ld
avoid accidents and misfortunes, he would find the business very
remunerative; but, of course, misfortunes are pretty sure to come. He
told us further, that nearly all the sheep farmers of South Africa had
started into the business as poor men, and, while none of them were
millionaires, there were some that were very near being so. He gave some
statistics of the wool trade, but I have mislaid the sheet of paper
containing them, and so cannot give them to you."

On their return from the excursion to the sheep farm, our friends
learned that a steamer of the Orient line had just arrived, and would
leave at noon the next day for Australia. Dr. Whitney decided to take
passage on this steamer, and the matter was very quickly arranged.

When the great ship left the harbor of Cape Town, our friends stood on
her deck and were deeply interested in the scene about them. As they
steamed out around the breakwater, they had a fine view of Table Bay and
the mountains that surround it. Then they passed a series of cliff-like
mountains, known as the Twelve Apostles, and after them some brightly
colored mountains that had a dazzling appearance in the bright sunlight.
Thirty miles from Cape Town they passed the famous Cape of Good Hope,
which is popularly but erroneously supposed to be the southern end of
the continent; the fact is that the point of Africa nearest to the South
Pole is Cape Agulhas, sixty or seventy miles away from the Cape of Good
Hope.

Down to Cape Agulhas the steamer had followed the coast line. Now it
steered away from the coast, and gradually the mountains of the
southern end of Africa faded and became dim in the distance, and
gradually disappeared altogether from sight. Our friends were now upon
the great Southern Ocean, which sweeps entirely around this part of the
globe.

"We have a long voyage before us now," said Harry to Ned; "we have
sixteen days of steaming, so one of the officers tells me, before we
reach the coast of Australia."

"Well, if that is the case," Ned answered, "we have plenty of time to
become acquainted with the Southern Ocean. I wonder if it will be very
different from the Atlantic."

"As to that," replied Harry, "I don't know, but I have no doubt it has
peculiarities of its own. We will see about that later."

Flocks of birds accompanied the ship as it steamed away from the coast.
Some were familiar sights to our young friends, and some were new to
them, or comparatively so. The n