When I had landed I found that I was about a mile, or
perhaps a little less, below the point from which I started. My swag was
wet upon the outside, and I was myself dripping; but I had gained my
point, and knew that my difficulties were for a time over. I then lit my
fire and dried myself; having done so I caught some of the young ducks
and sea-gulls, which were abundant on and near the river-bed, so that I
had not only a good meal, of which I was in great want, having had an
insufficient diet from the time that Chowbok left me, but was also well
provided for the morrow.
I thought of Chowbok, and felt how useful he had been to me, and in how
many ways I was the loser by his absence, having now to do all sorts of
things for myself which he had hitherto done for me, and could do
infinitely better than I could. Moreover, I had set my heart upon making
him a real convert to the Christian religion, which he had already
embraced outwardly, though I cannot think that it had taken deep root in
his impenetrably stupid nature. I used to catechise him by our camp
fire, and explain to him the mysteries of the Trinity and of original
sin, with which I was myself familiar, having been the grandson of an
archdeacon by my mother's side, to say nothing of the fact that my father
was a clergyman of the English Church.
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