The dense veil that the day before had shrouded them in gloom was now
broken up into shreds. The azure depths beyond had assumed the
appearance of a blue tunic bespattered with white, and the clouds
suggested the idea of a celestial shepherd, driving myriads of sheep
to the pasture. Children alone can dry up their tears with the
rapidity of Nature in the tropics; perhaps we may have already made
the remark, and must, therefore, beg pardon for repeating the simile a
second time.
In a short time, the two families were assembled on the lawn, in front
of the domestic trees of Falcon's Nest, ready to start on their
journey. The cow and the buffalo were yoked to the carriage, which was
snugly covered over with a tarpauling, thrown across circular girds,
like the old-fashioned waggons of country carriers. Frank mounted the
box in front; Mrs. Becker, Wolston, and Sophia got inside; whilst
Ernest and Jack, mounted on ostriches that had been trained and broken
in as riding horses, took up a position on each side, where the doors
of the vehicle ought to have been. These dispositions made, after a
few lashes from the whip, this party started off at a brisk rate in
the direction of Waldeck.
It had been previously arranged that one half of the expedition should
go by land, and the other half by water, and that on their return this
order should be reversed, so that both the interior and the coast
might be inspected at one and the same time.
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