furnished us with a portrait of one of their kings, whose name was Opocco. Here is the account:—'The monarch was seated on a throne of massive gold, under the shade of an artificial tree with golden leaves. His body, extremely lean, and inordinately tall, was smeared over with tallow mixed up with gold dust. A European hat, bound with broad gold lace, covered his head; his loins were encircled with a sash of golden cloth. From his neck down to his feet cornelians, agates, lazulites, were crowded in the form of bracelets and chains, and his feet rested on a golden basin. The grandees of the realm lay prostrate on the ground, with their heads covered with dust. A hundred complainers and accused persons were in a similar posture; behind them twenty executioners, with drawn sabres in their hands waited the royal signal, which generally terminated each cause, by the decapitation of one or other of the parties.'
"The Danish envoy was introduced; and passing a number of bloody heads, recently separated from the bodies, approached the throne. The magnificent flaming prince addressed him with the following most gracious questions:—'I would willingly detain thee for some months in my dominions, to give thee an idea of my greatness. Hast thou ever seen anything to be compared with it? 'No! lord and king,' replied the obsequious envoy, 'thou hast no equal in the world!' 'Thou art right,' said Opocco, 'God in heaven does not much surpass me!' The king drank some English beer from a bottle, and then handed it to the Dane; the latter took a little, and excused himself by saying that the liquor would intoxicate him. 'It is not the beer that confounds thee,' said Opocco; 'it is the brightness of my countenance which throws the universe into a state of inebriety!' This same king conquered the brave prince Oorsoock, chief of the Akims, who slew himself. He caused the head of the vanquished prince to be brought to him, decked it with golden bracelets, and in presence of his generals directed to him the following speech:—'Behold him laid in the dust, this great monarch, who had no equal in the universe, except God and me! He was certainly the third. Oh! my brother Oorsoock, why wouldst thou not acknowledge thyself my inferior? But thou hopedst to find an opportunity of killing me; thou thoughtest that there ought not to be more thanonegreat man in the world. Thy sentiment was not to be blamed; it is one in which all mighty kings ought to participate.'"
GRANDY. "What fearful arrogance and presumption! It sufficiently testifies their direful state of ignorance, which ignorance, I trust to hear, will soon be effectually removed; for there are now missionary establishments on this coast, which, since the year 1834, have been progressing. At first, the ministers were much dispirited, owing to the evil effects of the climate on the European constitution, for after a year or two they were cut off by death; and, in order to continue the mission, other pious men and their wives were obliged to be sent out. Again, these died; but yet the work prospered; and now, blessed be God! the few whose lives have been spared, are enabled to report that many natives have turned unto the Lord their God. Every Sabbath morning, public worship is celebrated in the chapel at Cape Coast Town, when the beautiful liturgy of our Church is read; and the decorum which is observed by the natives, who read the responses, appears in striking opposition to the wild irrational service which they formerly offered at the temple of their fetish."
MRS. WILTON. "The unconverted believe in a Supreme Being; but they have a curious tradition respecting the creation, which has prevailed among them from the earliest period of their history. They believe that, in the beginning of the world, God, having created three white and three black men, with an equal number of women of each color, resolved, in order that they might be left without cause of complaint, to allow them to fix their own destiny, by giving them the choice of good and evil. A large box or calabash was placed upon the ground, together with a sealed paper or letter. The black men had the first choice, and took the calabash, expecting that it contained all that was desirable; but, upon opening it, they found only a piece of gold, some iron, and several other metals of which they did not know the use. The white men opened the paper, and it told them everything. All this is supposed to have happened in Africa, in which country it is believed God left the blacks, with the choice which their avarice had prompted them to make, under the care of inferior or subordinate deities; but conducted the whites to the water-side, where he communicated with them every night, and taught them to build a small vessel, which carried them to another country, from whence, after a long period, they returned with various kinds of merchandise to barter with the blacks, whose perverse choice of gold in preference to the knowledge of letters had doomed them to inferiority."
MR. STANLEY. "Affairs would have been better ordered for the blacks, had they allowed the ladies to have a voice in the selection; but they never had a good opinion of the fair sex, and they are no wiser at the present day as many of their customs sufficiently testify.—A peculiar provision is made in Ashantee with reference to the female sex. One of the king's sisters is constituted the governess of the empire, or queen over the females, and all are said to be placed under her control and direction: but whatever may be the nature and object of the training to which she subjects them, it is certain that it is not intended to make the wife the rational companion and confidential friend of her husband; for if an Ashantee wife is detected in listening to a conversation of her husband, her curiosity is sure to cost her an ear; and if she betray a secret with which she has by any means become acquainted, her incensed husband punishes her by cutting off her upper lip. The sight of women who have suffered such inflictions, is common even in the present day.'"
