being thus saved from a lingering death almost
making us helpless at the last!

"The captain of the dhow, who was in the employ of some Banian traders,
carried us to Majunga, where we were most hospitably treated, a house
being set apart for our accommodation, and the Queen of Madagascar
herself sending down provisions for our use during our stay there. I
recollect, on the very day of our arrival, she despatched three casks of
rice, along with a dozen ducks and twelve fowls, for us to have a feast
with; and I don't think we had left a bone of the poultry or a grain of
rice by the end of the following day.

"I shall never forget the kindness we all met with at Majunga. It is an
Arab colony, with lots of Hindoos and Portuguese there besides, although
only a small mud town. It was this place that the French bombarded the
other day for no cause whatever that I can see save to get a foothold on
the island and establish their blessed republic there. But then, we
need not talk. I've known English men-of-war set fire to native
villages amongst the islands in the South Pacific just to avenge a
fancied insult which some blackbirding schooner had once received when
its crew were trying to kidnap the natives, and I have known cruelties
committed because the merchants were unable to get the proper price for
their Manchester cottons and Brummagem goods; while when serving on the
west coast of Africa, up the Congo river, I have seen whole colonies of
poor niggers annihilated, with their little towns wrecked over their
heads, simply because they did not choose to do exactly what we told
them. You may say that the French have no right to do as they have done
and are doing in Madagascar; but circumstances alter cases, sir. We
only think these bombardments and colonising schemes bad when they are
carried out by other nations; when we do similar things, of course it is
all right and just."

"Did you rejoin your ship ultimately?" I asked, when Ben had finished
his little bit of moralising, apropos of international differences.

"Oh yes, sir. The _Dolphin_ came cruising in search of us down the
coast after capturing the second slaver and settling all her business at
Zanzibar; and, on her putting in to Majunga, of course we went on board,
reporting the accident that had happened to the pinnace. The excitement
had borne us up to then; but, soon after we found ourselves once more in
the old ship, the whole lot of us broke down and