This would carry
them as far as Sierra Leone, whence Mr. Goodenough intended to take
passage in a sailing ship to his starting point for the interior.
Frank enjoyed the voyage out intensely, and three days after sailing
they had left winter behind; four days later they were lying in
the harbor of Funchal.
"What a glorious place that would be to ramble about!" he said to
Mr. Goodenough.
"Yes, indeed. It would be difficult to imagine a greater contrast
than between this mountainous island of Madeira and the country
which we are about to penetrate. This is one of the most delightful
climates in the world, the west coast of Africa one of the worst.
Once well in the interior, the swamp fevers, which are the curse of
the shores, disappear, but African travelers are seldom long free
from attacks of fever of one kind or the other. However, quinine
does wonders, and we shall be far in the interior before the bad
season comes on."
"You have been there before, you said, Mr. Goodenough?"
"Yes, I have been there twice, and have made excursions for short
distances from the coast. But this time we are going into a country
which may be said to be altogether unknown.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137