MR. BARRAUD. "These are the cruelties of a barbarous people, but they are not horrified at deeds of blood; indeed, such is the union of barbarism and magnificence in this African country, that on a court day there is invariably in immediate attendance upon the king the royal chief executioner, a man of gigantic size, bearing a massive gold hatchet, and having exhibited before him the execution stool, clotted with human blood and partly covered with a caul of fat!"
MRS. WILTON. "That is done, no doubt, from policy, to inure his courtiers to scenes of horror, in hopes of rendering them callous to human suffering and courageous in the field of battle. Ah, well! we have heard enough ofthem: let us now visit some other country."
DORA. "Liberia is the next station and much more desirable; for the climate is better than most other parts of the coast, the soil fruitful, and the inland population quiet and inoffensive, and more inclined to industry than their neighbors."
GRANDY. "There is a thriving missionary establishment at Liberia, which I hope will before long exert its benign influence over the Bowchee people, who are located some few miles distant. They are a miserable race, entirely devoid of feeling; the gentle appeals of nature are unknown to them; parental tenderness dwells not in their bosoms, for they will sell their children as slaves to the greatest strangers in the world, with no more remorse of conscience than if they had been common articles of merchandise. I will tell you a story of a Bowchee mother:—'A travelling slave-dealer passing through the place had purchased several of their children of both sexes, from the inhabitants, and amongst others an old woman had an only daughter, whom she parted with for a necklace of beads. The unhappy girl, who was about thirteen or fourteen years of age, on being dragged away from the threshold of her parent's hut, clung distractedly around the knees of her unfeeling mother, and looking up wistfully in her face burst into a flood of tears, exclaiming with passionate vehemence:—"O mother! do not sell me; what will become of me? what will become of yourself in your old age if you send me from you? who will fetch you corn and milk? who will pity you when you die? Have I been unkind to you? O mother! do not sell your only daughter. I will take you in my arms when you are feeble and carry you under the shade of trees. I will repay the kindness you showed me in my infant years. When you are weary, I will fan you to sleep; and whilst you are sleeping, I will drive away flies from you. I will attend on you when you are in pain; and when you die, I will shed rivers of sorrow over your grave. O mother! dear mother! do not push me away from you; do not sell your only daughter to be the slave of a stranger!" Her tears were useless—her remonstrances vain. The unnatural parent, shaking the beads in the face of her only child, thrust her from her embraces; and the slave-dealer drove the agonized girl from the place of her nativity.'"
EMMA. "Oh! how very shocking! Poor girl! how dreadful to have such cruel, relentless parents. Oh dear! I hope the work of the missionaries will be blessed, and that God will soften the hard hearts of those savage and mercenary people."
CHARLES. "Between Liberia and Sierra Leone are Sherboro' Bay and Yawry Bay. Sierra Leone, or 'Mountains of the Lioness,' is so unhealthy that we should not live long if we went there."
MRS. WILTON. "You are right, Charles. It was established as a colony in 1787, for the express purpose of laboring to civilize the Africans. All the cargoes of the recaptured slavers are taken there, and every comfort and convenience afforded to the unfortunate negroes. But it is so extremely unhealthy that Europeans can scarcely carry out their plans, and death mows them down in the midst of their usefulness."
CHARLES. "Then I may conclude that all members are desirous of proceeding. Between Sierra Leone and Cape Verd the bays are immaterial; but from Cape Verd, sailing north, we pass four tolerable-sized indentations—Tindal, Greyhound, Cintra, and Garnet Bays. Then a brisk wind will speedily waft us to the point from whence we started, viz. the Straits of Gibraltar."
MR. WILTON. "We have nearly come to a conclusion then, and without any of the misfortunes incidental to travellers. We have gone over the vast extent of waters which encompass our globe, and been for some months engaged in examining the wonders of the ocean, without meeting any of the monsters of the deep, such as krakens, sea-serpents, &c.; nevertheless, I am not so skeptical as to disbelieve all I have not the opportunity of viewing with my own bodily eyes. I do think that the sea contains monsters such as Mrs. Howitt describes:—
'Things all misshapen, slimy, cold,Writhing, and strong, and thin,'
which it would be dangerous to observe too near; and I shall feel we have gained an advantage by these little meetings if they lead you young folks to reflect on the probabilities of different travellers' assertions, before you either receive or reject them."
