AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



hose nozzle and turn the stream to sweep the decks ? 

 Did they duck for shelter? did they at least know 

 enough to scatter and run? They did none of these 

 things; but sat there in meek little rows like manni- 

 kins until the boat was half full of water and every- 

 thing awash. Then, when the sailor shut off the 

 stream, they continued to sit there until the mate 

 came to order them out. Why? I cannot tell you. 

 Perhaps that is the German idea of how to take a 

 joke. Perhaps they were afraid worse things might be 

 consequent on resistance. Perhaps they still hoped 

 to go ashore. One of the Englishmen asked just 

 that question. 



"What," he demanded disgustedly, "what is the 

 matter with the beggars?" 



Our cowboy may have had the correct solution. 

 He stretched his long legs and jumped down from 

 the rail. 



"Nothing stirring above the ears," said he. 



It is customary in books of travel to describe this 

 part of the journey about as follows: "skirting 

 the low and uninteresting shores of Africa we at 

 length reached," etc. Low and uninteresting shores! 

 Through the glasses we made out distant mountains 

 far beyond nearer hills. The latter were green- 

 covered with dense forests whence rose mysterious 

 smokes. Along the shore we saw an occasional 



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