! I hope the work of the
missionaries will be blessed, and that God will soften the hard
hearts of those savage and mercenary people."

CHARLES. "Between Liberia and Sierra Leone are Sherboro' Bay and
Yawry Bay. Sierra Leone, or 'Mountains of the Lioness,' is so
unhealthy that we should not live long if we went there."

MRS. WILTON. "You are right, Charles. It was established as a colony
in 1787, for the express purpose of laboring to civilize the
Africans. All the cargoes of the recaptured slavers are taken there,
and every comfort and convenience afforded to the unfortunate
negroes. But it is so extremely unhealthy that Europeans can
scarcely carry out their plans, and death mows them down in the
midst of their usefulness."

CHARLES. "Then I may conclude that all members are desirous of
proceeding. Between Sierra Leone and Cape Verd the bays are
immaterial; but from Cape Verd, sailing north, we pass four
tolerable-sized indentations--Tindal, Greyhound, Cintra, and Garnet
Bays. Then a brisk wind will speedily waft us to the point from
whence we started, viz. the Straits of Gibraltar."

MR. WILTON. "We have nearly come to a conclusion then, and without
any of the misfortunes incidental to travellers. We have gone over
the vast extent of waters which encompass our globe, and been for
some months engaged in examining the wonders of the ocean, without
meeting any of the monsters of the deep, such as krakens,
sea-serpents, &c.; nevertheless, I am not so skeptical as to
disbelieve all I have not the opportunity of viewing with my own
bodily eyes. I do think that the sea contains monsters such as Mrs.
Howitt describes:--

'Things all misshapen, slimy, cold,
Writhing, and strong, and thin,'

which it would be dangerous to observe too near; and I shall feel we
have gained an advantage by these little meetings if they lead you
young folks to reflect on the probabilities of different travellers'
assertions, before you either receive or reject them."

MRS. WILTON. "We have sailed all round the coast of Africa, but
would there be any danger in going to the lakes of Africa?"

MR. WILTON. "None that I am aware of; and as there are only three of
any magnitude there, we shall not be long on the excursion. I will
visit two myself, and report discoveries.

"Lake Ludea is in Tunis, and is scarcely worth the expense of a
journey thither. Lake Maravi is in the south, near Mozambique, and
is rather larger, but not an agree