treat them, as they have to go through their daily toil of "labour in vain." There are now some 300 of them gathered together at Rabai, forming a nice village. Of course there are some bad characters, but amongst them are some fine fellows who would do anything for one that loved them, and are, I believe, really sincere in their endeavours to keep in the narrow way. Mr. Binns not being well, I went up the other Sunday, and instead of a sermon gave them one of my old-fashioned infant addresses. It was a full church, and for an hour their faces beamed with delight. I won't tell you what they said about it, but I don't think they will forget how I urged them to try and be not only proud, as they are, of being Mzungu's (European's) men, but to try and be Mnungu's (God's) men. The week before I had had some good athletic games with them. A fortnight back a woman came to me complaining of bad treatment. On inquiring into the case it appeared she had been tempted to run away from the island of Pemba by a man who promised to make her his wife, and they went up north to Melinde, where the fellow sold her, and she was brought down to Mombas and sold again, and from there she came here. Before the day was out five godless young ruffians, armed with guns and swords, came for her. On asking for the one that bought her they said he had not come; so I said, That's the man I want to see, and no other. The next morning they came over again with the master, but I was at breakfast, so told them to wait in the verandah. Meantime I was having my big room painted, and the ceiling being high, the men had to rig up a scaffold. This attracted the attention of the Swahili, who thought I was getting some posts ready to tie them to for a flogging, so one told the old man he was in for it, and just then up came a couple of policemen, and in came some more poles, so the old man was suddenly seized with a wish to retire. On finishing my breakfast I went out to try the case. On inquiring for the master he was nowhere to be found, for he had slipped down to the beach, seized a canoe, and put the silver streak between himself and me. I gave the young ruffians a good talking to, and the woman leave to stay here, and that she need not fear of being molested. Hers would have been a sad fate had I let her go; as it was, the next morn I was surprised at seeing a fine young fellow fall on his knees before me, and earnestly did he plead for this woman, whom he said was his wife, and that he wanted to come and live with her. I told him he must "be patient," as it was a matter that required some consideration, he being a Mohammedan. Every day for a week he came, bringing good food and presents for her. As he seemed an uncommon good Swahili, and a free man, I had a long talk with him about giving up his old ways and trying ours. said he was ready, for he loved his wife. I told him to count the cost, and gave him a day to decide. The next morn he was over before 6 o'clock, and at the prayer-meeting, so I gave them a room to live in, a shamba to cultivate, and so far they are doing well, and are as happy as they can be. He What a curse slavery is to this country! Christianity cannot flourish where it is, for the masters will not allow their slaves to join the Book. The following letters refer to the recent excitement amongst the slaves of Mombasa and the neighbourhood, and to the consequent danger to the Mission through the alarm of the masters at its increasing influence. They give some painful glimpses of the horrors still perpetrated on the East African coast: From Rev. A. Menzies. June 18th, 1880. A fortnight ago a large number of the better class of slaves turned out of Mombasa, and went off to some distant shambas, where they remained for three days feasting and firing guns, and consulting together. We have since heard that the masters of these slaves, and others in like case, are in great fear, not knowing what to make of this formidable gathering. The object of the meeting is kept a profound secret, and this secrecy adds fuel to the suspicion and dread that exists among the masters. It looks, to us, very like the dawning of an insurrection among the more intelligent slaves. Whatever it may be, the Lord guide and overrule all for the advancement of His blessed kingdom of righteousness and peace. July 15th, 1880. Since I last wrote we were kept anxious for several days by tidings from Mombas that the Swahilis were arming for an attack on the settlement here and at Rabai. The intelligence had a certain amount of truth in it, sufficient to justify our getting ready to receive them. Mr. Streeter mustered our people, and armed a certain number of them, at the same time pointing them to Him who is our sure and neverfailing defence; and next morning we had special prayer in the church together, and God heard us, and soon removed the cause for fear. The irritating cause of this threatened outbreak is the old sore of slavery. Our presence here is evidently very distasteful to the slave-owners. They find they cannot do as they would like, as in former days. They cannot now buy or sell or ill-treat slaves as they used to do, therefore their wrath is kindled against us, and had they the power they would quickly make an end of us. When the alarm was at its height we were told that