Series:

Cambridge Library Collection - African Studies

1 total work

Cover of Travels, Researches, and Missionary Labours, during an Eighteen Years' Residence in Eastern Africa
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 edition. Excerpt: ...alphabet, and began to teach them the letters one by one. The boys did not seem to be either dull or unsusceptible, but capable of receiving instruction. July 15 th.--This morning my people prepared sandals for the thorny journey through the wilderness out of the skin of a jackal, and when they had purchased the necessary provisions for the journey we started about ten from Bundini. The right direction would have been south by east, by which we should have arrived at Usambara, in the vicinity of Daluni; but instead of that we went almost continuously eastward towards the coast of Wassin and Tanga, a route which was very circuitous. The country which we traversed to-day was for the most part level, covered with grass, acacias, and other trees and shrubs. I soon felt myself at my ease in the wilderness, as there I always travel with pleasure, because I meet with no greedy and bickering begging kings or chiefs; because the air is so wholesome and strengthening; because the stillness and quiet of the night beside a blazing fire does one the greatest good; and because, no less perhaps, I can give myself up undisturbed to my reflections on religious and geographical subjects, and find a Bethel under every tree or bush. The constant experience of Divine protection against wild beasts and savages is also most encouraging. In short, in spite of all the sufferings of hunger and thirst; in spite of weariness and the relentless thorns, which destroyed my clothes; in spite of dangers from robbers from within and without, in the wilderness, I have always felt as happy as few kings and princes can feel in the midst of all their glory and splendour. The one disadvantage is that, except one's own attendants, there is no one in the wilderness with whom one can...