The Prince was accompanied by the Comte de Paris, and several other members of the late royal family of France.

Before commencing his lecture, Capt. Speke introduced to the audience the two little black boys, who were so lionized at the Geographical Society the night before. It was mainly through the unwearying energy of the fathers of these boys that Capt. Spekc was enabled to traverse the country between Zanzibar and Gondokoro. He mentioned that the little fellows were brought to this country to receive an English education, by Capt. Rigby, the British Consul at Zanzibar, through whose instrumentality so much had been done to abolish the slave trade in those regions. He also desired publicly to thank Sir Roderick I. Murchison and the Fellows of the Geographical Society for the assistance they had afforded him in proving the correctness of the conclusion at which he had arrived in 1858, that Lake Victoria Nyanza was the source of some great river, and that that river was the Nile.

Time would not permit him to describe the whole of the incidents of this journey from Zanzibar to Egypt, which occupied two years and a half, and extended over a distance of more than 3,000 miles. He chose rather to give some account of the Wahuma, and some of the other tribes inhabiting the shores of Lake Nyanza. Judging from the physical characteristics of these tribes, he considered them to be descended from the ancient Abyssinians. This idea was in a great measure confirmed by the traditions of the people, who, when questioned about their origin, always replied that they came from the north. The Abyssinians sprang from the union between the children of Shem and Ham, the negro blood being modified and toned down by the Shemitic admixture. Captain Speke then went on to describe how the aboriginal inhabitants of Abyssinia, who were essentially an agricultural people, had been conquered and enslaved by nomad races, who lived on the produce of their flocks and herds. These ancient Abyssinians came down by degrees from the north, carrying all before them, and founding the great kingdom of Kittara, which was now split up into several minor kingdoms through continual internal wars. A singular tradition of the double origin of these people was repeated to him by one of the chiefs, who gravely told him that at one time the inhabitants of Kittara were half black and half white, one side of their heads having curly hair, the other straight. The largest portion of Kittary consists of the kingdom Unyoro. Capt. Speke gave a long and interesting account of the history of this people, tracing their kings down to the present monarch. On the most fertile part of the shores of Lake Nyanza is the kingdom of Uganda, which is the most interesting of all the nations of equatorial Africa, being better cultivated and better governed than any other. The customs of Uganda are many of them most irregular. The princes having large harems of women, their progeny is, of course, most numerous. When a king dies all his sons are burned except his successor and two others, who are kept in

case of accident until the coronation, after which one is pensioned off, and the other banished to Unyoro. Untidiness in dress is a capital crime, except the offender possesses sufficient riches to pay an enormous fine. Ingratitude, or even neglecting to thank a person for a benefit conferred, is punishable. The court customs are also curious. No one is allowed to stand before the king, and to touch him or look at one of his women is death. They believe implicitly in magic and the evil eye, and the kings are always attended by a certain number of women, crowned with dead lizards, and bearing bowls of plaintain wine in their hands.

The King of Karagwe is the most civilized of all these native chiefs; before entering Uganda, Capt. Speke spent many days with him. In manners, civility, and enlightenment, he might be compared with many Europeans. He owes much of this to the influence of an Indian merchant, named Moussa Mzouri, who helped him by his advice to conquer his brother, with whom he was at war. Capt. Speke was much entertained with many of his questions as to what became of the old suns, and why the moon made faces at the earth. He also wanted to know whether England, of which he had heard from the ivory traders, could blow up the whole of Africa with gun powder. The moment the king heard that he was desirons of going north, he sent messengers to the King of Uganda to prepare the way for him. The king was most anxious to afford him every possible information about the country.

While at the palace, the king took him yachting, on Murchison creek, for several days, and he frequently went shooting with the princess of the court, who, when he had shot anything, would rush up to and shake him heartily by the hand-a custom little known in that part of Africa. Before leaving, they heard from the King Kamrasi that a body of white men had been seen to the north, who had killed numbers of the natives with a wonderful gun.

This made Capt. Speke most anxious to push on, as he supposed the party of white men to be that of Mr. Petherick, who had appointed to meet him. He then started for Uganda, with a numerous retinue. Before leaving King Rumanika's at Karagwe, he had noticed on several occasions three or four lofty mountain peaks, more than 10,000 feet high. The King of Uganda sent an armed body of men to meet him, who conducted him through the kingdom. Everywhere they went the people left their huts, leaving their provisions behind them. The fertility of this part is very great, and the scenery on the shores of the lake most beautiful.

On arriving at the King of Uganda's capital, Capt. Speke found it necessary to wrap up all his presents in chintz, before sending them to the King, as nothing bare or naked could be looked at by his Majesty. He found the palace to consist of hundreds of conical tents, spread over the spur of a hill. Thousands of courtiers and attendants were to be seen engaged in every conceivable occupation, from playing on musical instruments to feeding the royal chickens.

Rev. James R. Amos and that of his wife had suffered so severely at Niffau, that he was obliged to return to the United States. While waiting for a ship at Monrovia he thoroughly examined the localities at head of tide water on the St. Paul's. His report in favor of this position for the High School agreed with the opinion of the other missionaries in Liberia, as well as the opinions heretofore expressed by the Rev. D. A. Wilson and Rev. Edwin T. Williams, while in service of the Board. The voyage to the United States had restored the health of Mr. Amos, and he was anxious to return to any station in Africa where he could be useful. He is a practical carpenter, and has had experience in various other kinds of work. After full and repeated interviews with him, it was deemed important to place under his direction the building for the High School. He returned to Liberia in November, furnished with supplies that will go far to meet the entire expense of a brick building. He will employ his Sabbaths in preaching at different settlements within reach of the station.

