mine of information. This was Mgr. Derikx, Prefet Apostolique of Uele in
the Upper Congo. He had had five years' experience of the country and
was well versed in all its institutions and ways. Another was a young
military officer, M. Arnold, already of the rank of Commandant, for he
had shown distinguished service in the field--or rather the forest--and
also as an administrator at a State Post. There were also many other
officials, soldiers, lawyers and commercial agents on board.

I determined therefore, to read the various books and reports written
against the Congo--whether the writers had ever been in the country or
not--then to question the officials who had worked there, and finally to
see the actual condition of affairs for myself.

We tumbled about in The Bay of Biscay a little and the motion did not
much aid the digestion of the contents of histories and blue and white
books. A welcome break was therefore made when we reached Teneriffe on
June 29th. It is early afternoon and the view of Santa Crus from the sea
is very beautiful. In the foreground is ultra-marine coloured water; on
shore, bright yellow houses with red roofs dotted among palms and other
foliage of vivid green, and behind all, frowns the great grey mountain
12,000 feet high. The hills stretching up from the sea are in many cases
terraced for gardens and vineyards and a new hotel stands out
prominently on one side. It is a glorious picture, but if the eye is
delighted as the boat approaches the shore, the nose is offended
immediately on landing. Streets, houses and people near the harbour are
dirty and odoriferous and as the shops are all shut for a saint's day,
the town looks dismal in spite of the bright sun.

After changing some money at the shop of a jew who gave us the wrong
amount and looked injured when we insisted upon the right, we took an