of their countrymen whose fate it is to live, and sometimes to
die, in far-off climes--men who have helped to make England famous, and
are now, step by step, building up our mighty Empire. Curious are the
lives these men, and many like them, lead, cut off as it were from the
bustling, throbbing world. A handful of white men, surrounded by
thousands of blacks, with calm complacency they proceed, first to
impress on the natives the importance, the might, and the justice, of
the great Empire which they represent in their various capacities; then
to establish beyond question their own dignity and wisdom; and finally
to make themselves as comfortable, and their surroundings as attractive
and homelike, as possible, with such means as they can command. They
are to be seen superintending a court of justice, looked up to and
trusted by the natives, who have quickly found out that the "boss" is
just, firm, and that he will not believe a falsehood. The blacks have
their native names for all these officials, most of them showing great
discernment, and some of quite an affectionate nature.

The Commissioners, whose work is entirely among the native population,
requiring the greatest tact and patience, besides a perfect knowledge of
the language, lead, perhaps, the most arduous, as well as the most
lonely, existences. Most of the year is occupied in making tours of
inspection through their vast districts; they live continually in the
open, in constant contact with Nature, and for weeks together they never
see a white man. Almost unattended, they move fearlessly in little-known
places, among an uncivilized if friendly people, and to some extent they
have their lives in their hands. And yet they do not regard their
solitary existence as anything to occasion surprise or admiration; they
realize the importance of their mission, and wet seasons, bad attacks of
fever, and impaired health, do not quench their energy or their keenness
for the great work of development. It is true, indeed, that one and all
live in anticipation of the biennial holiday, of the seven months spent
"at home," and that all events in their lives are dated from those
precious days in England; and then, when the time comes to return to
duty, they probably depart without a murmur, and very few, if any, would
exchange a life in an office, or that of any ordinary profession in
England, for the one, untrammelled and free, they lead in the wilds of
Africa. As distractions i