"There is a child-like tenderness and simplicity in his writings--an
elevation and purity of tone--which is the secret of the extreme charm
his celebrated stories have for children. They are as simple and as
touching as the old Bible narratives of Joseph and his Brethren, and the
little lad who died in the corn field. We wonder not at their being the
most popular books of their kind in Europe."--_Mary Howitt._


Published by C.S. FRANCIS & Co., New York.




Transcriber's Note:

The following typographical errors have been maintained in this text:

Original
page
vii "at the of Good Hope, Calsoaep" should read:
"at the Cape of Good Hope, also"
23 powererful for powerful
50 , for . in "valuable medicines, Storms"
60 seige for siege
67 "There is one or two" should read "There are..."
96 , for . in "favourite cat, When the"
113 ocassion for occasion
143 Missing close quotes at end of chapter
174 "Where do such animals come from, Uncle Thomas." should end with ?
189 "prehensile tales" for "prehensile tails"