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TRAVELS 
 
 IN 
 
 NORTH INDIA: 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 NOTICES OF THE HINDUS; JOURNALS OF A VOYAGE ON THE GANGES 
 AND A TOUR TO LAHOR J NOTES ON THE HIMALAYA 
 MOUNTAINS AND THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 INCLUDING A SKETCH OF 
 
 MISSIONARY UNDERTAKINGS. 
 
 Rev. JOHN C. LOWRIE, 
 
 Assistant Secretary Board Foreign Missions Presbyterian Church. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 PAUL T. JONES, PUBLISHING AGENT. 
 
 18 4 8 . 
 
Printed by 
 
 WILLIAM 9.MARTIEN- 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 Preface, 5 
 
 CHAPTER I.— Voyage to Calcutta. — Parting with Friends 
 — The Voyage a Sabbath — Madeira; Romanist Religion — 
 Winds and Weather; Storm off the Cape — Sand Heads; Sa- 
 gor; Natives — Scenery on the Hoogley — Reach Calcutta, 9 
 
 CHAPTER II. — India and the Hindus. — Extent of the Coun- 
 try — Soil and Productions — Population — Appearance of the 
 People — Houses — Civilization — Caste, ... 19 
 
 CHAPTER III. — The Hindus, continued. — Poverty of the 
 People — Literature — Religion, 28 
 
 CHAPTER IV.— Choice of a Missionary Field. — North- 
 Western Provinces — Educational Movement — Authorities 
 friendly — Arrival timely — Missionary co-operation, 40 
 
 CHAPTER V. — Events at Calcutta. — Death of Mrs. Lovv- 
 rie — Remain at Calcutta till the Rainy Season — Study of the 
 Language — Missionary Policy — Mr. Reed’s Illness and Re- 
 turn, 49 
 
 CHAPTER VI.— Voyage on the Ganges. — Native Boats — 
 Serampore — Dangers of “Tracking” — Numerous Towns — 
 Boat wrecked — Berhampore — Moorshedabad, . 61 
 
 CHAPTER VII. — Voyage on the Ganges, continued. — The 
 Great Ganges — Rajmahal Hills — Mussulmans and Hindus 
 compared — Anecdote of Caste — Danger from a gale — Bha- 
 
 ■ galpur — Spirit of Lying — Native Boatmen — Monghir — Patna 
 — Dinapore, ....... 79 
 
 CHAPTER VIII.— Voyage on the Ganges; Journey to 
 Lodiana. — Rivers and Towns — Attar of Roses — Danger 
 from Falling Banks — Benares — Allahabad; Example of Fatal 
 Superstition — Review of the River Journey — Dak Travelling 
 — Agra — Delhi —Arrive at Lodiana, . . 97 
 
 CHAPTER IX. — At Lodiana. — Lodiana — Sickness — English 
 Preaching — Importance of Schools — English School, . 115 
 
4 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER X.— Tour to Lahor. — Information desired — In- 
 vitation from Ranjit Singh — Manner of Travelling — Appear- 
 ance of the Country — Paghwarah — Dancing Girls — Villages 
 — Cities — Interview with a Native Chief— River Bias — 
 Cashmerian Emigrants — Sacred Reservoir at Amritsir — Visit 
 of a Native Chief, 126 
 
 CHAPTER XI. — Tour to Lahor; Ranjit Singh. — Reach 
 Lahor — Visits of two Fakir Courtiers — Interview with the 
 King — Conversations with the Fakirs — Invitation to see 
 Dancing Girls declined — Mussulman Version of David's Re- 
 pentance — Appearance of Lahor — An armed Maulavi, 145 
 
 CHAPTER IXII. — Ranjit Singh’s Hunting Excursion ; 
 Notes on the Panjab and the Sikhs. — Leave Lahor for 
 the Hunting Ground — Hunting Company — Manner of des- 
 patching Business at Court — Dismission granted — Notes on 
 the Panjab and the Sikhs, 161 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. — Lodiana to Simla ; the Hill Tribes. — 
 Arrival of the Rev. Messrs. Wilson and Newton at Calcutta 
 — Leave Lodiana for Simla — English Society — Notes on the 
 Protected Hill Stales — Face of the Country — Snowy Moun- 
 tains — Productions, Animals, Climate — Population, Agricul- 
 ture — Religion, Language — Character of the People — Valley 
 of Kanaur, ........ 177 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. — Lodiana to New York. — Meeting with 
 Messrs. Wilson and New'ton — English School at Lodiana — 
 Mission Station at Sabathu — Other places — Station at Lo- 
 diana- — Leave Lodiana — Meeting at Calcutta with the Third 
 Company of Missionaries — Reach New York, . . 204 
 
 CHAPTER XV. — A Sketch of the History of the Mis- 
 sions. — Lodiana — Sabathu — Saharunpur — A llahabad — Fut- 
 tehgurh — Presbyteries formed — Summary View, . 213 
 
 CHAPTER XVI.— General Considerations.— The North- 
 Western Provinces not occupied with Missionary Institutions 
 — Urgent Wants of Adult Heathens — Encouragement of 
 Christian Efforts — India open for Missionary Labour — An In- 
 terior Movement now in progress — The Hindus in a Transi- 
 tion State; Shall they become Infidels or Christians? — 
 Religious Movements en masse — The kind of Men needed as 
 Missionaries, 225 
 
 APPENDICES. 
 
 Appendix I. — On the Condition of the Heathen, . 237 
 
 Appendix II. — On the Relation of American Missionaries to 
 Europeans in India, 244 
 
 Appendix III. — The Success of the Missionary Enterprise, 247 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 India, the land of the Hindus, is far too 
 little known in this country. It is a distant 
 part of the earth, and the claims of business 
 lead but few of our citizens to its shores. 
 The tour of pleasure, and even the route of 
 the curious traveller, do not often extend to 
 the regions of the far east. Its singular peo- 
 ple are known to us chiefly by an ill-defined 
 and almost romantic report. And yet it has 
 many and strong claims on our attention. 
 Its rivers are as mighty as our own, its broad 
 plains, watered by the Ganges and its tribu- 
 taries, are not less fertile and only less exten- 
 sive than the great valley of the west, and its 
 mountains are the noblest on the earth. Its 
 inhabitants are a distinct family of the human 
 race, having a civilization, a literature, and 
 unhappily a religion of their own; and a 
 
6 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 history whose earliest memorials are veiled 
 in obscurity, and whose after records bring 
 to our view such phases of human society as 
 cannot elsewhere be seen, while its course 
 in our own times is worthy of the deepest 
 study both of the statesman and the Chris- 
 tian. 
 
 The writer of the following pages has not 
 attempted to give a complete account of 
 Hindu institutions, social, civil, or religious; 
 nor of their manners, usages or employments. 
 Nor has he at all undertaken the history of 
 this ancient people. Let those who would 
 read the latter, or understand the former, con- 
 sult the works of Sir W. Jones, Colebrooke, 
 Malcom, and particularly Mill, Ward, and 
 Elphinstone — not to mention many others. 
 The author’s only aim in his “ Notices” has 
 been to present such views of the Indians, 
 as shall perhaps bring them fairly before the 
 reader’s eye. In these as in all the parts of 
 his work, he is sensible of many imperfec- 
 tions, to be attributed chiefly to his want of 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 i 
 
 the requisite ability to do justice to the sub- 
 jects under review, but partly also to the 
 cares of his station, which leave but little 
 time for other duties; yet he ventures to 
 hope that the outline account which this 
 book contains of persons, places and things 
 in India, will excite a desire to become better 
 acquainted with the Hindus, and lead to a 
 deeper concern for their welfare. 
 
 The Journals, &c. have already appeared 
 in print, but are not now accessible. As to the 
 contents of this volume, it will be found that 
 they are mainly of a general character, and 
 it is believed that what is necessarily of 
 more limited interest has yet been written 
 in a catholic spirit. The account of the mis- 
 sionary undertakings of one branch of the 
 Church of Christ is commended to the kind 
 approval of the members of her communion. 
 The writer shall ever consider it his sacred 
 privilege to have spent the earliest years of 
 his ministry in her foreign service. 
 
 He feels himself much favoured in having 
 
8 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 his humble work published under its present 
 auspices; but it may therefore be proper to 
 state, which he does cheerfully and at his 
 own instance, that in a review of so many 
 and varied subjects, he cannot hope for a 
 perfect agreement with himself in all the 
 opinions which are set forth in this book. 
 For whatever of error may have unawares 
 crept into its pages, the author alone is re- 
 sponsible. J. C. L. 
 
 New York, January , 1842 . 
 
TRAVELS IN NORTH INDIA. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 Parting with friends — The voyage a Sabbath — Madeira ; 
 beautiful sight; Romanist religion — Winds and weather; 
 storm off the Cape — Sand Heads; Sagor; Natives — Sce- 
 nery on the Hoogley — Reach Calcutta. 
 
 On Wednesday, the 29th of May, 1833, we left 
 Philadelphia to join the ship Star, lying in the 
 Delaware near New Castle, bound to Calcutta. 
 Our company consisted of the Rev. William Reed, 
 myself, and our wives. A few near relatives and 
 friends went with us to New Castle, to see us em- 
 bark. The afternoon was dark and rainy; but if 
 we had been superstitiously inclined, we could not 
 long have indulged evil forebodings, for before sun- 
 set the heavy clouds of the western sky parted, and 
 the sun shone out clearly, making a splendid rain- 
 bow to appear in the departing showers — a bright 
 omen, we trusted, that God, who is ever faithful 
 to his promise, would graciously vouchsafe to us 
 his protection. Early next morning we went on 
 board. 
 
