bT
PEEFACE.
IN March 1875 the well-known American traveller,
Stanley, while staying in Uganda, wrote a letter
which, after several narrow escapes, reached Eng-
land, and was published in the English newspapers
in November of that year. In this letter Stanley
spoke of the promising field for missionary labour
which Uganda, with its enlightened ruler and in-
telligent people, afforded, and made an earnest
appeal to the English nation to evangelize this
place ; giving at the same time a list of articles
required as outfit, and stating the probable expense
of such an expedition. Within a few days large donations were offered to the Church Missionary
Society if they would commence a Mission in Mtesa's
country. The Society accepted the responsibility, and asked for volunteers to go out to the Victoria Lake to establish two stations, one in Karagwe, the
other in Uganda. A well-equipped party, under the
direction of Lieut. G. Shergold Smith, R.N., proceeded
to Africa in the Spring of 1876. In May 1877
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