e lions
had more than once followed us the whole time; and indeed I have often
thought since that we were altogether indebted to his mercy who ordereth
all things, both in heaven and earth, that we escaped so well as we did.
Three days after poor Romer's death we first saw the wide ocean again.
We kept near the coast, but we soon found that we could not obtain the
supply of game, or fuel for our fires at night, so well as we could in
the interior, and we agreed to get away from the coast again. We had a
dreary plain to pass over, and we were quite faint for want of food--for
we had been without any for nearly two days--when we came upon an
ostrich. Hastings put his horse to his speed, but it was of no use--the
ostrich ran much faster than the horse could. I remained behind, and,
to my great joy, discovered his nest, with thirteen large eggs in it.
Hastings soon came back, with his horse panting and out of wind. We sat
down, lighted a fire, and roasted two of the eggs: we made a good dinner
of them, and having put four more on our saddle-bows, we continued our
journey. At last, one forenoon, we saw the Table Mountain, and were as
glad to see it as if we had seen the white cliffs of Old England. We
pushed on our horses with the hopes of being once more comfortably in
prison before night; when, as we neared the bay, we noticed that English
colours were flying on board of the vessels in the road. This surprised
us very much; but soon after that we met an English soldier, who told us
that the Cape had been taken by our forces more than six months ago.
This was a joyful surprise, as you may suppose. We rode into the town,
and reported ourselves to the main guard; the governor sent for us,
heard our story, and sent us to the admiral, who took us on board of his
own ship."

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

The next morning, as there was no particular work on hand, Ready and Mr
Seagrave took the lines to add to the stock of the fish-pond. As the
weather was fine and cool, William accompanied them, that he might have
the benefit of the fresh air. As they passed the garden, they observed
that the seeds sown had already sprung up an inch or two above the
ground, and that, apparently none of them had missed. While Ready and
Mr Seagrave were fishing, and William sitting near them, William said
to his father--

"Many of the islands near us are inhabited; are they not, papa?"

"Yes, but not those very near us, I believe. At al