412 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
became softened and subdued as its flash disappeared 
from the drooping foliage of the tall palms which 
clothed the lower mountain-sides. The softer light 
o 
lingered upon a scene of surpassing beauty, where the 
forest mosses clung to stem and bough, their graceful 
wreaths hanging from branch to branch of the slender 
mimosa and thorny acacia. Around our camp the earth 
was smoothly carpeted with young grasses drawn out by 
the misty showers. Westward, far away, like the roll¬ 
ing swell of the inflowing tide, the long yellow grass 
expanded, relieved here and there by small deep green 
bushes, which rose like islets from a grassy sea. 
“ Nyanja, Senhor ! ” exclaimed Mara. 
“ Yes,” thought I, “ it is Nyassa, and such are the 
lovely scenes that leave happy impressions on the tra¬ 
veller’s mind, the recollection of their beauty blotting 
out the dismal thoughts of miserable days and inci¬ 
dents ! ” 
That night was especially pleasant to me, owing to the 
keen feeling of satisfaction which thrilled through my 
veins, and I thought no one could feel otherwise upon 
such an occasion. 
We had just completed one of the longest and most 
fatiguing marches of all the journey. Now that I had 
at last gained the shores of the big lake, how I longed, 
as I had done a thousand times before, for a companion 
with whom a few congratulatory words might be ex¬ 
changed • 
Reclining against the trunk of a tree I rested my 
jaded body, finding grateful comfort in the balmy air of 
the evening breeze. The soft wind which had sprung up 
from the lake helped to drive away the numerous mos¬ 
quitoes which abounded around us. 
While pensively observing the leaping flames of the 
camp fires, as they sprung up and licked the moss which 
dangled from the overshadowing boughs, thoughts sped 
rapidly through my mind regarding all that had passed 
during the long time—they seemed like years—which 
had elapsed since I said good-bye to the Cape of Good 
