Page images
PDF
EPUB

nautically, had turned out to be sooth, and we have every reason to suppose that they would have been, if towards evening a Simon's Bay pilot had not fortunately made out the Hastings, and, being in want of a job, boarded the vessel, very much to the gratification of the captain, and the universal delight of all the passengers.

And then, with "a little more canvas, if you please, captain" and "I think you can afford me a little more"-and" just a few stitches more, if you've no objection," the experienced old gentleman, who felt as much at home in False Bay, as a duck in a horse-pond, crowded all sail, cut through the water, and cast anchor about daybreak.

When Peregrine Pultuney woke in the morning, he found the vessel perfectly motionless, and upon jumping out of his cot and looking out of the porthole, he ascertained that they were riding peaceably at anchor in one of the prettiest bays he had ever beheld.

There was a clear bright sun, in an almost unclouded sky, shining full upon the picturesque mountains which overtop the village of Simon's Town, for it is, in fact, little more than a village, though it enjoys a more dignified appellative. Peregrine thought he had never seen a more enchanting prospect in his life; perhaps it was that he had for so long a time been looking on nothing but a waste of waters; perhaps it was that the sunshine and the

serenity were for the most part in his own breast; but, be that as it may, he stood gazing out of his porthole, for several minutes, in profound admiration. Under any circumstance it was a fair scene, though there might have been many fairer, in this fair world of ours. The air-tints on the hills were beautiful, and the varied patches of purple and green thereon, with every here and there a few dots of white, besides a little gushing fountain, which spoke of the blanchisseuse at her work (for washerwoman is not a poetical word), would have gladdened a painter's eye, as it did that of Peregrine Pultuney. And then the sea was so blue, so glassy, so serene, and there was such a placid look about the houses the inn-the shops—the admiral's abode, all looked so peaceful and so pretty, with the sea on one side and the hills on the other, and the bright blue sky overhead, that Peregrine felt deeply grieved at the reflection that there was a creature in the wide world, and much more a fellow-creature, who at that moment cherished any feelings towards him than those of kindness and love.

"I have half a mind," thought Peregrine to himself, "to beg the long cornet's pardon; but then perhaps he will think me a coward;" and this consideration, worldly and selfish as it was, checked the incipient growth of his Christian benevolence; but then he was very young, and in youth perhaps it is as well that we should be somewhat chary of our reputation; for, if we were not, it is very certain that no

[blocks in formation]

reputation would ever be established, and that would be a bad thing for the world.

To a reflection somewhat similar to this, Percgrine Pultuney had just given way, when Julian Jenks came bursting into his cabin, very much excited and very hot, with his "shore-going toggery" on, and an apoplectic-looking carpet bag in his hand.

"Well, Jenks!" exclaimed our hero, with a smile at the new beaver hat and the glossy, but somewhat creased surtout of his friend, "you've lost no time in getting ready at all events."

"Time!" replied Julian Jenks; "I like that; there's a boat putting off now, and you are still in your dressing-gown. Time, indeed! I like that," and Julian Jenks having explained his predilections, burst into a laugh.

"I am glad that you're amused," remarked Peregrine Pultuney.

"You are, are you?" returned Jenks; "well that's comfortable; we're both happy, and what's the odds as long as we are? but pray make haste, for I'm blessed if I'll wait for you, Peregrine."

"What's the hurry?" asked Peregrine Pultuney.

66

Hurry!" cried his friend, who was very much out of breath and was panting incontinently between every word." Hurry!"-why if you are not in a hurry, I am, to get out of this confounded hole -besides I've been talking to the chief officer, and he says there are but one or two horses on

hire in Simon's Town altogether, and he recommends us to look sharp after them. It's three-andtwenty miles, he says, to Cape Town, or not far from it, and the sooner we get there the better, if we want to get rooms at George's, for it will be horrid stupid at one of those boarding-houses, as bad as on board-ship-table d'hôte or some such horrible thing, with a score of old Indians with us-"

"To call us griffs," interrupted Mr. Pultuney. "Ah! very true," continued Jenks; "you won't like that much, I know; so make haste. Come here, Peer Khan; dress your master as sharp as you can; and don't forget to take plenty of money with you. By the bye, there's that poor fellow Doleton, he wants to be one of our party; but I don't see well how he can, he doesn't know how to ride, and we can't go three in a buggy. I've lent him ten pounds, however, and left him undecided whether to remain. on board or to trust himself alone on shore. Poor fellow-poor fellow, I pity him," and Julian Jenks, having expressed himself to this effect, began filling a tolerably commodious cigar-box with Peregrine Pultuney's weeds, whilst that young gentleman set to work with all his might to get dressed before the arrival of the boat, which was now fast nearing the ship.

In a little time the two young gentlemen were seated with their two carpet-bags, and Peer Khan in the boat; and very shortly afterwards they were both of them luxuriating upon white bread, fresh

butter, fresh eggs, and a beef-steak, which commodities were supplied to them, by way of breakfast, at an hotel, which is called the Clarence.

Having previously bespoken the only buggy in the place, our two friends felt so much at their ease, that, after breakfast, they proposed a game at billiards, for Simon's Town does boast of a billiardtable; and having walked up stairs for that purpose, they beguiled the time for two or three hours by knocking about three much indented balls, over a cloth that had been cut some half-a-dozen times, in a room that smelt considerably of tobacco.

After they were both of them tolerably fatigued with their exertions, they voted the place low, and made a magnanimous resolution not to play in it any more. On this account they ordered their buggy, paid the bill, tossed up which should drive, and then started off for Cape Town.

Like the Cockney in the caricature, these young gentlemen had to "guess their way to Hepsom," but there was no particular difficulty in so doing, as the way along which they went was not much distracted by cross-roads, and, indeed, along a great part of it, there was nothing like a road at all. However, they managed pretty well, and had no accidents on the journey to speak of, except a dismemberment of the buggy, which took place in the middle of one of those streams which come down so conveniently from the mountains, and intersect with a deep channel the sands, along which the traveller must

« PreviousContinue »