itude 12 degrees S., the young leaves had in
many cases passed from the pink or other colour they have on first coming
out to the light fresh green which succeeds it, here, on the borders of
16 degrees S., or from 150 to 180 miles distant, the trees were still
bare, the grey colour of the bark predominating over every other hue. The
trees in the tropics here have a very well-marked annual rest. On the
Rovuma even, which is only about ten degrees from the equator, in
September the slopes up from the river some sixty miles inland were of a
light ashy-grey colour; and on ascending them, we found that the majority
of the trees were without leaves; those of the bamboo even lay crisp and
crumpled on the ground. As the sun is usually hot by day, even in the
winter, this withering process may be owing to the cool nights; Africa
differing so much from Central India in the fact that, in Africa, however
hot the day may be, the air generally cools down sufficiently by the
early morning watches to render a covering or even a blanket agreeable.

The first fortnight after our return to the ship was employed in the
delightful process of resting, to appreciate which a man must have gone
through great exertions. In our case the muscles of the limbs were as
hard as boards, and not an ounce of fat existed on any part of the body.
We now had frequent showers; but, these being only the earlier rains, the
result on the rise of the river was but a few inches. The effect of
these rains on the surrounding scenery was beautiful in the extreme. All
trace of the dry season was soon obliterated, and hills and mountains
from base to summit were covered with a mantle of living green. The sun
passed us on his way south without causing a flood, so all our hopes of a
release were centred on his return towards the Equator, when, as a rule,
the waters of inundation are made to flow. Up to this time the rains
descended simply to water the earth, fill the pools, and make ready for
the grand overflow for which we had still to wait six weeks. It is of no
use to conceal that we waited with much chagrin; for had we not been
forced to return from the highlands west of Nyassa we might have visited
Lake Bemba; but unavailing regrets are poor employment for the mind; so
we banished them to the best of our power.

About the middle of December, 1863, we were informed that Bishop
Mackenzie's successor, after spending a few months on the top of a
mountain about