Fort Melangani to Dedza 



provision of a constant supply of regular work for 

 the natives, offered to them under the most favour- 

 able conditions, as being in the immediate vicinity of 

 their homes. 



The Fathers, as employers and directors of 

 labour, soon acquire considerable local influence. 

 Schools are built and the natives persuaded to send 

 their children to them ; then comes the Church, and 

 as the religious teaching is very simple and not in 

 the least forced, the natives take to it very readily. 

 So far as our observations went, the system followed 

 appeared to be a thoroughly practical one, and from 

 all we could hear, of far greater benefit to the 

 natives than that sometimes pursued by Protest- 

 ant missions, in which the '*man and brother" idea 

 is often overdone ; the result being that the natives 

 are often absurdly pampered and are allowed to 

 grow fat and lazy instead of being taught to work. 



When we met on the balcony before going in to 

 dinner we were introduced to the Principal, who 

 was on a visit, and to the two other members of the 

 mission, who were of French nationality; the Father 

 in charge came from Holland. The language 

 spoken was French, but one or two knew a little 

 English. The dinner was simple and well cooked, 

 and served according to the rural fashion of France ; 

 the pure red wine, made from grapes grown in 

 the vineyards of their Algerian establishment, was 

 excellent, and to us a great treat. 



We found the Fathers amiable, cultivated men 

 of the world, thoroughly acquainted with all 

 questions concerning the African native, and 



6i 



