86 PORT ELIZABETH. 



seems very hungry." He began immediately to 

 hurry on the horse by a smart application of the 

 samboes ; but the poor creature, being much jaded, 

 stumbled over an ant-hill, and threw him off ; an 

 accident, under existing circumstances, tending ra- 

 ther to increase his alarm. 



It was near eleven o'clock before we reached Mrs. 

 Hunt's hotel at Port Elizabeth, having been fourteen 

 hours on horseback. The brig Mary being ready 

 for sea, I engaged my passage for Cape Town, and 

 embarked on the following day. We cleared the 

 bay with a fair wind ; but during the night it began 

 to blow very strongly from the North West, and 

 increased to a violent gale, obliging us to lay-to 

 under a storm stay-sail, whilst a cross sea running 

 high broke over the stern of the vessel, and carried 

 away our starboard stauncheons. At day-break we 

 set sail again, and stood in for the land, returning to 

 Algoa Bay, where we came to anchor, and remained 

 four days weather-bound. We once more bade adieu 

 to Port Elizabeth, and had a fine start for two days, 

 and were enabled to lay within two or three points 

 of our course, when the wind lulled, and we had the 

 mortification of experiencing a dead calm. Towards 

 evening a slight breeze sprung up off the land, which 

 enabled us to continue our voyage, and we were 

 going at the rate of seven or eight knots an hour, 

 anticipating the pleasure of seeing Table Land on 

 the following day, when about midnight, off Cape 



