26

A YOUNG MISSIONARY AMIDST THE WILDS

on the north, and the British district of Sylhet to the south. One of the valleys, Tronkreem, is blocked up by a pine-crested hill, 200 feet high, entirely formed of round blocks of granite. The granite, being very soft, decomposes into a coarse reddish sand, having iron-sand mixed with it. Having separated this by the action of water from the lighter particles, they subject it to the smelting process. This is "very rudely carried on in charcoal fires, blown by enormous double-action bellows, worked by two persons, who stand on the machine, raising the flaps with their hands, and expanding them with their feet," as shown in the engraving. "The fire is kindled on one side of an upright stone, like the head-stone of a grave, with a small arched hole close to the ground:" near this hole the bellows are suspended, “and a bamboo tube from each of its compartments meet in a longer one, by which the draft is directed under the hole in the stone to the fire. The ore is run into lumps as large as two fists with a rugged surface: these lumps are afterwards cleft nearly in two to show their purity."

What is more useful than iron in the arrangements of every-day life, and to what a variety of purposes is it not capable of being applied? yet how pains-taking the process by which it is separated from the worthless things with which, in its natural state, it is found mixed! How can this be accomplished without the action of fire and it is remarkable the ingenuity which even untutored tribes exhibit in effecting this.

The inhabitants of the Khasia hills are Indo-Chinese. Their appearance is not pleasing, being short, very stout and muscular, rather narrow eyes, high cheek-bones and flat noses. The hair is gathered into a top-knot. A loose cotton shirt, without sleeves, bordered with long thread fringes, is their principal garment; people of rank wearing it gathered into a girdle of silver chains.

They are said to be in temper "sulky and intractable," wanting in quickness, frankness, and desire to please, their manners being disagreeably independent.

They seem to be a rough material, jet, under Gospel influences, it is marvellous to observe how races improve, until the contrast between them as they once were, and as they become under Christian teaching, is as great as between the roughest ore and the polished instrument of steel which is formed out of it.

This we may be assured of, that every race on which the Gospel is brought to bear will yield an election; that, in the coarser reddish sand some iron will be found; and that "God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

A YOUNG MISSIONARY AMIDST THE WILDS OF NORTH-WEST AMERICA.

In order that our readers may understand the following extracts, they must realize the position of the writer. Conceive, then, a young Missionary, recently arrived from England, not yet acquainted with the native language, going in a canoe from one of the stations under his charge (Lansdowne) to another (White-Dog).

Mid-way several of his crew desert him, leaving a few men with

OF NORTH-WEST AMERICA.

27

What was he to do

him, so few as to be unequal to the work. under such circumstances? He had been joined on his way by a number of canoes full of poor starving Indians. They followed him in the hope, when he encamped at night, of being permitted to share in his provisions. And he had not refused them. In his breakfast and supper they partook, and at the end of the day he made the best use he could of the few words of their language which he knew, and this, eked out with such knowledge as they had of English, enabled him to give them some Christian instruction.

When his crew deserted him, these people remained, and he fell back on them in his difficulty.

I decided upon a plan, which was, to get the women, who hitherto had followed us, and arrange with them to give what assistance they could, To this they cheerfully assented; so, taking my seat at the stern of the boat, we made a start. It was my first attempt to guide a boat, so that the men laboured under many serious disadvantages; but though they were few and weak, they wrought well. The women, especially, rendered most valuable service. The amount of fatigue these poor creatures are capable of enduring is almost incredible. One of them will take up a bag of pemican, weighing about 120 pounds, and go at a pace between walking and running for the distance of more than a mile. I objected when I saw them attempt this first, but all in vain; they insisted on helping us, and help us they would. The Indian women do all the work, and if they go to a distance where it is necessary to carry the bedding or other things, the women always bear the loads. Even when an Indian has killed an animal at a distance from home, he returns empty, sends his wife all the way back to the spot where the animal is lying, while he sits by the fire and smokes his pipe. The same may be noticed on the Lord'sday, when they come to church. The women always carry the children, though the distance is often far, and the roads bad; nor will a woman ever attempt to go before a man: the latter always goes first, so that when they are seen coming to church, the men all walk in single file before, and the women in single file after.