 I do not propose to give a minute sketch of the 
 2 
 
10 
 
 VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 incidents of our way, and I therefore forbear at- 
 tempting to describe our last parting, as we sup- 
 posed, and as it proved to some of our number, 
 with the friends who had accompanied us. When 
 we looked on a father, a brother, and other friends, 
 going from our vessel in their little boat to the 
 shore, and saw their faces not less pale than our 
 own with deep emotion, we could hardly believe 
 that the hour of parting at death itself would be 
 more trying. These separations can be fully un- 
 derstood only by those who have met with them. 
 They awaken feelings of the most intense suffer- 
 ing, and I advert to them in order to note them as 
 peculiar to the missionary and his friends. Other 
 men, and women too, having friends as numerous 
 and as beloved, and with affections not less tender, 
 go abroad for business or for pleasure; but they 
 all intend to return, and they hope afterwards to 
 find their home and their friends dearer than ever. 
 From some countries the missionary might return 
 home occasionally, though in most cases he would 
 thereby consult the feelings of his friends, more 
 than his own usefulness. But from places east of 
 the Cape of Good Hope, the time requisite for a 
 visit home, not to speak of the expense, makes 
 such a visit in common cases altogether inexpedi- 
 ent. After learning the language of the natives 
 perfectly, the duties of a missionary are far too 
 weighty, and too incapable of being transferred to 
 others, even were there others to take charge of 
 them, to permit him to leave his post. And much 
 more do these reasons prohibit the return of a mis- 
 sionary to spend the evening of life in his own 
 country, unless he have become incapable of useful 
 labour, counsel, or influence. The longer he lives 
 among the heathen, if he have been discreet and 
 
VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 11 
 
 faithful, the greater will be his influence over them, 
 and the stronger, therefore, the reasons for his re- 
 maining abroad. Nor will he desire to return, for 
 his heart will then have become completely en- 
 gaged in his work, new habits and trains of thought 
 will have been formed, and he would almost feel 
 himself a stranger in his early home. But while 
 all this is true, the missionary, on leaving his friends 
 at first, has not learnt to control his feelings by 
 considerations so remote, and he is obliged to sup- 
 port himself by the higher and better principle of 
 faith, the faith which is “ the substance of things 
 hoped for,” and by which Abraham “ went out, 
 not knowing whither he went.” 
 
 Our voyage was not marked by any occurrence 
 of special interest. Vessels in the East India trade 
 commonly carry out little freight, and though sel- 
 dom fitted for passengers, yet, having plenty of 
 room, and being well found, they afford comfort- 
 able accommodations. The length of the voyage 
 depends on the time of year, speed of the ship, 
 and other common contingencies; four months 
 may be stated as an average time of making the 
 passage. In so long a voyage the time often passes 
 tediously, and many persons give way to indolent 
 habits and to impatience, if not to worse traits of 
 temper; but if the weather permits, as during much 
 of the way it will, the passenger has much time for 
 reading and writing, and the missionary will en- 
 deavour to improve this long season of leisure as a 
 Sabbath, invaluable for its rest from the excitement 
 and distraction of leaving home, and not less to be 
 prized as a time of thoughtful preparation for the 
 new course of life, on whose active duties he is 
 soon to enter. With a few chosen books at hand, 
 much time for reflection and devotional duties, and 
 
12 
 
 VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 frequent conversations with his companions, it will 
 be greatly his own fault if the voyage do not prove 
 one of the best spent periods of his life. So we 
 trust it was to us. Sea-sickness, the most disagree- 
 able of all complaints, was in due time succeeded 
 by capital health, excepting to one of our number, 
 whose hope of restored health seemed to depend 
 on her living in a milder climate. We all enjoyed 
 good spirits, and were able to make a good use of 
 much of our time. 
 
 Departing from the usual route, we reached the 
 island of Madeira on the 24th of June. We made 
 the island on Sunday, and were becalmed within a 
 few miles of the shore, the winds having agreed to 
 keep the Sabbath, as one of the ladies remarked, 
 and we were thus spared the confusion of going 
 into port on that holy day. Seldom had we seen 
 a more beautiful sight, than when looking from the 
 decks of our ship at the side of the green moun- 
 tain island opposite to us. The summits were lost 
 in the clouds, but the lower parts of the island were 
 covered with terraced vineyards, and dotted over 
 with cottages that seemed the abodes of innocence 
 and contentment. That Sunday happened to be 
 one of the chief Romanist festivals, and in the even- 
 ing the cottages were lighted up in a thousand 
 places, and the churches were completely brilliant 
 in the general illumination. A magic scene appear- 
 ed to have been spread before us, filled with the 
 beauty of nature in her fairest dress by day-light, 
 and changed at even-tide into the splendour of an- 
 other world. 
 
 We spent three weeks very pleasantly at a 
 quinta, or country-seat, of an English merchant, 
 just above Funchal, the chief town, while our ship 
 was discharging and receiving freight. During this 
 
VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 13 
 
 time we were often reminded by the ignorance and 
 poverty of the people, the absence of enterprize, 
 the crowds of beggars, the numbers of churches 
 with no sermons preached in them, the multitudes 
 of priests in their peculiar garb, that the dark pall 
 of the Roman religion was spread over the island. 
 If an American would know what the legitimate 
 influence of that religion really is, let him visit a 
 country where it prevails without a rival, where 
 its character is neither elevated nor modified by the 
 presence of purer forms of Christianity, where Ro- 
 manism, with its monks, and nuns, and many 
 ringing bells, and innumerable outward solemni- 
 ties, has banished the free and pure religion of the 
 heart and its thousand temporal benefits. 
 
 Leaving Madeira on the 13th of July, we took 
 the north-east trade winds shortly afterwards, and 
 soon got down towards the equator, where the pa- 
 tience of the sailors, and passengers too, was tried 
 with light and variable winds, calms, and little 
 progress. After entering the south-east trade 
 winds on the other side of the line, we had again 
 delightful sailing. These trade winds are supposed 
 to be caused by the colder air of the higher lati- 
 tudes, which rushes down to supply the place of 
 the air that, becoming heated and expanded, then 
 ascends from the latitudes near the equator. Blow- 
 ing steadily from one quarter, always strong enough 
 to carry us from seven to ten miles an hour, almost 
 without a sail having to be changed, and being of 
 a pleasant temperature, it is not strange that these 
 winds should be so eagerly desired by sailors. In 
 a few weeks we had run over several thousand 
 miles, the dashing foam from the sides of our ship 
 being like music to our ears. Now was the time 
 for the men to overhaul the sails and rigging of the 
 
14 
 
 VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 ship, and to prepare for rougher weather. On 
 Sundays, our public worship, always performed 
 through the kindness of captain Griffin, when the 
 weather permitted, could now be conducted with 
 a composure hardly less than if we had been in 
 church at home. 
 
 Our Sabbath services were well attended, and 
 a Bible class lesson before the mast on Sunday 
 afternoons seemed to interest the men. What 
 results may have followed our ministrations, the 
 great day must disclose. We could not but feel 
 convinced that religious services on board ship are 
 commonly undertaken at a great disadvantage. The 
 sailors are divided into two companies, called the 
 larboard and starboard watches, and have four hour 
 turns of duty at night, and four and two hour turns 
 in the day-time, requiring therefore much of the 
 day to make up the loss of sleep at night, and hav- 
 ing always plenty of work when awake, so that 
 they have little leisure for receiving instruction. It 
 must be added, that too commonly they have but 
 little inclination to attend to religious things. But 
 when the officers of a ship will permit efforts to 
 be made for their benefit, and permission should 
 always be respectfully and discreetly asked, and 
 prudently used when granted, then should mission- 
 aries be willing gladly to avail themselves of the 
 opportunity of giving religious instruction to those 
 who so greatly need it. Repeated instances have 
 been known in which such endeavours, faithfully 
 and wisely made, have been attended with the 
 greatest encouragement. 
 
 Our own party had morning and evening pray- 
 ers in the captain’s cabin, attended usually by the 
 officers, and a weekly service amongst ourselves 
 for the study of the Scriptures. The greater part 
 
VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 15 
 
 of the book of Acts was thus brought under review, 
 with particular reference to its missionary instruc- 
 tion. And these times of social religious duty we 
 found to be peculiarly pleasant and valuable. 
 
 Our fine trade winds at length failed us, and 
 after a while we got to the latitude of the Cape. 
 For several weeks we were making our “ easting,” 
 that is, sailing eastward, in a direct course, as the 
 degrees of longitude there are short. We were 
 now in the midst of the southern winter; the wea- 
 ther was cold, damp, and most uncomfortable; the 
 wind often very high, and the sea rough and tem- 
 pestuous. We could read but little, and that with 
 no satisfaction. Returning sea-sickness, occasion- 
 ally, made our situation the more disagreeable. 
 Several heavy gales came on, one of which was 
 the strongest the captain had seen for many years. 
 It continued for three days, and those were days 
 of intense anxiety. It was considered extremely 
 uncertain whether we should be able to resist the 
 violence of the gale, and we endeavoured to pre- 
 pare our minds for the worst. Blessed be God, 
 our minds were kept in peace, but it was distress- 
 ing to witness the anxiety that prevailed amongst • 
 some of our ship’s company. By the good hand 
 of God upon us, however, we were kept from 
 harm and broughtout of all our distresses, and with 
 thankful hearts we endeavoured to consecrate our- 
 selves anew to the service of Him whose protec- 
 tion we had so manifestly enjoyed. The weather 
 became more pleasant soon after our course was 
 directed to the north. Passing rapidly through the 
 trade winds again, we found the eastern seas, near 
 and under the equator, as hard to cross as the At- 
 lantic, on account of light, baffling winds, and fre- 
 quent calms. The rest of the voyage was up the 
 
16 
 
 VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 Bay of Bengal, consuming nearly a month, as the 
 winds were now unfavourable. On the 11th of 
 October, we descried the pilot vessel, anchored al- 
 ways off the Sand Heads, far out of sight of land, 
 and in a few hours we took a pilot on board. In 
 a short time we succeeded in beating through the 
 dangerous channels at the mouth of the Hoogley, 
 and before night we cast anchor in the waters of 
 that river, the most sacred outlet of the Ganges. 
 
 We were now near the island of Sagor; which 
 Hamilton described in 1828, as “ a celebrated place 
 of pilgrimage among the Hindus, on account of the 
 great sanctity arising from its situation at the junc- 
 tion of the holiest branch of the Ganges with the 
 ocean. Many sacrifices are in consequence here 
 annually performed, of aged persons of both sexes, 
 which are voluntary, and of children, which of 
 course are involuntary, the periods fixed for their 
 celebration being the full moon in November and 
 January.” This horrible custom was soon after- 
 wards suppressed by the British. The island is 
 but partially cultivated and inhabited. 
 
