164 MAYOLO. Chap. IX. 



had not robbed me of all my stock of quinine and 

 calomel. 



The great heat of the weather culminated on the 

 evening of the 5th of April, and we then had a most 

 terrific storm, with claps of thunder exploding over 

 our heads that made the whole place shake with the 

 concussion. At the second explosion I felt a shock 

 in my right leg, and a sudden jerk, which for the 

 moment frightened me. Deluges of rain accompanied 

 the electric explosion, and the weather became much 

 cooler. Heavy rain fell again on the evening of the 

 Gth, but the weather afterwards cleared up, and the 

 moon shone beautifully. 



Though far from well, I took a meridian altitude 

 of Dubhe, so that now I was sure of my latitude, 

 having taken several good observations. 



April Sth. Amidst all my cares a gleam of sunshine 

 lights me up now and then. To-day one source of 

 anxiety was taken off my mind in the arrival of 

 Igalo with my poor boy Macondai. The Otando 

 people seemed as much pleased as I was that all my 

 party were now reunited. The state of Macondai was, 

 however, a great drawback to my rejoicing. I went 

 to the hut, to which Igalo had led him, to see my faith- 

 ful companion, but was horrified on beholding him. 

 His head was swollen and covered with pustules, the 

 nose seemed literally eaten up, and his body was in 

 the same state. But the worst sight was one of his 

 leirs ; it was so swollen that it looked more like the 

 foot of an elephant than that of a human being, and 

 there was an appearance of gangrene commencing. I 

 had known Macondai from a child, and loved him. 



