In Afric’s Forest and Jungle 
he gave his body a snake-like squirm so as to 
leave as much space as possible for more to fol¬ 
low, All the others of the party followed the 
example of their leader, going round and round 
with clock-like regularity until the rice was all 
gone. By this time their stomachs were dis¬ 
tended like those of cattle in early summer. I 
met among the Kroos, the only leper I ever saw, 
and before I knew that he was a victim of this 
dread disease, 1 shook hands with him. Several 
of his toes and fingers had already dropped off. 
My feelings until 1 was assured that the disease 
was not contagious, may be imagined. 
Ten days after going aboard the mail steamer 
at Palmas we cast anchor before Lagos, and from 
our position saw, about a mile away across a 
terrible bar, the thatched roofs of the town swel¬ 
tering in a broiling tropical sun. In a few mo¬ 
ments, immense red sharks, with backs as broad 
as those of horses, began to appear around our 
ship, and I was informed that the breakers on the 
bar which we were about to cross in a small 
boat, swarmed with these monsters and in¬ 
stantly devoured all who fell into the water. 
I could not help thinking of this while cross¬ 
ing the bar a few hours later, even though 
the boat was most skillfully handled by the 
14 
