SHERBRO MISSION. 
21 
health as to resume his labors. But he was 
doomed to disappointment. He grew worse in- 
stead of better; and in April, 1856, he was com- 
pelled to return to America. Before leaving 
Freetown, however, he purchased a house for the 
benefit of the missionaries who might follow him. 
Whether our mission-station were located at 
MoKelli, Shaingay, or some other point, it would 
certainly be in the neighborhood of Freetown; 
and the missionaries would often need to resort 
to Freetown for rest and medical assistance. For 
this property he paid five hundred pounds ster- 
ling — twenty-four hundred dollars. The Board of 
Missions had been consulted, and heartily con- 
curred in the idea of making this house in Free- 
town as a base of supplies and missionary hospi- 
tal for future operations. It has hoped that a 
select school might be also opened here for the 
instruction of advanced scholars, particularly 
those who might make effective teachers and 
pastors. The only reason why this house did not 
meet the expectations of the Board is that the 
mission in Africa was never properly manned, — 
that is, as to the number of missionaries employed. 
There was never, until a recent period, more than 
one or two engaged at one time. 
From April, 1856, to January, 1857, a period 
of nine months, we had no missionary in Africa. 
