IN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE 



him, but he had not the strength to move his arms, 

 which were under his little blanket. I tucked him 

 in, and while I was doing so, his eyes looked at me in 

 a blank sort of way. I said to him : " Dear Ndova, 

 I wish you could know how much we think of you, 

 and how we shall miss you if you die." 



" I do not think we shall find Ndova alive to- 

 morrow morning," I said to Rogala, who was by 

 my side. 



I went to bed with a heavy heart, thinking how 

 many times Ndova had rescued us from hunger and 

 perhaps starvation. I awoke several times during the 

 night, and each time I got up and went to see if Ndova 

 was dead. His life was ebbing away, his pulse was 

 very low, but he still breathed. 



In the morning I found Ndova dead. He looked 

 as if he were asleep under his blanket. I shouted to 

 Rogala : " Ndova is dead." Then we stood mourn- 

 fully by his side, and Rogala said with a sad voice : 

 " Ndova will follow us no more in the forest." 



We cut a big log, split it in two, and dug a big 

 hole inside. This was to be the coffin of Ndova, and 

 we laid his body in it. 



After this we dug a grave at the foot of a tree near 

 Rogala's house and collected stones. When every- 

 thing was ready, Rogala and I carried the coffin to the 



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