UVINGSTONE PLANTS A FRUIT GARDEN. 489 



steadily above the blustering uproar below — a type of 

 Him who sits supreme — alone unchangeable, though 

 ruling over all changing things. But not aware of His 

 true character, they had no admiration of the beautiful 

 and good in their bosoms. They did not imitate 

 His benevolence, for they were a bloody imperious crew, 

 and Sebituane performed a noble service, in the ex- 

 pulsion from their fastnesses of these cruel " I,ords of the 

 Isles." 



Having feasted my eyes long on the beautiful sight, I 

 returned to my friends at Kalai, and, saying to Sekeletu 

 that he had nothing else worth showing in his country, 

 his curiosity was excited to visit it the next day. I 

 returned with the intention of taking a lunar observation 

 from the island itself, but the clouds were unfavourable, 

 consequently all my determinations of position refer to 

 Kalai. (L,at. 17 51' 54" S., long. 25 41' R.) Sekeletu 

 acknowledged to feeling a little nervous at the probability 

 of being sucked into the gulf before reaching the island. 

 His companions amused themselves by throwing stones 

 down, and wondered to see them diminishing in size, and 

 even disappearing, before they reached the water at the 

 bottom. 



I had another object in view in my return to the island. 

 I observed that it was covered with trees, the seeds of 

 which had probably come down with the stream from 

 the distant north, and several of which I had seen nowhere 

 else, and every now and then the wind wafted a little of 

 the condensed vapour over it, and kept the soil in a state 

 of moisture, which caused a sward of grass, growing as 

 green as on an English lawn. I selected a spot — not too 

 near the chasm, for there the constant deposition of the 

 moisture nourished numbers of polypi of a mushroom 

 shape and fleshy consistence — but somewhat back, and 

 made a little garden. I there planted about a hundred 

 peach and apricot stones, and a quantity of coffee-seeds. 

 I had attempted fruit-trees before, but, when left in 

 charge of my Makololo friends, they were always allowed 

 to wither, after having vegetated, by being forgotten. 

 I bargained for a hedge with one of the Makololo, and if 

 he is faithful, I have great hopes of Mosioatunya's abilities 

 as a nurseryman. My only source of fear is the hippo- 

 potami, whose footprints I saw on the island. When the 

 garden was prepared, I cut my initials on a tree, and the 



