l ward-attendants; while the unwounded had been kept
perpetually busy at the scene of the wreck, salving such matters as were
washed ashore, and transferring everything of any value to our quarters.
Meanwhile, the ship had parted amidships, and was fast going to pieces,
so that our labours in that direction were coming to an end, and in the
course of another week or two there would be nothing more than a rib
showing here and there above water, and a few trifles of wreckage
scattered along the beach to tell to strangers the story of our
disaster. The enemy's wounded also, who were sharing with us the
attentions of the surgeon and his mate, were doing well upon the whole,
although there had been some half a dozen deaths among them, and there
were a few more, whose hurts were of an exceptionally severe character,
with whom the issue still remained doubtful.

It chanced that among these last there was a negro who seemed gradually
to be sinking, despite the utmost efforts of Hutchinson to save him; and
this individual, named M'Pandala, had latterly evinced a disposition to
be friendly and communicative to Cupid, our Krooboy, who had been told
off for hospital duty in the house occupied by the enemy's wounded; and
at length--it was on the tenth day of our occupation of the island, and
I was by this time well enough to be out and about again, although still
unable to do much on account of my disabled arm--this negro made a
certain communication to Cupid which the latter deemed it his duty to
pass on to me without loss of time. Accordingly, on the evening of that
day, after Cupid had been relieved--he was on day duty--he sought me out
and began--

"Mr Fortescue, sar, you know dem M'Pandala, in dere?" pointing with his
chin toward the house in which the wounded man was lodged.

"No, Cupid," I answered. "I cannot truthfully say that I enjoy the
honour of the gentleman's acquaintance. Who and what is he?"

Cupid grinned. "Him one Eboe man," he answered, "employed by dem
Portugee to cook for and look after dem captain's house. He lib for
die, one time now; and 'cause I been good to him, and gib him plenty
drink when he thirsty, he tell me to-day one t'ing dat I t'ink de
captain be glad to know. He say dat very soon--perhaps to-morrow or
next day, or de day after--one big cauffle of slabe most likely comin'
here for be ship away from de coas'; and now dat he am goin' to die he
feel sorry for dem slabe and feel glad if dem