TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
241 
when the atmosphere to the east became over- 
spread, and bearing every appearance of an ap- 
proaching tornado. I moved back slowly towards 
the village, with the hope of meeting them, but 
the tornado came on with such rapidity and vio- 
lence, that all was soon complete darkness, and 
the path, which was previously not very distinctly 
marked, now became imperceptible. We con- 
tinued marching east for some time without meet- 
ing the men, to whom I began to fear some- 
thing unpleasant had happened ; but nevertheless 
we marched on in hopes of meeting them as long 
as we could perceive our way by the compass. 
During the violence of the rain, four of the men 
with the moors, and three bullocks, separated 
themselves from the remainder of the party, and, 
although I fired several shots as soon as I dis- 
covered they were not with us, I did not again 
see them. 
It being quite dark at eight o'clock, we halted 
in the woods and lighted a fire, at which we 
spent the night, and half dried our clothes which 
were completely drenched with the rain ; and at 
daylight the following morning again moved 
forward to the east, and in about an hour heard 
the lowing of cattle in that direction ; fifteen 
minutes more brought us clear of the wood, 
when we perceived a village at a short distance. 
On our arrival at it we were informed that Mr, 
R 
