96 A PICTURE OF EGYPT.—ALEXANDRIA. [AUGUST, 1857. brother of the Pasha, passing, in our route, some extensive groves or orchards of the date palm. These trees, now seen by me for the first time, and in bright and delicious contrast with the sandy fields around them, with the scarlet flowers, and golden oranges and lemons and dates which we found in the garden, cultivated and guarded by turbaned Arabs, made up a rich picture of Egyptian scenery, for which I was hardly prepared. An Arab climbed up the rough uneven sides of a palm, at my request, and plucked for us the yellow fruit fresh from the branches, where it hung in clusters, just at the junction of the lower limbs with the trunk. We afterwards walked through the principal rooms of the kiosk; and though we found no such splendour as exists on the Bosphorus, yet there were fountains and divans, and well-furnished apartments, where the owner must find real Eastern enjoyments during the oppressive heats of summer. . . . The Pasha was not occupying his palace at present, being on a visit to Upper Egypt, though no one seemed to know exactly where he was. His palace was open to visitors, and, under the guidance of our dragoman, we rode thither to see it. Passing through a heavy gate, guarded by soldiers, we found ourselves in a very large open court, the palace, consisting of a long range of ordinary buildings, bounding it on one side. Near the centre of the range we dismounted, in front of a low and unattractive entrance, and at first met with a very decided refusal to our application for admission. A few words from our dragoman, who seemed to have an understanding with the guard, removed all difficulties; and, passing several other officials at different posts of duty, we were soon in the midst of some of the most luxuriously furnished rooms I have ever seen. Ascending to the second story by a flight of steps immediately under the lofty dome of the palace, we were introduced into a room of great beauty. The floor was of black walnut, polished to the highest degree, and inlaid with marble and pearl, while the curtains suspended from the windows, and the chairs and sofas, were as rich as the finest silk, and lace, and gorgeous gilding, could make them. The room adjoining this, called the "hall of audience," was still more brilliant. The entire floor was of ebony and ivory, inlaid in small and delicate squares, and shining like one great mirror beneath your feet as you walked across it. The divan, where the Pasha sits crosslegged in Turkish gravity to receive his visitors, and, in fact, all the furniture of the apartment, seemed to correspond with the floor, and appeared to me like one of those rooms which Aladdin's lamp might have created, and not the poverty of degraded Egypt. But there was something in reserve more wonderful still. Our guide led us to the sleeping apartments of the Pasha; and there, under the lofty ceiling, in the centre of the room, stood the bedstead of this luxurious lord of Egypt, and all of solid silver. Egypt is once more, as it was of old, the great crossing point between west and east. Its commercial position is most advantageous. But one thing is wanting, and without that a nation and country cannot rise. Let us pray for the fulfilment of the promise, "Blessed be Egypt my people." VOL. VII. NEW SERIES. K (97) KANEM. KANEM is a country lying on the eastern shores of the lake Tsad, the great lake of North-Central Africa. The African travellers, Barth and Overweg, penetrated into it during the months of September and October 1851, but under circumstances which afforded little prospect of 98 NEW MISSIONS TO CENTRAL AFRICA. [SEPT. attaining any satisfactory knowledge of the country. They joined themselves to a wild Arab horde which infests the border region between the great desert, northward, and the fertile regions of Negroland, and whose plundering habits soon involved them in conflicts with the Kanem people. Having fired a hamlet, and driven away the flocks and herds, the tribes around united against the Arabs, and pursued them; and a battle ensued, during the varying success of which the travellers were placed in great danger. Eventually the Arabs were compelled to retreat, so that the visit to Kanem was brief, and meagre of results. Kanem was once studded with large and populous towns, but the whole land has been wasted by the wars so common in Africa, and the country is desolate, although occasionally beautiful. Some of the vales are described as extensive, and richly clothed with vegetation, but with scarcely any traces of human industry. The more cultivated portions of the country lie eastward, and some idea of its improving character might be collected from the site of the hamlet burned by the Arabs. The lower portions of the valley were adorned with thick groves of date-trees, and beautiful corn-fields; while the higher grounds were covered with fields of millet. The booty carried off by the Arabs, and which they were afterwards compelled to restore, consisted of camels, cattle, sheep, and goats. NEW MISSIONS TO CENTRAL AFRICA. NEW discoveries involve new responsibilities. In proportion as God permits hitherto-unknown countries to be penetrated, and the veil of obscurity which had been thrown over them to be drawn aside, new efforts are needed to carry out the Lord's command, that His gospel should be preached to every creature. In this respect our position is very different from that of evangelists in apostolic times. The "all the world" of that age was but a fragment of what we know now; and every year the circle of discovery is being enlarged, more especially with respect to Africa, within the limits of which were to be found the largest portions of the unknown territories of our earth. The Niger and Tshadda expedition of 1853 made us acquainted with extensive opportunities for usefulness, and tribes who longed for the coming of the white man, as that which they hoped might bring peace and security to their distracted lands. Again, Dr. Livingston's explorations have laid open vast regions, inhabited by populations who have hitherto been shut up in ignorance of God. The Christian church undoubtedly feels the responsibility laid upon her, and new Missions are being initiated in connexion with these several branches of discovery. First, the Niger Mission of the Church Missionary Society. The new Niger expedition, sanctioned by the English Government, has been arranged, as to its details, chiefly by Macgregor Laird, Esq., the well-known friend of Africa. Two ordained natives, the Rev. S. Crowther from Lagos, and the Rev. J. C. Wilson from Bathurst, Sierra Leone, accompany it, together with the native catechist, Simon Jonas, from Fernando Po. There is thus a double object in view, commercial and Missionary. Trading stations are to be formed along the 1857.] DELHI. 