This half year I translated the greater part of the Pilgrim’s Progress. Certain personages like Giant Pope I had of course to omit. Through _vivâ voce_ teaching some of the classes knew and appreciated a great part of this allegory. I was also very busy in translating the Scriptures. We knew that the time required to translate the whole Bible was about fifteen years, and Buchanan and I were anxious to try whether we might not, by working as for a wager, complete the task in a much shorter time. While we were thus busy on the Yao Bible we knew that Dr. Laws and the Missionaries on Nyassa were advancing in the translation of the Chinyasa Bible. Towards the end of 1880, Chelomoni, a Blantyre Headman, captured two men from Mpingwi, and put them in slave-sticks. They belonged to the village that had kidnapped the children (page 218) a few months before, and native law did not require proof that the men were personally guilty. They were undoubtedly innocent. Still they were kept in close confinement till their friends returned the captives in February. Chelomoni was not content with simply receiving the children; he demanded compensation as well, and insisted on having paid over to him as damages “many men”. But ultimately he accepted one little boy, whom the Doctor took charge of. During their long imprisonment the Doctor did what he could to see that the prisoners were properly fed, and as Mrs. Macdonald employed them in comb-making (an art which they could practice with their neck in the stocks) they had some wages to receive on their release; hence though their imprisonment was very long they did not seem to feel it so much after all. _Saturday, 26th February._—Having gone to visit Kapeni, I was conducted by his sons to see Cholobwe—a man of royal blood, and often talked of as Kapeni’s probable successor. I found a boy with him that had once lived at Zomba and attended school there. The little fellow promised to come to Blantyre, and Kapeni’s sons were to come with him.