As they never translate the Koran, they neglect the best means of influencing the Africans, who invariably wish to understand what they are about.  When we were teaching adults the alphabet, they felt it a hard task.  “Give me medicine, I shall drink it to make me understand it,” was their earnest entreaty.  When they have advanced so far as to form clear conceptions of Old Testament and Gospel histories, they tell them to their neighbours; and, on visiting distant tribes, feel proud to show how much they know:  in this way the knowledge of Christianity becomes widely diffused.  Those whose hatred to its self-denying doctrines has become developed by knowledge, propagate slanders; but still they speak of Christianity, and awaken attention.  The plan, therefore, of the Christian missionary in imparting knowledge is immeasurably superior to that of the Moslem in dealing with dumb show.  I have, however, been astonished to see that none of the Africans imitate the Arab prayers:  considering their great reverence of the Deity, it is a wonder that they do not learn to address prayers to Him except on very extraordinary occasions.

My remarks referring to the education by Mohamadans do not refer to the Suahelis, for they teach their children to read, and even send them to school.  They are the descendants of Arab and African women and inhabit the coast line.  Although they read, they understand very little Arabic beyond the few words which have been incorporated into Suaheli.  The establishment of Moslem missions among the heathen is utterly unknown, and this is remarkable, because the Wanyamwesi, for instance, are very friendly with the Arabs—­are great traders, too, like them, and are constantly employed as porters and native traders, being considered very trustworthy.  They even acknowledge Seyed Majid’s authority.  The Arabs speak of all the Africans as "Gumu” that is hard or callous to the Mohamadan religion.

Some believe that Kilimanjaro Mountain has mummies, as in Egypt, and that Moses visited it of old.

Mungo Park mentions that he found the Africans in the far interior of the west in possession of the stories of Joseph and his brethren, and others.  They probably got them from the Koran, as verbally explained by some liberal Mullah, and showed how naturally they spread any new ideas they obtained:  they were astonished to find that Park knew the stories.

The people at Katanga are afraid to dig for the gold in their country because they believe that it has been hidden where it is by “Ngolu,” who is the owner of it.  The Arabs translate Ngolu by Satan:  it means Mezimo, or departed spirits, too.  The people are all oppressed by their superstitions; the fear of death is remarkably strong.  The Wagtails are never molested, because, if they were killed, death would visit the village; this too is the case with the small Whydah birds, the fear of death in the minds of the people saves them from molestation.  But