day’s march here, a person sees more guns than he would see in Scotland in a six days’ journey. Another precaution has been the cutting down of the bush for several hundred yards round the station. Hitherto, a native had to run but a few yards in order to make his capture impossible. To prevent fire we have had our houses covered with a coating of clay, thin on the top, and thicker on the veranda. The rainy season will probably wash off this; but it will serve its purpose, as roofs are not so easily set on fire during the rains. “The best way of securing the goodwill of the natives is to mingle much with them. Those in our neighbourhood are all most friendly, but they are impulsive. I must explain that I have thought it my duty to stick closely to school work, so that my time for visiting in the country is not much. But Dr. Macklin and I have begun to spend Saturday forenoons in going about among the people. The other week we were at the back of Sochi where there is a good view of the Mlanje range. I had been reading, for the first time, Mr. Rowley’s book on the Universities’ Mission, and it gave a new interest to the prospect that lay before us. As we stood gazing on the very valley that our predecessors must have passed through to Magomero, we felt that we were amidst hallowed associations. We cannot help thinking that the dealings of Providence were very mysterious with regard to a Mission so well equipped. “Our new villages show much improvement. Instead of the original little round hut the Blantyre natives are beginning to erect square houses with verandahs and calico windows. It would be desirable to spread our energies over a larger field. When we succeed in planting one or two stations this end will be gained. We cannot predict what course our work will take in the future. After we have a few stations besides Blantyre, we may be able to subdivide the district thus occupied into twenty parishes. Were we at this stage, we could secure for the native pastors an endowment in the form of a small freehold. Such an organisation as this would, with the blessing of God, tell strongly on the heathenism of the country; but the attainment of such an end, whether it be near or distant, will not be secured without many a prayer, and many a persevering effort both of the Church at home and of its representatives in this distant land.”