127 
they gradually disappeared in a most miserable state, and 
took refuge in their berths. One of the passengers, a 
queer sort of fellow, asked the Dutchman how many 
children he had, and when told — '^sixteen altogether, and 
the youngest a year old," he rather astonished the father 
by enquiring when he meant to stop but he answered 
good-naturedly, ^^he thought it was time to think about it." 
Novemler IQth, Sunday. Arrived in Mossel Bay, when 
the paterfamilias departed, with his wife and her following. 
We had service in the saloon, the captain acting as parson, 
assisted by the doctor, and an extraordinary performance 
it was. Went ashore with E. for a walk along the beach 
in the afternoon. There is an island in the roadstead here, 
where seals resort in great numbers, and I bought two or 
three skins from the boatman, who rents the island of the 
Government ; but he took me in, as, in my ignorance, I 
bought large skins, which are useless for making sealskin 
jackets such as ladies wear, the ^^pups " only being fit for 
this purpose. Finished discharging the cargo for this 
port on the next afternoon, and started on the last run for 
Capetown. The sea was rough, and the vessel rolling most 
uncomfortably. E. was seasick again ; but we gradually 
passed Cape Agullas, Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, 
and on the 19th at daylight we were inside the docks at 
Capetown. We got off to the hotel as soon as possible, 
glad to have arrived at our last stage on the home journey, 
and found we had only missed the last homeward steamer 
by forty-eight hours. The Anglian" was to sail next 
on the 25th, and we were glad to find that she was com- 
manded by the same captain who had brought us out in 
the African;" but some accident had happened to her 
screw, though it was hoped she would be repaired in time 
to start as advertised — a much finer vessel than the 
African," and the cabins large and comfortable. As 
there were very few passengers going, we had a 4 -berth 
