126 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



especially since he had rendered such excellent service in prepar- 

 ing for the departure. 



Baker's diary, which was kept throughout the long journey, 

 shows how poor Schmidt began to fail, though his great energy 

 kept him from giving up for a long time, but the struggle grew 

 less until the year began to fade out, when with it sped the brave 

 spirit. Baker's chronicle of this event is as follows : 



"Johann is in a dying state, but sensible ; all his hopes, poor 

 fellow, -of saving money in my service and returning to Bavaria 

 are past. I sat by his bed for some hours ; there was not a ray 

 of hope ; he could speak with difficulty, and the flies walked 

 across his glazed eyeballs without his knowledge. Gently bathing 

 his face and hands, I asked him if I could deliver any message 

 to his relatives. He faintly uttered, ' I am prepared to die ; I 

 have neither parents nor relations ; but there is one she ' he 

 faltered. He could not finish his sentence, but his dying thoughts 

 were with one he loved ; far, far away from this wild and miser- 

 able land. Did not a shudder pass over her, a chill warning at 

 that sad moment when all was passing away? I pressed his cold 

 hand and asked her name. Gathering his remaining strength he 

 murmured, ' Es bleibt nur zu sterben.' <Ieh bin sehr dankbar.' 

 These were the last words he spoke, ' I am very grateful.' I 

 gazed sorrowfully at his attenuated figure, and at the now pow- 

 erless hand that had laid low many an elephant and lion in its day 

 of strength ; and the cold sweat of death lay thick upon his 

 forehead. Although the pulse was not yet still, Johann was 

 gone. I made a huge cross with my own hands from the trunk 

 of a tamarind tree, and by moonlight we laid him in his grave in 

 this lonely spot.'' 



" No useless coffin enclosed his breast, 



Nor in sheet nor in shroud we wound him ; 

 But he lay like a Pilgrim taking his rest, 

 With his mantle drawn around him." 



A FATAL BUFFALO HUNT. 



ON the evening of January 9th, while the boats were moving 

 at the rate of five miles an hour against the current, a buffalo 



