388 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



for both Reade and I met with the most brotherly 

 kindness from Walker and Knight, who vied in 

 showing us every possible attention during our 

 indisposition. 



Africa is a cursed country to live in, and men 

 are said to deteriorate both in mind and body from 

 the pernicious influence of its climate; but al- 

 though I have been a wanderer over the face of 

 the earth since my earliest youth, I must say that 

 I never met with such unvariable disinterested 

 hospitality and delicate courtesy as upon the West 

 Coast. I arrived there a perfect stranger, without 

 even a single letter of introduction, yet there is 

 not a place on the Coast which I visited, where I 

 have not cause to remember some friendly act of 

 kindness, or good turn. 



" Farewell ! farewell ! kindly I'll think on thee 

 Land of the West ; and so may'st thou retain, 

 In some warm hearts, kind memory of me, 

 A. cheerless pilgrim on life's stormy main." 



