'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎272] (449/524)

I
272 VISIT TO THE WAN IK A COUNTRY.
alterations to our house at Mombassa prevented us from returning to the
place until the end of October 1859. * * * When therefore the
Baron Yonder Decken arrived on the 24th of February 1861, we had
not yet completed one year at the station, and when, towards the end
of that year, we were visited by Colonel Felly, we had been there only
fifteen months. Though I had been hard at work during all that time
in the reconstruction of a fallen house, still the whole compound, with
a dilapidated remnant of the old house, some temporary miserable
huts, the walls of a new house raised breast high, but scarcely visible
because roofed over for the time with palm-leaves, presented an aspect
which was yet anything but pleasing or inviting ; and thus it came to
pass that an evil report went abroad about my station having been
found in a state of decay and neglect. The gentlemen who had seen
the place could only think of the many years I had been in the country,
and explanations given in hasty conversation went for nothing.
“ But it may be objected much can be done in the w r ay of building
in fifteen months. This is true on the coast, but not half a day’s jour
ney inland. For a considerable time I could not build for want of
water; so, to secure a proper supply, I had first to dig reservoirs ; stones
had to be quarried, and the lime had to be carried on men’s heads a
distance of about five miles from the landing place ; all this required
much more time. The charge of neglect thus falls to the ground ; and
as to decay there was none ; it was simply a remnant of the fallen-down
house. * * * In fact, when we came back from Zanzibar, after an
absence of two years, it was little better than if we had but just
arrived from England for the first time; and the many years I had been
previously in the country were no more to be taken into account, except
for the experience I had gained. Since then my principal time and
strength have been spent in building-business, and alas, up to this day
I cannot say it is finisned.” From Rabbai we proceeded to Ribe (distant
ten or twelve miles), where a Mission was established two years ago by
the United Free Methodist Churches. Dr. Krapff, to whom its form
ation had been entrusted, brought out two English and two German
companions; the latter were found quite useless, and were sent home
again ; one of the Englishmen was compelled to leave from bad health,
and for a year Mr. Wakefield remained alone at his post. He was
joined a year ago by Mr. New, who came in the Pleiad from Bombay,
and in February of this year Mr. Butterworth, a young man of the