to misrule some portions of that unhappy land,--and a large
black beard, whiskers, and moustache, added to the similitude.

It was not the face, nor the great size of the man that rendered him
ridiculous. Quite the contrary. A glance at these had rather an
opposite tendency. What was laughable about him was his costume; and if
he had been done up for a farce upon the stage, or a Christmas
pantomime, he could not have been dressed in a more ludicrous manner.
Upon his body was a uniform coat of bright-scarlet cloth, the cut and
facings of which told that it had once done duty in the army of King
George. It had been a sergeant's full-dress coat, for the _chevrons_
were still upon the cuffs,--and a stout sergeant he must have been,--one
of the stoutest in the army. The coat was a large one, yet, withal, it
was a tight fit for its present wearer, and did not come within a foot
of buttoning upon him. The sleeves, moreover, were too short by inches,
and the huge black wrists of the negro appeared in strange contrast with
the bright sheen of the scarlet. Behind, the skirts forked widely
apart, showing the huge buttocks of the wearer, that were covered by the
tails of a striped sailor's shirt reaching a little below; and below
this again, the huge, thick, black thighs and lower limbs were naked to
the toes.

An old cocked-hat with faded lace and feathers, that no doubt had once
graced the head of some admiral or commodore, sat high upon the woolly
crown of her new acquaintance, and completed the absurd _tout ensemble_.
There was a long knife stuck in his belt, and a large crooked sabre
dangling between his limbs.

It would have been laughable enough--such a singular apparition under
other circumstances--but I perceived on the part of the _Pandora's_ crew
no disposition to laugh. A strict order from the captain had been
issued against such behaviour; and enjoining all on board to receive
"His Majesty King Dingo Bingo" with all courtesy and respect.

So, then he of the tight coat and cocked-hat was a king--King "Dingo
Bingo!" The two that were partially clad were his councillors, and the
eight black canoe-men a portion of his bodyguard.

I did not make all these observations while the new comers were in the
canoe. There had been no time for that. The moment they approached the
side of the barque, ropes had been thrown to them, and the canoe was
hauled close up. A ladder had already been let over the gangway, and u