Alexander, Swinton, and Henderson were on horseback, a little ahead of the first wagon.
"I don't know how you feel," said the Major; "but I feel as if I were a prisoner just released from his chains.

I breathe the air of independence and liberty now.

After the bustle, and noise, and crowding together of the town, to find ourselves here so quiet and solitary is freedom." "I had the same feeling," replied Alexander; "this wide-extended plain, of which we can not yet discern the horizontal edge; these brilliant stars scattered over the heavens, and shining down upon us; no sound to meet our ears but the creaking of the wagon-wheels in the slow and measured pace, is to me delightful.

They say man is formed for society, and so he is; but it is very delightful occasionally to be alone." "Yes; alone as we are," replied Swinton, laughing; "that is, with a party of thirty people, well armed, in search of adventure.

To be clear of the bustle of the town, and no longer cooped up in the fort, is pleasant enough; but, I suspect, to be quite alone in these African wilds would be any thing but agreeable." "Perhaps so." "Neither would you feel so much at ease if you knew that your chance of to-morrow's dinner was to depend wholly upon what you might procure with your gun.