in the event of an attack being made on Frere Town, the slaves would come over to us, and the freed slaves of Mombasa would fight for us, which I cannot doubt would have happened, for, as I told you in my last letter, there has been, and is still, manifest indication of a desire to be free, a desire which I can readily understand our presence so near, and our known aversion to slavery, will greatly strengthen. The Swahili slave-owners in the late trouble consented to await the result of a reference to the Sultan of Zanzibar, and the Wali wrote and sent two messengers, who have only just returned. We believe the reply was received two days ago, and has been read to the Swahilis, but we know nothing further at present. All is quiet, and we are preserved in peace, trusting in God our shield. We have had encouraging tokens lately from Teita, from Giriama, and the Wadigo. Five men from the firstnamed place paid us a visit, and stayed among us several days. They were earnestly spoken to, and expressed a readiness to welcome a teacher among them. Abi Sidi was here last week, accompanied by a Christian brother and two other men. He brings the tidings that the other members of his family hitherto opposed to him and the word of God, are now wishful to be instructed and baptized-the slaves, too, who came and settled close to him, and a few months ago numbered seventeen, have now increased to forty-four, and it will not be long before the large village of escaped slaves in the Galla country, from which these have come, is broken up. The headman has paid Abi Sidi a visit lately to say he means to bring the remainder of the people soon and settle near him. Abi Sidi has told them all plainly that if they wish to stay with him they must learn to read God's word—which they are quite willing to do. The Wadigo, we hear, are likewise anxious to have a teacher in their country. We bless God for these signs of an awakening among the nations around us. Sept. 10th, 1880. Slavery is still the open sore in these parts, and while it is easy for those who are far away to direct that all runaway slaves must not be protected, but given back to their cruel masters, it is not so easy for those on the spot to give back these poor trembling slaves to almost certain death, and in any case to be further ill-treated. We are missionaries, some will say, and must not mix ourselves up with these slave questions, and make enemies of the masters. I reply we are Englishmen, as well as Christian missionaries, and cannot consent to fold our hands and see poor miserable wretches ill-used, and put to death for no other crime than running away from savage masters. One woman who was torn from her home far away in the interior, was being driven through the settlement one Sunday afternoon, and was detained for inquiry. The poor creature was rejoiced when she heard of her good fortune. She was, however, after all given up, we could not keep her; scarcely a fortnight passes, and we get tidings from Mombasa that she is dead, another victim to swell the catalogue of millions that have perished by this cursed slavery. Another woman is taken back, and is told by the Wali to return to her master. The poor creature falls on her knees, and begs and prays the governor to buy her or kill her, but not to give her up to her master. Why this dread? because (we hear) she was thrown down on the ground, a country bed put upon her, and five or six men trampled on her. At a neighbouring station there are men who From Mr. J. July 17th, 1880. There is a great movement going on against us at Mombas, like that alarm in Mr. Price's time. This time they said they really did intend destroying us, as we were getting like a big gourd with long runners, and they could not stand it any longer, and were going to pull it up by the roots. For three days there were great demonstrations, but we kept quiet, and it was not until an armed band appeared that I called our people together and took necessary precau tions. The people of Mombas deputed Hamis Bin Said to come over, but as he was not sent by the Governor I declined having anything to say to him. As they found we were not to be frightened, and being in the right, and our people ready to die for their homes and the children, all so far has passed quietly, owing to the watchful care of Him in whom we trust. Those 2nd and 3rd Psalms were most comforting, and really I could not but think of their author. For you will remember how at first when there was much trouble God gave me strength in helping me have a hand in killing a lion; and during this very week of trouble I took Mr. Binns oat to Mawani, and after seeing the shamba and goat-house, we returned through the woods. He was on ahead with a guide, I went further in, and when rounding a clump of bushes I saw about forty paces off, in tall grass, a fierce head with open jaws and eye fixed on me. I raised my gun and fired, and going quietly up to the spot there lay a beautiful leopard in a pool of blood, the bullet having entered his mouth, and he fell dead on the spot. I called for the others, and as it was getting dark Mr. Binns helped shoulder him until news reached our people, who turned out and made a great noise; they were all so glad, for to shoot an animal like that out in the open has not been done