ATTACK OF RHEUMATIC FEVER 91 



us. He used accordingly, every now and then, to start up, 

 take his stick, shout, hooroosh, shake his coat-tails at and 

 scare the poor little snips out of their senses, who would 

 run up the hills with amazing agility, their scanty clothing 

 tripping and causing them to tumble over and over as they 

 scrambled along on all fours, almost to our table-cloth. 



An unfortunate result of this excursion was a sharp attack 

 of rheumatic fever, caused by lying on the damp grass at 

 lunch when overheated. Hooker was laid up in the ship for 

 a week, and could scarcely go ashore to make his farewells. 

 The report of this from friends in Madeira made his parents 

 very anxious, for it was many months before they received 

 his letters reporting himself perfectly well. In later life, it 

 is true, his heart was not strong ; but through all the follow- 

 ing years of strenuous travel and unceasing work, the minor 

 troubles which persisted indicated no serious weakness. 



At Teneriffe there was no time to travel the twenty-eight 

 miles to Orotava in order to see the famous Dragon's-blood 

 tree. The brief afternoon ashore gave opportunity of very 

 little collecting. Nor was Hooker able, much as he wished, 

 to see the two English Jacks taken when Nelson made his 

 unsuccessful attack on Sta. Cruz. The church where they 

 hung high out of reach, since an English middy had audaciously 

 carried off the third, was too far away. However, ' I was much 

 amused by the little urchins grinning and repeating the words 

 " English flag " when asked where the Parochia was.' So 

 in the town itself ' the only remarkable thing I saw was the 

 camel used as a beast of burden.' 



Their next point was the Cape Verde Islands, ' not that 

 we knew we were going there, for everything regarding our 

 destinations has been kept a profound secret until we cast 

 anchor in the harbours ! ' It strikes an old-time note indeed 

 to be told that : 



On our arrival (November 11) a slaving schooner was 

 lying in the Bay, and I understood that a more cautious one 

 had made sail on discovering us heaving in sight. The 

 present one remained some days, and when taking her 

 departure her drunken skipper saluted us, and mocking, 



