The Steamer Reached Tette On The 23rd Of June, And, After Undergoing
Repairs, Proceeded To The Kongone To Receive Provisions From One Of
H.M. Cruisers.
We had been very abundantly supplied with first-rate
stores, but were unfortunate enough to lose a considerable portion of
them, and had now to bear the privation as best we could.
On the way
down, we purchased a few gigantic cabbages and pumpkins at a native
village below Mazaro. Our dinners had usually consisted of but a
single course; but we were surprised the next day by our black cook
from Sierra Leone bearing in a second course. "What have you got
there?" was asked in wonder. "A tart, sir." "A tart! of what is it
made?" "Of cabbage, sir." As we had no sugar, and could not "make
believe," as in the days of boyhood, we did not enjoy the feast that
Tom's genius had prepared. Her Majesty's brig "Persian," Lieutenant
Saumarez commanding, called on her way to the Cape; and, though
somewhat short of provisions herself, generously gave us all she
could spare. We now parted with our Kroomen, as, from their
inability to march, we could not use them in our land journeys. A
crew was picked out from the Makololo, who, besides being good
travellers, could cut wood, work the ship, and required only native
food.
While at the Kongone it was found necessary to beach the steamer for
repairs. She was built of a newly invented sort of steel plates,
only a sixteenth of an inch in thickness, patented, but unfortunately
never tried before.
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