ten, have expressed their surprise at the correctness with which the words were immediately read.

"There is one circumstance I intended to mention respecting the Alcaide and his Mahomedan friends who were with him. They refused refreshment because it is the month of their fast, in which they do not eat or drink through the day, until the sun is gone down, nor even before its rising in the morning.

"I mentioned it to the Alcaide that our friends had sent out a plough to cut up the land very quickly, so as to prepare it for sowing corn. He seemed pleased with the idea, and said it was very good. The women in his town do the field-work; and we were told when there, that on returning from a hard day's work, it was their habit to fall down on their knees before their husbands, and thank them for their day's work. I cannot form a high estimate of this humiliation, as to its effect on the mind of either the woman or the man. How much more grateful is the generous and free communication of mutual kindness, service, and affection in intelligent and well-instructed families, where the husband is the heart's friend to his wife, and the wife the beloved companion to her husband.

"I have much cause to be happy and thankful in being permitted to act in the service of others, although, may be, as to earthly treasure, ranked with the widow who had but two mites. The subject of regret is a want of a more prompt dedication, and a more lively sense of duty to lead me from day to day.

"21st. A. T. and I walked on the beach last evening, and I reaped advantage from it, in a

sound and refreshing sleep. I would recommend those who may follow us to do this frequently. I believe it would have been better for me to have done so, but circumstances have seemed so pressing, and my time so much taken up, that I have very seldom walked for the mere advantage of the walk. I would also advise all to avoid any difficult engagement afterwards, or entering into subjects that require much thought, or cause anxiety. My greatest disadvantage, as to health, arises from want of sleep, which often causes a feeling of relaxation on first rising, when the strength should seem to be most recruited. A walk alone is a time for quiet meditation; and if in company, we may either converse or think; and it is not designed that our evenings should be spent in exertions always on the stretch.

"22nd. I was one day greatly embarrassed on finding that Sandanee, when desired to obtain a man to white-wash his house, had brought one who was a slave, and suffered him to begin his work, although, when I heard of his being a slave, I had said that he should not be employed, since I was determined not to acknowledge a man's claim to property in another, by paying a part of the wages of a slave to his master. After some difficulty the master at length consented that the man should receive the whole of the wages, the piece of work being but small.

"The Alcaide appears quite favourable to R. Smith and J. Thompson, and disposed to supply them with more land as soon as they may want it. He is pleased with a well they have had dug, and with the improved method of drawing the water, and wishes for similar accommodations for himself.

A sledge has been made for bringing up a large barrel of water to the house, and the horse trained to draw it, which will be a great advantage. The Alcaide wishes to see the plough used, which cannot be done until some rain has fallen, on account of the hardness of the ground.

"On the 24th of 6th mo. A. J. and I left Bathurst for Birkow.' On reaching the beach we saw a great number of children, and some grown people, fishing in a large pool. They looked cheerful and friendly towards us. One middle-aged man, with an agreeable countenance, was standing with a long wand in his hand, and a few children around him. He could speak a little English, and said to me, 'Soon you and I be friends; soon you know me, soon I know you.' He informed me he taught the children Arabic. I do not know what may be the proficiency of his scholars, but am disappointed in the hope of finding people able to understand the Arabic of the 'word to the children of Africa,' although they can read it with apparent ease and fluency. Several have been asked to translate a few words only into Mandingo, and cannot do it. Since we came

to St. Mary's, the Alcaide, and a learned teacher from a distance, have been asked to translate what they had read into Mandingo; they replied, it was too difficult. Is not this owing to the manner of teaching Arabic, which is as a dead language, and they teach it, so far as I can understand, without any translation, into the language spoken by the pupils.

Most of the pupils would after that time have the advantage of instruction in a girls' school, now opened by the wife of a Methodist missionary lately arrived in the Gambia.

"I feel fully satisfied of the importance of cultivating the native languages of Africa, if we could do the people good, and of making their own languages the medium, where we wish them to acquire English, that I feel surprised when I hear any proposal to supersede the native languages of Africa by the English, through the medium of English books alone. The inefficacy of this system of instruction, after years of trial at Sierra-Leone, is enough to convince one without other proof, of the necessity of adopting another system, and the trial that was made for more than a century in the Gaelic schools, to teach English by English books alone, whilst the children daily conversed in a different language, and in that only, just proved that they could learn to read and repeat English in this way, but yet without being able at all to understand the words they were thus reading and repeating.

"In our evening reading, after another portion of Scripture had been read, I opened at the fortysixth Psalm, 'God is our refuge and strength,' &c. The whole Psalm felt peculiarly solemn and impressive.

"25th. Our evening meeting this day felt to me very impressive, and also in the silence after reading. A sense of divine goodness was extended that was greatly humbling, and to my mind accompanied with awfulness. Oh! that the members of this establishment may be brought to dwell under the feeling of life. It is in this that the best authority may be maintained, and kindness and good-will toward all preserved. The gathered solid feeling which acknowledges the controlling sense of the presence of the Most High, and our

responsibility to Him, is assuredly a source of solid enjoyment in families, as well as a means of supporting the right authority, beyond many laws and outward regulations and restrictions, which yet in themselves may be necessary, and of real value in certain circumstances.

"Mahmadee wishes to marry previous to the rains, and J. T. is going to Perang to give his advice about the house his friends propose to build for him, and also to look at the land which they have offered him for cultivation. The inhabitants much wish for a school when Mahmadee goes to live among them.

"28th. My mind is much attracted towards England, and to some duties there. And I am thankful that the way appears as open to return as ever it was to visit these shores. We hear that several vessels are likely to sail in about a month. A. and J. Thompson think it best to return with me, and R. Smith, although he remains, informs us, he continues to feel unity with our purpose.

"30th. The time of our reading with the family was longer than usual this morning, and there appeared an openness in some of the young people to receive what was read.

"I omitted to mention a large assembly of Mandingoes, who collected under the great palavertree, which is within sight of our house, to a festival meeting, according to their Mahomedan profession, now that the great fast is ended. One man, a stranger from a distance, addressed them for a long time as they sat on the ground, and sometimes all united in a sort of musical tone in concert, apparently assenting to what was said.