THE 'PEGASUS' AND 'PAUL JONES.' 121 



than Colonel and Mrs. Smythe, Mr. Pritchard and my- 

 self chartered the ' Paul Jones,' the same little schooner 

 which fetched me from Somosomo. She was scarcely 

 better than an open boat, and we had to wash, dress, 

 and take our meals on deck, the cabin being too small 

 to hold more than two bunks, an apology for a table, 

 and two lockers serving also as substitutes for benches. 

 But we managed very well, and as she beat the ' Pega- 

 sus ' even in short distances by whole days, we generally 

 reached our destination long before Colonel Smythe's 

 party did, and soon transferred our abode on shore. 

 When I came from Somosomo she was swarming with 

 cockroaches, to such an alarming extent that there was 

 no staying in her ; and when going to sleep we had to 

 cover our faces, to screen at least that part of our bodies 

 against attack. But she had since been sunk under 

 water, the only method here practised to free vessels 

 from that pest, newly painted, and done up, so that as 

 far as her size would allow she was tolerably comfort- 

 able. Besides Mr. Storck, we had Mr. Charles Wise, the 

 consular interpreter, on board, a half-caste who had been 

 brought up by the late Rev. John Hunt, for whose me- 

 mory he entertained a warm admiration, justly shared by 

 all who knew that excellent man. 



It was arranged with Colonel Smythe, that we should 

 visit the principal chiefs, commencing at Bau, the capi- 

 tal of the group. The two vessels met at Port Kin- 

 naird ; and we finally left Lado, at that time the Con- 

 sul's residence, on the 24th of July, at noon. The 'Paul 

 Jones ' anchored off Bau on the same day, but the ' Pe- 

 gasus,' to give an instance of her bad sailing qualities, 

 only arrived on the following day late at night. 