HARRISBURG.

There is a small church at this station, in which Mr. Harrison preaches steadily. No additions to its members have been reported for the last year. The Sabbath school is still large, and is doing good. The boys' boarding school consists of twenty scholars, viz: eleven Congo boys, and three Congo girls, three boys and two girls from the Golahs, an aboriginal tribe now included in Liberia, and one boy from the Veys. The school is taught by Mr. Melville, a former pupil of the Alexandria High School. When out of school the pupils are under the care of Mr. Harrison, who takes charge of their lodging, food, and clothing. It is not in a very prosperous condition. Mr. Harrison is now an aged man, and the labor and care required by such an institution are perhaps too great for him. The Alexandria High School will be placed in this neighborhood, and its influence will, when established, be of great service to the boarding school. These youth of the recaptured Africans, as well as the native tribes, are all now peaceably residing at Liberia, under the protection of the laws. Their Christian instruction and their welfare and improvement are proper and important objects for the labor of the missionary.

KENTUCKY.

Mr. Erskine has still three places of preaching as heretoforeClay-Ashland, Caldwell, and Congo Town. The native villages in reach of his station still receive his visits as far as he is able to make them. The number of church members is not reported; eight have been added during the past year. The church at the last dates was sharing richly in a revival of religion, similar to that described at Monrovia. The Sabbath school is reported to be in a prosperous condition.

The English school under J. Deputie has thirty pupils, and is in good operation. It is a great blessing to the place, and its priv→ ileges are highly prized by the community.

SINOU.

The church at this station has had three additions to its membership, and three have been dismissed to join other churches, leaving sixty remaining, being the same number of members as reported last year. The Sabbath school has fifty-two scholars, and is efficiently and well conducted. The day school under Mrs. Parsons is doing well. The number of pupils is forty, to which the school is limited, or a much higher number would be reported. Mr. Priest has under his care four Congo and eight Akoo boys. Many of the recaptured Africans, as well as of the native heathen tribes, are settled in the neighborhood. Some of these attend the church and Sabbath school, but they are not regular in their attendance.

SETTRA KRU.

The small school is still continued; the pupils are from six to eight, mostly active and promising boys. This a difficult and discouraging field of labor. The men are scattered up and down the coast, at great distances from home, seeking employment in war and merchant vessels. They make fearless and active sailors, and when they make some money they return home to spend it. They are, however, very friendly to the mission, and are much improved in some things, having mostly abandoned the worst of their heathen customs. Formerly the charge of witchcraft was very common, and to drink sasa-wood water was the test of their guilt or innocence. The consequences for the most part were fatal. But for the last five years only two instances of this ordeal have occurred. When they have preaching many of them attend, are well behaved, and attentive hearers. A minister of the Gospel is greatly needed to labor among this active and remarkable people.

MOUNT COFFEE.

This station is placed among the natives of the Golah tribe, and is fifty miles east of Monrovia, but within the limits of Liberia. Four recaptured Africans are in Mr. Miller's family, supported by the Board, and eight others for whom he receives some support from the Liberian Government. The native Golahs are numerous, and are very anxious that their children should be received into the boarding school, and the youth are quite willing to labor on the farm for their own support. There are also ten orphan children, whose parents were, one or both, from the United States, who are also most desirous to be received into the mission school. A few of them have been received, increasing the school to twenty. To

Rev. James R. Amos and that of his wife had suffered so severely at Niffau, that he was obliged to return to the United States. While waiting for a ship at Monrovia he thoroughly examined the localities at head of tide water on the St. Paul's. His report in favor of this position for the High School agreed with the opinion of the other missionaries in Liberia, as well as the opinions heretofore expressed by the Rev. D. A. Wilson and Rev. Edwin T. Williams, while in service of the Board. The voyage to the United States had restored the health of Mr. Amos, and he was anxious to return to any station in Africa where he could be useful. He is a practical carpenter, and has had experience in various other kinds of work. After full and repeated interviews with him, it was deemed important to place under his direction the building for the High School. He returned to Liberia in November, furnished with supplies that will go far to meet the entire expense of a brick building. He will employ his Sabbaths in preaching at different settlements within reach of the station.

HARRISBURG.

There is a small church at this station, in which Mr. Harrison preaches steadily. No additions to its members have been reported for the last year. The Sabbath school is still large, and is doing good. The boys' boarding school consists of twenty scholars, viz: eleven Congo boys, and three Congo girls, three boys and two girls from the Golahs, an aboriginal tribe now included in Liberia, and one boy from the Veys. The school is taught by Mr. Melville, a former pupil of the Alexandria High School. When out of school the pupils are under the care of Mr. Harrison, who takes charge of their lodging, food, and clothing. It is not in a very prosperous condition. Mr. Harrison is now an aged man, and the labor and care required by such an institution are perhaps too great for him. The Alexandria High School will be placed in this neighborhood, and its influence will, when established, be of great service to the boarding school. These youth of the recaptured Africans, as well as the native tribes, are all now peaceably residing at Liberia, under the protection of the laws. Their Christian instruction and their welfare and improvement are proper and important objects for the labor of the missionary.

KENTUCKY.

Mr. Erskine has still three places of preaching as heretoforeClay-Ashland, Caldwell, and Congo Town. The native villages in reach of his station still receive his visits as far as he is able to make them. The number of church members is not reported; eight have been added during the past year. The church at the last dates was sharing richly in a revival of religion, similar to that described at Monrovia. The Sabbath school is reported to be in a prosperous condition.