Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 edition. Excerpt: ... "They perish in the open streets, --beneath the pitiless pelting of the storm, --of cold, and hunger, and broken hearts." Bishop Horsley. URING the noontide heat of an African sun, the missionary sat with his family in the shadow of their waggon. A widely - spread solitude extended far away and all around them. The sun glowed from a cloudless sky on the scorching sand; the lion lay panting in his shady den; the wild beasts had sought, some the cooling river, some the depths of the dark forest; and all around the travellers there was neither sound, nor sight of life. Nature lay exhausted; and had dropped asleep, like an infant in the heat of day. An object moving in the distance, and approaching his encampment, at length attracted the eye of the missionary. By and by a boy stood before him, in the grace of savage freedom, scantily attired in the skin of a wild beast, which hung from his bronzed and naked shoulders. He was accompanied by a beautiful springbok, which licked his hand, and trotted lovingly at his heels. The child of parents who had died or deserted him, without brother or sister, kindred, clan, or companion, save the gentle deer, --he told his story in a single sentence. Fixing his large black eyes on the man of God, he stretched out his naked arm, and said, "Stranger, I am alone in the world." The appeal was touching, tender, irresistible. Let us hope it will prove as successful with kind hearts at home. The solitude of a crowd is the most painful of all. We have sat on the shore of a lonely bay, shut out from the green earth by its gigantic walls, with nought but the blue sea before us, and the blue sky above us; on the sands no print of human foot, nor white sail on the waters. At the close of day we have stood in a lone...
