Many houses were immediately on the river; others, and generally the larger ones, some distance removed, with a lawn in front. Material used, brick and wood; we do not recollect a stone building. Some of the brick houses were quite large, square buildings, and must have been expensive. Most likely, all that the individual possessed, or could get credit for, was put into the house-this is the weak side of the Liberians. But, paid for or not, owned or not by the occupants, we have never seen in any tropical country so many good and comfortable dwellings within the same distance of each other, or more indications of comfort and a full supply of the necessaries of life.

10. When approaching what is, or was, called College Hill, we landed and walked over it, and can not imagine a spot more suitable for the proposed college. From this we passed on to what is termed Clay-Ashland, where we made a flying visit to many of the emigrants who went out in our ship;-poor people! they were then undergoing their first attack of fever-heavy toll to pay for entering their fatherland. We also jumped on shore at the former home of our old friend Zion Harris, the Nimrod of Liberia and great snake-killer, killed at last in his own bed by lightning. He had a strong premonition or warning of his approaching death, which he expressed to sundry persons. It certainly can not be said, in philosophical explanation of this, that he brought down the lightning upon himself. We obtained a brief sketch of his death from his devoted wife, and on parting, exhorted her to keep intact Zion's beautiful farm. She gave assurance that she would do so, and that she had engaged a man to help her in the work. Too late, we saw, for condolence.

11. The ultimate point or intended terminus of our visit was Richardson's, the sugar planter, sixteen miles from Monrovia, which we reached about eleven o'clock, but to our regret, learned he was absent, having gone down to Monrovia very early, probably arriving there before our departure, as we did not meet him on the way. We, how

ever, patiently awaited his return, knowing that as soon as he learned we were on a visit to his place, he would instantly set out for home. In an hour or so we had the pleasure of seeing him pulling rapidly up in a canoe. Another hour was spent in dinner, etc., when we sallied out to look at his establishment. The house is situated about one hundred yards from the river, at some forty feet elevation above it, and is far from being of the first class of dwellings; the lower part being used for a store or trade room; but Richardson's ambition reached beyond having a big house. Near the landing was a large kiln of good brick, one half of which had already been laid in the foundation and first story of a capacious sugar-house. Into the latter he intended to put a large steam-power and sugarmill, already ordered from the United States. He had planned a wooden railway from the mill to the water's edge, by which he could load and unload boats with steam power, intending also to use it for sawing and other purposes when not engaged in cane grinding.

12. Everything appeared to have been judiciously arranged for practical operations on a large scale. On proceeding back from the house, we passed a large garden, well laid out and fenced, with a great variety of fruit and vegetables under way. Farther on, we came to his pasture ground, also well fenced; and feeding in it, were some twenty head of fine large cattle, mostly of a cream-colored, long-horned kind, from the interior. Going through this, we came upon his field of sugar-cane, estimated by him to contain an area of sixty-five or seventy acres. We passed entirely through the lot to a farm-house on an elevation at the farther side, in which lived his head farmer or manager—if Mr. R. could be said to have any manager besides himself. Here, then, was before us, under our own eyes and no mistake, the ground-work of a large and extensive sugar plantation, of large mechanical operations, and also of a great commercial establishment (for Mr. R. carried on a profitable trade with the natives from the

interior). And by whom, and by what means, was all this brought about? Simply by the energy, ability, industry, and frugality of one man, and that, too, in three years, and little or no capital to start upon! Let these facts speak trumpet-tongued to the confusion of all opponents of Liberia and Colonization, be they Northern or Southern fanatics, or the discontented, whining, begging, home-sick emigrants, who write home begging letters, willing to return to bondage, for the flesh-pots.