 The anchor was hardly down before two or 
 three boat loads of native fishermen climbed up 
 over the bulwarks of the Star, and we had the offer 
 of their marketing and their services to aid in get- 
 ting up the river, with such a chattering of their 
 almost inarticulate words as seemed not unlike the 
 speech of a troop of monkeys. They were of 
 small, light, and active frame, dark complexion, 
 agreeable and lively expression, but with no ap- 
 pearance of intelligence, and evidently very poor. 
 Their coming on board was a common thing to our 
 officers and other passengers, who had made se- 
 veral visits to Calcutta, but to us they were objects 
 of extreme interest. These were the people whom 
 
VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 17 
 
 we had come to make acquainted with the true 
 God and eternal life. But how hard to believe 
 that such poor, almost naked, miserable looking 
 beings should ever become intelligent and refined 
 Christians! Again, as often before and oftener 
 since, we had to rely on the revealed promise of 
 God, and the assurance of his power and infinite 
 mercy. 
 
 When we were opposite Kedgeree, an English 
 station about one hundred miles below Calcutta, 
 where letters by ship are received and forwarded, 
 we despatched some of our letters to Calcutta, 
 with a request that a boat might be sent down for 
 us, as it was very desirable that my wife, whose 
 health, feeble when she left, had become greatly 
 impaired, should escape from the noise of working 
 the ship by frequent tacking up the narrow channel 
 of the river. Vessels going to Calcutta during the 
 cold season are often a week in getting up the river, 
 and they are as long in coming down during the 
 rainy season, and vice versa. 
 
 On the second day we had the pleasure of meet- 
 ing the Rev. G. Pearce, a Baptist missionary, 
 whom vve soon became much attached to, who had 
 kindly come down in a small boat to receive us 
 and accompany us up the river. We left the Star 
 in the afternoon with every feeling of gratitude to 
 our kind Captain and to Dr. Huffnagle, the sur- 
 geon, for their constant and valuable attention to 
 our comfort, and of kind regard for the other pas- 
 sengers, but with no regret at making our escape 
 from the confinement and the now almost intolera- 
 ble noise of the vessel. Cur boatmen pulled along 
 cheerily with the rapid tide, and when the tide 
 turned, they dropped their anchor, which was but 
 a basket with stones in it, and wrapping themselves 
 
18 
 
 VOYAGE TO CALCUTTA. 
 
 each one in a long sheet of coarse muslin, they 
 were soon fast asleep. Before morning we were 
 again under weigh, and when the day broke we 
 were but a few miles from Garden Reach, below 
 Calcutta. 
 
 Our boat people kept close to the shore, and the 
 banks were so low that we could easily see some 
 distance in the country back from the river. The 
 little groupes of cottages were planted thickly under 
 the cocoa, palm, and other trees, which to us were 
 as strange as they were beautiful. They were of 
 the greenest foliage, with fragrant creeping plants 
 climbing through their branches, and many of them 
 were laden with fruit, and shining with brilliant 
 flowers. Strange birds were flying from tree to 
 tree, and the people were beginning their daily 
 labours — men going to the fields, or casting their 
 nets, and women coming to the river, filling their 
 earthen water vessels, placing them on their heads, 
 and returning to their homes. The whole was a 
 beautiful scene, novel in the highest degree, almost 
 like a picture of some fancy-land, and yet full of 
 life and freshness. And when the air came laded 
 and fragrant with the scent of the earth and its 
 rich vegetation, so different from the close smell of 
 a ship four months at sea, it was in the highest 
 degree reviving and exhilarating. My poor wife, 
 ever passionately fond of country scenes, but now 
 too enfeebled to bear excitement with safety, was 
 quite overcome before we reached the end of our 
 sail. Passing the stately European mansions on 
 Garden Reach, and the Company’s Botanical gar- 
 den, and Bishop’s College on the opposite side of 
 the river, we were soon in the midst of increasing 
 multitudes of boats, and the hum of many sounds, 
 until presently we swept under the walls of Fort 
 
INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 19 
 
 William and were in full view of Government 
 House. Landing at one of the ghats or stairs, we 
 were soon received with the greatest kindness by 
 the Rev. W. H. Pearce and his estimable wife. 
 In a few days we were joined by our missionary 
 companions, who came up with the ship, and we 
 took pleasure in praising the Lord for his goodness 
 in bringing us to our desired haven. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 Extent of the country, soil, and productions — Population — 
 Appearance of the people — Houses — Civdization — Caste. 
 
 We had been instructed by the society* to make 
 inquiries on arriving at Calcutta, as to the most 
 eligible sphere of missionary labour. The Upper 
 Provinces of India, it was supposed, might be 
 such a sphere, but we were at liberty to choose 
 any other part of the country that should appear 
 more inviting. We at once proceeded to fulfil this 
 part of our commission. Having previously ex- 
 amined various works treating of India, our aim 
 now was to obtain information partly by observing 
 ourselves the state of things, but chiefly from inter- 
 
 * The Western Foreign Missionary Society. This 
 society was afterwards merged in the Board of Foreign 
 Missions of the Presbyterian Church. For an account of 
 these institutions, see a volume by the Rev. Dr. Green, 
 called Pesbyterian Missions, published at Philadelphia in 
 1838. 
 
20 
 
 INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 course with intelligent gentlemen who had long 
 resided in the country. And we were peculiarly 
 favoured in meeting with several Christian friends, 
 who had extensive and accurate information at 
 command, the results of many years’ observation, 
 and who had also every disposition to promote our 
 views. I may mention particularly our kind host, 
 the Rev. W. H. Pearce, who has since entered into 
 his rest, a devoted Baptist missionary, and one of 
 the best men I have ever known, long the efficient 
 superintendent of the most extensive printing esta- 
 blishment in India; the Rev. Dr. Marshman, ven- 
 erable for many years of missionary life, as well 
 as for most extensive knowledge and unquestioned 
 talent; the Rev. M. Winslow, our respected coun- 
 tryman, of the Ceylon mission, then at Calcutta 
 waiting for a passage home for his health ; the Rev. 
 Dr. Duff, the able and eloquent Scotch missionary ; 
 and C. E. Trevelyan, Esq., one of the Secretaries 
 in the Political Department of the Supreme Gov- 
 ernment. The information we received from these 
 two last named gentlemen, was highly valuable; 
 the former had been making special inquiries con- 
 cerning the part of the country which we had more 
 particularly in view, and the latter had himself 
 resided for a number of years in the Upper Pro- 
 vinces, and being a man of acknowledged talent 
 and liberal views, and moreover able to appreciate 
 the missionary movements of the Church of Christ, 
 his information was extremely useful to us. 
 
 Before giving an account of the considerations 
 which induced our final decision, it may not be 
 out of place to give some general notices of the 
 country and people, which may aid the reader to 
 understand the importance of our mission. I 
 ought, however, in fairness to mention that none 
 
INDIA AND THE HINDU8. 
 
 21 
 
 of the gentlemen, whose names I have taken the 
 liberty of referring to, can be held responsible for 
 the following views, as I shall make use of infor- 
 mation received and conclusions formed at a later 
 period of my acquaintance with India, than pertains 
 to this stage of the narrative. It is, however, but 
 a slight sketch that can here be given. Many able 
 and learned volumes have been written on these 
 subjects, which the reader who desires to see more 
 satisfactory statements, will of course consult. I 
 shall be glad if the outline here presented shall 
 awaken a desire to possess fuller information. 
 
 India is an extensive country, lying between 
 lat. 8° and 35° N., and long. 67° and 92° E. Its 
 boundaries are the Bay of Bengal and Burmah on 
 the east, the Himalaya mountains on the entire 
 north-east, the river Indus and the Arabian Sea on 
 the north-west and west ; which enclose an area of 
 one million three hundred thousand square miles, 
 running nearly to a point on the south, in the In- 
 dian ocean, being a territory nearly one-third larger 
 than that of these United States. The term India, 
 as often used, includes the countries further east, 
 but I shall employ it agreeably to the common 
 usage of late years, as the name of the territory 
 whose boundaries have just been given. The 
 Vindya mountains or hills extend from the western 
 side almost to the Ganges, in the parallels of lati- 
 tude from 23° to 25°. South of this range the 
 country is called the Deckan, and sometimes Pe- 
 ninsular India; the country to the north of these 
 hills is called Hindustan. 
 
 The greater part of this country possesses a soil 
 of great fertility, particularly the immense plains 
 watered by the Ganges and its tributaries, embra- 
 cing, perhaps, four hundred thousand square miles, 
 
22 
 
 INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 for the most part of extremely rich, loamy, and allu- 
 vial soil; these plains are probably the most fertile 
 and densely inhabited regions of the earth. The 
 most remote of the north-western provinces, often 
 called the Upper Provinces, or Upper India, be- 
 come rather dry and sandy, with a sparser popu- 
 lation, and towards the Indus there is an extensive 
 sandy desert. What is called Central India, is 
 said to be an elevated, broken, and rather sterile 
 and thinly inhabited country; and along the wes- 
 tern coast of the southern part, or Peninsular India, 
 there is a continuous range of hills, rising some- 
 times to the height of six thousand feet, and an- 
 other, but lower range, along the eastern side, 
 about one hundred miles back from the sea; be- 
 tween these mountainous ranges themselves, and 
 also between them and the sea, the soil is good, 
 and supports a large population. 
 
 The climate is, during most of the year, ex- 
 tremely warm, and for three or four months, heavy 
 rains fall almost incessantly. Thus with a good 
 soil, great heat, and plenty of moisture for a long 
 time in each year, the fertility of a large part of the 
 land is almost unbounded, and vegetation is exceed- 
 ingly rapid in its growth. Rice, cotton, sugar- 
 cane, tobacco, opium, indigo, and various small 
 grains, are the productions of the lower, central? 
 and peninsular provinces; these are not all grown 
 in the same districts, but all may be met with. Fur- 
 ther to the north, wheat and the hardier grains are 
 common. Among the fruits are the cocoa-nut, the 
 banana, the mango, the guava, &c. 
 
 The people are numerous, almost beyond the 
 belief of one who has been brought up in a newly 
 settled country; the whole number is commonly 
 stated at about one hundred and fifty millions. 
 
INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 23 
 
 When it is recollected that some large districts are 
 very thinly inhabited, it will be perceived that a 
 very dense population is thrown into the remain- 
 ing, though still the much larger provinces. Thus 
 in Bengal, a province not larger than the states of 
 New York and Pennsylvania, the number of in- 
 habitants is estimated at thirty millions. 
 
 The complexion of the Hindus varies from that 
 of the coal black labourers under the burning sun 
 in the fields, to the olive-colour of the wealthy 
 classes, or the agreeable brunette of the lad}^ of 
 the Zennana. Their features are commonly very 
 regular and pleasing, their hair always dark ; in 
 their bodily frame the natives of the lower pro- 
 vinces are slight and feeble, and they are of a timid 
 effeminate disposition; but towards the north-west 
 you find a hardier, bolder race, amongst whom 
 you often meet with noble-looking men of a proud, 
 military bearing, wearing always full beards, which 
 add greatly to their fierce appearance. 
 
