ge, no young trees spring up to take their places. This
is not because the wood has a growth so slow as not to be appreciable
in its increase during the short period that it can be observed by man,
which might be supposed from its being so excessively hard; for having
measured a young tree of this species growing in the corner of Mr.
Moffat's garden near the water, I found that it increased at the rate
of a quarter of an inch in diameter annually during a number of years.
Moreover, the larger specimens, which now find few or no successors, if
they had more rain in their youth, can not be above two or three hundred
years old.

It is probable that this is the tree of which the Ark of the Covenant
and the Tabernacle were constructed, as it is reported to be found where
the Israelites were at the time these were made. It is an imperishable
wood, while that usually pointed out as the "shittim" (or 'Acacia
nilotica') soon decays and wants beauty.

In association with it we always observe a curious plant, named
ngotuane, which bears such a profusion of fine yellow strong-scented
flowers as quite to perfume the air. This plant forms a remarkable
exception to the general rule, that nearly all the plants in the dry
parts of Africa are scentless, or emit only a disagreeable odor. It,
moreover, contains an active poison; a French gentleman, having imbibed
a mouthful or two of an infusion of its flowers as tea, found himself
rendered nearly powerless. Vinegar has the peculiar property of
rendering this poison perfectly inert, whether in or out of the body.
When mixed with vinegar, the poison may be drunk with safety, while, if
only tasted by itself, it causes a burning sensation in the throat.
This gentleman described the action of the vinegar, when he was nearly
deprived of power by the poison imbibed, to have been as if electricity
had run along his nerves as soon as he had taken a single glassful.
The cure was instantaneous and complete. I had always to regret want of
opportunity for investigating this remarkable and yet controllable agent
on the nervous system. Its usual proximity to camel-thorn-trees may be
accounted for by the PROBABILITY that the giraffe, which feeds on this
tree, MAY make use of the plant as a medicine.

During the period of my visit at Kuruman, Mr. Moffat, who has been a
missionary in Africa during upward of forty years, and is well known by
his interesting work, "Scenes and Labors in South Africa", was b