MRS. WILTON. "We have sailed all round the coast of Africa, but would there be any danger in going to the lakes of Africa?"
MR. WILTON. "None that I am aware of; and as there are only three of any magnitude there, we shall not be long on the excursion. I will visit two myself, and report discoveries.
"Lake Ludea is in Tunis, and is scarcely worth the expense of a journey thither. Lake Maravi is in the south, near Mozambique, and is rather larger, but not an agreeable situation. Mr. Stanley, will you be good enough to conduct the ladies to the banks of Lake Tchad?"
MR. STANLEY. "I should be sorry to take the ladies to such a country; but I will venture alone and, like you, collect the necessary information, if that will suit the purpose?"
EMMA. "Oh! yes, sir, that will do quite as well."
MR. STANLEY. "Lake Tchad is the largest inland sea in Africa, its circumference about 300 miles, its situation in the country of Bornou. It contains sweet, fresh, and still water; is surrounded by many lakes, both fresh and salt; and has several rivers running into it, although it has no outlet, which is the cause of its occasionally overflowing the surrounding country. Bornou is not a pleasant place, it swarms with innumerable creeping horrors, and savage animals; the latter often enter the villages, and carry off the unfortunate slaves while at work. Simplicity, good-nature, and ugliness are the peculiar characteristics of the people; and although the men are not warriors, nor the women favored by nature, they are certainly a kind, inoffensive race. Angornou is the largest and most populous town of Bornou; it is situated a few miles from Lake Tchad, and contains 30,000 inhabitants. Major Denham gives a very good account of an interview with the Sultan of Bornou. He writes:—'The Sultan received us in an open space in front of the royal residence: we were kept at a considerable distance, while his people approached to within about 100 yards, passing first on horseback; and after dismounting and prostrating themselves before him, they took their places on the ground in front, but with their backs to the royal person, which is the custom of the country. The Sultan was seated in a sort of cage, of cane or wood, near the door of his garden, on a seat which, at the distance, appeared to be covered with silk or satin, and through the railing looked upon the assembly before him, who formed a semicircle in front of him. Nothing could be more absurd and grotesque than the figures who formed this court. Large stomachs and large heads are indispensable for those who serve the court of Bornou, and those who unfortunately possess not the former by nature, make up the deficiency with wadding. A little to our left, or nearly in front of the Sultan, was an extempore declaimer, shouting forth praises of his master, with his pedigree; and near him one who bore the long wooden "frum-frum," on which he ever and anon blew a blast, loud and unmusical,' The major says, the appearance of these courtiers was ridiculous in the extreme, squatting down in their places, or tottering under the weight and magnitude of their turbans and their stomachs, while their thin legs, that appeared underneath, but ill accorded with the bulk of the other parts. I see George laughing at the picture I have drawn of these curious little men, but you would not dare to laugh in the presence of the mighty Sultan of Bornou; he would immediately exclaim, 'Off with his head!' if you so far outraged the rules of Bornouan etiquette. I will now give you a description of a wedding in this African country, and we will then bid the people a long farewell. The bridegroom's friends, to the number of 200 or 300, sally forth, dressed in their best clothes, to meet the bride. Behold her! mounted on a bullock whose back is covered with blue and white cloths. She is followed by four female slaves, laden with straw baskets, wooden bowls, and earthen pots; after them appear two other bullocks carrying the remainder of thefairbride's dowry. She is attended by her mother, and five or six young ladies, who act as bridesmaids. According to their mode of salutation, we must gallop up to them repeatedly. See! the ladies cover their faces, and scream their thanks; and as it is extremely indelicate to gaze upon the bride, we must cast our eyes on the ground, wheel our horses round, and gallop back again. You will ask, 'Is that all; and where is the bridegroom?' Ah! poor fellow! he has been parading the streets all the day, with a crowd after him, dressed in all the finery he could buy or borrow, while the people blew horns, beat drums, and cried, 'May you live forever!' 'God prosper you!' 'Gray hairs to you!' There is no further ceremony. The bride is handed over to her husband in the evening by her mother, and henceforth they are man and wife."
GEORGE. "Oh! what very odd things are done in strange lands! I am so sorry our examinations are over, and I wish we could begin them all again. What religion are the people of Bornou?"
MR. STANLEY. "They are Mohammedans; and very superstitious, trusting greatly to their medicine men."