 They live commonly in very poor houses, made 
 of bamboo wicker-work, or of clay walls dried in 
 the sun, some ten or twelve feet high, and twelve 
 or fourteen square, without windows; (fire places 
 are not needed ;) sometimes divided by a basket- 
 work partition to provide an inner abode for the 
 female members of the family; with often a close 
 hedge or mud wall to screen the back yard, and 
 always nearly destitute of what we should call 
 furniture, having neither chairs, tables, nor other 
 heavy articles, but merely a low rude bedstead, a 
 mat or two to sit on like tailors on the clay floor, 
 and a few simple cooking utensils. This descrip- 
 tion applies chiefly to the houses of the common 
 people. The wealthy and the great live in much 
 larger and more costly edifices. The houses of 
 
24 
 
 INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 the Hindus are never found standing by them- 
 selves, like farm houses in this country, but always 
 in villages, if not in larger towns and cities. 
 
 The Hindus are by no means an uncivilized 
 people, though they have made little progress in 
 the higher attainments of modern civilization. 
 They , have, however, a complete division of la- 
 bour, with regular employment, usages, and set- 
 tled opinions concerning the subjects with which 
 they are acquainted. Blacksmiths, carpenters, 
 weavers, brass-workers, potters, shoemakers, tai- 
 lors, jewellers, and a few other mechanics may be 
 found in all the large cities; the mass of the peo- 
 ple, however, cultivate the ground, though many 
 ate herdsmen, boatmen, fishermen, barbers, &c. 
 Multitudes are priests, and not a few are beggars, 
 either from necessity or from religious error. In 
 a few branches of industry they have attained 
 great excellence, as the Dacca fine muslins, and 
 the Cashmere fabrics bear witness; but most of 
 their manufactures are of a coarse quality, and 
 their labour in the fields is performed with the 
 rudest implements. There is no improvement in 
 their industry or skill. They are, and have been 
 for centuries, almost stationary in their position. 
 They wear the same white muslins, and have the 
 same fondness for showy processions, that Alex- 
 ander the Great witnessed on the banks of the 
 Indus, four centuries before the time of our Saviour. 
 Doubtless they then ploughed the ground with a 
 similar sharp pointed stick, and rowed their boats 
 with oars projecting far out over the water, and 
 had their few horses shod by an itinerant black- 
 smith, carrying his stock of tools tied up in an 
 apron. 
 
 How are we to account for this wonderfully 
 
INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 25 
 
 stereotype character of every thing Indian? It 
 may he owing partly to the denseness of the popu- 
 lation; for in countries where the inhabitants are 
 extremely numerous, and the means of subsistence 
 scarcely equal lo their support, changes are made 
 with great difficulty. Other causes may have 
 their influence. I cannot doubt that much should 
 be ascribed to the system of caste, which is uni- 
 versally prevalent. 
 
 This peculiar system was and continues to be 
 primarily a religious institution, but it has become 
 interwoven with the social and civil institutions of 
 the country, and indeed with the entire life of the 
 Hindus. It completely perpetuates the state of 
 things with which it has become connected. Any 
 general change would be fatal to its power. Origi- 
 nally there were but four castes. The Brahman, 
 formed from the mouth of the Creator to expound 
 his laws, stands at the highest point of human 
 elevation; the gods themselves are hardly his 
 superiors; all rulers who are not of his own order, 
 are far below his rank, and for the most atrocious 
 crimes his life, under the native law, cannot be 
 taken from him. Then follows the Kshatriya, 
 formed from the arms of the Creator, to protect 
 the Brahmans in their spiritual duties. The noble 
 looking Raj-puts of the western provinces are 
 generally Kshatriyas, and are in great numbers 
 found in the native regiments of the East India 
 Company, where they make capital soldiers. Be- 
 low them are the Vaissyas, created from the belly 
 of their deity, and much inferior to the two higher 
 classes. They are the ryots or farmers, a simple 
 minded, regular, peaceful body of people, as farm- 
 ers are every where, enjoying the proud distinc- 
 tion of minding chiefly their own business, shar- 
 3 
 
26 
 
 INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 ing more largely in the quiet satisfaction of human 
 life, and less in its turmoils, than any other class 
 of people. Still lower are the Indras, formed to 
 be servants to the Brahmans from the feet of their 
 god. Thus does this system exalt the Brahman 
 tribe, and degrade all the other classes of the peo- 
 ple. It was probably introduced to promote and 
 perpetuate the power of the priestly class, as the 
 various monastic institutions, with their regula- 
 tions, are made subsidiary to the power and eleva- 
 tion of the Roman ecclesiastics above the common 
 people. 
 
 It would seem that the original features of this 
 institution have, in the progress of many centuries, 
 become greatly changed. It would now be a dif- 
 ficult task to determine a Hindu’s employment, 
 or even his relative standing among his country- 
 men, by his relation to these general divisions of 
 the system. Numerous sub-divisions of caste have 
 occurred, and many mixed castes exist, though 
 new sects, I believe, are no longer formed. Per- 
 haps few subjects are more embarrassing than the 
 formation and rules of these mixed classes; I shall 
 not attempt to describe them. It will be sufficient 
 to note that while the original classification still 
 exists as the basis of all the existing varieties, and 
 in a great measure determines their rank, still 
 these smaller divisions have landmarks of their 
 own, and their usages are tenaciously adhered to 
 by their respective members. At the present day 
 every occupation is allotted to a distinct sect. A 
 person of one caste never eats with one of a dif- 
 ferent caste, nor are marriage connexions formed 
 between them. The system is hereditary, and so 
 is commonly the occupation; the son of a farmer 
 being commonly a farmer, the son of a shop- 
 
INDIA AND THE HINDUS. 
 
 27 
 
 keeper a shop-keeper; and the usages of the sys- 
 tem, like the laws of the Medes and Persians, are 
 unchangeable. There can be no change but by 
 falling, no rising to a higher class, nor transition 
 from one to another; and the transgression of the 
 smallest ceremonial would precipitate even a Brah- 
 man to the bottom of society. Provision is made, 
 however, for restoring those who have fallen to 
 their former standing. Liberal presents and boun- 
 teous feasts to the Brahmans have great efficacy in 
 expiating the offence incurred by a departure from 
 the usages of this system, if the penitent transgres- 
 sor will but walk more strictly for the future. 
 
 It would be a departure from the usages of caste 
 to adopt any improvement in any kind of employ- 
 ment, and the violation of these usages would be 
 instantly visited with the severest punishment, the 
 loss of property, of reputation, of employment, 
 even all hope of obtaining from the nearest rela- 
 tion the cold charity bestowed on common beg- 
 gars by the hand of strangers. Here is one great 
 difficulty preventing the conversion of this people 
 to Christianity. To receive the memorials of the 
 Lord’s Supper in company with other communi- 
 cants, would be a violation of caste, unless the 
 officiating minister and all the communicants were 
 of the same caste; and the same difficulty is appa- 
 rent as to other Christian duties. Nor is it less a 
 hinderance to all improvement in the temporal 
 affairs of the people. It is a heavy weight crush- 
 ing down the spirit of enterprize, even though 
 enterprize in that land is goaded on by necessity, 
 and quickened by the keenest appetite of covetous- 
 ness. It raises a wall around the Hindu, which 
 he never dreams of climbing over or throwing 
 down. He concludes that such is his fate, “ Ham- 
 
28 
 
 THE HINDUS. 
 
 ara dastur hai,” “ it is our custom,” is his resign- 
 ed, passive reply to every proposal of a change. 
 Shall this dreadful system always bind down the 
 minds of the people of India? No, surely. Its 
 very weight and bondage will conduce the sooner 
 to its being thrown off, when the people begin to 
 see its many direful evils. And other considera- 
 tions, which cannot here be introduced, serve to 
 show that the day is drawing nigh when this mas- 
 ter-piece of the great spiritual adversary’s inven- 
 tion to enslave the minds of men, shall be broken 
 and dashed into a thousand fragments, and when 
 it shall be known only on the pages of history as 
 one of the almost incredible things of former ages. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE HINDUS CONTINUED. 
 
 Poverty of the People — Literature — Religion. 
 
 From the account already given of their houses 
 and style of living, it will be readily inferred that 
 the Hindus are generally a very poor people. 
 There are a few persons of large wealth, chiefly 
 merchants, bankers, and farmers of the govern- 
 ment revenue from landed property ; but the mass 
 of the people are extremely poor, living on two 
 scanty vegetable meals a day, clothing themselves 
 with the coarsest cotton fabrics, and lodging in 
 hovels such as have been described. In the part of 
 the country through which I travelled, which con- 
 tains two-thirds of the population of India, the 
 
THE HINDUS. 
 
 29 
 
 common rate of wages for labouring men was from 
 two and a half to four rupees a month, or from one 
 dollar and twenty-five cents to two dollars, and this 
 was their entire compensation, as they received 
 neither clothes nor board in addition, and more- 
 over they had no Sabbaths, those blessed days of 
 rest to the poor man. This poverty is not owing 
 to indolence, for they are an industrious, though 
 not an energetic people ; nor is it owing to want of 
 thrift, for no people know better how to make a 
 few coppers buy a good supply of marketing. Nor 
 is it owing, as it appears to me, to the oppressive 
 government of their present rulers. It must be 
 admitted, however, that the Hindus are losers un- 
 der their present government in one important mat- 
 ter, though it is difficult rightly to appreciate their 
 disadvantage. The revenue of the East India Com- 
 pany and the income of their servants are not all 
 spent in India; nor does commerce restore to the 
 Hindus what they lose by this constant drain of 
 their pecuniary means. Their former rulers lived 
 and died amongst them, and though their exactions 
 might have been ruinous to individuals, yet they 
 did not diminish the ability of the people at large ; 
 what one man was deprived of, another enjoyed — 
 it may have been most iniquitously ; yet the mo- 
 ney was still kept in India. The British succeed- 
 ed the Mohammedans as the rulers of India, and 
 they have greatly improved the condition of the 
 common people ; but they may not have sufficient- 
 ly changed the general system of their predeces- 
 sors, so as to allow to the cultivators of the soil a 
 larger subsistence from their labours. The amount 
 of taxation, of every kind, under the East India 
 Company, has been stated at less than one dollar 
 on the average to each Hindu — a sum which does 
 
30 
 
 THE HINDUS. 
 
 not appear excessive, and which, poor as the mass 
 of people are, probably would not be burdensome 
 if it were returned through other channels, as is 
 the case in nearly all other countries, to the people 
 at large. About £3,500,000, it is stated, is annu- 
 ally remitted to England, being rather more than 
 one-sixth of the whole amount of taxes paid to the 
 British by the Hindus. 
 
