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Seven Years in Central Africa. [Sept. 
One learns at such times that there are compensations in lonely 
service in Central Africa. The privilege of being enabled wholly to 
engross oneself from morning to night in the business of reaching 
the hearts of these people is very great indeed. In fact I often 
feel that the present compensations quite outweigh any sacrifice 
made. All that draws us nearer to God is rich and fertile in 
reward; yea, it is good at times even to be cast down, for the Lord 
comforteth them that are so. (2 Cor. vii. 6.) 
RUMOUR ABOUT A FELLOW-LABOURER. 
On returning to my house I found that a company of Bihe traders 
had arrived. They reported the death of Chipongi, the chief of 
that place, and also told me that there was a white man in Bihe, 
known as " Monare's brother," who was planning to reach the 
Garenganze. Their not having letters of any kind, however, 
made me rather suspicious of their statements, and their ex- 
travagant accounts of the immense following that this white man 
had, and the great amount of goods in his possession, and other 
cock-and-bull stories with which they filled my ears, made me 
still more doubt their truthfulness. 
THREE ANTELOPES SHOT. 
September 16th. — One of Msidi's hunters came to my house to 
say that there was a troop of antelopes out in the plain to the 
north of the capital, and urged me to go at once with him to the 
spot. As myself and boys were in need of food of some sort I 
started for the plain with this man as guide. We found, however, 
that the herd had gone further away. Following on for some 
time, we made up to them about ten miles from Msidi's town. I 
succeeded in stalking the herd, getting within 150 yards of them, 
and from behind a small tree I opened fire. Although I had only 
five cartridges in my belt three of these antelopes were brought 
down. They were about the size of oxen, and are very good 
eating indeed. Two of them lay together, and the third about 
a hundred yards off. 
A NIGHT ALONE WITH WILD BEASTS. 
By this time the sun was just disappearing, and considering the 
state of my larder at home, I could not think of leaving all this 
meat in the plain. I therefore sent off my companion to the 
