r hands
into the air, with the same gesture I remarked the night before about
the Hoodoo camp-fire; first one, and then another, ran forward and
kneeled down and kissed the skirts of my torn dress; and when the white
officer broke out swearing and calling to know if they were mad, the
coloured seamen took him by the shoulders, dragged him on one side till
they were out of hearing, and surrounded him with open mouths and
extravagant pantomime. The officer seemed to struggle hard; he laughed
aloud, and I saw him make gestures of dissent and protest; but in the
end, whether overcome by reason or simply weary of resistance, he gave
in--approached me civilly enough, but with something of a sneering
manner underneath--and touching his cap, "My lady," said he, "if that
is what you are, the boat is ready."

My reception on board the _Nemorosa_ (for so the yacht was named)
partook of the same mingled nature. We were scarcely within hail of that
great and elegant fabric, where she lay rolling gunwale under and
churning the blue sea to snow, before the bulwarks were lined with the
heads of a great crowd of seamen, black, white, and yellow; and these
and the few who manned the boat began exchanging shouts in some _lingua
franca_ incomprehensible to me. All eyes were directed on the passenger;
and once more I saw the negroes toss up their hands to Heaven, but now
as if with passionate wonder and delight.

At the head of the gangway, I was received by another officer, a
gentlemanly man with blond and bushy whiskers; and to him I addressed my
demand to see Sir George.

"But this is not----" he cried, and paused.

"I know it," returned the other officer, who had brought me from the
shore. "But what the devil can we do? Look at all the niggers!"

I followed his direction; and as my eye lighted upon each, the poor
ignorant Africans ducked, and bowed, and threw their hands into the air,
as though in the presence of a creature half divine. Apparently the
officer with the whiskers had instantly come round to the opinion of his
subaltern; for he now addressed me with every signal of respect.

"Sir George is at the island, my lady," said he: "for which, with your
ladyship's permission, I shall immediately make all sail. The cabins are
prepared. Steward, take Lady Greville below."

Under this new name, then, and so captivated by surprise that I could
neither think nor speak, I was ushered into a spacious and airy cabin,
hung about with