99 banks of the Niger and its tributaries, where regular traffic shall be prosecuted, and constant communication sustained between the river and the island of Fernando Po. The first stations will be in the Ibo country and at the Confluence; and at both of these it was intended that Missionaries should forthwith be located; but we regret to find that the Missionary force sent out with the expedition is only sufficient for the first of these. The Confluence is most important as a point of occupation, on account of its vicinity to various tribes whose languages are represented in Sierra Leone-the Igberá, the Nufi, the Bassa, the Igara, and the Hausa. But the occupation of this centre must be deferred for the present, unless the deficiency of a regular Missionary force be compensated for by the incidental efforts of Christian emigrés from Sierra Leone. To such as may be desirous of returning to their own lands, from whence their parentage has been derived, every encouragement is afforded: passages on board the steamers are granted at low rates to such Africans as, from education and character, are likely to prove a blessing to these interior lands. Besides this, it is proposed that the Rev. Samuel Crowther should ascend the river above the Confluence, as far as Rabba, proceeding from thence by land to Sokoto, the capital of the Foulahs, with the intention of establishing friendly relations with the Sultan. Thus, liberty of transit through his territories may be obtained, and opportunities be afforded of developing new efforts for the amelioration of the interior tribes. Mr. Crowther will then endeavour to penetrate westward, by Illorin, to the Yoruba country; but Illorin is at present in a disquieted state, and the character of the people is proud and repulsive to strangers. The feasibility of this portion of the route is, therefore, very uncertain. In connexion with the discoveries of Dr. Livingston, the London Missionary Society is preparing for new and important efforts. On the north bank of the great river Zambesi, high ground is described as extending, which, it is thought, would afford an healthful and eligible site for a Mission station. The tribes which had occupied it-the Makololowere driven away from it some few years back by the incursions of a hostile tribe to the south of the river. But it was thought they might be induced to return; and that, by the simultaneous commencement of Missionary work amidst these tribes, as well the Makololo as their enemies, the Matabele, peace might be restored and preserved. These new Mission stations it is hoped will become centres, from whence branch efforts will be thrown out. A special appeal has been made by the Society to its friends and supporters for the necessary funds. The responses have been sufficiently encouraging. A donation of 500l. commenced the fund: this was followed by a second of the same amount, and by a third, from an unknown benefactor, of 2001., besides many contributions of 1001. and under. We commend these new undertakings on behalf of Africa to the prayers and sympathies of our Christian friends. wwwwww DELHI. How suddenly calamities supervene! What need there is to be always ready! Who could have imagined in May last, when the Anniversary 100 DELHI. [SEPT. Meetings of our various Religious Societies were being held in London, that our countrymen in India were on the point of being plunged into scenes of horror from which death has proved to many a welcome refuge? Who can read the sad details which each mail brings from India without bitter anguish? Our native soldiery of Bengal, whom we had disciplined and armed, breaking out into a frenzy of rebellion, have used the very weapons which we placed in their hands in the murder of many of their own officers-nay, more, they have stained their hands with the blood of defenceless women and children. At most of our great military stations in the North-west Provinces deeds have been committed which not all the waters of the Ganges could avail to wash out. Men stand amazed at the horrible nature of the catastrophe: they wonder that the sepoys could eat our salt, and yet hate us so vindictively; or else that, hating us so vindictively, they could conceal it so long. Among the list of places where the native soldier has shown no pity, and the surprised and defenceless European has met no mercy, Delhi stands forth in fearful prominence. Last December, the Bishop of Madras, engaged on a visitation tour throughout the Bengal diocese, a duty so often and faithfully discharged by the aged Metropolitan of India, but to which, on this occasion, he felt himself unequal, reached Delhi, accompanied by our Secretary, the Rev. G. G. Cuthbert. He was received as a guest at the Residency by the Commissioner, Mr. S. Fraser. Soon after the Bishop's arrival he was waited upon by the chaplain of the station, the Rev. M. J. Jennings, and by the two Missionaries of the Gospel-Propagation Society, the Rev. Messrs. Jackson and Hubbard. It so happened that the commander-in-chief, Sir G. Anson, was expected, with his family, the same day from Meerut; and about three o'clock a company of sepoys were marched into the Residency grounds, and drawn up near the door as a guard of honour to receive him. Perhaps even then treachery was lurking in the hearts of these sepoys. For two long years, it is supposed, preparations for this outbreak have been going forward, and yet, among the thousands that have engaged in it, there were none found sufficiently faithful to their superiors to give timely warning. The fact was, these soldiers were chiefly Mussulmans and high-caste Hindús; in other words, the most bigoted and fanatical por tions of the population, to whom, moreover, Missionaries had no access; who were thus shut out from all opportunities of improvement, and thus presented the most suitable materials for evil and designing men to work upon. The next day was Sunday. In the handsome but peculiar-looking church, built very much on the plan of the large Mohammedan tombs which abound at Delhi, a large congregation was collected, and an appeal from the Bishop on behalf of the Additional-Clergy Society was responded to by contributions to the amount of 401. At this, and all the other services, the singing was well performed, Miss Jennings, the chaplain's daughter, acting very effectively as organist, and members of the congregation forming a choir. On the Monday there was, in the forenoon, a military levee, held in a great tent in the camp; and in the afternoon a pretty good congregation |