CHAPTER XVIII 



APPEARANCE OF THE SOUTHERN HEAVENS AT NIGHT- 

 HOMESICKNESS — I TAKE SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS — 

 ASTONISHMENT OF ROGALA— FIND THAT I AM 

 NINETY MILES SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR 



AT last the sun set behind the trees. Darkness 

 came on, and the stars made their appearance 

 one by one. Soon the heavens glittered with them. 

 The murmur of the wind passing through the top of 

 the trees and the gentle noise of the river gliding 

 along the shores were all that disturbed the absolute 

 silence of the night. I was happy to see the stars 

 again. How beautiful they were in the blue heavens ! 



I gazed upon them silently for quite a while, then 

 I said to them : " I love you, dear twinkling stars, for 

 you are my friends and companions of the night. 

 Without you I should be lost in this great forest. 

 You and the moon tell me where I am. I miss you 

 ever so much when I am without you. I feel lonely 

 without you." 



But I missed many of the stars that I loved at 

 home. The little ship that had carried me across 



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