I Then Requested
My Companions To Give A True Account Of What They Had Seen.
The Wonderful Things Lost Nothing In The Telling, The Climax Always Being
That They Had Finished The Whole World, And Had Turned Only
When There Was No More Land.
One glib old gentleman asked,
"Then you reached Ma Robert (Mrs. L.)?" They were obliged to confess
that she lived a little beyond the world.
The presents were received
with expressions of great satisfaction and delight; and on Sunday,
when Sekeletu made his appearance at church in his uniform,
it attracted more attention than the sermon; and the kind expressions
they made use of respecting myself were so very flattering
that I felt inclined to shut my eyes. Their private opinion must have tallied
with their public report, for I very soon received offers from volunteers
to accompany me to the east coast. They said they wished to be able
to return and relate strange things like my recent companions;
and Sekeletu immediately made arrangements with the Arab Ben Habib
to conduct a fresh party with a load of ivory to Loanda. These, he said,
must go with him and learn to trade: they were not to have any thing to do
in the disposal of the ivory, but simply look and learn. My companions
were to remain and rest themselves, and then return to Loanda
when the others had come home. Sekeletu consulted me as to sending presents
back to the governor and merchants of Loanda, but, not possessing
much confidence in this Arab, I advised him to send a present by Pitsane,
as he knew who ought to receive it.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 747 of 1070
Words from 214262 to 214537
of 306638
