Page 116 - Adventures in Africa

what had happened. On examining his arm, though

it was fearfully crushed, wonderful as it may seem,
no bone was actually broken. After a little time he
revived, and} accompanied by Harry, we led him

back to the camp. My uncle exerted all his medical
skill to doctor him, and the next morning, though his
arm was useless, be was able to move about as well

as ever. He did not exhibit any special feeling of
gratitude to me, but I won the good opinion of the
natives, and of Toko in particular. Had anybody

told me that I should have been able to perform the
act, I should have declared it was impossible, and all

I know is that I did it.
As all the ivory in the neighbourhood for which we
had goods to give in exchange had been purchased,

we pushed forward to the north-east to a country in­
habited by tribes which had hitherto had little or no
intercourse with Europeans, It is not, however, my

object so much to describe the people as the adven­
tures w~e met with. I cannot exactly say with the
naval officer, who, describing the customs of the

people he visited, in his journal wrote, “ O f manners
they have none, and their customs are beastly,"

Savage those we met were in many respects, but
their savagery arose from their ignorance and gross
idolatry.

W e travelled in a very luxurious manner, compared
to our journey with the single ox across the desert.
As we advanced we saw numbers of large game> and

one evening nearly a hundred buffaloes defiled before
us in slow procession, almost within gun-shot, while
herds of elands passed us without showing any ugns