r that the King was making a great deal of
money, and that many shameful and wicked things were done in the
Congo. The King never went there himself, but both he and his friends,
who were also making money, said that the English (for it was the
English who found most fault with him) were jealous, and that
everything was going well. Nevertheless bad news kept arriving from
the Congo, and many of the Belgians themselves became as angry as the
English, and said something must be done to stop what was going on. At
last the Belgian Parliament resolved that the only way to save the
Congo was to make it a Belgian colony, and try if they could not
govern it better than King Leopold.

So in the year 1908, after long debates and much curious bargaining
between the King and his people, the Congo State became a Belgian
colony. It remains to be seen whether they can govern it wisely, for
as yet they have no experience in such matters. Few Belgians like to
speak about the Congo. They shake their heads, and say it will cost a
great deal of money, and bring danger to their country.

The scene when a ship sails from Antwerp for the Congo is unlike
anything you will see at home. When a ship leaves an English port for
India or the Colonies, the travellers go on board without any fuss,
with perhaps a few private friends to see them off. But when a liner
starts for the Congo, there is much excitement. A crowd assembles;
flags fly; a band plays the Belgian National Anthem; hawkers go about
selling photographs of _le depart pour le Congo_; and a steam-tug,
decorated with flags, and with a band of music playing, accompanies
the liner some distance down the Scheldt. The Belgians, you see, are
so fond of hoisting flags and hearing bands of music on every possible
occasion that they can't help doing it even when there is really
nothing to get excited about.

And now, having taken this peep at Belgium, we shall leave these
adventurers sailing away to their Congo, and, hoping they will find
wisdom to steer wisely (in more ways than one) and so avoid shipwreck,
wish them _bon voyage_.

* * * * *

LIST OF VOLUMES IN THE PEEPS AT MANY LANDS SERIES

EACH CONTAINING 12 FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR

BELGIUM INDIA
BURMA IRELAND
CANADA ITALY
CHINA JAMAICA
CORSICA JAPAN
EGYPT MOROCCO
ENGLAND NEW ZEALAND
FINLAND NORWAY
FRANCE SCOTLAND
GERMANY SIAM
GREE