Untitled - Beeldbibliotheek

164 CARAVAN DAYSnate, doubly fortunate in the lightof the stormsthat followed, in reaching it on a golden afternoonof still airs and clear sunshine.We made no doubt about it that we hadreached the coast at last for we went down tobathe, as soon as the horses were unyoked, andlater in the evening Sam and Simon gave to theassembled inhabitants a gayhalf-hour of livelyentertainment, when Herbert took them alsodown to have their evening's dip. Very fine theylooked from the road above as they sported andcurvetted on the sands, for they needed muchpersuasion to take the plunge. Simon speciallyfunked the thing abominably, and had to behurled in backwards at the last. And in orderthat the necessary comic relief should not beabsent, Sam, when belly-deep in the waves withHerbert on his back, suddenly bucked and threwhis rider, to every one's delight.It chanced that as we drew in to camp we hadmet a large and well-attended funeral procession,and this had had the effect of advertising ourpresence far and wide, so that Sam and Simondid not lack of a good audience for their performance,both that afternoon and, when itrepeated by request,wason the following morning.This accounted also for our many visitors.