 It may also be questioned whether the manner of 
 administering the government of India is not too 
 purely foreign and English, and some might doubt 
 whether it is sufficiently responsible, 'not to the Hin- 
 dus, who are certainly incapable at present of gov- 
 erning themselves, but to the British people; for 
 India must now be regarded as a dependency of 
 of the British Empire. Whatever be the director 
 the remote influence of these considerations on the 
 condition of the Indians, I am satisfied that their 
 general poverty cannot be ascribed to British rule. 
 Their government is attended with its disadvan- 
 tages, no doubt, but it secures to every man the 
 possession of his property, the sacredness from 
 illegal violence of his person and his family, and 
 the redress of his grievances, so far as that can be 
 effected amongst so corrupt a people. In one 
 word, it is a government of Law, conferring bless- 
 ings which were unknown under native and Mo- 
 hammedan rule. Then the wealthy studiously 
 concealed their wealth, and clad themselves in 
 poorer garb than other people. Then no man’s 
 wife or daughter was secure from insult, and it 
 could hardly be said that any man’s life was safe; 
 lawless despotism reigned over the land, which 
 was the more galling because in the hands of nu- 
 merous and constantly changing rajahs and nabobs. 
 Perhaps one of the most satisfactory proofs of the 
 
TIIE HINDUS. 
 
 31 
 
 good influence of British rule in India is found in 
 the fact often witnessed, that whenever a district 
 or town, that previously belonged to a native king 
 or chief, comes under the authority of the British, 
 immediately the natives move into it and ihe num- 
 ber of its inhabitants largely increases. Such was 
 the case at Lodiana, where I was settled, and at 
 other places that came under my own observation. 
 
 The great body of the Hindus were always, un- 
 der every variety of government, a very poor peo- 
 ple; their present poverty, therefore, is no new 
 thing; nor are the late famines, and the lamentable 
 loss of life thereby, new dispensations in that coun- 
 try. Perhaps, also, in a country of which many 
 provinces contain a population so densely over- 
 grown, it could hardly be otherwise than that most 
 of its inhabitants would be compelled to live on 
 short allowances; the means of subsistence are 
 not proportioned to the number of mouths to be 
 supplied; and this natural evil has no doubt been 
 made worse by the selfishness of commerce, in 
 exporting to other countries large quantities of rice 
 for the provision of people who can afford to pay 
 a better price for their bread. The grand cause 
 of Hindu poverty and suffering, in my judgment, 
 is the intolerable burden of their religious system, 
 with its countless hosts of unprofitable priests and 
 faqirs; its multitudes of beggars, earning religious 
 merit, not urged by necessity to seek for alms ; its 
 numerous long, expensive, and painful pilgrimages 
 to holy shrines and places, involving thousands of 
 families every year in utter ruin; its incessant 
 draining of the hard-earned gains of every labour- 
 ing man and woman to satisfy the exactions of the 
 Brahmans for priestly services, in ways and for oc- 
 casions as numerous as the hours of every man’s life, 
 
32 
 
 THE HINDUS. 
 
 and with a rigour of superstition incredible to those 
 who have not themselves been not merely wit- 
 nesses but students of its enormity; and, perhaps 
 more than all, its apathetic, death-like influence, 
 withering and destroying all enterprize, improve- 
 ment, and hope of bettering their condition. 
 
 The literature of the Indians is very peculiar in 
 its character, nor is it easy to form an accurate 
 opinion of its value. Mr. Colebrooke has given a 
 general outline or analysis of their writings in the 
 Asiatic Researches, which presents them in a suf- 
 ficiently favourable light. From this paper a few 
 particulars may be quoted. There are six proper 
 shastras, in which all knowledge, divine and hu- 
 man, is said to be comprehended. These are the 
 Yeda, Upaveda, Vedanga, Purana, Dherma, and 
 Dersana. The four Vedas, the fountain of all 
 knowledge, treat of works, faith, and worship. 
 Some of these are of very ancient origin, being 
 written in Sanscrit so obscure and concise that 
 modern scholars with difficulty understand them. 
 They are of great extent, consisting of two thou- 
 sand sections, with many hundred branches in va- 
 rious divisons and sub-divisions. The Tantra, Man- 
 tra, and other incantations, which are very nume- 
 rous, belong to this class. The commentaries on the 
 Vedas are said to be innumerable. The Upave- 
 das, or sub-scriptures, are deduced from the Vedas, 
 and treat of medicine, music, archery, under which 
 the whole art of war is included, architecture, &c. 
 Mr. Colebrooke says, that the medical books con- 
 tain much useful information concerning the vir- 
 tues of Indian roots and plants. The medical 
 practice of the Hindus does not deserve the name 
 of a regular science. Three of the six Vedangas 
 treat of Grammar, a fourth of the obscure words in 
 
THE HINDUS. 
 
 33 
 
 the Vedas, a fifth of religious ceremonies, and an- 
 other of the whole range of mathematics. The 
 Sanscrit prosody is said to be easy and beautiful, 
 containing all the measures of the Greeks. Astro- 
 nomical works in the Sanscrit are very numerous, 
 seventy-nine of them being specified in one list. 
 Subordinate to these general classes are the three 
 last mentioned of the proper Shastras, containing 
 the poems, the body of law, and the philosophical 
 treatises. The Ramayana and the Mahabharatare 
 the principal poems; the former is “a complete 
 epic poem on one continued, interesting, and heroic 
 action;” the latter is superior in its reputation for 
 holiness. The eighteen Puranas, of which the 
 Bhagawat, or life of Krishna, is the last, “contain 
 ancient traditions, embellished by poetry, or dis- 
 guised by fables.” The system of Law consists of 
 many tracts in high estimation, of which the most 
 celebrated is the Code of Menu, on which there 
 are numerous commentaries. The Dersana or 
 Philosophical writings are also very numerous, 
 and are explained by many commentators. The 
 Vedanta is considered analogous to the Platonic, 
 the first Nya. ya to the Peripatetic, and other clas- 
 ses to corresponding Greek schools. Besides the 
 Shastras, or sacred writings, there are books for 
 the use of the Sudras, or lowest and far the most 
 numerous class of the Hindus, but the paper from 
 which these notices are quoted, does not give a 
 satisfactory account of them, nor have I elsewhere 
 met with a description of them. The longest life 
 would not be sufficient for the perusal of these 
 Shastras. The Puranas alone are said to contain 
 nearly five hundred thousand stanzas, with a mil- 
 lion more, probably, in the other works men- 
 tioned. 
 
 4 
 
34 
 
 THE HINDUS. 
 
 One view of these writings possesses great prac- 
 tical interest — it is that all are regarded as sacred. 
 Not only the biographies of their gods, but their 
 works on law, astronomy, and other subjects, are 
 considered of divine authority. 
 
 Extensive as are the writings of the Hindus, 
 there are comparatively few learned men amongst 
 them, and they are by no means correct general 
 scholars; and their acquirements are seldom of 
 much practical value. Their studies have the ef- 
 fect of disciplining their faculties, so that they are 
 often acute and ready reasoners. The great body 
 of the people, however, are ignorant in the ex- 
 treme. They are debased alike by their religion 
 and their poverty. Their religion has no days of 
 instruction, their temples have no preachers, and 
 their poverty leaves no time for the cultivation of 
 the mind. Besides these causes of ignorance is 
 another more universal and powerful, the degraded 
 condition of the female sex. Prevented both by 
 their religion and their social usages from acquiring 
 the simplest elements of written knowledge, never 
 seen in the schools, neither honoured nor cherished 
 by their parents, brothers, or husbands, and in no 
 respect fitted for the responsible duties which de- 
 volve upon them, they are incapable of teaching 
 their children any useful lesson, either by precept 
 or by their own example. And thus, the mothers 
 throughout the land being alike ignorant if not alike 
 degraded, the children grow up in a great measure 
 untaught and vicious; the time of youth, the only 
 season of leisure to most Hindus, passes away 
 without instruction, discipline, or improvement. 
 
 The religion of the Hindus is a very large sub- 
 ject; to do it justice would require a volume. I 
 
THE HINDUS. 
 
 35 
 
 shall endeavour to present merely a few notices 
 and remarks of a general character concerning it. 
 
 It is supposed that about one seventh part of the 
 Hindus are followers of the false prophet; their 
 faith is like that of their sect every where, and their 
 practice differs but little from that of their heathen 
 countrymen. They are hardly less superstitious, 
 nor at all less addicted to immoral practices. 
 Amongst the pagan Hindus a considerable diver- 
 sity of sects exists, whose religious tenets are vari- 
 ous and often contradictory. The Budhists and 
 the Jains hold opinions that are irreconcilable with 
 the Brahmanical forms of belief. The votaries of 
 the latter constitute the much larger part of the 
 people. 
 
 According to their belief, “ the great deity Bralim 
 remains in obscurity, and superstition is never 
 allowed to profane his name, which is always kept 
 clear of fiction. Three energies, however, the cre- 
 ating, preserving, and destroying, are embodied 
 under the names of Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, to 
 each of whom a female or passive energy is at- 
 tached. These have all human forms, diversified 
 by the imagination in various ways; and as the 
 two last are supposed to have descended many 
 times, each avatar or incarnation furnishes a dis- 
 tinct deity, to whom worship is addressed. Of 
 the three specified, Brahma alone has no incarna- 
 tions, and is never worshipped. Besides these 
 three principal gods there is a whole pantheon of 
 minor deities. The sea, the winds, the heavens, 
 the elements, the sun, moon, and stars, every river, 
 
 I fountain, and stream, is either a deity in itself, or 
 has a divinity presiding over it, nothing being done 
 without the intervention of supernatural power. 
 Descending still lower, there are myriads of demi- 
 
36 
 
 THE HINDUS. 
 
 gods, of a most extraordinary description, and nu- 
 merous beyond the powers of calculation. A little 
 red paint smeared over a stone, a lump of clay, or 
 the stump of a tree, converts it into a god, wor- 
 shipped by the lower classes, and saluted by the 
 upper with much apparent devotion.” 
 
