856 LIFE OF DA VW LI VINGSTONE, LL.D. 



travellers to penetrate regions where mistrust of every man's neighbour had 

 hitherto barred the road to all but the armed bands of slave-hunting men- 

 stealers. Naturalists and men of science must follow the explorers to ascer- 

 tain and report the natural riches of the country ; missionaries must follow 

 to teach and civilise, and men of commerce to trade and assist the develop- 

 ment of lawful industry. At present those interested in behalf of Central 

 Africa for opening roads and forming stations which should be centres of 

 security and civilisation, were working separately and losing time, energy, 

 and money. 



The idea of the King of the Belgians was by means of an international 

 association to unite all these efforts, as far as they had common objects in 

 view ; to make known to all interested in the work the scattered items of in- 

 formation which now escaped notice in separate transactions and reports ; 

 to concert united action where united action was necessary or practicable ; 

 and to aid in laying before the Governments and communities of the civilised 

 world such requisites of their great task as could only be supplied by national 

 or diplomatic effort. One of the first wants was, of course, to open roads, 

 and to establish stations which might serve as points of refuge for the weak 

 and needy, as bases of further operations for the explorer and man of science ; 

 as resting places for the traveller and missionary, and as centres of commerce. 

 All experience showed that the establishment of such stations was not only 

 practicable, but that it was the only way in which the objects he had enume- 

 rated could be effectually promoted. Among those who attended the King's 

 Congress were their own countrymen, Grant and Cameron, who were among 

 the few living travellers who had succeeded in passing from sea to sea — 

 Cameron from east to west, Grant from south-east to north, across the great 

 continent. The explorers present gave vivid descriptions of the obstacles 

 which had barred their progress and the mode in which such obstacles might 

 be overcome, and there was a general concurrence of opinion that few things 

 would conduce more to open out Central Africa than the careful selection of 

 routes to be traversed, and the establishment of stations well chosen on such 

 routes, as bases of further exploration. Forty years ago there was not a soli- 

 tary Christian congregation, or minister of the Christian religion, to be found 

 between Socotra and Cape Delgado — the present northern frontier of Portu- 

 guese possessions. Along this coast, extending for 1,500 miles in a direct line, 

 such Christianity as might have once existed had entirely disappeared, and 

 the only notable foreign commerce which existed was that in slaves. 



The Church Missionary Society were the first to establish an active mis- 

 sion on this coast — at Mombasa, a position wisely selected. For years the 

 mission continued here and at Kissoluduii, sixteen miles inland, with little 

 external increase or development, but it was far from being inoperative, for 

 Dr. Rebmann accumulated vast stores of philological research, which would 



