12 Travels and Adventures 



the Phantom, the ship was surrounded by a crowd of 

 curly-pated negroes, with long rows of white teeth 

 and rolling eyes contrasting amusingly with their 

 ebony features. Some would make dexterous plunges 

 and come up again on the other side of the ship, 

 performing the clever feat for sixpence, while a 

 group of youngsters were fighting and sputtering 

 for occasional pence thrown to them by the pas- 

 sengers. Others would display a collection of wares 

 for sale, all expressing their opinion or courting atten- 

 tion in a kind of jargon which reduced the Oueen's 

 English to a most miserable snarl. 



After the usual visit of inspection from doctors 

 and custom-house officers, we were at liberty to go 

 on shore — by the medium of one of the many boats 

 either hovering in the vicinity of the ship or crowding 

 around the gangway, each of their black owners, mean- 

 while, squabbling for patronage. I need hardly say 

 that all on board the Phantom who could, availed 

 themselves of the positive luxury of a little exercise 

 on terra firm a after a fortnight's cramping in bunks 

 and deck chairs. A few well-directed strokes brought 

 us to shore, and no more extraordinary sight presented 

 itself to the newly-arrived European than the motley 

 medley of human faces, from the fair rose of the 

 delicate European lady to the polished black of the 

 negro, with the various between - shades, all busy 



