LIVINGSTONIA — BLANTYEE—Q UILLIMANE. 425 
Through the dark veil of night bright Cynthia smiled, 
and under other circumstances my perceptions of a 
beautiful scene might have been quickened, even the 
solitude giving a deeper sympathy with nature. 
But how long, how dismal those moments of loneliness 
seemed ! The feelings they aroused are utterly beyond 
description, even were description of any use; for no 
one can appreciate the despondency of a man being 
thrown entirely upon himself, except those who have 
been similarly placed. 
The wind that nightly whistled through the stunted 
boughs of the baobab died with the sinking sun, and 
anon the atmosphere became gloomy with gathering 
mists which masked the stars, leaving; the still scene in 
a darkness as black as the pall of death. Nothing could 
be heard but the murmuring wash of the restless waves 
beating and playing upon the shore. 
Retiring from the scene I was soon wrapped in the 
folds of the familiar plaid, and being exhausted in mind 
and body, unconsciousness was soon upon me. 
Rattle, rattle ! went the clattering window-frames. 
“ Good heavens, how it blow T s ! No rest for the weary 
in this unfortunate place ! ” The disturbance occurred 
in the middle of the night, and half awakened me. I 
tried to sleep, but the noise was repeated louder than 
before, and I was now startled by an accompaniment of 
excited human voices. 
“ Mzungo ! Mzungo ! ” was shouted vigorously, and 
the sound was not noise, but music to my ears. 
“ White men ! ” I shouted, as I sprung from the 
blanket as quickly as could be done at a fire alarm, and 
actually leaped through the window ; failing energies 
being braced to a wonderful extent by the suddenness 
of the incredible news. 
Getting to the outside, I heard the story. It appeared 
that Mara and two others were coming back late from a 
pombe feast, and were now before me declaring that 
they saw a light far out on the lake. They said “ it 
was the white men’s light.” 
As fast as I could I ran along the beach, and sure 
