dezvous, but the noise of this shipment in my neighborhood, and my
refusal to explain or converse on the subject, gave umbrage to
officers who had never failed to supply themselves from my grounds and
larder. In fact I was soon marked as an enemy of the squadron, while
our intercourse dwindled to the merest shadow. In the course of a
week, the Commander on the African station, himself, hove to off the
Cape, and summoning me on board, concluded a petulant conversation by
remarking that "a couple of men like Monsieur Canot would make work
enough in Africa for the whole British squadron!"

I answered the compliment with a profound _salaam_, and went over the
Penelope's side satisfied that my friendship was at an end with her
Majesty's cruisers.

* * * * *

The portion of Cape Mount whereon I pitched my tent, had been so long
depopulated by the early wars against Fana-Toro, that the wild beasts
reasserted their original dominion over the territory. The forest was
full of leopards, wild cats, cavallis or wild boars, and
ourang-outangs.

Very soon after my arrival, a native youth in my employ had been
severely chastised for misconduct, and in fear of repetition, fled to
the mount after supplying himself with a basket of cassava. As his
food was sufficient for a couple of days, we thought he might linger
in the wood till the roots were exhausted, and then return to duty.
But three days elapsed without tidings from the truant. On the fourth,
a diligent search disclosed his corpse in the forest, every limb
dislocated and covered with bites apparently made by human teeth. It
was the opinion of the natives that the child had been killed by
ourang-outangs, nor can I doubt their correctness, for when I visited
the scene of the murder, the earth for a large space around, was
covered with the footprints of the beast and scattered with the skins
of its favorite esculent.

I was more annoyed, however, at first, by leopards than any other
animal. My cattle could not stray beyond the fences, nor could my
laborers venture abroad at any time without weapons. I made use of
spring-traps, pit-fall, and various expedients to purify the forest;
but such was the cunning or agility of our nimble foes that they all
escaped. The only mode by which I succeeded in freeing the _homestead_
of their ravages, was by arming the muzzle of a musket with a slice of
meat which was attached by a string to the trigger, so tha