498 A BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT. 



They now came to large masses of haematite, which was often 

 ferruginous: there was conglomerate too, many quartz pebbles 

 being intermixed. " It seems," says Livingstone, " as if when 

 the lakes existed in the lower lands the higher levels gave forth 

 great quantities of water from chalybeate fountains, which de- 

 posited this iron ore." Gray granite or quartz with talc in it 

 was discovered under the haematite. 



Of this region the doctor writes : '' The forest resounds with 

 singing birds, intent on nidification. Francolins abound, but 

 are wild. ' Whip-poor-wills/ and another bird, which has a 

 more labored treble note and voice — ' Oh, oh, oh ! ' Gay flowers 

 blush unseen, but the people have a good idea of what is eat- 

 able and what not. I looked at a woman's basket of leaves 

 which she had collected for supper, and it contained eight or ten 

 kinds, with mushrooms and orchidaceous flowers. We have a 

 succession of showers to-day, from northeast and east-northeast. 

 We are uncertain when we shall come to a village, as the Babisa 

 will not tell us where they are situated. In the evening we 

 encamped beside a little rill, and made our shelters, but we had 

 so little to eat that I dreamed the night long of dinners I had 

 eaten, and might have been eating." 



Nothing could be more beautiful than the beautiful words 

 which follow this mention of the bitter want which was wearing 

 away the life of this singularly good man — " I shall make this 

 beautiful land known, which is an essential part of the process 

 by which it will become the ' pleasant haunts of men.' " It was 

 Christ-like truly to be thus able to find sweet consolation in the 

 hope of others' happiness. We are prepared for the words which 

 come to us in his journal on December 31st: " We end 1866. 

 It has not been so fruitful or useful as I intended. Will try to 

 do better in 1867, and be better, more gentle and loving; and 

 may the Almighty, to whom I commit my way, bring my de- 

 sires to pass and prosper me ! Let all the sins of 1866 be blotted 

 out for Jesus' sake ! " How the great, humble, pure, tender, 

 loving and trusting soul shines out in such words ! Not unlike 

 it is the journal on January 1st, 1867 : " May he who is full of 

 grace and truth impress his character on mine ; grace, eagerness 

 to show favor, truth, truthfulness, sincerity, honor, for his mercy's 

 sake!" 