On the whole, we have made a very good run to-day, considering our help, and the difficulties with which we had to contend. Camped, as usual, on the banks of the river, and were very fortunate in getting a nice supply of fresh fish, which was indeed welcome. Supper being over, all assembled for prayers, and then retired to sleep. To-night I seemed to have my attention specially called to the wants of these children of the forest. I had been watching the northern lights, which were magnificently grand to-night, when my attention was divided, and partly riveted upon some half-dozen families preparing to repose for the night. Almost all were busily engaged in collecting the materials which nature could supply. Long and spreading branches of trees were skilfully bent over each little flock, to protect them from the mighty rains not unfrequent here in the summer months. Again, stones and sticks were brought, which, when covered over with grass, served as pillows; and as for bed-clothes, &c., it would have required a closer investigation than I was able to give to have discovered any. Two rabbit-skin blankets, I

28 A YOUNG MISSIONARY AMIDST THE WILDS N.-W. AMERICA.

believe, were all the whole party could muster up, and yet, amidst these difficulties, I do not believe a people could be found who would submit, under all circumstances, with more resignation and cheerfulness.

Thus his kindness was repaid. How ready we should be to help others, for this is to be like Him who at such a cost to Himself came to help us in our deep necessity; and then besides we know not the moment in which we shall stand in need of help ourselves, and it has not unfrequently happened in the providence of God that the very persons whom we befriended are raised up of God to aid us in the day of our necessity. The evangelical church in England has nobly helped the heathen, and shared with them the bread of life. We may conceive the possibility of a time of difficulty supervening, and some deserting the cause of evangelical truth, just when most needed. What if, at such a moment, the native Christians should come forward to sympathize with and encourage the mother church which had helped them in their necessity?

Before the second Lord's-day came round, our Missionary was joined by Mr. Spence, the native catechist of the White-Dog station, who, hearing that he was on the way, came to meet him. With this help he could tell the poor Indians all that was in his mind, and how eagerly they listened will be understood by one more paragraph.

Last

July 3-Second Lord's-day on the banks of the Winnipeg. Sabbath we had every thing nature could supply to make us comfortable and happy, but the thing nature could not supply was that which we lacked most of all, namely, a tongue with which to speak to these poor ignorant people of the wonderful works of God. This, I am thankful to say, we have this Sabbath, and may God use it for his own glory and the benefit of these poor sin-blinded men and women. On speaking to the men this morning, I was happy to find they all locked clean and tidy. Had prayer after breakfast, at which we sang some Indian hymns, then read a portion of Scripture in their own language. I tried (through Mr. Spence) to teach them the importance of observing the Sabbath-day, and, before engaging in prayer, announced to have two services, one in the morning at eleven o'clock, the other in the afternoon at three o'clock, at both of which I requested that all should be punctual in attending. Soon after I dismissed them I sent for Mr Spence that we might read and have prayer together in my tent before engaging in our two public services of the day; and truly our meeting, as two together in the name of Jesus, was not in vain. We felt it good to be there, and soon the minutes and hours passed by, until the eleventh one came, when all our little party were in readiness, waiting.

A few minutes found us all comfortably arranged close by my tent. We began with the hymn commencing, "There is a fountain filled with blood," &c. We had a translation of it, so that all could understand, and most of them join in singing the beautiful words. After the hymn, Baptiste commenced the morning service, using the Otchipwe Prayerbook. During the service I could not help observing how familiar those

Indians from the White-Dog station were with the words, and most of them could repeat the Lord's Prayer. May that God, whose name they lisped so often to-day, be more thought of and better served by them, for as yet they know but little of true and vital religion. Prayers being over, I took for my subject the parable of the Prodigal Son, and from it endeavoured to show them the unbounded love and tender mercy of their Father who created them and all the families upon the earth, also the distance all of us have wandered from God, and yet the forbearing mercy with which He spares us, waiting and watching to receive us, if we arise and return to Him again.

