252 
Seven Years in Central Africa. 
which was passing through his district three tusks of ivory belong- 
ing to the Bailundu chief. But with the aid of the American 
missionaries, Messrs. Scott and Swan reached Bailundu. 
Of the climb up to the high land one writes : " The task does not 
at first seem difficult ; but after a while you soon find the path is very 
narrow and very rough, in many places only a few inches wide, and there 
are hills and valleys to be crossed which you had not seen ; and long 
before you reach the wished-for spot you are weary and tired out. So 
the Christian finds there are many difficulties and trials to be overcome 
which he had never thought of, and long ere he reaches the heavenly 
goal he is often weary and ready to faint." 
These two friends established themselves near to the American 
missionaries at Bailundu, and sought to get a knowledge of the natives 
and their language while awaiting tidings from Mr, Arnot. The accom- 
panying illustration shows their tent with group of natives. The boy 
upon whom Mr. Swan's hand is resting was trained at the American 
Mission, and also the other standing in front of the tent. The boy 
with folded arms had come in from the country, and the two men 
were carriers. On the left is part of a rough native house. 
After a time Mr. Scott's health failed, and the American missionaries 
quite thought he would not be able to proceed to the centre of Africa. 
He therefore reluctantly returned to England, but still retains an 
interest in Africa, and seeks in many ways to help on the work 
to which he had thought to devote himself without charge to others. 
His companion saw him safely to the coast and then returned to 
Bailundu, and prepared for setting out for Garenganze with Cinyama, 
who had been sent back by Mr. Arnot with the hope that he might 
find someone desiring to be guided into the interior. 
Before Mr. Swan made a start, however, he heard that Mr. W. 
L. Faulknor, of Canada, had reached Benguella, so he went to 
meet him, and they proceeded to Bailundu, and then to Bihe. 
A fire occurred at the mission premises at Bihe, in which some of 
Mr. Swan's things were destroyed, but the kindness of the American 
friends (Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, and Mr. and Mrs. Fay) was shown 
in seeking to make up what had thus been lost, and also in many 
other ways. The Bihe king had suddenly died some time before, after 
one of his heavy drinking bouts, and the anarchy which always 
follows on the death of a chief rather hindered the setting out of 
Messrs. Swan and Faulknor. They experienced the usual difficulties 
in getting sekulos and carriers, and in meeting the demands of chiefs. 
The reply given by a native boy about this time to a question by 
Mr. Swan is worth mentioning. " On the 3rd of August we had one 
of the finest moonlight nights I have seen in Africa. As the moon 
appeared in all her glory, I thought, No wonder the heathen, in 
