420 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
until my endurance failed, and I fell into a profound 
slumber. 
“ Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day 
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain-tops. 
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.” 
These lines speak of my feelings when, shortly after 
the grey dawn I went out to reconnoitre, and to learn, 
if possible, whether my plans of pushing on another day’s 
march eastward could be realised. 
Where were the Angoni ? There were the ashes of 
the fires of the previous night lying at the back of the 
house. I looked into the deserted kitchen, which smelt 
strongly of soot, and looked quite as black. Not a soul 
was to be seen. My presentiment had not been ground¬ 
less. The Angoni had fled ! 
What a lovely dawn smiled upon the earth ! I walked 
down to the water’s edge. White-necked fish-eagles 
piping their shrill and wailing notes soared high in the 
fresh morning air, and perched on the branches of the 
large baobab, which reared its lofty form close to the 
deserted house. Male and female cried alternately to 
each other. Fish-hawks in large numbers were busily at 
work searching for their morning meal, while clearly 
and grandly the sun silvered every ripple of the great 
lake. Around the shore Nature seemed to rejoice with 
the waking day, giving a glorious welcome to the 
dazzling orb which brought light and life to the 
grateful earth. 
No matter how bleak, how black, how weary the night 
may have been, uprising day, graced with a bright un¬ 
clouded sky, rarely fails to bring to the traveller a little 
liveliness of hope, along with fresh ideas and new aspira¬ 
tions. Mentally his plans under such conditions are 
gilded with triumph at their very birth, and he feels 
inspired with boundless energy of purpose and self-con¬ 
fidence to face emergencies and overcome every obstacle 
by which he may be confronted. 
To detail how the days following the desertion of the 
Angoni men were passed would be a tiresome and unpro- 
