The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-21 00:00:00

Central African Mission.

News- have been received of the safe arrival of
Miss Tozer at Zanzibar. It•is stated that the pro-
gress of the native children, both boys and girls, has
been very satisfactory. The following are extracts
from a letter of Miss Tozer's :-
4, ZANZIBAR, June 26, 1865.

"My first impressions are the wonderful amount
the bishop and Dr. Steers have accomplished since
October. The nine boys aro perfect little gentlemen
—nice soft manners, full of intelligence (except one
Manganja, who is a sweet temper, but poor sail, a sad
dunce); they speak a Milo wilh a Faro accouL7 mud ulitica -
stand all you say. Yesterday I gave them a singing lesson
in chapel. They sang the Glories' and two hymns in
English very nicely, and their conduct is beyond all praise.
I have seen two sums in addition and multiplication, both
right, and long rows of figures ; and to-day I heard six of
them read a card—the history of Joseph in English and
Suaheli, and their answers to questions were quite beau-
tiful—evidently attending to and understanding all the
story. Two of the boys are Christians in will ; and Congo,
the eldest, we always call the future bishop ; he is so good,
steady, grave, and thoughtful, and never moves hand or
foot in chapel, but kneels up with closed eyes and moving
lips, like a good child, as I am sure he is.
"Yesterday the bishop took me entirely through the
town to see the Malagasy quarter and an old grandmother
of our little Mankono. We started in procession—first the
nine boys, two and two, MBili na M‘Bili, in red fez caps
and long white Arab garments, their best, looking so clean
and pretty ; then the bishop and I, followed by six of the
girls in pink frocks and white handkerchiefs ; the rear
brought up by Dr. Steers and Miss Jones. It was like a
walk, or a dream of a walk, in the ' Arabian Nights.'
Anything so marvellous and dreamy I never saw !
pictures presenting themselves at every turn—each
form and face a study. Through the English quarter,
where Colonel Playfair is supreme, the narrow
streets are paved with a sort of cement ; but when we
left this quarter it was dust and dirt, very
narrow and tortuous, very curious. Crowds of dark
and dusky faces, and costumes totally indescribable—
ornaments, girdles, ear and nose jewels, turbans, caftans,
and every few stops a rise, a covering of the face, and
Salaam' from one another. The bishop is evidently consi-
dered a great person, the head of all religion, as the Sultan
calls him—'the pious, the exalted, the illustrious, the dis-
tinguished, the most beloved, our brother and friend, the
bishop.' I have naturally come to lay my open hand over
my face, and say Salaam,' quite as if I had been accus-
tomed to do it all my life. The sight of two new faces, and
ladies walking in the day, was enough to excuse any
amount of staring and remark; but though all eyes were
turned to us, I saw no smile, and heard no remark beyond
' Salaam' as we went on. When we got to the Malagasy
quarter things altered; dusky faceslooked out, and Jamba,
jamba, sane, sane,' Jambe, sang, sans,' were repeated, and
called after us incessantly--so Welcome, very welcome,'
Good morning, very, very much,' it means, and of course
we responded; but when we came to the cluster of huts
where we intended visiting the grandmother, how shall I
describe the scene ? We were surrounded instantly by, I
think, a hundred people. I was seized and dragged into a
hut, and seated forcibly and hospitably on a mat while
women crowded round me, touching me gently, and speak-
ing welcome words. I escaped to the outer air as soon as I
could, where the crowd was increased, Mankono being
loudly welcomed by his relatives, and the bishop and Dr.
Steere made to sit on a kind of throne formed of mats ;
chair was also produced from some corner, and we were
the centre of a dense admiring assemblage.
"The visit lasted about 20 minutes, I think; then we
took our leave, and, accompanied by some 50 black forms,
we departed, the grandmother coming with us some dis-
tance, as is the custom here, and then with ' Salaams' de-
parting. One man came the whole way, more than a mile,
but the greater part gradually dropped of sooner or later.
Coming back in the dusk, we had wonderful glimpses
into most picturesque interiors, where lamps stood
lighted on the floor, and pillows round, for the even-
ing chat. Dear little fair Arab bairns, with glittering
black eyes, covered their faces with tiny hands, and said,
Bon jour,' and ' Salaam ;' handsome grave Arabs, in beau-
tiful garments, rose slowly from the door steps with the
same. All at once in the middle of the narrow Oriental
way (I cannot call it street) we came on two persons, who
lifted their caps and stood to look at us. They were Ame-
ricans, arrived on Sunday in a large Boston merchant ship.
But can't you fancy how an English face or costume would
suddenly come on you, awake you, as it were, out of a
dream ?

" I like the life, so far, extremely. There is work enough
for ten women, instead of three. I am learning and re-
peating Suaheli from morning till night. Dr. Steero has
made me a short grammar, and gives me fresh papers as
fast as I learn the old ones. Salim, our head Arab from
the consulate, sits at my feet hearing me repeat, with in-
finite patience, the numbers, which I can now count up to
a thousand : the Arabic and Suaheli are curiously mixed,
the units being in Suaheli, the tens in Arabic. Ho can't
speak much English, but encourages me by saying 'By
and bye you speaky Zanzibar—to-morrow—next day—
Sunday.'

" I do not know where to begin to tell you anything, it is
all so strange and new. The heat is beyond what you ever
feel in England, and the mosquitoes are very troublesome.
Good bye.—Ever most affectionately yours,
"June 30, sunset." "HELEN R. TOZER."

MORISON'S PILLS OF THE BRITISH COLLEGE OF
HEALTH, EUSTON-ROAD, LONDON.—AII persons should
know that the above medicine can be sent by post on receipt
of 30 postage stamps for two boxes, Nos. 1 and 2,13 d, size.
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