TN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE 



soon the kernel was in my mouth. Then another nut 

 fell, and another. No sound seemed to me sweeter 

 than that of the falling of the koola nuts. A strong 

 wind was evidently blowing, for the tops of the trees 

 were shaking and the leaves were quivering. " Blow 

 hard," said I to the wind, " blow hard, for the nuts 

 will fall." 



Listening to the sound of the nuts as they fell 

 one after another, and putting a lot of wood on the 

 fire, I lay down to sleep, feeling a great deal better 

 after my meal. 



The next morning I awoke perfectly fresh. During 

 the day I came to a tolerably well-trodden path, which 

 was more used than all those I had seen since I had 

 been in my forest home. But I did not know in 

 which direction to follow it. Finally, I determined to 

 follow the right. I walked the rest of the day, but I 

 found nothing to show me where I was going. I was 

 very hungry, but the koola nuts had kept me alive, 

 with the help of water. 



I camped again that night in the forest. I put under 

 my head as a pillow my revolvers, and laid "Bulldog " 

 by my side. 



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