The War of the Axe Adventures in South Africa By J. Percy-Groves Illustrations by John Schönberg Published by Blackie and Son, 49-50 Old Bailey, London. The War of the Axe, by J. Percy-Groves. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ THE WAR OF THE AXE, BY J. PERCY-GROVES. CHAPTER ONE. THE SURAT CASTLE--OUR HERO--A ROUGH NIGHT IN THE ATLANTIC--AFTER THE GALE--LAND HO! In the early summer of the year of grace 1844 the _Surat Castle_, a fine clipper barque of 400 tons burthen, left the London docks on a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, with a valuable cargo and several passengers, including a small draft of volunteers and recruits for the Saint Helena regiment. The _Surat Castle_ traded regularly between the port of London and Table Bay, and so well-known was she as a fast-sailing, seaworthy vessel, with excellent accommodation, and such was the popularity and reputation of her commander and part-owner, Captain John Ladds, that many Cape gentlemen, who had occasion to make the trip to the old country and back every two or three years, preferred taking their passage in her rather than in the ordinary mail-packets. Amongst the cabin passengers who were now returning to the Cape in the _Surat Castle_ was a good-looking lad of sixteen--a fine, well-built youngster, with a cleanness of make and shape that bespoke muscular strength and activity combined, and whose sun-burned healthy face and clear well-set eye bore ample evidence that he was in capital condition; in fact, sound in wind as well as limb.