392 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



has resided here for several years, and is much 

 looked up to by the natives. It is much to be 

 regretted that the worthy example shown by this 

 gentleman is not more followed in other parts of 

 the Coast : for here much good is effected, as chil- 

 dren are taught to read and write, and girls to sew 

 and wash ; whereas, in some parts of Africa, mis- 

 sionaries are merely retailers of rum. 



Speaking of M. Du Chaillu's work on Equato- 

 rial Africa, I was informed that the book had 

 been written in America, from the explorer's notes, 

 as, when it was first published, M. Du Chaillu 

 could not speak six words consecutively of English, 

 although he has since acquired a fair knowledge of 

 that language. His father was for some years a 

 trader on this part of the coast, and his mother 

 • — a negress of the M'pongue tribe — and her 

 daughter still live close to the mission-house. As 

 I wished to engage some of the men who had 

 accompanied Du Chaillu in his expeditions, and 

 knew the country, I sent for them to come and see 

 me at the factory. The mother is dark even for 

 a M'pongue woman, but the daughter, who is 



