IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
219 
TWENTY YEARS AGO. 
On the third day of December, 1856, seven mis- 
sionaries sailed out of New York, bound for the 
west coast of Africa, and after a long and tedious 
passage they arrived in this far-off land. One of 
the number died in less than three months, 
another returned home in a short time, another 
continued here some fifteen months and also re- 
turned home, another died and was buried in mid- 
ocean. Two are now in the United States, one is 
in Scotland, and your humble servant is now in 
Africa. 
Twenty years ago this part of the Sherbro coun- 
try was without the gospel. Very few had ever 
heard of a Savior. The grounds upon which the 
station is built were in bush. The large cotton- 
tree in front of the mission-house was unapproach- 
able, because “ Medicine live deh,^^ I said, ‘^Non- 
sense; cut away the bush; prepare the way for the 
mission ; make the place clean.” To-day flowers 
and fruits are growing on the borders of the walks 
in the shade of this cotton-tree. 
Twenty years ago the town of Shengay was the 
scene of cruelties such as are common to a heathen 
people. The Furrow was in full force. The Pur 
row devil lived like a prince until your humble 
servant frightened him out of his wits one night, 
