She showed her wet stockings to the have the bouquet on their ladder, and women, pulling aside her drenched skirt, | Mademoiselle Louise is with them. It and laughingly saying, "See what a state may rain as much as it likes, the harvest I am in, and my shoes are full of sand!" is all gathered in now.” They stood round her all laughing too; I then looked at George, who came back with long strides, he was very pale, and his curly hair stood up all round his head. "Well done, my boy!" I cried. “Now what say you of this pianoforte performer? She is not chicken-hearted, is she?" No, she is a Rantzau,” replied he, picking up his hat, which he had lost in the hedge. "I fancied the whole crop would | go swimming down the river, it was so badly laden. My cousin has been at a convent, you see. The pole should have been tied down the middle and firmly on to the back. At convent-schools girls don't learn that sort of thing; they are taught how to sing." "Yes," I replied, "they sing, and, what is more, they sing very well; a thing that did not hinder you from showing a good deal of pluck." From The Saturday Review. THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA. To the majority of Englishmen our West African possessions are only associated in a dim sort of manner with ivory, gold dust, palm oil, slaves, the King of Dahomey and his "customs." Some who have indulged in discursive reading may bethink them of Governor Wall, who flogged a soldier to death and was hanged in consequence, and of "L. E. L.," whose melancholy fate is still within the memory of contemporary history. Other conscientious devourers of the daily papers may remember that every now and then an African mail has brought intelligence concerning the quarrels of two rural potentates called Ja Ja and Oko Jumbo. We doubt much whether there are many, I saw this vexed him, and said nothing even among educated people, who could more on the subject, but went on in si- tell the names, or even the approximate lence towards the village, the cart follow-positions, of our settlements on the West ing us some four hundred steps behind. The pole had been replaced and the ropes tightened, so that the forage above was all straight, and the women were sitting on the top of it. I could see Louise tying a bough of leaves on the ladder. George walked on in advance of me, for I kept turning round. When he reached the bend of the valley he let something drop, and stopped to look for it in the high grass. When he caught me up after his search, he told me he had lost his flint, but had found it again. We now entered the village. "Good evening, Monsieur Florent," said George, when we came to my door. "If you don't mind, we will go out again another day.” "We have had a very nice walk, George," answered I, "and I hope it will not be our last." He departed, and I went up to the sitting-room, where my wife and Juliette were very pleased to see me back again. I had but time to go into my little closet and there change my linen when it was supper-time. Coast of Africa. One reason may be that nobody goes there who can help doing so, and that very few who do go return. Yet our West African settlements are important in more ways than one. It is undoubted that they exercise a civilizing influence on the savage races which surround them; and if we abandoned them to-morrow, it would not be easy to prevent the revival of the slavetrade. As regards commerce also they ought to excite our interest, the value of the imports and exports being about a million and twelve hundred thousand pounds sterling respectively. Attention is now specially directed to Cape Coast Castle, on account of the invasion of that settlement by the Ashantees, who, having won a victory over some tribes nominally under our protection, were at the date of the despatch of the last mail within six hours' march of the seat of government. The most northerly, and at the same time the oldest, of all our settlements on the coast is the Gambia, which is called after the river of that name. This river falls into the Atlantic a little to the south The singing of the haymakers was of Cape Verde, and, by means of it, interheard for awhile after we had sat down course with the interior of Africa, to a to table. Juliette jumped up to look out distance of several hundred miles, is carof the window, then came back saying, ried on. The capital is Bathurst, situat"It is the last crop of the season; they | ed on an island near the mouth of the river. This is a mere trading settlement, | an intercourse which the Yorubas, who with scarcely any territory attached to it. are friendly to the British, and fully alive Originally formed in 1588 by a Company to the value of trade, have been ever which received a charter from Queen anxious to maintain. The Egbas and Elizabeth, the staple of its commerce Ijebus are the great obstacle to this, and long consisted in slaves. Proceeding to levy heavy transit dues on all goods passthe South, we come to Sierra Leone, the ing through their territory. Thinking seat of the Governor of all the West that it depended on them to arrest all African settlements, and situated 8° 30m trade- and frequently they have thornorth of the Equator. This colony was oughly paralyzed it-these savages have ceded to the British in 1787, and com- acted as if they were the masters of the prises a considerable amount of territory. situation, and in a position to bring presBetween Sierra Leone and the Equa- sure on the British authorities. In order tor is a tract of Upper Guinea, known as to checkmate them, Captain Glover nearly the Gold Coast. Its capital is Cape two years ago determined to despatch a Coast Castle, and it is the scene of the pioneer expedition in order to open up present disturbances. The colony com- the country and to secure an alternative prises several minor settlements, of which route to that which passed through the Accra and Elmina recently ceded by Egba and Jebu territory. The envoy, the Dutch - are the chief. It was Mr. Roger Goldsworthy, an ex-officer of founded by the African Company in 1750, Lancers, and now Commandant of the under authority of an Act of Parliament. Houssa armed police at Lagos, underTo the eastward of the Gold Coast is went