grasses drawn out by the misty showers. Westward, far
away, like the rolling swell of the inflowing tide, the long
yellow grass expanded, relieved here and there by small
deep green bushes, which rose like islets from a grassy
sea.
“ Nyanja, Senhor! ” exclaimed Mara.
“ Yes,” thought I, “ it is Nyassa, and such are the lovely
scenes that leave happy impressions on the traveller’s mind,
the recollection of their beauty blotting out the dismal
thoughts of miserable days and incidents ! ”
That night was especially pleasant to me, owing to the
keen feeling of satisfaction which thrilled through my
veins, and I thought no one could feel otherwise upon
such an occasion.
We had just completed one of the longest and most
fatiguing marches of all the journey. Now that I had at
last gained the shores of the big lake, how I longed, as
I had done a thousand times before, for a companion with
whom" a few congratulatory words might be exchanged!
Reclining against the trunk of a tree I rested my jaded
body, finding grateful comfort in the balmy air of the
evening breeze. The soft wind which had sprung up from
the lake helped to drive away the numerous mosquitoes
which abounded around us.
While pensively observing the leaping flames of the
camp fires, as they sprung up and licked the moss which
dangled from the overshadowing boughs, thoughts sped
rapidly through my mind regarding all that had passed
during the long time—they seemed like years—which had
elapsed since I said good-bye to the Cape of Good Hope.
Reflections on the past were diverted by pleasant anticipations
regarding the future. What lay in store for me
during the next few days ? Bright thoughts of the morrow
dispelled the clouded memories of bygone times; for now
it could not be more than a day before we would make the
curve round the southern bay, and so reach Livingstonia.
My reckoning as to position was, I knew, not far out, and
even remembering that we were in Africa—that land of
startling misadventure—it was not unreasonable to conclude
that upon the succeeding day we would be welcomed with
gladdening smiles from white faces lightened by the influence
of warm hearts.
Many hundreds of miles had still to be covered before
I reached the end of my journey, so that the comforts of a
few days’ repose, with relief from constantly recurring
difficulties and dispiriting doubts, could not fail to be
most refreshing. The hardest fact of all was that my
pedlar’s shop was nearly empty, and the end of barter
meant the end of progress. What would follow ?
Even such trifles as the day, or date, which was lost, in
my journal, would be cleared up, and would not be without
a lesson in showing how easy it is to fall, if not into error,
certainly into doubt. The most inspiring thought of all
was the anticipation of news from the outer world, for as
a matter of course there would be a thousand things to talk
of. Questions of living interest would have to be asked
and answered, and there was undoubtedly some gratification
in the knowledge that I was the first letter-carrier to deliver
a message from the missionaries of the south to the missionaries
of the north: for such was my privilege. Thinking
of these things I made some tea with the water of Nyassa,
and drank to the fame of the White Wizard and the glory
of the Great Lake.
Immediately after this solo ceremony, Mara told me that
the Angoni wished it to be understood that upon no account
would they go into the villages of the Ajawa; so that,