GRANDY. "I have really enjoyed these meetings as much as the young folks, for I think there is no study more delightful, nor more useful, than that which makes us acquainted with the world and its inhabitants. As our business has been mostly on the waters, I consider that we ought not to close the subject without calling to mind the period when 'the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth,' and 'all that was in the dry land died.' Beware, my dear children, that you forget not the awful catastrophe from which the family of faithful Noah alone escaped; nor that the cause of it was the iniquity of men!"
GEORGE. "I never see a rainbow, but I think of the Deluge, because you taught me the texts concerning God's covenant, dear Grandy, and the promise that the earth should no more be destroyed by a flood: but I have often wondered what could be the size of the ark to contain so many living creatures."
MR. WILTON. "I believe I can inform you somewhat on that head. A scriptural cubit measures twenty-one inches, and it has been calculated according to the dimensions given in the 6th chapter of Genesis, that the ark must have been of the enormous burden of 19,530 tons!"
CHARLES. "Enormous! why our first-rate men-of-war are scarcely 3000 tons, and yet how large they look. How long was it in building?"
MRS. WILTON. "Many authors agree in stating it to have been one hundred and twenty years in building."
MR. STANLEY. "There is now no alternative—our discussionmustcome to an end. The last voyage has been highly interesting, although, perhaps, not in the most delightful portion of the globe; but I cannot help expressing a sincere wish, that yourrealvoyage to the West Indies may afford you as much enjoyment and edification; and its termination be as happy and well-ordered, as thisimaginaryvoyage, which has not only proved us all tolerable sailors and respectable navigators, but also testified that the good ship 'Research' has truly merited her name, and earned many laurels for herself and owners."
Mr. Stanley then presented George with a beautiful telescope, as a reward for his perseverance in the acquirement of geographical knowledge. He charged him to make a profitable use of it, for the benefit of the captain on their voyage to Jamaica; and, added he, as he placed the valuable gift in the hands of the delighted boy: "Keep a sharp look-out, George; and mind that you are the first to shout a sail! a sail! Then you will see how the faces of the weather-beaten sailors will brighten as they run tohave a look at her. Then will the captain call for his speaking trumpet, and some such questions as these will be put to thestranger.Where are you bound? Where do you come from? Are you all hearty on board? The boatswain will then hang out the black board, with the latitude and longitude marked on it; the stranger will do the same. If they agree, all well and good, they each sail on their separate courses, wishing for fair winds and a prosperous voyage; such as I sincerely hope may fall to the share of the members of our little Society."
We must now leave our young friends, as we cannot accompany them across the Atlantic for want of a vessel. The "Research" having behaved so well in their late expeditions, she is still to be honored with their company; and being a merchant ship, she cannot accommodate many passengers.
Should my readers be anxious to hear of the safe arrival of their young friends in the "Land of Springs," I must beg to refer them to Lloyd's for particulars of "Research," A. 1. 400 tons burden, Commander Frederic Hamilton.
THE END.
[1]
The ancients are said to have derived the art of navigation from these animals, which, in calm weather, are seen floating on the surface of the water, with some of their tentacula extended at their sides, while two arms that are furnished with membranaceous appendages serve the office of sails. These animals raise themselves to the surface of the sea, by ejecting the sea-water from their shells; and on the approach of danger, they draw their arms, and with them a quantity of water, which occasions them to sink immediately. By possessing this power, they are but rarely taken perfect, as the instant they are disturbed they disappear. They are more frequently caught in the nets of fishermen than any other way, or found left dry on rocks.
[2]
Vide Sketches of Travel by Francis Schroeder.
[3]
More properly written "diwaun."
[4]
Thus named from Helle, who, according to poetical tradition, perished in these waters, and from Pontus, the Greek word for sea.
[5]
Vide History of Guernsey, by Dicey.
[6]
Xavier Hommaire de Hell.
[7]
Vide Lieutenant Wellsted's Travels in Arabia.
[8]
A ducat is of the value of nine shillings and threepence sterling.
[9]
Maltebrun.
[10]
Madera signifies wooded.
[11]
So named because these two vessels were here frozen up from October 20th, 1822, to August 8th, 1823.
[12]
Animals similar to the wild boar of Europe, but very small.
[13]
Cayman: a species of alligator.
[14]
Ilex: a species of oak.
[15]
J. Bayard Taylor's 'Eldorado.'
[16]
Coleridge
[17]
Tapa is a species of stuff made from the inner bark of the mulberry-tree.
[18]
Right Rev. Samuel Gobat.
[19]
Mr. Leigh, surgeon of the Australian Company's ship "South Australia."
[20]
Captain Morrell