A printing press had been set out, which enabled us to supply wall-cards for the Junior Classes. We printed also a few hymns and passages of scripture, but our work at this was very slow. It would be most economical for such presses to be accompanied by a good printer. As a rule the Missionary is much more serviceable at his own calling, and feels that while setting type he is precluded from work that he is better fitted for. The English characters are well adapted for all sounds in the Yao language, but not so adequate for Chinyasa. We found that the usual naming of the English alphabet might be simplified with advantage to our pupils. We call the letter _b_, _be_, while we call, _m_, _em_: why not be consistent and call them either _be_, _me_, or _eb_, _em_? Again as _w_, is always a consonant in this language, we named it _we_, and not _double-u_. It is a pity that our system of English spelling is so intricate, it makes our language very difficult to acquire. We felt inclined to order for the school the “Fonetik Nuz!” All this time I was intensely busy. A great part of my time was occupied in teaching and preaching, and in the short intervals at my disposal for my special work of translating, I could seldom sit down without being liable to interruption. Many sick people looked upon me as a physician. For a long time we had been in the centre of Africa without any medical man. Natives came with all manner of diseases. One day we had a man that was said to be mad. In some of his fits he had wounded a neighbour with an arrow. Whether he was mad or not, he was evidently far from well, and I gave him a large dose of Eno’s Fruit Salt. The poor fellow came back next morning to tell us that he was better. His breath was no longer offensive, and he looked cheerful. We were sorry when our supply of Fruit Salt went done, it was a favourite both with natives and Europeans, and is much used along the malarious coasts. Once I offered a sick girl a dose of ordinary salts, but when she tasted it, she regarded me with an injured look and the tears came to her eyes. Reflecting that I would not have liked to take the stuff myself, I did not insist that she should. But as a general rule, the natives, especially when there is little wrong with them, will swallow the most nauseous medicines with great composure. A chief sometimes came with a number of men and women, and three times as many children, declaring that they were all sick, and demanding medicine. In such cases the doctor had given Bismark the keg with castor oil, and told him to go round and administer a spoonful to each. Although there might be a wail from some disgusted infant, most of the party considered the medicine a treat, and after the ceremony there would be a great smacking of lips!