W

APTER XV.

FOR several wearing the recent event Ned's cap

tors led him by long and constant marches toward the west, but since his galian behavior in the encounter with the lion, he had been kindly trusted both he and Tim were allowed to march free, and, moover, they were permitted to carry their arms, which were less to the natives. Hardly a day had passed without a supply of meat, as the country abounded with game, and bd killed many large antelopes and buffaloes that had der entire party. Thus upon Tim's proverb, "Fill de nigger's belly make de nigger frens," an alliance was established by won the captors and their prisoners that was exceedingly fan ordble to the latter.

After a march of three weeks, during which fed calca lated that they had travelled 320 miles due west, they ar rived in an elevated country, where the temperature was much cooler than any to which they had been accustomed For several days they continued to ascend immense slopes of waving grass lands, interspersed with clumps of mimosas, whose dark green tops were an attraction for large herds of beautiful giraffes; it was the first time that Ned had seen these stately animals, and as he sat upon a high rock during a halt upon the march he looked down with admiration on the beautiful country before him. As far as the eye could reach were undulating plains ornamented with trees, while lofty mountains formed a dark blue chain in the distance, and abrupt rocky hills rising here and there

broke the monotony of the yast prairie. Animals of great variety and numbers gave life to the scene; herds of beautiful zebras galloped over the plain when disturbed; ostriches stalked proudly upon a carpet of bright green turf, which afforded pasturage for thousands off antelopes and buffaloes that were scattered in large troops throughout the landscape.

The first rains had commenced, thus all was verdant; but the march was drawing to a close, as the rainy season was unfavorable for travelling.

Another week was passed in steady progress of about fifteen miles per day. Every night Ned took his latitude by the meridian altitude of a star, and as the natives watched him communicating (as they thought) with these heavenly bodies, they regarded him with feelings of profound respect, as they considered that he had brought down the recent showers that had so refreshed the land. Thus he was looked upon as a rain-maker—a most important personage throughout the interior of Africa. Ned found that they had travelled due west, as they had seldom diverged more than a mile north or south of the same parallel of latitude upon which they had first started; therefore, allowing

miles per day in a direct line as the distance marchhe knew by this dead reckoning his approximate position.

It was on the twenty-eighth day of marching that a scene burst upon Ned's view that almost repaid him for the fatigues of the long journey. During the morning they had passed through a more than usually populated country, and by ten o'clock they were near the summit of a hill, to which the negroes pointed as the end of their pilgrimage. Upon several occasions the guides had endeavored to explain something important connected with this day, and they now quickened their pace as they approached the brow of the

steep slope, thanegroes still pointing before them as though something binary would be seen. plinary would be seen. The path now wound through a row rocky gorge that cleft the summit of the hill; passing through this cleft, overhung with beautiful trees and org plants, a magnificent scene burst suddenly upon them. Med stood for a few moments rivet

ted to the spot. He

a

led down from a height of about

a thousand feet upon est inland sea, which sparkled in the sunshine like a valley of diamonds as every ripple on the surface reflected the bright rays. On the western side of the lake a clear blue outline cut the sky, as a range of lofty mountains walled in the mass of waters; while from the spot on which Ned stood the ground sloped in rapid undulations of green turf, ornamented with numerous forest trees. Upon the rich pastures were innumerable cattle, that belonged to the many villages that were scattered at irregular intervals upon the slopes. Some of these dwellings appeared to be within a few yards of the water's edge, and upon the beach could be plainly distinguished rows of canoes, many of which were engaged in fishing, but upon none could Ned perceive a sail.

The country was extremely poprims and as the party now rapidly descended the hill Ned

w the

lage was strongly protected by stocks, wh kraals were erected in the vicinit

the addition of a live hed the impenetrabic thorny cactus. There could be no doubt that ho had arrived at a place of great importance, as he had seen nothing approaching to the wouffle of Pls country throughout the long march from the so8-00! d Ned felt that if he were to become a slave this spot would most probably be the scene of his captivity. As this thought passed through his mind he observed that the more level portions of the ground at the bottom of the valley were cultivated with various crops,

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which as he descended he could plainly distinguish to be the tall millet and sweet potatoes, while thick groves of bananas surrounded every village, and afforded both fruit and shade. There could not be a more lovely country; and Ned congratulated himself that his lot appeared to have fallen in pleasant places, when, havig completed the descent, the party passed through a large field of millet nearly twice the height of a man, and presently entered a plantation of bananas upon a path which conducted them to the gateway of the principal town.

They arrived at a curious archway in the thick stockade. This was formed of innumerable sharp-pointed boughs of extremely hard wood, so closely fixed together, and apparently interlaced with their points outward, that it was necessary to walk exactly in the middle of the narrow entrance, which would only pernait the passage of men in single file. This peculiar arrangement was to prevent a sudden surprise by a rush of men in a large body; and to render the approach still more difficult there was a turn at right angles in the middle of the sharp-pointed passage, which continued for a distance of about twenty feet. The stockade fence was composed of a double row of large trees, firmly fixed je ground, and laced together with bamboos interwoven with the branches of the hooked thorn mimosa, which would be perfectly impenetrable to any naked men, and the defense might be considered impregnable unless destroyed by fire.

It was through this fortified work that the party now entered the town, when they were almost immediately met in a large open space by a number of the natives, who were lounging beneath the shade of an immense tamarind-tree; they immediately rose and surrounded them with expressions of much curiosity upon seeing Ned. These natives were entirely different in appearance to thors who had cap

tured Ned and Tim; their language was perfectly unknown to the guides, and they were unable to converse except by signs until an inter eter could be found who had lived for some time among the other tribe. Suddenly Tim came forward, and listening for a few moments with intense eagerness to the buzz of voices in the crowd, he exclaimed to Ned, "Dis my people! dis my talk, Massa Ned! Tim knows de talk!" and without more ado he spoke fluently to the native who was nearest to him.

The effect of this was extraordinary; Tim was at once the centre of attraction, and the people crowded round him to hear the account of their journey and capture by the band who had led them thither. The crowd increased, and as a man of some importance appeared they were at once conducted to a large open place in the centre of the town, where they were brought into the presence of the chief or king. He was a fine man of about forty, and was seated upon a carpet of leopard skins beneath the shade of a large banian-tree, surrounded by many of his people. The large crowd that followed Ned and Tim now halted, and sat down respectfully at some distance, while the two strangers, together with the band of slave-hunters, were introduced to the king. He now made a sign to a negro by his side, who at once struck a large drum three times, with slow but heavy beats. The effect was instantaneous; every voice in the crowd of more than a thousand persons was hushed.

Complete silence having been restored, the king addressed Ned in a few words, desiring the entire party to be seated, and to explain whence and for what purpose they had arrived.

Tim now became the spokesman, and in a long but clear discourse he gave an account of the shipwreck and their subsequent journey; he also described his first arrival in England, to which country Ned belonged.