ere a bloody, imperious crew,
and Sebituane performed a noble service in the expulsion from their
fastnesses of these cruel "Lords of the Isles".

Having feasted my eyes long on the beautiful sight, I returned to my
friends at Kalai, and saying to Sekeletu that he had nothing else worth
showing in his country, his curiosity was excited to visit it the next
day. I returned with the intention of taking a lunar observation from
the island itself, but the clouds were unfavorable, consequently all my
determinations of position refer to Kalai. (Lat. 17d 51' 54" S., long.
25d 41' E.) Sekeletu acknowledged to feeling a little nervous at the
probability* of being sucked into the gulf before reaching the island.
His companions amused themselves by throwing stones down, and wondered
to see them diminishing in size, and even disappearing, before they
reached the water at the bottom.

* In modern American English, the word "possibility" is more
appropriate here, and elsewhere in the text where
"probability" is used.--A. L., 1997.

I had another object in view in my return to the island. I observed that
it was covered with trees, the seeds of which had probably come down
with the stream from the distant north, and several of which I had seen
nowhere else, and every now and then the wind wafted a little of the
condensed vapor over it, and kept the soil in a state of moisture,
which caused a sward of grass, growing as green as on an English lawn.
I selected a spot--not too near the chasm, for there the constant
deposition of the moisture nourished numbers of polypi of a mushroom
shape and fleshy consistence, but somewhat back--and made a little
garden. I there planted about a hundred peach and apricot stones, and a
quantity of coffee-seeds. I had attempted fruit-trees before, but,
when left in charge of my Makololo friends, they were always allowed to
wither, after having vegetated, by being forgotten. I bargained for
a hedge with one of the Makololo, and if he is faithful, I have great
hopes of Mosioatunya's abilities as a nursery-man. My only source of
fear is the hippopotami, whose footprints I saw on the island. When the
garden was prepared, I cut my initials on a tree, and the date 1855.
This was the only instance in which I indulged in this piece of vanity.
The garden stands in front, and, were there no hippopotami, I have no
doubt but this will be the parent of all the gardens which may yet be in
this new country. We