day by day we ploughed through seas
that grew ever more rough. Also, strong as I was, that fearful ride
had overdone me. Added to these physical discomforts was my agonising
anxiety of mind, which I leave anyone with imagination to picture for
himself. Really there were times when I wished that the Seven Stars
would plunge headlong to the bottom of the deep and put an end to me and
my miseries.

These, however, so far as the bodily side of them was concerned, were, I
think, surpassed by those of my henchman Hans, who, as a matter of
fact, had never before set foot in any kind of boat. Perhaps this was
fortunate, since had he known the horrors of the ocean, much as he loved
me, he would, I am sure, by one means or another, have left me to voyage
in the Seven Stars alone. There he lay upon the floor of my little
cabin, rolling to and fro with the violent motion of the brig, overcome
with terror. He was convinced that we were going to be drowned, and in
the intervals of furious sea-sickness uttered piteous lamentations in
Dutch, English, and various native tongues, mingled with curses and
prayers of the most primitive and realistic order.

After the first twenty-four hours or so he informed me with many moans
that the last bit of his inside had just come out of him, and that he
was now quite hollow "like a gourd." Also he declared that all these
evils had fallen upon him because he had been fool enough to forsake the
religion of his people (what was that, I wonder), and allow himself to
be "washed white," that is, be baptised, by my father.

I answered that as he had become white instead of staying yellow, I
advised him to remain so, since it was evident that the Hottentot gods
would have nothing more to do with one who had deserted them. Thereon he
made a dreadful face, which even in the midst of my own woes caused me
to laugh at him, uttered a prolonged groan, and became so silent that
I thought he must be dead. However, the sailor who brought me my
food--such food!--assured me that this was not so, and lashed him tight
to the legs of the bunk by his arm and ankle so as to prevent him from
being rolled to bits.

Next morning Hans was dosed with brandy, which, in his empty condition,
made him extremely drunk, and from that time forward began to take a
more cheerful view of things. Especially was this so when the hours
for the "brandy medicine" came round. Hans, like most other Hottentots,
loved spirits, and would put