THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MOSES 99 



left to the care of a native boy belonging to the 

 mission. The little prisoner was kept confined by a 

 small rope attached to his cage in order to keep him 

 out of mischief. It was during the dry season, when 

 the dews are heavy and the nights chilly, as the 

 winds at that season are fresh and frequent. 



Within a week after leaving him he contracted a 

 severe cold, which soon developed into acute pul- 

 monary troubles of a complex type, and he began 

 to decline. After an absence of three weeks and 

 three days, I returned to find him in a condition 

 beyond the reach of treatment. He was emaciated 

 to a living skeleton : his eyes were sunken deep into 

 their orbits, and his steps were feeble and tottering ; 

 his voice was hoarse and piping ; his appetite was 

 gone, and he was utterly indifferent to anything 

 around him. 



During my journey I had secured a companion 

 for him, and when I disembarked from the canoe, I 

 hastened to him with this new addition to our little 

 family. I had not been told that he was ill, and was 

 not prepared to see him looking so ghastly. 



When he discovered me approaching, he rose up 

 and began to call me as he had been wont to do 

 before I left him, but his weak voice was like a death- 

 knell to my ears. My heart sunk within me as I 

 saw him trying to reach out his long, bony arms to 

 welcome my return. Poor, faithful Moses ! I could 

 not repress the tears of pity and regret at this sudden 

 change, for to me it was the work of a moment. I 

 had last seen him in the vigour of a strong and 



