NORTH-EASTERN RHODESIA 79 



on the ground for a while and will rest his 

 labours in the soothing seduction of one of his 

 tempters. 



Civilization has many ears, and they are always 

 open; but you may remark that his severest 

 critics have never carried a heavy load in the 

 world's steep places. 



If you have realized all the loneliness and mono- 

 tony and hardship in the foregoing you will not 

 be surprised if I lead you a step further, and let 

 you gaze on another up-country post and another 

 scene, but in quite another part of Africa, often 

 the sorry corollary of solitude. 



The fiery sun had just sunk below the bronze 

 belt of Mopani over towards the Great River. 

 Across the dusky skies bands of crimson and 

 orange had flung the glories of a Central African 

 evening, and a few spur-winged geese came 

 rushing over the river as if they feared their 

 roosting - place would vanish with the night. 

 Their phantom-like forms had just disappeared 

 into the gloaming shadows, when three men 

 crossed the crude bridge thrown over the stream 

 and sauntered up the little slope to a long, 

 low-lying white hut with a capacious "stoep" — 

 the residence of the Boma doctor. He was 

 the only representative of medicine in a country 

 as large as England, and the whole attitude and 

 demeanour of the man gave one the impression 

 that he realized the immensity of his task, the 

 futility of the fight he waged against the illi- 

 mitable powers of vindictive nature. Tall and 

 worn, he greeted his guests from the depths 

 of a cleverly-made native deck chair. No intro- 

 ductions were needed as far as they were con- 

 cerned, for these four men had for years shared 



6 