 This extract from Hamilton’s Gazetteer pre- 
 sents a succinct sketch of the objects of worship 
 among the greater part of the Hindus, and it pro- 
 bably covers the whole ground. Some writers enu- 
 merate seventeen principal deities ; the whole num- 
 ber, composed of all the classes, is often stated at 
 three hundred and thirty millions, which, we may 
 suppose, is a large number intended to convey the 
 idea of infinity. It is, however, doubtless true that 
 in India the gods are more numerous than their 
 worshippers. 
 
 The metaphysical among the educated classes 
 will describe their religion as a pure theism, ex- 
 plaining away what seems contrary to the divine 
 unity in the number of gods and goddesses, and 
 putting a spiritual construction on what is gross in 
 the actual prevalence of idolatry; and they will 
 express many just views of the character of God. 
 Others hold such notions as are but atheism, and 
 others more numerous are gross pantheists, while 
 the mass of the people, incapable of refined specu- 
 lations, are neither more nor less than gross idola- 
 ters, worshipping “lords many and gods many.” 
 
 If we look now at the common observances of 
 religion, and the degree of attention given to its 
 worship, we must consider the Hindus a highly 
 religious people. Nothing is undertaken, no event 
 occurs, hardly an hour passes, without the perform- 
 ance of religious services. These are sometimes 
 very simple, perhaps merely the reverent lifting 
 
THE HINDUS. 
 
 37 
 
 of the folded hands to the forehead; sometimes, 
 very difficult and expensive, such as prayers and 
 fastings, repeated bathings, pilgrimages, painful 
 self inflictions, gifts of flowers, rice, and money, 
 sacrifices of goats, bullocks, and formerly of hu- 
 man life. The birth of a child, giving his name, 
 marriage, engaging in business, making a journey, 
 sickness, death, funeral rites, and a thousand other 
 things, are the occasions for performing religious 
 ceremonies ; and as the Brahmans alone can offici- 
 ate and are always paid for their services accord- 
 ing to the utmost measure of the votary’s ability, 
 they are extremely watchful to prevent any omis- 
 sion or neglect of ritual duly. It has been well as- 
 certained that the rite of the suttee, or self-immola- 
 tion, was strongly urged in many cases on poor 
 widows by these priests, who were instigated by 
 the mercenary prospect of sharing in the presents, 
 which were always made by surviving friends on 
 such occasions. 
 
 There are numerous religious buildings, or tem- 
 ples, of a great variety in their structure and size, 
 which are only places of prayer and ritual solem- 
 nities, and not of religious instruction. There are 
 no regular days of rest and religious teaching, but 
 numerous festivals are observed. These differ in 
 length from part of a day to several weeks ; they 
 are professedly observed by the followers of the 
 god in whose honour they are held, but other sects 
 i often unite in their celebration, and they are usual- 
 s ly accompanied with great frivolity and dissipa- 
 v tion. 
 
 it Without going more at length into an account of 
 i- j this religion, I would now notice its defects and 
 s faults. It gives no correct revelation of the cha- 
 i» racier and will of God. It provides no atonement 
 
38 
 
 THE HINDUS. 
 
 for sin, nor any motives nor means of purifying 
 the fountains of thought and affection in our de- 
 praved nature. It imposes no restraint on the 
 wickedness of men. It yields no support nor any 
 consolation in the time of sickness, calamity, and 
 bereavement. It sheds no light on the grave, opens 
 no door of hope beyond the tomb. It is thus a 
 religion of darkness, cheerless, gloomy, full of 
 despair to the soul of a sinful man. 
 
 It is, moreover, worse than all this. We have 
 seen its oppressive influence on the temporal con- 
 dition of the people. Besides this, it is most 
 demoralizing. It authorizes the commission of 
 various crimes, amongst which, to certain classes, 
 is the most remorseless murder; see, for proof, the 
 work published by the British India Government, 
 concerning Thuggee. The gods and goddesses 
 are the exemplars of every vice and crime. Their 
 history is often outrageously shocking to every 
 pure mind, and so is their worship. Abandoned 
 women are a part of the establishment connected 
 with many temples; dissolute priests abound, and 
 their sacred character gives them greater facilities 
 for gratifying their wishes, than other vile men 
 enjoy. Polygamy prevails, though checked by 
 the poverty of the people ; and it is lawful, because 
 the gods have many wives. A priest has been 
 known to have sixty wives, married for their dower, 
 and for gratifying his own base passions. Poor 
 woman is degraded to a very low degree ; her re- 
 ligion never inspires her mind with pure aims, nor 
 gives her an honourable standing, nor opens to her 
 a better prospect hereafter. Little truth, upright- 
 ness and confidence exist in business transactions. 
 It is almost impossible to ascertain the merits of 
 cases brought before the English rulers, so unscru- 
 
THE HINDUS. 
 
 39 
 
 pulous and utterly false are the witnesses. Part- 
 ners in the same shop often have their separate 
 locks, to prevent one entering unless the others are 
 also present. These things, and many such like 
 things, in themselves most evil, and not the less 
 evil because flowing fairly from fallen human na- 
 ture, are the more dreadful, because they are the 
 offspring of religion, the imitation by men of the 
 character and conduct of their gods ! 
 
 I am well aware that certain writers have spo- 
 ken more favourably of the Hindus, but I would 
 ask the reader to distinguish between things that 
 differ. There is much in the manners of a Hindu, 
 especially in his respectful deference to his supe- 
 riors, and all Europeans are immeasurably his su- 
 periors, or so regarded by him, that is certainly 
 very prepossessing and pleasing. There is also 
 amongst themselves commonly the entire absence 
 of rude and violent conduct, and between persons 
 of the same station in life, there is a beautiful 
 courteousness of manner. Their habits of living, 
 moreover, are remarkably simple, temperate, and 
 regular ; and there is often a touching regard for 
 their relations. And yet these things have their 
 contraries, especially in the last mentioned particu- 
 lar, for you often see the aged and the sick exposed 
 to death on the banks of the Ganges, or most cru- 
 elly neglected at home. But still, it must be con- 
 ceded, and I admit most cheerfully, that there is 
 much to admire in the manners of the Hindus, and 
 in their character as it appears to a superficial ob- 
 server, especially if he survey them from an eleva- 
 ted position. It gives me pleasure to admit, also, 
 that there are men who evince a praiseworthy re- 
 gard to their engagements. And yet I fully agree 
 with those writers who present the Hindu charac- 
 
40 CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 ter in darker shades. The favourable traits just 
 mentioned have misled amiable religious men, like 
 Bishop Heber, whose knowledge of the native 
 character, as it appears among the natives, was but 
 limited ; and these same things may have convinced 
 men, not themselves acquainted with the evil of 
 the human heart, nor of its offensiveness to God, 
 that the Hindus are already an excellent, if not a 
 virtuous people. But the reader of these pages, 
 I trust, will form his opinion of the statements 
 brought under his notice, by the unerring standard 
 of the Divine oracles. And in their light, I fear 
 not to claim for these millions of heathen, his miost 
 sincere and active compassion. No people more 
 greatly need the enlightening, purifying, and ever 
 living influences of the religion of the Bible.* 
 
 I now return to the mission, undertaken with 
 the humble hope of promoting the best interests of 
 this people, by making known to them the gospel 
 of the grace of God. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 North-western provinces, reasons for the choice of — Edu- 
 cational movement — Authorities friendly — Arrival timely 
 — Missionary co-operation. 
 
 After carefully weighing the information w r e had 
 received, Mr. Reed and myself w r ere clear in 
 our conviction that the north-western provinces 
 
 * See a paper on the condition of the heathen, at the 
 cn d of the volume, Appendix 1. 
 
CHOICE OF A SIISSIONARY FIELD. 41 
 
 presented the best field of labour, in which to be- 
 gin our efforts. They contain a numerous and 
 hardy population, with a better climate than the 
 lower provinces, and there is a ready access to the 
 lower ranges of the Himalaya mountains in case 
 of the failure of health. They were then, and they 
 continue to be, in a great measure unoccupied by 
 the missionury institutions of other bodies of Chris- 
 tians. And their position connects them with other 
 countries in which no efforts have yet been made 
 to introduce the Christian religion. The Sikhs, 
 to whom our attention at first was specially direct- 
 ed, are a distinct people, neither Mahommedans 
 nor Pagans in their religion, though their manner 
 oflife differs but little from that of the pagan Hin- 
 dus. They inhabit chiefly the Panjab, but many 
 of their chiefs live on the south side of the Sutlej 
 under British protection, and their territories are 
 called the Protected Sikh States. No missionary 
 establishment had ever been formed for their bene- 
 fit. A part of the Scriptures had been translated 
 into their language, the Gurmukhi, by the Seram- 
 pore Society. 
 
 These general considerations appeared of suffi- 
 cient weight to authorize our deciding on this 
 part of the country, although, we were aware, it 
 would require a tedious journey and considerable 
 expense to reach any given point in it. But we con- 
 sidered that these were disadvantages which some 
 missionaries would have to surmount, if the means 
 of grace should ever be established among those 
 destitute people ; and it was deemed moreover, 
 highly important to choose a large field, and one 
 sufficiently removed from the missions of other 
 Societies, so that there might be ample room for 
 extended efforts. We had the happiness of find- 
 
42 
 
 CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 ing that our choice was highly approved by our 
 Calcutta advisers, amongst whom we had the pri- 
 vilege now of consulting with the Rev. Dr. Corrie, 
 the friend of Henry Marlyn, who afterwards be- 
 came Bishop of Madras. He was absent in the 
 Upper Provinces on our arrival, where he had been 
 for many years stationed as a Chaplain, but had 
 now returned, and we accounted it no small favour 
 to be allowed to see so much of one who was not 
 less beloved for his amiable and pure character as 
 a gentleman, than revered and venerated for his 
 excellence and faithfulness as a Christian minister. 
 
