ON THE MARCH AGAIN. 2/1 "It îs to be hoped" replîed Bat, "that Dingo will strangle him first" Dick Sands, disguising his vexation, said, " At any rate, we hâve no tîme to waît for the animal now : if he îs alive, he will not fail to find us out Move on, my lads ! move on ! " The weather was very hot ; ever sînce daybreak heavy clouds had been gatherîng upon the horizon, and it seemed hardly likely that the day would pass without a storm. Fortunately the woods were sufficiently light to ensure a certain amount of freshness to the surface of the soil. Hère and there were large patches of tall, rank grass en- closed by clumps of forest trees. In some places, fossilized trunks, lying on the ground, betokened the existence of one of the coal districts that are common upon the con- tinent of Africa, Along the glades the carpet of verdure was relieved by crîmson stems and a variety of flowers ; gînger-blossoms, blue and yellow, pale lobelias, and red orchids fertilized by the numerous insects that incessantly hovered about them. The trees did not grow in impéné- trable masses of one specîes, but exhibited themselves in infinité variety. There was also a species of palm pro- ducing an oil locally much valued ; there were cotton- plants growing in bushes eight or ten feet high, the cotton attached in long shreds to the ligneous stalks ; and there were copals from which, pierced by the proboscîs of certain insects, exudes an odorous resin thatflows on to the ground and is collected by the natives. Then there were citrons and wild pomegranates and a score of other arborescent plants, ail testifying to the fertility of this plateau of Central Africa. In many places, too, the air was fragrant with the odour of vanilla, though it was not possible to discover the shrub from which the perfume emanated. In spite of it being the dry season, so that the soil had only been moistened by occasional storms, ail trees and plants were flourishing in great luxuriance. It was the tîme of year for fever, but, according to Dr. Livingstone's observation, the disorder may generally be cured by quit- tîng the locality where it has been contracted. Dick ex-
