He was much interested in examining the outlines of the coast, and the
rugged precipices of the Cape. These were tenanted by vast flocks of
sea-fowl and birds of prey; while many varieties of shrubs and plants,
hitherto unknown to us, grew in the clefts and crevices of the rocks,
some of them diffusing a strong aromatic odour. Among the specimens he
brought I recognized the caper plant and, with still greater pleasure,
a shrub which was, I felt sure, the tea-plant of China--it bore very
pretty white flowers and the leaves resembled myrtle.
Our land journey was effected without accident or adventure of any
kind.
Jack, mounted as usual on Hurry, the ostrich, carried the mysterious
wet bag very carefully slung at his side, and when near home started
off at a prodigious rate in advance of us.
He let fall the drawbridge, and we saw no more of him until, on
reaching Rockburg, he appeared leisurely returning from the swamp,
where apparently he had gone to deposit his `moist secret', as Franz
called it.
We were all glad to take up our quarters once more in our large and
convenient dwelling, and my first business was to provide for the great
number of birds we now had on our hands, by establishing them in
suitable localities, it being impossible to maintain them all in the
poultry-yard.
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