third--the
Egyptian--channel, and Sir Bartle Frere bears testimony to the desire of
the Khedive that slavery should be put down in his dominions. For this
we have reason to be thankful; and the appearance of affairs in that
quarter is hopeful, but our hope is mingled with anxiety, because
mankind is terribly prone to go to sleep on hopeful appearances. Our
nature is such, that our only chance of success lies, under God, in
resolving ceaselessly to energise until our ends be accomplished. We
must see to it that the Khedive of Egypt acts in accordance with his
professions, and for this end efficient consular agency is as needful in
the north-east as in the south-east.

So much for prevention, but prevention is not cure. In order to
accomplish this two things are necessary. There must be points or
centres of refuge for the oppressed on the _mainland_ of Africa, and
there must be the introduction of the Bible. The first is essential to
the second. Where anarchy, murder, injustice, and tyranny are rampant
and triumphant, the advance of the missionary is either terribly slow or
altogether impossible. The life-giving, soul-softening Word of God, is
the only remedy for the woes of mankind, and, therefore, the only cure
for Africa. To introduce it effectually, and along with it civilisation
and all the blessings that flow therefrom, it is indispensable that
Great Britain should obtain, by treaty or by purchase, one or more small
pieces of land, there to establish free Christian negro settlements, and
there, with force sufficient to defend them from the savages, and worse
than savages,--the Arab and Portuguese half-caste barbarians and lawless
men who infest the land--hold out the hand of friendship to all natives
who choose to claim her protection from the man-stealer, and offer to
teach them the blessed truths of Christianity and the arts of
civilisation. Many of the men who are best fitted to give an opinion on
the point agree in holding that some such centre, or centres, on the
mainland are essential to the permanent cure of slavery, although they
differ a little as to the best localities for them. Take, for instance,
Darra Salaam on the coast, the Manganja highlands near the river Shire,
and Kartoum on the Nile. Three such centres would, if established,
begin at once to dry up the slave-trade at its three fountain-heads,
while our cruisers would check it on the coast. In these centres of
light and freedom the ne