-•> The Americo-Liberians 



considerable. Several of their towns, in the appearance of their 

 buildings and accessories of a civilised existence, need not fear 

 comparison with European towns in West Africa. They are, as 

 has been already stated, a most polite race, of instinctive good 

 manners, and evince considerable dexterity in building and in some 

 other directions. They can construct and work a telephone, for 



112. TELEPHONE POLES IN MONROVIA, ERP:CTED BY MR. FAULKNER, A LIBERIAN. 

 THLS TELEPHONE EXTENDS TO THE .ST. PAUL'S RIVER SETTLEMENTS 



example, and nothing but want of means has prevented them 

 from linking their capital by an overland telegraph wire with 

 the Sierra Leone system or with that of the Ivory Coast. They 

 are quite as well read as the average English peasant, are law- 

 abiding, and almost invariably of a kindly disposition. 



So much for their virtues ; and now for their faults or 

 defects and their mistaken ideals, (i) They are too religious. 



347 