13. It is well known that this man, who had done so much for himself, for Liberia, and for his race, was drowned in the St. Paul River but a few months after we parted from him, and we repeat what we then wrote to a mutual friend, that we never so deeply regretted the death of any man. As we spoke of Zion Harris' premonition or anticipation of his decease, we will state a fact in connection with the death of Richardson, even at the risk of being considered superstitious. A week or two after our return from Liberia, a young lady, who came passenger with us, a teacher in one of the mission schools, was detained at our house over-night by a heavy rain. In the morning, at breakfast, she remarked, "It is said that the dream of a person on sleeping in a house the first night, will prove true, but I hope mine will not, for I dreamed that Mr. Richardson was drowned in the St. Paul River." Two months after came the news of the fact, happening, as nearly as we could calculate, about the time of the dream. Would it were all a dream, and Richardson were now managing his affairs on the St. Paul!

14. Before we finished examining and admiring the extensive and varied improvements of our host, we noticed a heavy tornado rising in the east, and barely reached the house in double-quick time as the deluge came down. It did not end with a shower, but seemed to set in for a heavy rain, continuing for near two hours without intermission. Here was a pretty fix to be in-two horns of a dilemma: to turn out in this deluge, even if the Kroomen

could be bribed to do it, or to stay and run the risk, to mysself and companion, of the African fever. We had about decided to saturate the system with quinine and brandy for one night, and run the risk; when, to our great joy, about four o'clock it held up, and a space opened for the sky to peep through. No time was spent in adieus or stirrup cups; we literally slid down the wet, clayey bank into the boat, yet but half bailed out, and bid our six athletes do their best for a guerdon. Truly they did so, for never before did we glide so rapidly through water, impelled by human force, for the distance. Sixteen long miles to the cape, and then to pass the bar, the ravenous bar, or land and cross the beach. 'Twas long after dark before we spied the cape, only distinguishable by the twinkle of lights from the dwellings and the feeble luminous spot called the light-house.

As our ship's boat was inside, we decided upon a trial of the bar, determined to return and cross the beach if it appeared at all angry, but happily all was quiet; and guided by the light from the ship till near enough to distinguish her high black hull, we soon got alongside, and were sipping our much needed tea at nine o'clock, having vastly enjoyed our trip up-the-river.

CHAPTER LXXI.

HOPE FOR AFRICA.

1. A VARIETY of circumstances have recently transpired which excite the liveliest hopes in regard to Africa. Public attention is turned toward that country in a manner not before known. From many quarters, and in many ways, without concert on the part of those taking the lead in the movements to which we refer, helping hands are

stretched out toward the long-neglected and long-oppressed tribes of that unhappy country.

2. The discoveries of Dr. Livingstone, and his visit to his native land, have brought matters as it were to a crisis. The attempts which have been made in former times to introduce commerce and civilization into the interior have not wholly failed. Though expedition after expedition seemed to have been baffled, yet they left traces on the banks of the great rivers, of the efforts of philanthropic people in this country; and private enterprise, starting from these points, has carried light and knowledge far into the interior.

3. Out of all these arose the contract for a monthly mail to the west coast; and, lately, a second company have started a line of steamers to trade regularly with that region, and with every prospect of success. English influence has penetrated far inland; hence when a large number of the Matabele, near Tete, who mistook him for a Portuguese, were closely scrutinizing Dr. Livingstone, they were at last satisfied, and expressed their satisfaction in language too honorable to us, and too touching in itself, to be soon forgotten-" You belong to the tribe that loves the black man!"

4. While this illustrious traveler was pursuing his way among regions hitherto unknown to Europeans, and among peoples of whose existence we had no knowledge, a new effort to carry intercourse up the Niger as far as its confluence with the Tchadda, was in contemplation. It has now been settled, with the concurrent aid of the Government. Mr. Macgregor Laird, already one of the foremost in the endeavor to civilize Africa, has engaged to have a steamer passing regularly from Fernando Po to the confluence of the great rivers, and he also runs one on his own account besides.

5. About four years ago, Mr. Moffat sent home a long and deeply-interesting account of his visit to Moselakatze, chief over one of the largest tribes, occupying a fine coun