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CHAPTER XL. 



A GRAND COUNTRY. 



A more delicious bath than I had this morning it 

 would be difficult to conceive ; it was in a pool, very 

 deep, and clear as crystal, with a fall of eight or nine 

 feet in height at its entrance ; the water felt very cold 

 on making the first plunge, but that added much to 

 the pleasure of the dip. Quite a large audience 

 assembled to witness the performance, who at first, 

 I believe, thought me mad, but when I dived from 

 bank to bank, fetching up with me a couple of hands 

 full of gravel, which I threw at the spectators, the 

 climax was reached and the comedy universally de- 

 clared "an overwhelming success." When I came 

 ashore to dress, my skin was all aglow, and instead 

 of a white man, as I formerly appeared to them, I 

 stood in front of my people, a veritable red man ; this 

 seemed quite a puzzle to the Mashoonas. I believe 

 that they would have been much less surprised had 

 I come out black, for the reason that they would 

 have explained the matter to themselves thus : 

 " previously he was only painted, now the nasty 

 stuff has been washed off and he is in consequence 

 the same colour as we are." 