 Besides the general reasons mentioned above, 
 there was just at that time a movement to promote 
 the spread of the English language and learning in 
 some of the important cities in those Upper Pro- 
 vinces. English Colleges had been established by 
 the government at Agra and Delhi, and instruction 
 of a similar kind was wanted at some other places, 
 one of which was Lodiana. This was the frontier 
 post then occupied by the British on the north- 
 west, and a town of some twenty thousand or 
 twenty-five thousand people, whose numbers were 
 rapidly increasing. It contained a number of Af- 
 ghans and Cashmerians in addition to the Sikhs 
 and Hindus. The Afghans were from one thou- 
 sand to two thousand in number, and were chiefly 
 the retainers of two exiled kings, who after a variety 
 of sad fortunes, one of them having been cruelly 
 deprived of his sight, had taken refuge under the 
 protection of the British, and had been living at 
 Lodiana for nearly twenty years, receiving a large 
 annual pension from the generosity of the East India 
 Company. One of these kings is now on the throne 
 of Caubul, so various are the changes of Eastern 
 politics! The Cashmerians were more numerous. 
 
CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 43 
 
 They had been driven from their homes by a famine 
 and by the oppression of the Sikhs, to whom their 
 beautiful valley was in subjection, and several thou- 
 sands of them were now following their various 
 occupations, chiefly that of weaving, at Lodiana. 
 From these classes, and from the Hindus, a num- 
 ber of scholars could be procured to attend an Eng- 
 lish school. Some of the Sikh chiefs, also, were 
 anxious to have their sons acquainted with Eng- 
 lish, and an Afghan chief, living west of the Indus, 
 had actually sent his son to the care of the Politi- 
 cal Agent at Lodiana for the same purpose — an 
 event so singular amongst the people of that part 
 of the world, that he received credit, I presume, 
 for being influenced by a desire to acquire politi- 
 cal knowledge for his own use, rather than the in- 
 structions of a school for his son. This desire for 
 an English education was not confined to Lodiana, 
 but existed at Amballa and other places in the 
 North-western provinces. It was understood that 
 the government had under consideration the ques- 
 tion of extending their educational system so as to 
 embrace Amballa and Lodiana, both in the Pro- 
 tected Sikh States. It was indeed highly probable 
 that some secular institution of learning would soon 
 be formed at one or both of those cities. 
 
 Our Calcutta advisers rightly deemed it of great 
 importance, that in the efforts about to be made, 
 the Christian religion should not be divorced from 
 education, as is unhappily the case in the government 
 Colleges and most of the schools for English learn- 
 ing in India, whose influence, therefore, only tends 
 to the overthrow of the existing religion of the 
 country, without at all introducing the Christian 
 faith in its stead. And they and ourselves both 
 considered it advisable to connect our proceedings, 
 
44 
 
 CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 in the first instance, if possible, with this Educa- 
 tional movement. Having decided on those pro- 
 vinces as our sphere of duty, it seemed extremely 
 desirable to enter on our vocation, by taking the 
 lead in the efforts for the instruction of the people, 
 thus gaining effectual access to the minds of influ- 
 ential classes without awakening their religious 
 prejudices, which were represented as peculiarly 
 strong in provinces so lately brought under British 
 rule. The same consideration, though with dimin- 
 ished force, applied to our intercourse at first with 
 the English gentlemen in charge of the govern- 
 ment of those distant provinces. Education was 
 common ground for them and ourselves to stand 
 on, until they could become acquainted with our 
 views and plans of proceeding. For it should be 
 remembered that we were the first American mis- 
 sionaries who had attempted to form stations up 
 the country, and our character, object, and mode 
 of proceeding were all to be developed.* If favour- 
 able impressions should be made by the pioneers 
 of our enterprise, it would greatly conduce to the 
 comfort and success of both themselves and their 
 future associates. Indeed, in the Protected Sikh 
 Slates almost everything depended, in the first ef- 
 forts, on the friendly countenance of the political 
 agents and other English gentlemen. In these cir- 
 cumstances the kind offices of Mr. Trevelyan, 
 whose name I have already mentioned, were in- 
 valuable. He was one of the most able and suc- 
 cessful supporters of the change of policy in the 
 Government patronage of education, whereby the 
 antiquated and cumbrous systems of oriental error 
 were made to give place to the liberal and useful 
 branches of European knowledge ; and the educa- 
 * See Appendix II. 
 
CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 45 
 
 tional movement in the north-west had already 
 found in him a warm and efficient advocate. His 
 official and friendly relations, moreover, with the 
 officers of the government in the Sikh States, as 
 well as his position in the Cabinet, to use our 
 Washington phrase, were precisely those which 
 rendered his cordial advocacy of our object of the 
 greatest service. We should have been blind, in- 
 deed, not to have seen and recognized in these 
 things the kind interposition of Him, in whose 
 cause we were engaged, and who thus gave us 
 favour in the sight of his servants, the rulers of 
 the land. 
 
 This extended account will not be considered 
 too long, when the reader adverts to the apprehen- 
 sion which existed amongst many persons as to 
 our reception by the British authorities. We had 
 feared that difficulties might be interposed to pre- 
 vent our proceeding to the interior. Some of our 
 countrymen, twenty years before, had been requir- 
 ed by the men then in power to withdraw from 
 the territories of the East India Company. And 
 so little was known at home of the favourable 
 change in the administration of the India govern- 
 ment, and of the liberal and enlightened policy of 
 Lord W. C. Bentinck, the Governor General at 
 the time of our arrival, that it was consider- 
 ed doubtful by some of our best informed men 
 whether we should be allowed to form a settle- 
 ment in the interior. I recollect particularly an 
 expression of opinion to this effect by one of the 
 Secretaries of our oldest Missionary Society. In 
 England there is often much complaint by those 
 connected with India affairs, of the want of infor- 
 mation and the apathy of the community at large 
 in regard to everything Indian. In the United 
 
46 
 
 CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 States, for obvious reasons, there is still less infor- 
 mation and interest, but “the times of this igno- 
 rance,” we may hope, are passing away, and 
 shall be succeeded by a lively concern, especially 
 amongst religious people, in everything affecting 
 the welfare of so large a portion of the human 
 family. In no respect were our misapprehensions 
 and misgivings more entirely without foundation, 
 and more happily removed, than in our obtaining 
 readily the permission of the Governor General in 
 Council to proceed to the places we had mention- 
 ed in our petition, in which we had stated concise- 
 ly but clearly our object, and requested liberty to 
 reside in the north-western provinces. It was con- 
 sidered advisable in the first instance to send up 
 such a petition, in order to preclude all suspicion 
 as to our character, and plans, and to remove any 
 possible hinderance from the path of those who 
 should follow us. For the favourable presenting 
 of this paper, we were indebted to the gentleman, 
 whose kindness I have already spoken of. We 
 can now look to a missionary home in India with 
 no more apprehension on this point than we should 
 contemplate a removal to one of our own states. It 
 is therefore less easy to understand the solicitude 
 that was then felt on this subject. I should not dis- 
 miss this point, without mentioning the view im- 
 pressed on my mind by Lord W. C. Bentinck’s ad- 
 ministration of the Supreme Government in India. 
 It was his high honour to suppress the horrible rite of 
 the suttee, to encourage the study ofuseful knowledge 
 in the government colleges, to abolish the odious and 
 oppressive system of transit-duties, and to manifest a 
 steady regard to the principle, itself not more benevo- 
 lent than true, that the present rulers of India have 
 been entrusted with the power to control the desti- 
 
CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 47 
 
 nies of its myriads of people, only in order to pro- 
 mote their best advance in knowledge and general 
 improvement. And it would be extremely ungrate- 
 ful in me not to acknowledge at the same time our 
 obligations to Lady William Bentinck, for her 
 Christian favour towards our object. Her influ- 
 ence was given to promote it with a kindness 
 worthy of herself, and in a manner as considerate 
 as it was effective. More I ought not to say; less 
 with justice to my own feelings, I cannot. I have 
 got in advance of the order of time in the narrative, 
 however, and must return from this digression. 
 
 Our arrival in India appeared now to be most 
 seasonable. If we had arrived at Calcutta at an 
 earlier period, those special providences which 
 seemed to open a door before us at Lodiana had 
 not then occurred, and we should probably have 
 been led to choose some other part of the country 
 as the scene of our endeavours. If we had arrived 
 one year later, we should doubtless have found the 
 ground pre-occupied ; some secular institution of 
 learning with its influences would have so com- 
 pletely blocked up the way, that it might not have 
 appeared practicable to form a religious establish- 
 ment. We could not doubt that we were under 
 the guidance of Him, who orders all things accord- 
 ing to the counsel of his will, and who ever goes 
 before his people, disposing their way so as to 
 promote their best usefulness and his own highest 
 ! glory. 
 
 Nor could we fail to acknowledge with grati- 
 tude the kind and welcome reception extended to 
 us by our English missionary brethren. The Cal- 
 cutta and Serampore missionaries, and those whom 
 we afterwards met at other places, of every deno- 
 mination, not only gave us a cordial welcome as 
 
48 
 
 CHOICE OF A MISSIONARY FIELD. 
 
 co-labourers with themselves, but cheerfully grant- 
 ed us every information and advice, often greatly 
 needed by persons so inexperienced as we were, 
 and always valuable from their long acquaintance 
 with the country and people. The remembrance 
 of much pleasant Christian intercourse with them, 
 often awakens many tender and sacred feelings. 
 There is surely something as delightful as it is 
 strange in the bond of brotherhood, which unites 
 all the sincere followers of Christ. Here were 
 Englishmen, Scotchmen, Germans, and Ameri- 
 cans ; Episcopalians, Independents, Baptists, and 
 Presbyterians, dwelling together in Christian char- 
 ity, labouring together, not perhaps with perfect 
 harmony of views, for that is reserved for a better 
 state, but with mutual confidence and esteem ; not 
 laying aside their respective peculiarities, but so 
 strongly animated by a common spirit and a com- 
 mon aim that their various differences did not pre- 
 vent their respecting each other, and seeking each 
 other’s highest usefulness. May this spirit of for- 
 bearance and of love ever dwell in the hearts of all 
 missionaries ! 
 
 In the review therefore of the many favourable 
 circumstances under which our missionary course 
 was commenced in India, it were not only ingrati- 
 tude, but blindness in the extreme, not to recognize 
 the hand of God in thus prospering our way. And 
 the persuasion that His presence and blessing were 
 indeed with us, proved our support and our ground 
 of hope in many dark and trying hours. 
 
EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 49 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 Death of Mrs. Lowrie — Decision to remain at Calcutta till 
 the rainy season — Study of the language — Missionary 
 efforts, three kinds — Mr. Reed’s illness and return. 
 
