CHAPTER XVI.
A teacher of English--Myself as a black-fellow--I rest content--An unknown terror--Manufacture of gunpowder--A curious find--The fiery raft--In the lair of snakes--A dangerous enemy--An exciting scene--A queer sport--Respect for the victor--A vain hope--Sore disappointment--Yamba in danger--A strange duel--My opponent greets me.
My two children were a source of great delight to me at this time,--although of course they were half-castes, the colour of their skin being very little different from that of their mother.

The whiteness of their hands and finger-nails, however, clearly indicated their origin.
They were not christened in the Christian way, neither were they brought up exactly in the same way as the native children.
I taught them English.

I loved them very dearly, and used to make for them a variety of gold ornaments, such as bangles and armlets.

They did not participate in all the rough games of the black children, yet they were very popular, having winning manners, and being very quick to learn.
I often told them about my life in other parts of the world; but whenever I spoke of civilisation, I classed all the nations of the universe together, and referred to them as "my home," or "my country." I did not attempt to distinguish between France and Switzerland, England and America.

Curiously enough, the subject that interested them most was the animal kingdom, and when I told them that I hoped some day to take them away with me to see my great country and the animals it contained, they were immensely delighted.