THE DAWN. 447 



engaged one of these people to show me the way, 

 for at times we found the travelling difficult, and 

 even a bush-path is better than no road at all. 



Heavy rain fell during the night, accompanied 

 with thunder and lightning, but, somewhat fatigued 

 with my day's work, I slept through it all. At 

 daybreak it was again fine, and, the air being 

 remarkably cool and pleasant, we got along very 

 quickly. 



The first two hours after dawn are the plea- 

 santest part of the day. All nature appears fresh, 

 and every animal seems to rejoice at this time; 

 the soothing sound of the cooing of turtle-doves is 

 heard in every direction; jet-black weaver-birds, 

 with bright yellow crests, flycatchers, bee-eaters, 

 and humming-birds, of beautifully bright iridescent 

 colours, flit about from bush to bush ; iguanos and 

 all the lizard tribe come out to sun themselves ; 

 whilst flamingoes, pelicans, herons, and beautiful 

 light-blue cranes, with ibis curlews and waders of 

 difl"erent kinds, may be seen winging their flights 

 in long lines towards their feeding-grounds. 



Flocks of green pigeons are seen circling in 



