WhenIfirstarrivedonthePointtherewas，Imaysay，onlyonehouseuponit，andthatbelongedtoMessrs。FlintBrothers，ofLiverpool。ItwasoccupiedbyonesolitarymannamedJackson；hehadhadanassistant，buttheassistanthaddiedoffever，andIwassenttoreplacehim。Jacksonwasamanoffiftyatleast，whohadbeenasailorbeforehehadbecomeanAfricantrader。Hisfaceboretestimonytothewindsandweatherithadencountered，andworehabituallyagrave，ifnotmelancholy，expression。Hewasroughbutkindtome，andthoughstrictwasjust，whichwasnocommonfeatureinanoldAfricanhandtoonewhohadjustarrivedonthecoast。
Hekeptthefactory——wecalledallhousesonthecoastfactories——asneatandcleanasifithadbeenaship。Hehadtheflooroftheportionwedweltinholystonedeveryweek；andnumberlesslittleracksandshelveswerefittedupalloverthehouse。Theoutsidewallsglitteredwithpaint，andtheyardwassweptcleaneverymorning；andeverySunday，ateighto’clockandsunset，theensignwashoistedandlowered，andanoldcannonfiredatthewordofcommand。OrderandrulewerewithJacksonobservedfromhabit，andwerestrictlyenforcedbyhimonallthenativesemployedinthefactory。
AlthoughIhavesaidthecountrylookedasifuninhabited，therewerenumerousvillageshiddenawayinthelonggrassandbrushwood，invisibleatadistance，beinghutsofthatchormud，andnotsohighasthegrassamongwhichtheywereplaced。Fromthesevillagescamemostofourservants，andalsothemiddlemen，whoactedasbrokersbetweenus，thewhitemen，andthenegroeswhobroughtivoryandgumandindia-rubberfromthefarinteriorforsale。Ourtradewasprincipallyinivory，andwhenanunusuallylargenumberofelephants’
tusksarriveduponthePointforsale，itwouldbecrowdedwithBushmen，strangeanduncouth，andhideouslyugly，andarmed，andthenwewouldbeverybusy；forsometimesasmanyastwohundredtuskswouldbebroughttousatthesametime，andeachofthesehadtobebargainedforandpaidforbyexchangeofcottoncloths，guns，knives，powder，andahostofsmallwares。
Forsometimeaftermyarrivalourfactory，alongwiththeothersonthecoastbelongingtoMessrs。FlintBrothers，wasverywellsuppliedbythemwithgoodsforthetrade；butbydegreestheirshipmentsbecamelessfrequent，andsmallwhentheydidcome。Inspiteofrepeatedletterswecouldgainnoreasonfromthefirmforthisfact，norcouldtheotherfactories，andgraduallywefoundourselveswithanemptystorehouse，andnearlyallourgoodsgone。Thenfollowedawearyinterval，duringwhichwehadnothingwhatevertodo，anddaysucceededdaythroughthelonghotseason。ItwasnowthatIbegantofeelthatJacksonhadbecomeoflatemoresilentandreservedwithmethaneverhehadbeen。Inoticed，too，thathehadcontractedahabitofwanderingouttotheextremeendofthePoint，wherehewouldsitforhoursgazingupontheoceanbeforehim。Inadditiontothis，hegrewmoroseanduncertaininhistempertowardthenatives，andsometimeshewouldfallasleepintheeveningsonasofa，andtalktohimselfatsucharatewhileasleepthatIwouldgrowfrightenedandwakehim，whenhewouldstareabouthimforalittleuntilhegatheredconsciousness，andthenhewouldstaggerofftobedtofallasleepagainalmostimmediately。Also，hishandstrembledmuch，andhebegantoloseflesh。Allthistroubledme，forhisownsakeaswellasmyown，andIresolvedtoaskhimtoseethedoctorofthenextmail-