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y wood were to be found sunlight； pasturage and peaceful meadows。
They replied in a manner that seemed to imply that we must be strange creatures to suppose that it would be possible for any world to exist save their illimitable forest。 〃No；〃 they replied； shaking their heads compassionately； and pitying our absurd questions； 〃all like this；〃 and they moved their hand sweepingly to illustrate that the world was all alike； nothing but trees； trees and treesgreat trees rising as high as an arrow shot to the sky； lifting their crowns intertwining their branches； pressing and crowding one against the other； until neither the sunbeam nor shaft of light can penetrate it。
〃We entered the forest；〃 says Mr。 Stanley； 〃with confidence； forty pioneers in front with axes and bill hooks to clear a path through the obstructions； praying that God and good fortune would lead us。〃 But before the conviction of the forest dwellers that the forest was without end； hope faded out of the hearts of the natives of Stanley's company。 The men became sodden with despair； preaching was useless to move their brooding sullenness； their morbid gloom。
The little religion they knew was nothing more than legendary lore； and in their memories there dimly floated a story of a land which grew darker and darker as one travelled towards the end of the earth and drew nearer to the place where a great serpent lay supine and coiled round the whole world。 Ah！ then the ancients must have referred to this； where the light is so ghastly； and the woods are endless； and are so still and solemn and grey； to this oppressive loneliness； amid so much life； which is so chilling to the poor distressed heart； and the horror grew darker with their fancies； the cold of early morning； the comfortless grey of dawn； the dead white mist； the ever…dripping tears of the dew； the deluging rains； the appalling thunder bursts and the echoes； and the wonderful play of the dazzling lightning。 And when the night comes with its thick palpable darkness； and they lie huddled in their damp little huts； and they hear the tempest overhead； and the howling of the wild winds； the grinding an groaning of the storm…tost trees； and the dread sounds of the falling giants； and the shock of the trembling earth which sends their hearts with fitful leaps to their throats； and the roaring and a rushing as of a mad overwhelming sea oh； then the horror is intensified！ When the march has begun once again； and the files are slowly moving through the woods； they renew their morbid broodings； and ask themselves： How long is this to last？ Is the joy of life to end thus？ Must we jog on day after day in this cheerless gloom and this joyless duskiness； until we stagger and fall and rot among the toads？ Then they disappear into the woods by twos； and threes； and sixes； and after the caravan has passed they return by the trail； some to reach Yambuya and upset the young officers with their tales of woe and war； some to fall sobbing under a spear…thrust； some to wander and stray in the dark mazes of the woods； hopelessly lost； and some to be carved for the cannibal feast。 And those who remain compelled to it by fears of greater danger； mechanically march on； a prey to dread and weakness。
That is the forest。 But what of its denizens？ They are comparatively few； only some hundreds of thousands living in small tribes from ten to thirty miles apart； scattered over an area on which ten thousand million trees put out the sun from a region four times as wide as Great Britain。 Of these pygmies there are two kinds； one a very degraded specimen with ferretlike eyes； close…set nose； more nearly approaching the baboon than was supposed to be possible； but very human； the other very handsome； with frank open innocent features； very prepossessing。 They are quick and intelligent； capable of deep affection and gratitude； showing remarkable industry and patience。 A pygmy boy of eighteen worked with consuming zeal； time with him was too precious to waste in talk。 His mind seemed ever concentrated on work。 Mr。 Stanley said：
〃When I once stopped him to ask him his name； his face seemed to say； 'Please don't stop me。 I must finish my task。'
〃All alike； the baboon variety and the handsome innocents； are cannibals。 They are possessed with a perfect mania for meat。 We were obliged to bury our dead in the river； lest the bodies should be exhumed and eaten； even when they had died from smallpox。〃
Upon the pygmies and all the dwellers of the forest has descended a devastating visitation in the shape of the ivory raiders of civilisation。 The race that wrote the Arabian Nights； built Bagdad and Granada； and invented Algebra； sends forth men with the hunger for gold in their hearts； and Enfield muskets in their hands； to plunder and to slay。 They exploit the domestic affections of the forest dwellers in order to strip them of all they possess in the world。 That has been going on for years。 It is going on to…day。 It has come to be regarded as the natural and normal law of existence。 Of the religion of these hunted pygmies Mr。 Stanley tells us nothing； perhaps because there is nothing to tell。 But an earlier traveller； Dr。 Kraff； says that one of these tribes； by name Doko； had some notion of a Supreme Being； to whom； under the name of Yer； they sometimes addressed prayers in moments of sadness or terror。 In these prayers they say； 〃Oh Yer； if Thou dost really exist why dost Thou let us be slaves？ We ask not for food or clothing； for we live on snakes； ants； and mice。 Thou hast made us； wherefore dost Thou let us be trodden down？〃
It is a terrible picture； and one that has engraved itself deep on the heart of civilisation。 But while brooding over the awful presentation of life as it exists in the vast African forest； it seemed to me only too vivid a picture of many parts of our own land。 As there is a darkest Africa is there not also a darkest England？ Civilisation； which can breed its own barbarians； does it not also breed its own pygmies？ May we not find a parallel at our own doors； and discover within a stone's throw of our cathedrals and palaces similar horrors to those which Stanley has found existing in the great Equatorial forest？
The more the mind dwells upon the subject； the closer the analogy appears。 The ivory raiders who brutally traffic in the unfortunate denizens of the forest glades； what are they but the publicans who flourish on the weakness of our poor？ The two tribes of savages the human baboon and the handsome dwarf； who will not speak lest it impede him in his task； may be accepted as the two varieties who are continually present with usthe vicious； lazy lout； and the toiling slave。 They； too； have lost all faith of life being other than it is and has been。 As in Africa； it is all trees trees； trees with no other world conceivable； so is it hereit is all vice and poverty and crime。 To many the world is all slum； with the Workhouse as an intermediate purgatory before the grave。 And just as Mr。 Stanley's Zanzibaris lost faith； and could only be induced to plod on in brooding sullenness of dull despair； so the most of our social reformers； no matter how cheerily they may have st