here before. I am writing Dr. Kirk now about this insurrection, as another armed have been shockingly maltreated, one has had his toes burnt off by a slow fire, another was hung up by the heels for a day. These are samples of what slavery is doing for the poor people around us. R. Streeter. party went to the Methodist Mission at Ribe and got a runaway from there and bound him. Four days after I heard he was still bound and had no food; so as the master Bwana Mdogo, a great professing friend of mine, is our natural enemy, and where the insurgents gathered before, and one of the ringleaders this time, I determined to go and see what was going on there, as when I was at Zanzibar he caught a slave of his from Rabai, tied him up and flogged him to death on the spot as a sacrifice, and this man I feared would share a similar fate. I think he got scent of my coming, and two hours before we got there he had cleared over to Mombas with his slave; so I went round his place and had a talk with his other slaves, who say that altogether he has killed five people there, and the wife of the last man was still in heavy irons, and had had them put on when he was killed-so she told us. I bade her cheer up, help was nigh; and the next day I went over to the Wali, had the man and woman released, and the scoundrel is to be reported to the Sultan. I shall try hard to get an example made of him, as he is a ringleader against us, and just now the Swahili want to be up to mischief. I told you in my Annual Letter that now our people were planted out on their own account, it was having a great effect on those who passed through, and so I believe it has. On the 13th of last month the slaves had a great meeting at Mombas, should think there were over 1000 guns fired to protest against the tyranny of their masters, and I hear they talked of coming to me for protection; so the masters want to get us out of the way (me especially) before the evil day comes; but we live in hopes. One more bit of good news is that Abe Sidi's two brothers, once bitter opponents, have joined the Book, his other brethren are now friendly, and Paulus is coming to learn with me like Book cannot be fulfilled until slavery is broken. Jeremiah. All is working together for good; but the grand promise of the The last paragraph of this extract, and also a paragraph in Mr. Menzies' letter of July 15th given above, refer to the Giriama people. Our readers will not have forgotten the deeply interesting movement amongst them which has been noticed several times in the Society's periodicals. It is clear that this movement is extending; and the accounts we have had from time to time of the little band of Christian converts in the Giriama country have been most encouraging. But the elders of the tribe, who seem hitherto not to have molested them, lately took alarm at the increasing influence of the white man and his "Book." Not only were an increasing number of their people giving up heathen customs; not only were their slaves running away and settling, as before mentioned, at Rabai under the wing of the Mission; but as Mr. Handford's missionary zeal had led him to propose going himself and living at Godoma (though this plan has not been carried out), Mr. Streeter purchased a piece of ground there with a view to putting up a Mission-house. The following section of Mr. Streeter's letter of July 17th (addressed to Mr. Wright, but received after his death), gives a very interesting account of a visit he paid the Giriama tribe in March, and not only describes his treaty of peace with the elders, but affords some pleasant glimpses of the Christian community: From Mr. J. R. Streeter. July 17th. Often you have written to those dear Godoma Christians, and now one writes what seems to me a wonderful letter. Would you like to hear how it came to be done? You will remember how I went to their country, at Mr. Handford's request, to purchase a site, as he thought of settling there. I had written before and told him to get a good meeting of elders, so that the thing might be settled, like as on parchment; but on arrival at the spot there were but two present, but they said they were enough, and I bought the place. This caused a great deal of talk, as it would be sure to do; for it is not likely the Swahili would let the Mzungu settle in another part of what they call their country quietly. Then there was the trouble of the runaway slaves at Rabai, which, after they came to make war on us when I was at Zanzibar, hung like a heavy cloud over the place; and as the elders wished to see me again I thought the best thing was to go boldly up and meet them, and last March George and I went. It was rather hazardous work, but the promises of the Best of Books were our comfort, and we had a happy time there, many people coming all day long to our little hut, so that we had many opportunities of speaking a word for the On Master, and George was busy besides teaching our Godoma brethren. Sundays we had nice services, and never did I see more attentive congregations, and it was pleasing the next day to see three or four of the men whom I came across suddenly, sitting under a tree with their Barth's Bible Stories trying to find out more about what I had told them. It is a treat to be amongst these people, so anxious are they to