d queer things happen in
it, things that strain a man's credulity to the breaking-point, until he
has had personal experience of them. That remark of Shakespeare's, that
`there are more things in heaven and earth than are reckoned in our
philosophy' is nowhere more forcefully confirmed than in this continent
of Africa, and especially in those parts of it which are practically
unknown to the white man. Why, even here, close at hand, among our
neighbours the Zulus, there have been happenings--well authenticated,
mind you--that are absolutely unexplainable by any knowledge that we
whites possess. But I think I have prosed enough for one sitting, and
it is growing late--one o'clock, as I am a living sinner!--and you must
be growing tired. Do you wonder why I have told you all these things?
Well, it is because I should like to dissuade you from this mad scheme
of yours, which my experience tells me can only end in disaster, and
induce you to content yourselves with a two-months' hunting trip in the
company of some good man who knows the country, and can be trusted to
see that you come to no harm. Now, good night, both of you! think over
what I have said; sleep well, and don't dream of fantastic horrors such
as my talk may have suggested."

If Mr Joseph Mitchell, sugar planter, and thoroughly honest, well-
meaning man, flattered himself that the foregoing conversation would
have any other effect than to stimulate the curiosity of his guests and
confirm them in their determination to carry out their plans in their
entirety, he very greatly over-estimated his persuasive powers, and
completely misread the characters of those to whom he had been talking.
For both Grosvenor and Maitland were of a highly adventurous
disposition, and what Mitchell had told them had simply whetted their
curiosity to a keen edge, and had strongly suggested to them that the
adventure promised to be of an even more alluring and thrilling
character than they had ever ventured to hope, even in their most
sanguine moments. So much, indeed, they made clear to their host when
they met him the next morning at the breakfast table; and, when he would
have made a further attempt at dissuasion, laughingly assured him that
their minds were finally made up, and that the kindest thing he could
now do for them would be to give them as much information and as many
hints and wrinkles as he could think of to help them to a satisfactory
conclusion of the adventure.