The Illustrious Señhor, whom I shall for the future call “John of the Coast,” informed me that he had been ill for a long time, and that the Commodore had offered him a passage to the Cape when there, in H.M. frigate “Castor;” but that, having been apprized by his friends in London that I had left England, he determined to remain at Mozambique, and await my arrival at that place.
I thanked my newly made friend for his great consideration, and informed him that I had already learned his great kindness to my countrymen who called there in H.M. ships.
Subsequently, he told me that, having heard of my arrival at the Cape, and being aware that no Cruiser would be sent up the Mozambique Channel until the return of the “Frolic,” he had accepted the invitation of her Commander, and had come to the Cape to make my acquaintance, as he felt sure it would be mutually beneficial.
Acknowledging his great consideration, I asked him to pay me a visit as soon as he was sufficiently recovered to undertake the journey. In a fortnight’s time he was my guest, and remained in that capacity during our further stay at the Cape.
“John of the Coast” informed me that he was the eldest son of a Portuguese officer, of very exalted rank, at Mozambique; that his father was a Brigadier in the Portuguese army, a man of great influence among the native chiefs in Eastern Africa, and that, like himself, he was very anxious that the Slave Trade should be abolished, and legitimate trade introduced.
My guest gave me great information relative to the country which I was about to visit, all of which, I afterwards found, was correct.
Time passed on, and the month of June arrived, bringing the steamer “Charity” to Simon’s Bay, with the Honourable Sir Frederick Grey, K.C.B., as Rear-admiral and Commander-in-chief of Her Majesty’s naval forces on the East and West African stations. Her Majesty’s steamer “Geyser” was immediately placed at my disposal, and ordered to Table Bay to embark myself and my baggage.
Whilst at anchor in Table Bay, the Commander of that vessel indulged in such extraordinary antics, that it was apparent to most people that he was suffering from an aberration of intellect, or from some other exciting cause, which rendered him totally incompetent to command the vessel in which the late Commodore had placed him as Acting Commander.
My baggage was on board the “Geyser,” and everything was ready for our departure, when that vessel was ordered to Simon’s Bay, under charge of the Senior Lieutenant, as it was found necessary to inquire into the extraordinary conduct of her Acting Commander; and the “Hermes” was ordered to receive my baggage and myself for conveyance to Mozambique.