That the warnings issued by the dailies some months ago, urging people not to rush off to South Africa were only too well needed, the following story, taken from the ' Argus," plainly proves. South Africa is not 'a Paradise for the working man, at least not yet. Suiging by the experiences of the steamer Ras Rowa, South Africa threatens to rival Liverpool asa place of ensbark: tion for stowaways. Some hours after the vessel named trid left Port Natal for Melbourne, a middle-aged, ill-clad man emerged from the semi-larkness of one of the holds, and boldly ascending the steps leading to the navigating bridge owned up to Captain Oxenherg that he was a stowaway, and appealed for mercy. With at lerist an appwreut earnestness of manner that was almost pathetic, the unbidden member of the ship's company expressed readiness to undergo a period in irons rather than return to the land which he then whatever punishment is fu store for me, I will cheerfully suffer was on a Sunday morning when this little episode occurred. The steamer was too far on her voyage to turn back, and Captain Oxenberg ordered the culprit to the fo'esle. An hour or two afterwards Captain Oxenberg, whilst going the rounds of his ship, began to ponder seriously as to whether he knew his own crew. He was met at several turns by a face which he did not remember to have seen before, and as upon each countenance there dwelt an apologetic I hope I don't intrude" express sion, the gallant captain slowly realised that' the tearful stowaway who had made such an impression upon him that morning was nothing more or less than an advance avent for a troupe of others. He immediarely therefore challenged one of the s: rangers, who was energetically polishing some brasswork.
A BATCH OF STOWAWAYS, "IT have never seen you before," said the captain; "who are you, and what are you doing here?" "Oh, captain," replied the man, letting fall his polishing. cloth, '*I might as well confess. I've bin on board since Friday night, long before you sailed, and I've just come wp from below. 1' could get no work in South Africa, and want to get back to Sydney." Whilst the captain was debating in his mind the most fitting way to give express sion to his feelings at this new discovery, his attention was attracted by loud cries from the stokehole of Who are you, and where have you been?" Upon proceeding to ascertain the cause of this demonstration he saw, standing in the centre of a group of Gremen, two more stowaways. They were covered from lead to foot with ashes from the pit in which they had been lying, and their hungry, worn, and generally dejected appearance would, in the language of Captain Oxenberg, have disarmed a jungle tiger.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.