THROUGH ZAMBESI A. 
413 
Reflections on tlie past were diverted by pleasant 
anticipations regarding the future. What lay in store 
for me during the next few days % Bright thoughts of 
.the morrow dispelled the clouded memories of bygone 
times ; for now it could not be more than a day before 
we would make the curve round the southern bay, and 
so reach Livingstonia. My reckoning as to position was, 
I knew, not far out, and even remembering that we were 
in Africa—that land of startling misadventure—it was 
not unreasonable to conclude that upon the succeeding 
day we would be welcomed with gladdening smiles from 
white faces lightened by the influence of warm hearts. 
Many hundreds of miles had still to be covered before 
I reached the end of my journey, so that the comforts 
of a few days’ repose, with relief from constantly recur¬ 
ring difficulties and dispiriting doubts, could not fail to 
be most refreshing. The hardest fact of all was that my 
pedlar’s shop was nearly empty, and the end of barter 
meant the end of progress. What would follow ? 
At last Mr. Kerr reaches Livingstonia, expecting to 
grasp the hand of a countryman and be once more 
among friends. 
