Sketches From A Traveller's Journal.

w'ith the addition of a grand forehead ornament bearing a a Avonderful resemblance to one of my stolen instruments . He received us most cordially , aud his regret to hear of our loss Avas extreme . He Avas himself , he said , very short of horses , but under the circumstances lie ivould not object to letting me have one . However , neither Henrick nor 1 were

in u humour to be put oil' so easily , and after an immense deal of talking on Henrick ' s part and the jxroffbr 0 f a quantity of beads aud trinkets on ivire , a bargain for two horses was struck , on my adding as a gift a large silver brooch to fasten tlie chief ' s karosse , and a tiny pocket telescope , ivhich he broke before we parted . Our now steeds proved wretched substitutes for those AVC

had lost . Moreover , ere long , Ave found the path , or rather ivay the Kafirs had recommended to us , led through a most wild and sterile region . Huge rocks were piled up on either side of us , sometimes meeting in tottering arches above our heads , ivhile every crevice aud ledge among them AVUS thronged ivith troops of large baboons , who raged and

shrieked , and chattered afc us , and pelted us ivith stones , frequently of no small size . The way too was rugged almost beyond imagination , strewn with rolling stones , and intersected by fissures ; aud among its difficulties one of our newly purchased horses broke his leg , so that AVC ivere compelled to shoot him , Avhile the other knocked up so completely , that ive had no alternative but to abandon him .

Thus we were again reduced to only one horse , and him Ave had to devote to tbe most indispensable part of our l"S'g ;| g ° > plodding on ourselves on hob , over burning saud and heated rocks , ivhich blistered our feet . Never during all our journey had we suffered as much as Ave did . then , for , to add to all our other hardships , both food

and water began to fail , and as we look onwards a more arid country than ever lay before us . It became evident the Kafirs had deceived us , and that this wild path led to the expedition by a circuitous instead of a shorter route . We talked of retracing onr steps , but we knew the difficulties of the way , and our hearts failed uswhereas bgoing

, y onwards we had still hope to support us , so we persevered . But a fearful journey it proved , and want and hardshi p had reduced us to the lowest ebb ere we at length issued out from that desert of rocky , scorching fastnesses , and threw our exhausted limbs beneath the Avelcome shadow of a tree . Two' short , but , to us , Avearying days' journeys through a

more fertile country , brought us to a broad green plain , ' and on its further limit our eyes were rejoiced by the sight of three outspanued bullock ivaggons , nestling along the edge of the forest beyond . Beside them gleamed four white tents , ivhich , with the little herd of oxen , and flock of sheep , and the half dozen horses grazing on the plain , and the score of men hovering around the camp , told us Ave had at length reached the expedition , ivhich flashed on our desert ivorn eyes like a pleasant and populous city .

Our arrival among these friends was made a festival , when , forgetful of the sufferings of the past and the cares for the future Ave enjoyed ourselves ri ght merrily . For nearly IAVO years Ave shared the wanderings of the expedition among the wild steppes and wilder passes of Central Africa ; and though many were the difficulties and hardships inseparable from

such an undertaking , they Avere sweetened by many valuable discoveries , and none equalled those I had undergone in my journey throush the South African wilderness to join them . A . M .

PRETENDED RITUALS . —Tho writer * oi clandestine ivorks upon Masonry have overlooked the important tact , that that ivhich makes a man a Mason can never be written , oven though that wliich enables Masons to communicate might he . These expositions then , at the best , could only be useful to hypocrites . But the truth is , they fail to serve oven ' tliom ; for no impostor by their aid over did , or over can , impose him . self upon a Mason or a Lodge—Neta York Masonic Chronicle . i

From Dark To Light.

FROM DARK TO LIGHT .

THE following lecture on the anniversary of the Lodge Loyal Union , in Wittemburg , by Bro . SCHMUNDT , member oi Lodge "Herman and German Sincerity , " iu Miihlhausen , is translated from Die Bauhulie : — Extraordinary times should bring forward extraordinary things ; that is the expectation which must be indulged in by all present . To-day we have to commemorate an extraordinary circumstance ;

but still , my brethren , you must not expect anything extraordinary from mc , but you must be content with what is ordinary , and which you have oftentimes heard before . There arc sonic things , however , which cannot be too often repeated , as they continually present neiv phases and directions , from which we may noiv and then appropriate to ourselves some lesson of experience . May it be my lot to-day to point out to your satisfaction such a result

under the circumstances which have brought us together . Many years ago , when the brethren were assembled to lay the foundation of this Lodge , there was present with them a feeling more or Icss impressive , that they were engaged in a holy undertaking , for they then commenced a work , the end of which they could not perceive , for its duration must be perpetual , to bring forth the expected fruit . Wc , who arc the successors , and partly the

disciples of those brethren , noiv stand reflectingly on the same foundation ; the founders of the building arc long ago gone to their eternal rest above ; wc , however , possess their inheritance with all its duties , for wc build on the basis they have constructed , and wish to continue what they have so piously commenced , leaving it to be perfected by our children in future time . The task thus imposed upon us is a difficult one , I confess , namely , to

commence with the knoivledge of not being able to complete ; but it is worthy of the enterprising spirit of man , who alone amongst animated beings has an innate impression of its eternal duration , and is thereby convinced that for whatever earthly work lie lays the foundation-, it will live in eternity to sec its completion . If we have really such a feeling within us ou this occasion , we may stand without anxiety on the foundation of our pious brethren

, although it still remains in that capacity only . We arc still only at the commencement of the work , and our successors will also be in that position , considering the heaven high building that has to be constructed . But these successions of workmen will visibly advance the building ; and on their death bed they will rejoice in having contributed their humble jiroportion of service towards such a noble consummation . Let not the smallness of the

contribution , however , lead any brother to set light by his efforts , for those of all must concentrate on one point , when the one universal movement will effect the object desired . There is one thing more than another which the foundation wc now commemorate brings to our recollection , and that is the necessity of our proceeding to work Algorously , and to have our plans clearly before us at the commencement . May this be the grand object oi

our assembling to-day , carefully to reflect on the " design and usages of Freemasonry , " with a lively conviction that in this matter also we are only at the beginning , and that the completion rests in His hands who is himself the beginning and the ending of all creation . The design of Freemasonry is a widely discussed problem , and one would therefore conclude that every Mason could solve it . Every one who enters a Lodge to work for its

progress , believes himself inspired to a certain extent , hut that lire which actuates him is oftentimes oniy a presentiment of its object , and not a pure conviction of the same . Let one of us try to obtain this conviction and express his feelings upon it in empty words , and it will appear to many that he liasa mere enthusiasm for something floating in the air—an inexplicable ideawhich creates in him that feeling of excitement .

, On the other hand , he who searches more profoundly its design , and to the utmost of his OAVU capacity , will perceive that Freemasonry is a bond of friendship and benevolence . This , however , is 011 I 3 ' a partial vieiv of its objects , not the whole , for- the design of Freemasonry does not confine itself to mere individuals , but to the whole body ; not that of to-day , of yesterday , or to-morrow , but to the whole of mankind from the beginning of the world to

the end thereof . In other words , Freemasonry takes mankind as it was , as it is , and as it will be , and guides its steps to the consummation of its design . He , therefore , AVIIO feels inclined to work in his individual capacity for the attainment of its objects , has only to be a man , and he then becomes a Mason of himself . This seems easy enough , but it is really difficult , for otherwise man ' s destiny would already have bcui fulfilled , and no more complaint would be heard of our being only at the beginning . The duration of man is not great , and his years are very sparingly dealt out ; on tho contrary , mankind will exist till the day of