Sailed for the Cape; _Espoir_ in co. [Sidenote: May 21.] Arrived in Simon’s Bay. Many kind friends came on board; Johnnie Stoll, of the _Maidstone_, was the first to inform me that I was promoted. I could scarcely believe it, as my passing certificates had been returned to me, at the Mauritius, for signature. However, my Lieutenant’s commission was in the Commodore’s office. This was indeed an unexpected pleasure, enough to turn the brain of an older head. Sapient resolves no longer to play the fool! I now held the rank equivalent to that of a Captain in the army. I was almost ashamed of the congratulations of so many of my seniors. The Commodore, Schomburg, was also kind. I found him just as he had finished a long correspondence with the Admiralty about the _Castle Huntley_, Indiaman, while she was at the Mauritius, with these words: “I cannot conclude without regretting that His Majesty’s Orders in Council seem still but imperfectly understood by many branches of the civil, military, and merchant services”--words as applicable near seventy years after. With my dear Captain I was indeed sorry to part: it seemed as if I had been with him years. His kindness and anxiety when so many of us were down with fever endeared him to all, especially myself, the only survivor of the picnic party. I went off to receive further congratulations from my kind friends the Fitzroys, who had done so much to restore me to health and strength. [Sidenote: June 10.] The _Rainbow_, 28, Captain Hon. Henry Rous, arrived from the East Indian Station, so full of invalids and other passengers there was no room for me, but the Captain had the will and soon found the way. A cot was hung on the starboard side of the aft-deck. In itself a luxury: and being in sight of the cabin-door sentry, no chance of my lanyard being cut by a horrid midshipman; for the rest, I was the Captain’s guest. After taking leave of many kind friends, I thought it right to show my new shipmates how the ropes lead about Cape Town. There were races going on, at one of which my chum Whaley Armytage got his arm broken. There was also a dignity ball to come off, more refined, but not better fun, than those in the West Indies. Leave-taking over and Armytage convalescent, with his arm in a sling, I conveyed him to Simon’s Bay in a tandem. We had the usual rest and refreshment at Farmers Peck’s. The tide happening to be out when we reached Fishhook Bay, I turned my leader’s head into the cutting that had been made in the rock, for the accommodation of led horses. On one side was the perpendicular cliff, on the other a drop of between thirty and forty feet on to rocks and sea. There was nothing left for my leader but to go on, with shafts and wheeler close upon him. We arrived safe at the bottom. Further on met the Resident, Colonel Blake, riding with his daughter. He would not credit my account, and, as the tide was out, rode on to find the impression of wheels, I having booked his four to one.