Part 17 (1/2)
”He did, and therefore I think his age does not correspond with our dates, as I observed before,” replied Swinton; ”but, as you say, you must see his sister”
Daaka had sent an old cow as a present to Alexander, which was a very seasonable supply, as the hippopota they proposed that he should accompany them to where the _Grosvenor_ had been wrecked
Daaka did not at first appear to knohat they wished, and inquired, through the interpreter, whether theyto the eastward On receiving an answer in the affir that it was about forty et there until the next day
About noon they set off on their journey, and as they h ht at a kraal about half-way Early the nextthey were led by Daaka and some Caffres who accompanied him to the sea-shore, and when they had arrived at the beach, it being then loater, Daaka pointed to a reef, upon which were to be seen the guns, ballast, and a portion of the keelson of a shi+p--all that remained of the unfortunate _Grosvenor_
As the sea washed over the reef; now covering and now exposing these , Alexander and Swinton re; at last Alexander said--
”Swinton, you have read the history of this unfortunate vessel, I know, for you asked me for it to read What a succession of scenes of horror do these reht only have defied the power of the winds and waves, conjure up at this moment in my mind I think I now behold the brave vessel dashed upon the reefs--the screa situation of the wo on shore, only to be subjected to greater suffering See, Swinton, that ained, and upon which they reht”
”It is, I have no doubt, from its position,” said Swinton
”Yes, it must have been; I think I see theether, half-clothed and suffering, quitting that rock by this only path fro off upon theirof the parties--their perils and hunger--their conflicts with the natives--their sufferings fro down one by one into the welcome arms of death, or torn to pieces by the wolves and hyenas as they lagged behind the others How ained the shore”
”Yes, indeed,” replied Swinton; ”except the eight who reached the Cape, and the five that Daaka asserts were saved, all the rest must have perished in that dreadful manner”
Alexander reht; at last he turned to Daaka and said, as he pointed to the remains of the wreck, ”And this then is your mother?”
Daaka looked at him and shook his head, ”No, not my mother this,”
replied he; ” out in a northerly direction
”What does he mean, Swinton? he says this is not his mother”
”I will speak to hiitated,” replied Swinton
”Is not that the vessel which your h the interpreter
”No,” replied Daaka; ”my mother came on shore in a vessel up the little river out there; I was a boy when this large shi+p recked; and got souays”
”Merciful heaven! what joy I feel; I trust it is true what he says”
”I have no doubt of it, Wilmot; I told you he was too old a man,”
replied Swinton; ”but let ine the impatience of Alexander while the questions of Swinton were being answered, and by which it appears that Daaka's mother was lost at the mouth of the Lauwanbaz, a small river some miles to the eastward of the Zeave a particular account of the wreck of the _Grosvenor_, corroborating all Daaka's assertions
”Were there none of the _Grosvenor's_ people left in the country?”
inquired Swinton
”None,” replied the old man; ”they all went to the southward”
”Did you hear what becaht the natives and were killed; the wolves ate the rest; not one left alive; they all perished”
”Were none of the women and children saved and kept as slaves?”
”No, not one; they had no meat, no milk, and they all died”