The main difficulty to our success in Africa decidedly results from the extent and influence of the Mohamedan religion. From the period of its introduction as affecting the mode of African legislation, which is scarcely a century since, the negroes, but particularly the chiefs, have lost the little of honesty or natural feeling which they before possessed. The doctrines of Mohamedanism are at right angles with those of Christianity, or if the doctrines be not so widely different, it is unquestionable that their influence produces the most melancholy and opposite results. Mohamedanism may direct the performance of moral duties, its theology may be wise and its ethics sound; but no abstract rules, however good or salutary, can operate upon the believers, while the interests of its ministers are at open war with them. In truth, we need not recur to Africa nor Mohamedanism to illustrate the truth of this position, for experience much nearer home has, while even these sheets are at the press, too forcibly proved it. Whatever then the written code of Mohamedanism may teach, I have invariably discovered that in practice, it countenances, if it does not actually generate, cunning, treachery, and an unquenchable thirst of litigation and revenge. It produces no good but from the meanest sense of fear, and its very profession is of itself considered as sufficient absolution from every atrocity committed to increase its disciples. But in Africa its pernicious tendency is still more exemplified than in those quarters where it has so long flourished with the rankest luxuriance. The Africans in their pagan state were not liable to the same superstitions as they are and have been since their proselytism,—if it maybe so termed, because, their religion was not overloaded with ceremonies, and their priests had but a narrow and contracted influence. Mohamedanism has made them hypocrites as it keeps them slaves, and, while it prevails to its present extent, they must continue so. Essences are forgotten in the strict observance of a miserable ritual, and truth has lost its value and its splendour when only seen through the jaundiced instruction of peculating Maraboos. These jugglers in morality make whatever use they please of the victims of their sorcery, and if once they catch them in their toils, escape is almost literally impossible. The enmity which those ministers of false doctrine bear against our religion and ourselves naturally induce them to represent us in colours most terrifying to the converted negroes’ minds, by assuring them, that, although we say our intentions towards them are good, we are only under that cloak aiming at their total and eventual subjugation;—and, they bring forward the continuance of the slave trade by the French in the Senegal as a proof of _our_ want of sincerity.