They always did their best to make us happy. All I can say is, may the Soboo chief and people have, before a great while, some one to teach them the way to Christ, man’s only Redeemer. Entering again the Big Boom en route to Mo-Tappan, we made good time, stopping at a few villages along the way. No missionary is in all this country. We stopped overnight with one Mr. Collier, who carries on trade near the river, in a place called Marketah, people’s market. It was Saturday night, and he was very busy closing accounts for the week. Our reception was a cordial one. We spent the Sabbath here and were much pleased to see what is doing for these benighted people. We had services at eleven o’clock, which the natives attended. It was interesting, and I feel that a good impression was made. Such meetings--I mean those consisting of reading of the Bible, commenting, etc.--are held regularly by Mr. Collier for the community. They surely can do a great deal in helping on the good cause. It were better and safer for trade, if religious instruction were in all this country. This part of the Big Boom is often visited by the horrors of war. Whole villages are sometimes laid low in one night, the inhabitants put to the sword or carried off into slavery. These wars are not waged because the aggressors have been in any way wronged by the attacked, but just for the sake of plunder. It is now something over a year since war visited this part of the Big Boom, but it has left its signs. Villages that were deserted are being rebuilt. Traders are resuming their business, and peace is gradually returning to all this region. We left early Monday morning, having spent a pleasant Sabbath with our friends in Marketah. The current became stronger as we advanced toward the interior. The winds were adverse, so our progress was somewhat like the missionary work, slow. We had long since left mangroves, with their malarial swamps. That we were getting some distance from Sherbro was visible from the very appearance of things. The farther we advanced into the interior, the more uneasiness seemed to be depicted on the countenances of Africa’s enslaved children. Africa is her own greatest enemy. War and slavery curse her most, bring misery where happiness might reign. When you launch out of British jurisdiction, slaves are common. This traffic is carried on by the natives themselves, and the biggest man owns the largest number of slaves and has the greatest number of wives. Polygamy is common, where men are able to support more than one wife; but you may rest assured that when means of support give out, the women are found giving out too. This day’s travel brought us to Baikal, a strongly barricaded town. We did not go inside, but the music and noise within showed plainly that Ham’s sons and daughters here were having a good time in a country dance. MO-TAPPAN, SALEM HILL, LAWANA.