Boring In. 
A FEW years ago there came a missionary to 
this country from the Region of the Long 
Grass." That was the name by which he styled 
his mission-field, situate somewhere in the Congo 
River Basin in Central Africa. As he had been 
away for twenty-two years he had a wonderful story 
to tell, and he told it well in speech, but as well, 
or better, in a book called Thinking Black.'** 
In the book he describes the long marches and 
exciting experiences on the way from the West 
Coast to his mission-field, in a chapter which he 
calls Boring In." It is a very suitable word for 
the methods and incidents of pioneer work. Like 
the white ant that never rests until it gets to the 
heart of the wood, and like the seeker who con- 
tinues sending down into the strata of Mother Earth 
his boring tools till he has found the minerals he 
seeks, so the missionary starts from his base, and 
by slow degrees, and more and more, he reaches, 
occupies and changes town after town. He is 
never satisfied, but keeps boring in." Like the 
famous Catholic Missionary in the East, his first 
thought and his last word is: Forward." I've 
been engaged with others on this work, and some- 
times gone alone. Let me set down two or three 
of our experiences when boring in." Mr. 
Boocock and I went to a place called Ebukhu. One 
* "Thinking Black,'' by Dan Crawford. 
