Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-01-10
Tic PRINCE of zooloo.
RYanEaHani ELDER.

f his life tasted of afHuenee was disconnected with
the penny and halfpenny profits OF his retain trace
While in this temper of mind an intimate TREND
Of his Benjamin l4yam: known among his particular
friends by the name of Blue Benjamin, called upon
him.
{. Such a 90 - said Blue Ben, as he entered Sims's
room, throwing his hat upon the table, such a
chance as never Vas seen. Dung smart fellows
like YOU and !, could make fortunes in crack
come home aeain-smoke cigars-drnk sherry cob
blers-wine4V acknowledgements fts-driye our
gigSider Sellers every sort ana knd OF luh LOT
the rest of our lives. Think of that; Samuel"
Here he stopped to take breath
II say, Blue replied his friend, you're rum
chan very. What's it all about !!
"You know Mr.. Capper, don't you ::
cob him IN the lngy trade got brother at the
Cape" ,o. conna. i .
regular trump. Lookye here, his brother at the
Cape writes home that two Indian officers went up
into the interior of the country sporting with big
Wagon to carry their traps. They came INTO the
country of Niger King. There they found droveS
of elephants hundreds and hundreds OF them as tame
as pigs-one ball between the eyes kills them--the
greatest bother is knocking their ivory teeth out of
their laws and tlcn there are hostrigcs walking
about like barn-deor fowls, with such grand white
plumes a sticking to their hinder parts"
And what do they have to give to the Niger
King +? | suppose he'll have o share"
!2Oh they Just fobs him off with coloured beads
and little Irish snuff He is very well pleased with
it, it, ''s
have got little money Of their to go out with
him How this place stincks of herring and tallow!
Come along to Cappers'
Samuel did 90 and enrolled himself let his shop,
sold his stock and invested part OF his money in glass
beads and Irish snuff.
The expedition sailed from the Thames in the good
ship Orontcs and arrived safely at the Cape, and
the party then re-embarkcd in snail ketch for Al
goa. Samuel thus describes his voyage:-'' Ship
ry small-bobLled about a precious deal-smcll of
bilgc water, worse than the smell of the shop-wind
blew arder--waves grew igher-tossed about like
pea in chd's rattle--very sick-rolled in it-sick
again-roed over again ever so many times-trled
to 20 on dcck-found we was nailed down. Captain
told us afterwards that what they called bat
tened -qaite customary thing-did not know at the
time it was customary so | offered. Blue Ben
Taught, he'd been at afore but Capper, who was
captain Of our expedition, could not laugh cause he
was sick
After nearly laundering at sea- and narrowly es-
Gaping being wrecked rocky island, they at
length were landed in Al goa Bay The Loaf how
ever, in which Sammy left the ketch, was unfortu-
nateiy upset in the surf the Shore and Sammy was
fshed out with great difficulty He lay senseless
the ground for time, but after throwing up a
considerable quantity of salt water, he came little
to himself when Blue Benjamin patted him on the
back and asked him what he thought of it : Sammy
muttered something indistincuy, of which the only
syllable that was heard distinctly come which
Blue Benjamin considered to have reference to his
former shop in Long Lane But when q half drown
cd man uOeS not ulc, he soon COMES TOuHu again .
so the next day Sammy very busy cleaning his
guns and -rcc0unting the feats that he intended to
perform in shooting hostriges and hunting hele-
plants. Meanwhile Captain Capper was engaged
in purchasing three long wagons, with six oxen for
each wagon and a few spare ones for contingencies
together with about dozen horses. In addition to
these Sammy and the other heroes purchased each
of them q private charger
While these arrangements were being made, which
occasioned considerable delay, the time was made
good use Of by Sammy in practising with his gun ano
rife upon little birds dead marks, riding out
upon his new horse; attended by his dog Tip; per
fecty satisfied thathe was now one of the chief lord
of the creation At night, Sammy, Blue Ben, an(
some other choice spirits kept it up with brandy
punch and metropolitan songs.
At length the expedition started in good earncs
on their road to Graham's town, if such an expires
sion can be used where there roads.
There were three wagons, two driven by Hotten
tots, and one by Dutch boer, each drawn by six
en-. besides cavalry and loose oxen. On the secont
day the expedition brought to a standstiit 70
many hours, and its chance of success nearly ruine
by Sammys insisting upon driving one of these six
in-hands. and upsotting the wagon in deep hollow
1t was however, patched up again and the brokc
articles thrown away. Captain Capper vowed h
would turn Sammy adrift in the DESERT If he eve
acted the part of coachy again.
At length they began to ascend the Zwartco
mountain, very steep and difficult amids thousand
of aloesin full bloom. Such nosegcyS as never wa
SEEM was Samn,ys entry in his journal, At lengt
they saw u few spring bucks, which two wild t
allow themselves to be approached.
The next day three ostrches were deserted in tn
distance.
There they go by gingo" said Blue Ben
Let's You and go and catch en- said Sammy
and putting bundle of string in their pockets, t
tie up the feathers with, they rode after them.
After some hours they returned Sammy with hi
horse quite done up, bis temper rnfed and the strin
that to have tied up the ostrich feathers hang
ing out of his pocket
a regular do. this Captain Cappcr," said Samm
very GROSSLY.
A.dol should think that your horse was quit
DONE
Ay, nice kettle of fish you've made of my o
Captain Capper, with Your stories about hostrge
thens as Wild as awks.'
81 am not answerable for any thing that is dor
without my orders : said the Captain, dryly.
The next day Captain Capper killed two sprins
bucks. and the knght-errants Toasted upon vensol
Two days after this they arrived at the farm
Mynheer deklerk of Dutch boer, where they wel
Hospitality received and stopped day to rest the
cattle and enjoy the past time ofguineafowl shooting
the birds were found in abundance among the Ion
grass and bush whom flushed theysrose whirrin
like pheasants high above the tops ofthe trees San
my was now in good hunfour gain. ss@
'sJolly fan ths-pop, pop. pop, all day long, W;
tanlmys entryin his journal. They arrived at Son
ersetyithout mshap, but in crossing the Little Els
River Blue Ben was nearly drowned BY his hor
getting into quicksand. Soon after they. Invoke
at a Dutch beers farm. who stole their oxen in II
night driving them into the bush. Butafter a gran
search and a good deal of bullying on. the part
Captain Gapper they were restored
Many nights they had to pass without waite
which was now becoming a scarce article. Mar
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