or of France.

From there they proceeded to London. They were cordially received by
a number of distinguished men and officials. Among them Mr.
Wilberforce and Mr. Zachary Macauly, the former governor of Sierra
Leone, who introduced them to the Duke of Gloucester. They met
everywhere with Christian sympathy, and the kindest offers of
service. Having obtained letters to the governors of colonies in
Africa, they left England for the west coast, February 3, 1818.

This voyage was a pleasant one, and brought them in about thirty days
to the mouth of the Gambia. They anchored near the village of St.
Mary's, and went to inspect this and other settlements. They made the
acquaintance of the governors and the Europeans, everywhere gathering
useful and pertinent facts.

They proceeded south, visiting towns and villages, and calling upon
the kings and head men. On these occasions they were received in the
"palaver house," by the chiefs arranged in true African style,
regardless of taste. One was described as wearing "a silver-laced
coat, a superb three-cornered hat, blue-bafta trousers, considerably
the worse for wear, and no stockings or shoes." The insignia of
royalty were a silver-headed cane in one hand, a horse-tail in the
other. Before the palaver could go on, the hosts must receive
presents, and as their guests had oftenest been slave traders, rum
and tobacco had become essentials.

By means of interpreters they made known their friendly feelings, and
that they had come from America. "That wise and good men had agreed
to help the black people who wished to come to this country; that the
design was a good one, and would promote the best interests of the
black people both in America and Africa; that if they would sell or
give tracts of their unimproved lands, the people who came would
introduce more knowledge of the arts and agriculture, would buy such
things as they had to sell, and would sell to them such things as
they wanted;" that the children were to be educated; that they had
come as messengers of peace and good tidings, bringing no weapons in
their hands--that they did not desire war.

They found that African kings knew the art of being slothful in
business. They seemed to have no idea of dispatch, but would talk for
hours without coming to the point. In general their reception was
cordial, and, in some instances, more than that. Land was offered
them in five different places. Their greatest obstacle was the
un