Even

I wished to impress upon their minds that God is no respecter of persons; that He loves the Indian; has need of him just as He loves and has need of the white man; and commands men everywhere to repent and come unto Him, and be saved eternally. And while these words were being explained in their own tongue, I could see eyes upturned, and mouths open, and countenances riveted upon both of us. children listened with profound attention. May God add his richest blessing to the feeble words, as spoken by his servants in this distant wilderness on this his own holy day! Service being over, they all retired to have dinner; after which I could see them meeting in twos and threes, to talk about the things they had heard. I asked Baptiste to explain some things I thought they could not see. At three o'clock, the hour for our afternoon service, all returned to the tent again. We commenced by singing a hymn, after which the lessons and prayers were read in their own language. I took my subject from the third chapter of St. John's Gospel, and tried to impress upon them the necessity of being born again. All seemed deeply interested in the words, as they heard them in their own language. May these children of the forest not only hear, but soon learn to know their Saviour, whom to know is life eternal. Truly our second Sabbath on the banks of the Winnipeg has been a season of refreshing coming down from the presence of the Lord. I trust it has also been a day of spiritual benefit to these poor helpless creatures. I could see the tears roll down a poor old woman's cheeks when I assured her that Jesus loved her, and would like to make her holy, to go to be with Him in happiness for ever.

The Lord look upon the suffering millions of our world, and increase the number of those who bring good tidings, who publish peace, and whose feet are beautiful upon the mountains of heathenism.

CASHMERE.

THE valley of Cashmere, known to most Englishmen only as the land of Lalla Rookh, and the country which produces beautiful shawls, is becoming daily of more interest to us, from the approach of the Russian army to its frontier, and the number of our countrymen from India who pass the summer in "this terrestrial paradise," as it has been called by a great historian. Its general features cannot be better described than in the words of Elphinstone, as "an extensive plain, situated in the heart of the Himalaya mountains, and more than half-way up their height. Placed

by its elevation above the reach of the heat of Hindustan, and sheltered by the surrounding mountains from the blasts of the higher regions, it enjoys a delicious climate, and exhibits, in the midst of snowy mountains, a scene of continued verdure and almost perpetual spring. Trees belonging to different climates are scattered over its surface, while fruits of various kinds and flowers of innumerable descriptions are poured forth with spontaneous profusion over the hills and plains. The level country is watered by rills, which issue from the valleys or fall in cascades down the mountains, and collect in different places, especially in two lakes whose varied banks and floating gardens are the great boast of the valley. Cashmere had been ruled by a long succession of Hindu, and sometimes, perhaps, by Tartar princes, from a very remote period till the beginning of the fourteenth century, when it fell into the hands of a Mohammedan adventurer, and was held by princes of the same religion till the time of Akbar's invasion in A.D. 1586." Runjeet Sing annexed it to his dominions in 1819; and on the overthrow of the Sikh kingdom in 1849-1850, the British Government gave the country to Golab Sing, whose son Rumbeer Sing is the present Maharajah.

During the present year, from April to September, about three hundred English officers, principally from the Punjab, visited the valley, some for the whole time, but most for two or three months only, the period of leave allowed them from their regimental or other duties. About fifty English ladies also passed the whole or part of the season in this delightful retreat from the hot winds and the rains of Hindustan. For these months the Viceroy of India appoints a resident at Srinagur (or Cashmere), the capital of the valley, to attend to the interests of the visitors; and also a chaplain and a doctor, in order that they may not be without the privileges of public worship, or medical attendance in the case of illness. There is no building at Srinagur set apart as a house of prayer for Christians, but the Resident gives up to the visitors a large and suitable room in his house for public worship twice every Sunday. This last season the services were generally well attended, considering the small number of Christains resident at Srinagur. One Sunday morning there were fifty-four Europeans present, out of seventy-four then residing at the capital. Though there was no musical accompaniment, the services were seldom altogether without singing, as several of the lady visitors were able to lead hymn and psalm tunes known to the congregation.

Close to the house in which divine service was held, in the Resident's grounds, is the Christian cemetery, where are the graves of several officers and other British subjects. The enclosure was consecrated by the Bishop of Calcutta in May last, when he was staying at Srinagur. This cemetery is kept in order by the Maharajah of Cashmere, as the ground, in which the graves are, still belongs to his Highness, together with all the rights of ownership.

To prevent disputes arising as to the rights or property of British subjects in the valley, the Maharajah desires all the visitors to consider themselves his guests during their stay in his dominions; and he accordingly provides them with houses rent-free at Srinagur, on the right bank of the Jhelum (the ancient Hydaspes). While making the capital their head-quarters, our countrymen rove about the valley in every direction,