648 FIRST LESSON IN HUNTING. 



admiration as the long line filed away up the " narrow lane, 

 across which the mimosa boughs wove a royal arch in seeming 

 consciousness. The soldiers sang, the carriers shouted, and the 

 kirangozi fluttered the beautiful American flag as proudly as 

 he could have done if he had understood the significance of those 

 stars and stripes." Mr. Stanley was not a youth, but his heart 

 bounded with youthful joy, and he lifted up his face toward the 

 pure glowing sky and cried, " God be thanked ! " 



" The road was only a foot path," winding across the surface 

 of splendid soil, between gardens and fields, where abundance 

 of grain and vegetables rewarded the heedless labor of the 

 Wasawahili. These dwellers between the semi-civilization of 

 the coast and the absolute darkness of the interior are some of 

 them a little better dressed, and make a little more respectable 

 appearance than those farther west. But the blood of the bar- 

 barian is there, and the caravan had not proceeded many miles 

 before Mr. Stanley was surrounded by astonished crowds of 

 men and women who were absolutely innocent of clothing, all 

 gazing on the " Basungu " (white man), laughing and pointing 

 their fingers like children at the various objects which seemed 

 to them the strangest. 



At the Kingani the gallant leader of the expedition had his 

 initiatory lesson shooting African game. This turbid stream is 

 famous for its hippopotami. It is just such a stream as these 

 huge creatures have special delight in. Its banks supported 

 the famous jungles of giant reeds and matted climbers, over- 

 shadowed by enormous forest trees, and threaded by creeks and 

 boggy sluices, and all across its bed huge masses of rock broke 

 the force of the current and formed eddies, counter-currents and 

 an infinite succession of shallows and deep places. While his 

 party were being conveyed across by the canoe men, Stanley set 

 about testing the accuracy and force of his guns. His Winchester 

 rifle amounted to nothing; one old fellow was tapped close to 

 the right ear, and only turned around as if to inquire into the 

 needless waste of powder and ball. This old gentleman received 

 the messenger from the smooth bore very differently; bellowing 

 with pain, and trembling in the agonies of death he reeled a 

 moment and fell down dead. The piteous groans of the am- 

 phibious monster touched a tender place of Mr. Stanley's heart, 

 and he turned away from the cruel sport. 



