and the old gentleman were prepared
to take the risks, why should not I? So a bargain was struck, and I was
provisionally hired. My remuneration was to be 5 for the trip, plus all
expenses while on the road.

But on nights I used to be harassed by doubts. Which was most likely to
be the result, I would ask myself, assassination or suicide? Most
probably both, conscience would shriek. However, Providence
occasionally interferes to protect the innocent; the old gentleman trod
on the edge of a step and sprained his ankle severely. Thus do
unspeakably great blessings sometimes come painfully disguised. That
eccentric old gentleman little knew that in twisting his ankle he was
saving his neck.

There was no hope of his immediate recovery. To an elderly person a
sprained ankle necessitates lying up for weeks. The steamer for East
London, the old Basuto, was due in a few days. I could not bear the
thought of hanging on any longer in idleness, so inquired as to where
the agency of the Union Line was to be found. Then I boldly presented
myself before Mr. Escombe, the agent, explained the plight I was in,
and asked him to let me have, on credit, a deck passage to East London.

Fortunately Mr. Escombe knew something of my people. He invited me to
sit down, and seemed interested when I told him something of my
adventures. He let me have the passage ticket on credit, I promising to
remit the price out of the first money I earned. So next day I embarked
on board the Basuto, and in the afternoon of the day following reached
my destination.

After a short visit to Breidbach, near King William's Town, where my
people were at that time staying, I returned to East London and entered
the service of the boating company. The work was not congenial. For one
thing, although sea sickness has never troubled me on board ship, I was
constantly ill when in a lighter. Moreover, the boatmen with whom I had
constantly to associate were unintermittently foul-mouthed and
blasphemous. I was not easily shocked; the men with whom I had for
years foregathered were much given to realism of speech, as well as to
picturesquely lurid verbal illustration. But this was different; the
language of these men was crammed with filth for filth's sake, and
flat, pointless profanity. I have no doubt that my inability to avoid
expressing disgust made them worse than they otherwise would have been.

It was my habit to get up at 2.30 a.m., breakfast on coffee and bread