The change from the roomy deck of the steamship to his cramped quarters on board the coasting vessel was not a pleasant one, and neither were his fellow-passengers as agreeable as those of whom he had just taken leave, and in whose company he had passed so many happy hours.
They were a boisterous, good-natured crowd, and acted more like Western men than any he had before met on that side of the Atlantic.
The most of them were roughly dressed, and some carried riding-whips in their hands. They did not seem to be very favorably impressed with the appearance of Colonel Dunhaven (who came on deck about midday, languid and sleepy-looking as usual), for the remarks they made concerning him, some of which he must have overheard, were anything but complimentary.
The colonel looked at Oscar through his eyeglass, but did not seem to recognize him.
"That man has certainly mistaken his calling," thought Oscar as he leaned on the rail and looked down into the water. "He hasn't energy enough to carry him through. If he is so helpless now that he has to have a man to wait on him continually, what will he do when he starts on his journey? He would look nice swinging a heavy ox-whip and wading about in mud, knee-deep, wouldn't he?"
The Ivanhoe came to anchor twice before reaching her destination—once at Port Elizabeth, where some of the passengers who were bound for the diamond fields left her, and the next time at East London.
The captain made all haste to transact his business at the latter town, for the open roadstead in which his vessel was anchored was a dangerous place.
Although there was scarcely any wind stirring, and the sea was comparatively smooth, the surf rolled wildly on the beach, and it was a mystery to Oscar how the boats ever got through it.
Besides, there was a suspicious-looking bank of clouds off in the southern horizon, of which the captain and his mates kept close watch.
There was wind in those clouds, but it did not touch the Ivanhoe. She reached Port Natal in safety, and Oscar made all haste to get ashore, his long sea-voyage being happily ended.