young girl who acted as housekeeper. At first we were greatly startled at the scantiness of their dress, but we became accustomed to them, and found them careful and attentive. The hotel accommodation was much better than we had been led to expect. No doubt charges must be high, as it is difficult to bring provisions to this “outlandish” place. There is not even a butcher in Quilimane, and at dinner here, as in many other African places, the first course is fowls, the second course fowls, and the third course fowls. Occasionally, we were treated to delicious shrimps and prawns with which the river abounds. We were soon informed that the Mission boats had not come down and that we should have to wait for ten or fifteen days. Wait in Quilimane for fifteen days! We were stunned by the very idea of this, believing that it was certain death to spend a week in this dreadful place. We were full of bright plans in those days. A messenger must be sent on at once to Blantyre to tell the missionaries of our arrival, and to request them to come to our aid. Amidst our anxiety we did not perceive how ridiculous our proposal was. Why, it was as if a man had been despatched from John o’ Groats to Yorkshire six hundred years ago. After such a messenger had passed through all the ‘Grants, Mackenzies, and Mackays’—all the wild Highland clans and fighting Lowland chiefs, very little of him would have been left; and so our devoted messenger, after going on for about a week, wisely stopped short at Mazaro.