Mr Joseph Thompson, who after the death of Mr. Keith Johnson, headed the Royal Geographical Society's African Exploring Expedition, relates in his history of this journey, " To the Central African Lakes and Back,'' that a frequent source of annoyance was feigned sickness on the part of his porters, leading to a request for a da\'s halt in order that the sick men might recover. In such a case, of course corporal punishment was not to be thought of, but the author found caster oil exceed ingly useful in greasing " the wheels of caravan life." Calling up the sick men, I asked, in the most sympathetic tones at my command, what their ail ments were. They all tenderly rubbed their stomachs with a lugubrious chorus: '"Tumba bevana, turaba mbaya sana" (ray stomach, master, my stomach is very bad). Smiling be nignantly upon them, 1 toid them to be of good cheer, a3 I would soon put them all right. Going into my tent, I brought out two handsome bot tles of castor oil. Now mark the t fleet that the mere sight of that material medicine upon those broken-down creatures. Groans were hushed ; then hands dropped from the affected part, and everyone tried to look all rmht, though a glance of alarm passed from patient to patient; for be it understood, there is nothing a native detests more than European medicines. Strange and marvellous to relate, they were all inclined to retire, cured by the very eight of the bottles. Tuis, however, was not going to suit my purpose; so with parental sternness I ordered them to ait down and open their mouths. Not without diti'culty I administered a large dose to each man, letting him know that if it did not prove an immediate specific the dose would be repeated n« x jmornini\

THE ELIXIR OF LIFE. Dr Succi, of Home, a corresponding nember of the Paris Geographical S.>- :iety, who has taken part in several ex plorations, claims to have found at hat ;he long-sought " Elixir of Life. " He s careful to explain, as we might ex pect from a mau of ec.ence with a repu :ation to lose, that he has not invented ,t, but has simply discovered it. He inserts that there is a p'ant in South- West Africa the enjoyment of which satUfies every need of the human body. 