once declared an intention to reach the town of the chief
Unyatnwenda that very night.
Just as the day was over we camped, and could look back
upon the great granite crags and rugged mountain sides
up which we had clambered, and which were now glowing
with the streaming light of a magnificent evening sun.
The first day’s march was over, and, so far, had brought
nothing but fresh troubles to my mind.
After a very light repast in the shape of supper, I left
the camp’s oddly uninviting scene, with its rabble of
vociferous natives, and climbed high among the gigantic
rocks, until I reached the topmost point of one of the many
huge granite eminences which were so prominent in the
surrounding scene. While there I looked about, and
suddenly saw before me one of the grandest sights I ever
witnessed.
I t was an immense prairie fire. Far away, stretching for
many miles, nothing could be seen but a vast chain of lurid
fire, showing a wild appearance, as though the whole country
was enveloped by its devouring flames. I t was indeed a
sight of awful grandeur. The long and fierce red line
advanced like the phalanx of a great living and destructive
army. The conflagration seethed and hissed horribly as it
was swept onwards by the impelling force of a hurricane,
while tortuous tongues of fire leaped upwards in flashing
ledness to pierce the dense black clouds of darkening smoke
which rolled in volumes over the scene and intensified the
blackness of the night. Burnt stalks fell like black snowflakes
on every hand.
Quite alone, without a fear of mortal disturbance, I crept
into a small crevice in the rocks, and there, sheltered from
the elements of mischief, I sat and viewed with charmed
eyes the fiery panorama which lay outstretched before me,
ever growing wider and wilder as it coursed along. In this
position, wild as the wind whistled, angrily as it howled, and
fierce as was the scene, I felt a pleasing sense, even of
repose, far different from the agitation produced by the
noisy babble I had left in camp.
Naturally I meditated much upon my project. Reflecting
upon what had occurred during the day, I thought that,
although we were but a short stage on our journey, I could
already detect among my party signs which were decidedly
antagonistic to the plan of reaching the Zambesi by the
intended route. The position was odd. I had no companion,
no one even upon whom I could unhesitatingly
rely. I was a helpless wanderer, directed by the mysterious
hand of Fate.
Why had I not gone to Mababe to hunt with Selous,
at once the best of companions and friends ? Aye, why ?
An answer might be found in the fact that I still had
an almost absorbing interest uppermost in my mind, namely,
to study the life-surroundings, and satisfy myself as to the
character, of the black man in his aboriginal home. I also
wished to gain as much knowledge as I could regarding
the real value of the Dark Continent to the countries of
Christendom.
To stop now was utterly out of the question. I had
started, and was determined to get through without turning
my back upon the far extending prospect of the new but
wild regions. Adventure at all times has its charms.
Thoughts such as these flashed rapidly through my uneasy
mind, until, overcome both bodily and mentally, by the
fatigues of the day, I dropped off into a sound sleep. Not
until the early hours of the morning did I awake with a
start, to find myself still in the crevice of the rocks.
The mountain was enveloped in smoke and mist, and I
v o l . I. k