serious risks and great hardships, Lagos, the most recent, but, as far as re- but was completely successful. He found gards imports and exports, the most im- the Yorubas quite prepared to keep open portant, of all our settlements in Western the new route, and he established the Africa. It was only acquired in 1862, most friendly relations with them. The when Docemo, the native king-who is Egbas and Ijebus, furious at seeing their still alive-ceded it to us in return for a power for mischief passing away from pension of 1,000l. a year. Formerly it them, and conscious that if the new route was the greatest slave depôt on the coast, were adopted the administration of Lagos and its possession by us has greatly con- would be independent of them, sought to tributed to the suppression of that traffic. baffle Captain Glover's scheme by means It must not, however, be supposed that of intrigue. They found zealous coadju the neighbouring tribes would quietly tors in the ex-King Docemo, and in both submit to see their principal source of white and black partisans at the settleriches cut off; and, though awed by the ment. A new policy was instituted. The vigour of successive Administrators - new road was not taken advantage of, notably the last, Captain Glover - they and the result has been an almost comhave never ceased to give trouble. Their plete paralysis of commerce, a great rise chief grievance is that runaway slaves in prices at Lagos, the abduction of refuhave found at Lagos a secure asylum gee slaves, and a spirit of determined under shelter of the British flag, which, hostility to British rule. Indeed, both however, during Captain Glover's absence Docemo and the two tribes above menon leave, did not last year always prove a tioned have openly avowed their intention very efficient protection. Indeed on more of getting rid of the white strangers altothan one occasion escaped slaves were gether. by the aid of the ex-King Docemo carried It is, however, on the Gold Coast that off within sight of Government House. the attention of the few who take an inTwo of these hapless captives committed terest in West African affairs is at the suicide rather than again go into bondage. present moment concentrated. Besides The troublesome tribes in question are the settlements on the coast occupied by the Egbas and Ijebus, sometimes called us, a considerable tract of country inhabJebus; and, in addition to the slave ited by the neighbouring tribes was years grievance, they have lately conceived ago formally received under our protecthat they were suffering under another tion. These tribes are collectively styled wrong. They have for years past been Fantees, or the Fantee Confederation. engaged in intermittent war with a tribe The Confederation, however, owing to to the eastward of their own territories, discouragement received from us, is little called Yorubas. These hostilities, of more than nominal, and is only an ag course, have been a great hindrance to glomeration of independent clans, friendcommercial intercourse with the interior ly to each other and loosely united from fear of their hereditary foe the King of tated at such a sensible diminution of his Ashantee. The Colonial Office has for- revenue, the King of Ashantee, misintermally approved of the principle of a Con-preting our conciliatory behaviour, prefederation, but has done nothing to pro- sumed on our supposed weakness, and mote it, and, rightly or wrongly, the Fantees are under the impression that their project is viewed with contempt by the local authorities. The Fantees, however, with wits sharpened by the instincts of self-preservation, foresaw the imminence of the danger which their so-called protectors failed to recognize, and the event has justified the note of alarm which they sounded. The Ashantees, indeed, are a formidable enemy, and have on two previous occasions given us much trouble. Formerly they held sway over the Fantee country and over the maritime district which we now occupy, and it was our wresting from them the seaboard and denying the sovereignty over the Fantees which brought about the war of 1824. Some rather sharp fighting took place, and ultimate success was only purchased by the expenditure of much money, and the loss of Sir Charles Macarthy, the Governor. For nearly forty years a sort of armed truce was observed, but in 1863 the King of Ashantee again declared war - a war which cost us 100,000l., and one in which for months our troops endeavoured with much loss from sickness to bring the enemy to action, but in vain. Since then we have pursued a policy of conciliation, not to say subserviency, sending presents with the messengers who proposed-or, as rendered by the natives, sued for "-peace. All our efforts have, however, failed, and now for the third time within half a century we are at war with this fierce and untamable race. snatched at what he considered a favourable opportunity for driving us into the sea. Early in January last the Ashantees, in four divisions, and with numbers variously estimated by those on the spot at sixty thousand and eighty thousand men, crossed the Fantee frontier. Recent advices, however, tend to show that their strength has been exaggerated, and that the main body at all events is not more than thirty thousand strong. The bor der is only three days' journey from Cape Coast Castle, yet it does not appear that the Administrator took any steps to obtain trustworthy information. He never even noticed the invasion till the 3rd of February, and then he contented himself with a mere proclamation announcing the invasion, and prohibiting the supply to the invaders of munitions of war. The Ashantees in the meantime had themselves announced their arrival in the most energetic manner, having marched through the country plundering and burning in every direction. Taken by surprise at first, only 4,000 or 5,000 Fantees could be collected to oppose the enemy, before whom they were of course obliged to retreat. At length, however, the different chiefs managed to assemble an army of some 30,000 men, and a battle whose dimensions would have been considered respectable even in Europe took place. The numbers were about equal on each side, but the Ashantees possessed the advantage of being under a single commander, while the Fantees were a mere collection of clans each obeying What the cause of the rupture was no only the order of its immediate chief. one seems quite able to say. The gen- The fight was well contested, having eral belief is that the cession of Elmina lasted some eight or nine hours. to us by the Dutch has something to do length the Fantees, having lost 1,000 men, with it. Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen is of and being short of ammunition, were this opinion. It appears that the Dutch obliged to retire, falling back, however, used not only to give a yearly sum of so steadily that the victors contented money to the King of Ashantee, but also themselves with occupying the abandoned to pay him so much per head for the cap- position. At this place, only seventeen tives he made in war. These captives miles from Cape Coast Castle, the Ashwere sent to serve as soldiers in other antees, who, though the conquerors, lost, Dutch settlements, and certainly gained it is said, 2,000 men in the battle, reby the change of masters. When we mained for some time waiting for reintook over Elmina, we made inquiries forcements. We learn that the King of concerning this subsidy, and, learning the Ashantees - his euphonious name is that it was given not as tribute but merely for the encouragement of trade, determined not to continue it. Of course head money for slaves, under any circumstances, was out of the question. Irri At Carie-Carie — has sworn to drive the English into the sea, and that he is expected to head the reinforcements asked for by his commander-in-chief. Whether these reinforcements have arrived or not we do not know; but the invaders on was a short time ago only occupied by the 7th April resumed the offensive. thirty negroes of a West Indian regiment, The Fantees had in the meantime been without an officer. It is to be hoped that reinforced, and were encouraged by the the reinforcements which have been depresence of 120 of the Houssa police, spatched from Sierra Leone and Lagos under Lieutenant Hopkins, who had been will be employed to strengthen these tardily empowered to afford them sub-forts, for there seems to be no intention stantial aid. A battle which lasted six of carrying on any operations in the open hours took place, the Houssas fighting gallantly and losing two men killed and fourteen wounded. The Ashantees, however, gained the day, and Lieutenant Hopkins fell back with his detachment to the coast. The Ashantees must have bought their triumph dearly, for not till the 14th did they again engage the beaten, but still stubborn, Fantees. On this occasion the fight lasted fourteen hours, at the end of which time the Fantees were completely routed. and we have never pretended to defend it field. The force at the disposal of the Governor consists of three men-of-war or gunboats, and 840 armed police, black soldiers and volunteers. Had it been desired, ten times that number might have been raised from among the Fantees, who, if well armed and led by Englishmen, would probably fight well. Fight ing would however interfere with the moral force policy which seems to be in favour. Besides, Lord Kimberley denies that we are under any obligation to proThe first battle was fought at a spot tect the protected tribes. It is not, he about seventeen miles from Cape Coast lately said, British, but only British-proCastle; the second action took place ap-tected, territory which has been violated, parently at the same place, but the scene of the last engagement was no doubt against aggression in the same way as nearer to Cape Coast Castle. At all British territory. To unsophisticated events, it is said that the whole country minds it would seem that here is a disis now in the hands of the invaders, and tinction without a difference, and that the that we cannot be said to hold an acre of meaning of protection is to defend the ground save what is commanded by the protected against aggression. To calm fire from the forts on the coast. The any apprehension that might be felt, he fortifications of Cape Coast Castle con-asserted that the Ashantees, who numsist of an earthen work adjoining the bered only 4,000, were at the back of the road which leads to the town, a strong protected territory. Information obmasonry fort on the shore, and a martello tained from non-official sources gave the tower in which is kept the ammunition of number at 30,000 in one body, and, inthe garrison. Unfortunately this tower is deed it is now officially admitted that the isolated, and the fort itself is overlooked Colonial Office has been misinformed, at a distance of 300 or 400 yards by some and that the enemy numbers from 30,000 high hills. Cape Coast Castle is, how-to 40,000 men. Convinced at last that we ever, sufficiently strong both as regards have to deal with no mere raid, but with fortifications and garrison to defy the a very substantial and formidable inva dusky warrior, who is as unlikely to fulfil sion, Lord Kimberley has sent out in hot his oath as was his predecessor Quacoi haste a rocket battery and some marines. Duah, who vowed in 1863 to cut off the It is probable, however, that these reinGovernor's head, and didn't. The out-forcements will arrive somewhat late, for lying settlements are in a somewhat by this time the rainy season has comcritical condition, their works being out menced and operations in the field must of repair, ammunition being short, and have perforce come to an end. the garrisons weak. Accra, for instance, DILIGENT IN BUSINESS. A man indus- | God that gives him power to get wealth; if he trious in his calling, if without the fear of God, becomes a drudge to worldly ends; vexed when disappointed, overjoyed in success. Mingle but the fear of God with business, it will not abate a man's industry, but sweeten it; if he prosper, he is thankful to miscarry, he is patient under the will and dispensation of the God he fears. It turns the very employment of his calling to a kind of religious duty and exercise of his religion, without damage or detriment to it. Sir Matthew Hale. "THE LIVING AGE HAS NO EQUAL IN ANY COUNTRY.'-Phil. Press. 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