T h e appeal written hurriedly, and included in
the letter left at Usavara, was as follows:
I have, indeed, undermined Islamism so much here that
Mtesa has determined henceforth, until he is better informed
to observe the Christian Sabbath as well as the Muslim
Sabbath, and the great captains have unanimously consented to
this. He has further caused the Ten Commandments of Moses
to be written on a board for his daily perusal— for Mtesa can
read Arabic— as well as the Lord’s Prayer and the golden commandment
of our Saviour, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself.’ This is great progress for the few days that I
have remained with him, and, though I am no missionary,
I shall begin to think that I might , become one if such Success
is feasible. But, oh! that some pious, practical missionary
would come here! What a field and harvest ripe for the
sickle of civilization! Mtesa would give him anything he
desired houses, lands, cattle, ivory, &c.; he might call a
province his own in one day. It is not the mere preacher,
however, that is wanted here. The bishops of Great Britain
collected, with all the classic youth of Oxford and Cambridge,
would effect nothing by mere talk with the intelligent people
of Uganda. It is the practical Christian tutor, who can teach
people how to become Christians, cure their diseases,
construct dwellings, understand and exemplify agriculture,
and turn his hand to anything, like a sailor— this is the man
who is wanted. Such an one, if he can be found, would
become the saviour of Africa. He must be tied to no church
or sect, but profess God and His Son and the moral law,
and live a blameless Christian, inspired by liberal principles,
charity to all men, and devout faith in Heaven. He must
belong to no nation in particular, but to the entire white
race. Such a man or men, Mtesa, Emperor of Uganda,
Usoga, Unyoro, and Karagwe— an empire 360 geographical
miles in length, by 50 in breadth— invites to repair to him.
He has begged me to tell the white men that, if they will only
come to him, he will give them all they want. Now, where is
there in all the pagan world a more promising field for a mission
than Uganda? Colonel Linant de Bellefonds is my witness
that I speak the truth, and I know he will corroborate all
I say. The Colonel, though a Frenchman, is a Calvinist,
and has become as ardent a well-wisher for the Waganda as I
am. Then why further spend needlessly vast sums upon
black pagans of Africa who have no example of their own
people becoming Christians before them? I speak to the
Universities Mission at Zanzibar and to the Free Methodists
at Mombasa, to the- leading philanthropists, and the pious'
people of England. ‘Here, gentlemen, is your opportunity—
embrace it! The people on the shores of the Nyanza call
upon you. Obey your own generous instincts, and listen to
them; and I assure you that in one year you will have more
converts to Christianity than all other missionaries united
can number. The population of Mtesa’s kingdom is very
dense; I estimate the number of his subjects at 2,000,000.
You need not fear to spend money upon such a mission,
as Mtesa is sole ruler, and will repay its cost tenfold with
|ivofy, coffee, otter skins of a very fine quality, or even in
cattle, for the wealth o f this country in all these products.is
immense. The road here is by the Nile, or via Zanzibar,
Ugogo, and Unyanyembd. The former route, so long as
Colonel Gordon governs the countries of the Upper Nile,
seems the'most feasible;’ >v' ,
; When th e : letters were- written- and sealedi, h
i committed them to the charge o f Colonel Linantt
% friend promised he would await my return'
from Usukuma; meanwhile he lent me a powerful
field-glass, as mine, being considerably injured,
had been given to Mtesa.
Magassa was not ready on the second day
of our arrival. One o f his women had abscondt
h r o u g h t h e d a r k c o n t in e n t . VOL. I. T