mpt and efficient
measures to procure funds sufficient to pay for their outfit and
passages, and, if possible, something to sustain the
contemplated mission in Mendi. One of the committee being sick
and another absent, it devolved upon me to perform the
excursion. I was assisted essentially by Mr. Samuel Deming, one
of the committee at Farmington, and by Mr. William Raymond and
Mr. Needham. On arriving at Hartford, the third instant, I
learned that Mr. Deming had proceeded to Boston, accompanied by
ten of the Mendians, viz., Cinque, Banna, Si-si, Su-ma, Fu-li,
Ya-bo-i, So-ko-ma, Kin-na, Ka-li and Mar-gru. These were
selected not on account of being the best scholars, but with
reference to their being the best singers, although some of them
are among the best scholars. None of them, however, have had
instruction in music. Arriving in Boston, the city was, as I
anticipated, full of excitement, on account of the approaching
election,--a circumstance unknown to the committee at
Farmington, who had sent off the Mendians sooner than we had
calculated,--and it seemed almost impossible to procure a
suitable place in which to hold meetings, or to arrest the
attention of the people, as the whole--democrats, whigs and
abolitionists--had every nerve strained for the political
contest. However, preparation had been made for a meeting at the
Melodeon, late Lion Theatre, on Thursday evening. A few hundreds
assembled, and appeared to be highly gratified with the
performances. It seemed to them marvellous that these men and
children, who, less than three years since, were almost naked
savages in the interior of Africa, should, under the untoward
circumstances in which they have been placed for the largest
part of the time since they have been in a civilized and
Christian country, appear so far advanced in civilization and
knowledge. Only forty-six dollars were received, the proceeds of
tickets and a collection, but a strong desire was expressed that
there should be another meeting.

"Saturday evening was the only evening we could have Marlboro'
Chapel, the largest church in the city. Preliminary to this
meeting, a private meeting of invited gentlemen was held during
the afternoon, at the Marlboro' Hotel, the Mendians being
present. The meeting was well attended and a good impression wa