the most important subjects that can occupy the attention of any Church. In accordance with the wishes of a great many of our old friends in Scotland, I made up my mind to return home. When I mentioned this all our natives paid parting visits to us. Many brought what they called keepsakes (malangano.) Some were very pathetic, one lad was to “save calico and by and by pay his passage to England”. Bismark had been promised “an English education” and he wished to go with us. So also did Ndiagani, a native girl whom we were to educate ourselves. She had consented to become Bismark’s wife, and he “did not want to marry a stupid girl that knew nothing”. After all, I expected to be of some service to the Mission by going home at this time. Besides having Matthew and Mark ready for the printer, I had translated the historical parts of the Old Testament, and hoped to get these printed and illustrated. I had also rendered a great many of Æsop’s Fables. I thought I should succeed in forming two interesting books for the school, especially if I could get them well illustrated. Young natives much appreciate pictorial teaching. I had taken special pains to see that the language was accurate; all my earlier efforts I could easily improve upon. Literature is likely to be an important means of elevating and purifying the native. All Africans from the lad that writes his grammar exercise to the postman who conveys a written message in a split wand, have a liking for kalata (letters.) When my last printed translations came back the boys and girls found out the place where they were kept before being issued, and would steal an hour from their work or their play in order to have the pleasure of reading something in their own tongue. On the last day of June we said Good-bye to the school children. We found it unspeakably hard to part with them. CHAPTER XV. SEVENTH HALF. On July 1st we left Blantyre about 6·30 A.M. This was an unusually early hour. It generally happens that people wishing to start at six in the morning are detained till nine. The carriers may come about seven o’clock, but they say that they must go back to their homes for food. Some of our carriers, although they had been warned beforehand, neglected to bring provisions with them, but so many natives had come that we had no difficulty in filling their places.