But this happened long ago, much before my time, and I don't suppose they will ever cross the river again." "If I might ask, what brought you here, Captain ?" I said, for the point was one on which I felt curious.
"That which brings most men to wild places, Mr.Quatermain--trouble.

If you want to know, I had a misfortune and piled up my ship.

There were some lives lost and, rightly or wrongly, I got the sack.

Then I started as a trader in a God-forsaken hole named Chinde, one of the Zambesi mouths, you know, and did very well, as we Scotchmen have a way of doing.
"There I married a Portuguese lady, a real lady of high blood, one of the old sort.

When my girl, Inez, was about twelve years old I got into more trouble, for my wife died and it pleased a certain relative of hers to say that it was because I had neglected her.