426 THE GREAT TRIES T LAND. 



Still, although it was only a taste, it was uncommonly 

 good, bit like a mamba, and warmed up to a very 

 pleasant degree the latent cockles of his heart. 



So delighted was he with his success, that he at 

 once made a confidant of a leading trader, an intimate 

 friend. The two together got a stock of Kaffir corn, 

 fomented it, and intended going in for a regular whole- 

 sale business. 



The fire again was lighted : fuel was not scarce, and 

 parsimony on such an occasion was deprecated. 



So both Greordie and his friend sat round the still, 

 anxiously waiting for it to commence manufacturing 

 spirits. The delay was considerable, more than was 

 anticipated, and they began to feel anxious, when an 

 explosion took place, and neither knew who punched 

 him. In fact, the formation of our gallant little Celt's 

 legs, which are certainly peculiar, is attributed to this 

 accident. They had quite forgotten that a safety-valve 

 was necessary ! 



Another little anecdote. At Bamanwatto resided an 

 American, who in his younger days had been a sailor. 

 His birthplace was Salem, Mass., and he desired to be 

 considered a proficient on all subjects connected with 

 astronomy, navigation, &c. This great light of the 

 scientific world informed me one day that he had " shot 

 the sun," a common expression among navigators, which 

 means that they have taken an observation. 



I asked him, " How did you do it ? " 



" With a sextant, of course." 



" But don't you think a chronometer, under such 

 circumstances, would be better ? " asked I. 



" Yes ; but what could we do ? We had none of 

 the late inventions of science/' 



