Masterman Ready | Page 6

cabin, the captain and Mr.
Seagrave marked the position of the vessel on the chart, and found that
they were one hundred and thirty miles from the Cape of Good Hope.
"If the wind holds, we shall be in to-morrow," said Mr. Seagrave to his
wife. "Juno, perhaps you may see your father and mother."
Poor Juno shook her head, and a tear or two stole down her dark cheek.
With a mournful face she told them, that her father and mother
belonged to a Dutch boor, who had gone with them many miles into the
interior: she had been parted from them when quite a little child, and
had been left at Cape Town.
Chapter III
The next morning the Pacific arrived at the Cape and anchored in Table
Bay.
"Why do they call this Table Bay, Ready?" said William.
"I suppose it's because they call that great mountain the Table
Mountain, Master William; you see how flat the mountain is on the
top."
"Yes, it is quite as flat as a table."
"Yes, and sometimes you will see the white clouds rolling down over
the top of it in a very curious manner, and that the sailors call spreading
the tablecloth: it is a sign of bad weather."

"Then I hope they will not spread the tablecloth while we are here,
Ready," said William, "for I shall certainly have no appetite. We have
had bad weather enough already, and mamma suffers so much from it.
What a pretty place it is!"
"We shall remain here two days, sir," said Captain Osborn to Mr.
Seagrave, "if you and Mrs. Seagrave would like to go on shore."
"I will go down and ask Mrs. Seagrave," said her husband, who went
down the ladder, followed by William.
Upon the question being put to Mrs. Seagrave, she replied that she was
quite satisfied with the ship having no motion, and did not feel herself
equal to going on shore; it was therefore decided that she should remain
on board with the two younger children, and that, on the following day,
Mr. Seagrave should take William and Tommy to see Cape Town, and
return on board before night.
The next morning, Captain Osborn lowered down one of the large boats,
and Mr. Seagrave, accompanied by Captain Osborn, went on shore with
William and Tommy. Tommy had promised his mamma to be very
good; but that he always did, and almost always forgot his promise
directly he was out of sight. As soon as they landed, they went up to a
gentleman's house, with whom Captain Osborn was acquainted. They
stayed for a few minutes to drink a glass of lemonade, for it was very
warm; and then it was proposed that they should go to the Company's
Gardens and see the wild beasts which were confined there, at which
William was much delighted, and Tommy clapped his hands with joy.
"What are the Company's Gardens, papa?" inquired William.
"They were made by the Dutch East India Company, at the time that
the Cape of Good Hope was in their possession. They are, properly
speaking, Botanical Gardens; but, at the same time, the wild animals
are kept there. Formerly there were a great many, but they have not
been paid attention to lately, for we have plenty of these animals in
England now."

"What shall we see?" said Tommy.
"You will see lions, Tommy, a great many in a large den together," said
Captain Osborn.
"Oh! I want to see a lion."
"You must not go too near them, recollect."
"No, I won't," said Tommy.
As soon as they entered the gates, Tommy escaped from Captain
Osborn, and ran away in his hurry to see the lions; but Captain Osborn
caught him again, and held him fast by the hand.
"Here is a pair of very strange birds," said the gentleman who
accompanied them; "they are called Secretaries, on account of the
feathers which hang behind their heads, as the feather of a pen does
when a clerk puts it behind his ear: but they are very useful, for they are
snake-killers; indeed, they would, if they could, live altogether upon
snakes, which they are very great enemies to, never letting one escape.
They strike them with their feet, and with such force as to kill them
immediately."
"Are there many snakes in this country?" inquired William.
"Yes, and very venomous snakes," replied Mr. Seagrave; "so that these
birds are very useful in destroying them. You observe, William, that the
Almighty, in his wisdom, has so arranged it that no animal (especially
of a noxious kind) shall be multiplied to excess, but kept under by
being preyed upon by some other; indeed, wherever in any country an
animal exists in any quantity, there is generally found