The Regions Bevond. (Occasional Paper of the East London Institute for Home and VISIT OF THE PASTOR'S COLLEGE TO THE EAST LONDON INSTITUTE 12 ANOTHER LABOURER CALLED HOME. 14 LETTER FROM MR. HORE, LAKE TANGANIKA 15 NOTES OF A PARTING CHARGE, BY THE REV. J. STEPHENS 21 LONDON: HODDER AND STOUGHTON, The Regions Beyond. THE EXPEDITION TO STANLEY POOL. SINCE Our last we have received several letters from Mr. McCall and other members of the Stanley Pool expedition, giving, thank God, favourable and pleasant tidings of the progress of the party. The first is dated: DEAR MR. AND MRS. GUINNESS: ON BOARD S.S. Vanguard, OFF MADEIRA, March 20th, 1880. It is with feelings of deepest joy and gratitude to our loved Master that I take up my pen to write you the good tidings of our welfare thus far. We steamed out past Plymouth breakwater to sea on the morning of Saturday, March 13th. It was remarkably calm, and all went well. We were very busy, reducing our piles of baggage to a reasonable condition, and selecting those articles we should require during the voyage, in order to permit the bulk of the goods to be stowed away below decks. The motion of the ship gradually increased towards evening, but the weather was fine and clear. I conducted service on Sunday evening, the captain and purser attending. The former is a most civil, agreeable, and obliging man, and does all in his power to make us comfortable. The purser also is exceedingly attentive, looking after our comfort in every respect, especially that of Mrs. Richards. We are very happy, and feel assured, more and more, of our Saviour's presence and blessing. Monday and Tuesday were fine, bright, sunshiny days. Harvey and Clarke were far from well. Wednesday and Thursday, a heavy wind and sea set in, and the ship rolled a good deal. None of our party put in an appearance except myself, the rest were hors de combat. As for me, I never felt better. The sea, as I anticipated it would, has completely set me up again; all my fatigue and cold have vanished as if by magic, and I am as well as ever I was. This morning very early we sighted land. I jumped up and roused the rest of our party, saying, "Come, turn out, there's Madeira close at hand." The effect was wonderful. In a few minutes Clarke appeared on deck, then Lanceley, then poor Harvey came forth, looking very pale and trying hard to smile, and last came Mrs. Richards, looking remarkably well and bright. It was a most lovely morning, the sea placid and the air balmy, and to our right the beautiful island Puerto Santo looking fresh and inviting in the morning sun. After breakfast we got out our portable harmonium on to the pretty little poop deck, and united in singing a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God, "whose mercy endureth for ever." How sweetly the music sounded in the clear, balmy air, and over the sparkling waters! Our souls seemed to rise up with the songs in grateful adoration to our God. So far everything has gone as smoothly as possibly, and we are all in the best spirits, and shall (D.v.) reach Teneriffe on Monday morning. I feel that I have undertaken a heavy responsibility, and that I shall require all the strength of mind and body I can bring to bear upon my work; but I trust fully, entirely, from day to day, in Him who has called me and said to me "Go, I bid you go, and I even I will be with you." I am putting Christ's promise to the practical test every day, and I intend to do so still, and "Hitherto the Lord has helped me." Much love to all the brethren at Harley House; let them pray for the Congo Mission and prepare to follow on; we shall soon require more volunteers, please God. This letter was posted from Las Palmas, Canary Islands, and in a postscript Mr. McCall mentions that he found the donkeys, which had been ordered, awaiting him at Teneriffe, indeed they had been waiting for nearly a fortnight, as the vessel was later than was expected. A sad mistake, however, had occurred. All the donkeys purchased were male donkeys, whereas the instructions sent had been very distinct, that fifteen of the twenty should be female donkeys. Some anxiety and a good deal of active exertion were caused by this error, but in the end Mr. McCall succeeded in getting three male donkeys exchanged for females, and in purchasing one additional female with a foal. He had also to purchase hay and barley enough to feed the whole twenty-two on the voyage to Banana. The other brethren of the expedition, and Mrs. Richards, went ashore and made an excursion into the interior of the island, and were exceedingly delighted with its beauty. Mr. McCall's third letter is dated from Goree, Senegal, March 29th. He states that they had a pleasant run down from the Canaries, and adds: Our donkeys are doing remarkably well, no mishap of any kind having as yet occurred. They certainly do regale us with rather more of their peculiar music than we require, especially during the night; but on the whole they behave well, and do not give a very great deal of trouble. We are now thoroughly in the tropics and have hot and lovely weather. We have laid aside our European style of dress, and find the lighter attire acceptable. Harvey is improving daily, I am giving him a course of tonics. Clarke is in his element, and does everything with a right good will. Lanceley is improving, and with training and experience will prove a useful missionary. Mrs. Richards is well and in good spirits. We have every attention shown us by all on board, from the captain down. We are greatly favoured, and cannot help feeling that the Lord is blessing and protecting us. The next letter is from Sierra Leone, and is dated April 2nd. Bearing in mind the great importance to this expedition of its being able to secure a good lot of carriers, our friends will be glad to read the following account. DEAR MRS. GUINNESS: I have this day, in the providence of God, succeeded in engaging a fine lot of Kroo boys, but I find that they will cost us more than we expected. From our captain, who has been on this coast fifteen years, and others, I find that you cannot get good Kroo boys, worth taking and to be depended upon, for less than a shilling a day each and two shillings a day for the head-man. This morning, when it was made known that I wanted boys, quite a crowd was collected. I first got two capital head-men, known to the agent here: fine, tall fellows, both over six feet high. They then set to work to procure the other twentythree boys, as I felt it was wise to have one boy to each donkey. After some time a fine lot were collected, and I had them ranged up in line in front of me, and inspected them severely, refusing the weak looking and lanky ones. After the number required were selected, they were passed in, one at a time, to the office of the agent, and I took down their names and arranged terms with them. At first they all refused to go to the Congo, saying it was a hard country and "plenty jigger"; but when I explained to them that I was a missionary, and that we were a mission party, "oh all right! you be good man; you do us right; we will go for missionary.” Was this not a tribute to the good credit of the gospel here? I was pleased, and told them I could soon cure their "jiggers" if they had got any. They at once believed me. They all demanded one shilling and threepence a day to go so far away as to Congoland. This I at once refused. Then followed a perfect babel of voices ! Eventually I engaged them at a shilling a day and food. They would not start without a month's pay in advance, and, as this is the universal custom here, and most of them have wives or parents to whom they wanted to give something, I agreed to the demand. They will not be paid any more till this day twelve months. I had an agreement written out between them and myself, on behalf of the L. C. I. M., and signed by the agent and by Captain Morgan. It was read out to them, and they all agreed to it. I had also to give them a written promise to send any of them back if they were too ill to proceed with me. I will send copies of these documents next mail, but am hurried now, and it is fearfully hot (100° in the shade). As I was standing outside just now, one of our boys named Macartey said, "Sir, is there a church in Congo?” “No, my boy; that is just what we are going to build.” |