learn. Wednesday was the meeting of the elders, and at about three in the morning we were awakened by two coming to our hut with a plausible story; but we told them we wanted everything straight and above board, and they had better wait till daylight. During the early hours they began to assemble, as many came from a distance, it being their duty to go about listening to cases, something like circuit judges. At 8 o'clock we had a meeting first in the church. By 10 o'clock they sent to say they were ready, and there, under a fine spreading tree, where Mr. Binns thought of building his house three years ago, sat twenty-four elders, representatives of the whole Wagiriama country (comprising four parts, Godoma, Bale, Weruni, and Biria, and forming by far the strongest of the twelve tribes of which the Wanika are com posed; George estimates them at some 30,000). Six more of us made a goodly party, for, sad to say, those who join the Book are shut out from their privileges of eldership and citizenship, and have to submit to many indignities, but as they know they become citizens of a better country, it helps them bear their cross cheerfully. After I had opened parliament, two of their number arose, called each other by name several times, then began to talk to one another as is their custom, while the others listen, all occasionally repeating some of the sentences on which they are agreed. They seem great orators, gesticulate gracefully, now and then pointing vehemently with their wands (a long stick forked at one end, emblem of unity, and which serves for a rest) while the opposite party is speaking. It was a pretty scene, and carried one's mind back a 1000 years to our own forefathers. And so they carried on until 4 o'clock: no luncheon time. The result was (so far as they could say, until they had referred to their old chief, who is too infirm to leave his place, but who I know is very favourable to us, and whom I feel I must go and see soon) : 1. That they were angry with me for coming to their country and not letting them all know, so that they could have received me with proper honour. You can guess what that means. As to buying ground, no one could do that, it all belonged to God. You might build and work, &c., but when you had done with it you could not carry the ground away. No, the only thing that was wanted was leave from the elders. I told them I knew their custom, so had sent word beforehand, and what I paid the owner I reckoned he would make a feast with for them all. They then wanted to punish the man severely, but I interceded for him. Then they wanted to take the money and return it, but I said no, we did not want it, we desired to be just to all. Then they said we might come to their country, as they wished to know more of the Mzungu, and that I might choose any place I liked, not a little spot, but a large tract, and pay nothing for it, and they would do all they could to make us welcome. 2. About the slave difficulty at Rabai, we were now to consider that settled, and I promised not to receive any more, and if we established a Mission in their country, we were not to receive their slaves. That also I promised, unless it was a case of cruelty, when I should inquire into the matter; and I then gave them a strong lecture on the slave question. 3. The runaways at Fulladoyo, they now being pressed by the Wali of Takaungu to get them for him, I told them they should have nothing to do with; but it appears they have taken cloth to do so, and now they are in a fix, reckoning they are on Mzungu's ground, and not wishing to make him angry. After a quiet talk then on higher things, in which George seemed to carry them all with him, his knowledge and ways of these people being most valuable, the meeting broke up, with many prayers and expressions of good feeling (one of the head ones presenting me with his wand, so that I might reckon myself an elder now). The Fulladoyo case is still going on, as Salim the Wali had put in irons two of the Wagiriama freemen until he gets the slaves, who do not belong to him or his country, but they are reckoned fair game to be hunted down and flogged, killed, or sold. The father of one of the shut up men has just been to see me, in company of Abbe Sidi and others; but I could only advise them the same as I did the elders who came a month back. It appears that Salim, with whom I have had a talk, is tired of waiting, and has sent them a measure of corn and an arrow, i.e. peace or war, and they chose the corn, but how it will end I cannot say. From the first I told Abbe Sidi he kept these people at his own risk; but they would not go away, and as they were armed with guns he could not well drive them, and his sympathy being all on their side I don't suppose he tried very hard. His place now numbers forty-four, all learning from the Book. Three young men of the Wagiriama having just joined him; one of them came here so that he might be known to us. Abbe Sidi, as I have said before, is a fine character, and the C.M.S. may reckon him as one of the most valuable agents they have in this country, and the grand thing is his work is done from love. While this meeting was going on, Jeremiah, with two of the slaves, came over to look for their leader, and as Jeremiah was anxious to learn to write, I gave |