Page:Livingstone in Africa.djvu/105

Wandering devious, many-mooded rivers
Mazily saunter, with a floating flower,
Or leaf, or bubble on their bosom borne;
With labyrinthine silver in the blue;
Indolent dimpling playful light and shadow;
Now washing swiftly round about the roots
Of guava, mango, fountainous cocoa-palm,
Or palm that, veil'd in climbing green llianas,
High over all the verdure lifts a spire.
Among blithe rapids my dark boatmen wade,
Merrily pushing; while at waterfalls,
Pendent in green woods among roseate rocks,
Pendent, like plumes of birds of paradise,
They carry our frail bark upon their shoulders.

Sunset arrives: a stilly-flowing flood
Glows, like blent molten metals brilliant,
Dark and light green, crimson, purple and gold,
Repeating heaven; as though yon gleaming beetles,
Swaying among the verdure, were afloat,
One solid army of them, mail'd in glory.