IN WESTERN AFRICA. 133 
not pass, this project was abandoned by the mis- 
sionary remaining in the field, after the other two 
returned to America. He next attempted to ob- 
tain a place in or near the town of Shengay, 
where the principal station of Sherbro Mission 
now is, and frequently visited Mr. Caulker, the 
head-man of that place, for this purpose. Receiv- 
ing but little encouragement that permission 
would be given to commence a mission there, two 
trips were made up the Big Boom River, a dis- 
tance of one hundred miles, to seek a location up- 
on its banks. The last time, a selection was made ; 
and the chiefs and head-men interested agreed to 
meet the missionary, to arrange terms upon which 
the site selected should become mission property. 
After waiting several days, he was compelled to 
abandon this project also, because the parties who 
alone could give the right to open the mission 
failed to meet as they had promised. This was 
late in December, and but a few days before the 
missionary was prostrated by his second severe 
attack of African fever, from which he never re- 
covered sufiiciently to do much until after he re- 
turned to America the following May. Just be- 
fore leaving Africa he purchased, by the advice of 
the Executive Committee of the church mission- 
ary board, a mission-residence in Freetown, for 
the purpose of affording a comfortable place 