 It was but a few weeks after our arrival at Cal- 
 cutta that we were called to bow in humble sub- 
 mission to the will of God, in what was to me a 
 very distressing dispensation. My wife’s health 
 was by no means firm on leaving the United States, 
 but her medical friends thought her going to a 
 warmer and less changeable climate would prove 
 decidedly favourable in restoring her strength. 
 During the voyage, however, she became gradually 
 weaker, and before we reached Calcutta, it was 
 apparent that her days would soon be numbered. 
 She was herself the first to perceive the true nature 
 of her illness ; she calmly prepared herself for its 
 fatal result, and she endeavoured to prepare our 
 minds for the hour of parting. Never have I 
 known any person in similar circumstances, whose 
 mind was kept more perfectly in peace, and whose 
 prevailing desire was stronger than her’s “ to de- 
 part and to be with Christ.” With a blessed 
 Christian hope, she departed this life on the 21st 
 November. It is not desirable to give an extended 
 notice here of one who was greatly beloved, as 
 her former pastor, the Rev. A. G. Fairchild, was 
 kind enough to prepare a small volume of her me- 
 moirs, which has met with much acceptance, hav- 
 ing passed through several Editions, and which, 
 there is reason to believe, has rendered good ser- 
 5 
 
50 
 
 EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 vice to the cause to which she had devoted her 
 life. Her remains now rest in the Scottish Burial 
 Ground, Calcutta. 
 
 I have forborne to speak of my own feelings in 
 this time of deep affliction. There are dispensa- 
 tions in the lives of most men, whose desolating 
 severity no language can describe. There are 
 hours of cold despair, which nature could not long 
 endure, and which the blessed Gospel can best 
 illumine and change into resignation. The sup- 
 port of our holy religion was graciously vouch- 
 safed, as I trust, to myself and my companions in 
 this season of trial ; and though the early removal 
 of one who appeared so well fitted for usefulness 
 was a dark event, we were assured that we should 
 sorrow not as those who have no hope, that we 
 should weep only for ourselves and for the hea- 
 then, and that we should know hereafter, as we 
 could believe now, that infinite kindness and wis- 
 dom had been displayed in our calamity. 
 
 A week or two before this mournful event, it had 
 been agreed that Mr. and Mrs. Reed should pro- 
 ceed alone to the station we had concluded to 
 occupy, and they had made some progress in their 
 preparation for the journey. But on further re- 
 flection it was thought better to delay their de- 
 parture. It was then evident that Mrs. Lowrie 
 could not linger long amongst us, and they with 
 the kindest consideration of our feelings did not 
 wish to leave us alone in the approaching hour of 
 death. Besides this it was urged by our friends 
 in Calcutta that the river at that season was low, 
 and the winds adverse, so that it would be a very 
 tedious and difficult voyage to ascend it. And as 
 the hot winds would prevail in the upper provinces 
 before they could finish the land part of their route, 
 
EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 51 
 
 it was deemed better to postpone their journey. It 
 was therefore finally concluded that they should 
 remain at Calcutta until the next rainy season, 
 and then I could proceed with them ; in the mean- 
 time we could prosecute the study of the native 
 language. If they had gone agreeably to our first 
 decision, I have often endeavoured to imagine 
 what would have been the probable subsequent 
 history of our mission. It has been well remarked, 
 that “ we do not know what are the small, nor what 
 the great events of our lives;” sometimes those 
 which appear smallest are yet attended with the 
 gravest consequences. If Mr. Reed had pro- 
 ceeded, possibly his valuable life might have been 
 greatly prolonged ; and yet the journey, instead of 
 proving beneficial might have rendered his days 
 fewer in number. One thing has seemed not im- 
 probable, if he had proceeded with his wife as his 
 only companion, that, owing to the length of the 
 journey, and the difficulty of making it with so 
 little acquaintance with the people and their ways 
 as we then possessed, which would of course have 
 been much more serious to a married man than to 
 one who had but himself to provide for. my ex- 
 cellent associate might have been induced to stop 
 at some of the many important places much nearer 
 Calcutta, which were not less in want of Mission- 
 ary services than Lodiana and other places, in the 
 far northwest. I am sure he would have been 
 strongly urged to occupy some of these stations; 
 while, for myself, I might have been strongly 
 tempted, by deep feelings of sorrow and not less 
 by wretched health, to return to the land of my 
 fathers. Thus it might easily have happened, not 
 to say that it probably would, that the missionary 
 efforts of our Church in India would have been 
 
52 
 
 EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 undertaken under widely different circumstances 
 from what eventually occurred. Nor have I any 
 doubt, having now the history of nearly ten years 
 to confirm the opinion, that our first position was 
 on many accounts preferable to any other, as a 
 point from which to commence our efforts. Other 
 cities had a larger population, and could be reached 
 in less time, and at less expense, but at no other 
 could more favourable introducing influences have 
 been enjoyed; at no other could our position have 
 been more distinctly defined, nor our character 
 and object more accurately estimated by the foreign 
 residents of the Upper Provinces; at no other 
 were we less likely to find ourselves labouring “ in 
 another man’s line of things made ready to our 
 hand,” or to occupy ground that other bodies of 
 Christians would shortly cultivate; and, not to 
 insist on the important consideration of health, no 
 other place was then nor is now more commanding 
 in ils relations to other and not less dark regions 
 of the earth, in its facilities for acquiring a number 
 of the languages chiefly spoken in those parts, and 
 in the access afforded to people whose character if 
 brought under Christian influences, and whose 
 geographical situation, would better enable them to 
 spread far and wide the knowledge of the true re- 
 ligion. 
 
 After my companions had relinquished the plan 
 of proceeding immediately up the country, we 
 agreed to take a house for the next seven months 
 in Howrah, across the Hoogley from Calcutta; 
 and our plan was to devote our attention to the 
 character and usages of the people, the best plans 
 of missionary labour amongst them, having at that 
 city almost every plan under our view, and par- 
 ticularly to the acquisition of the native language. 
 
EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 53 
 
 As soon as the requisite arrangements were made 
 we procured a native teacher, and commenced 
 studying the language. This must be the first and 
 highest duty of the newly arrived missionary. 
 Without this knowledge he will probably become 
 discontented, and he assuredly cannot be useful in 
 the highest degree. It is a very unsatisfactory 
 plan to depend on interpreters, and it is never 
 adopted by missionaries in India, unless for a short 
 time while they are learning the language them- 
 selves. This study must engage the main labour 
 indeed of every missionary, until he is able to 
 speak the language with ease. And it will be well 
 for him if he have the advice and aid of missionary 
 associates, already acquainted with the particular 
 dialect which he undertakes to acquire. For want 
 of this aid, we met with considerable embarrass- 
 ment; our Calcutta missionary friends speaking 
 the Bengali, and not the up-country dialects, and 
 our Hindustani teacher being able to give us little 
 more assistance than to teach us the true pronun- 
 ciation. In this study, however, almost every thing 
 depends on one’s own efforts. And while a close 
 and patient attention should be given to books, such 
 as grammars, dictionaries, and approved authors, 
 it is not less necessary to mingle freely with the 
 people, and thus acquire a practical readiness of 
 speech, and of hearing too, for the natives utter 
 their words very rapidly and almost inarticulately. 
 Study and practice must go hand in hand. If a 
 missionary would feel completely at home as a 
 ready Hindu speaker, he must spend much of his 
 time exclusively among the natives, while he can- 
 not become an accurate and thorough scholar with- 
 out long continued study of the best authors, and 
 without habits of composition in writing the lan- 
 
54 
 
 EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 guage. A mistake to which one is liable, and by 
 which we were hindered in our progress, is often 
 that of being too purely students. One of the 
 missionaries now in India has presented this point 
 graphically in a paragraph, which fully supports 
 this suggestion. “ Many appear to have com- 
 menced with the idea that they must stick to their 
 books, and attempt little or nothing until they are 
 masters of the language. Perhaps they start out 
 when they think they can talk pretty well; of 
 course they are disappointed, and somewhat dis- 
 couraged by their failure. They slip back into 
 their study, and at once jump to the resolution of 
 the fool in the Greek fable, that he would never 
 venture into the water again until he had learned 
 to swim. Those who have acted on the other 
 principle have uniformly, I believe, become the 
 earliest and best preachers in the native language.” 
 While we were thus employed, we did not 
 neglect to make ourselves acquainted with the 
 plans of labour adopted by the missionaries in 
 Calcutta. We enjoyed capital opportunities of 
 profiting by their experience, and as the result of 
 our inquiries, I insert an extract from our letter to 
 the Secretary of the Society, the Rev. E. P. Swift, 
 D. D., under date of April 24th 1834. The views 
 given below have been supported by later and long- 
 er experience. 
 
 Perhaps the direct efforts of missionaries may 
 be reduced to three classes; Preaching the Gos- 
 pel to many or few, as opportunity occurs, and in 
 whatever way circumstances permit; Preparation 
 of Books, including especially the translation of 
 the Sacred Scriptures and the distribution of them ; 
 and the Establishment and Superintendence of 
 Schools. A single missionary may engage more 
 
EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 55 
 
 or less in all these ways of doing good, if he have 
 the requisite talents, health, and grace; but prob- 
 ably his labours would, in ordinary circumstances, 
 be more efficient, if devoted chiefly to one of these 
 departments. All these modes are open to our 
 choice. As to the first, we have been able to hear 
 of only one missionary that has ever gone among 
 the Sikhs, or into the Protected Sikh States ; and 
 he went only on a short tour, and was not acquaint- 
 ed with the language principally spoken. In re- 
 gard to the second, the only books in the Panjabi 
 dialect are a translation of some parts of the Bible, 
 and a small grammar of the language, both said to be 
 very defective ; at least, we have not yet heard of any 
 other books, such as a missionary society would 
 prepare, nor indeed of any kind. And as to schools, 
 we believe there is not, and never has been one, 
 under European or Christian direction, among the 
 Sikhs. There is one at Sabathu among the Hill 
 people, not under missionary direction, nor of high 
 order, which succeeds well. The native schools 
 throughout the country are of no value in any 
 point of view, except as to the mere rudiments of 
 reading and writing; and even these are taught to 
 very few. 
 
 “We have, therefore, Dear Brother, the entire 
 field before us, unoccupied, unattempted. It is 
 indeed an inspiring thought, that our Society has 
 the prospect of beginning all that shall yet be 
 done in communicating the blessings of science and 
 religion to millions. May the Lord still prepare 
 the way and prosper the efforts you make ! 
 
 “It has been a matter of anxious thought what 
 shall be the system of education which we should 
 attempt. As to preaching, and in respect to books, 
 it is but little we can do until we have learned the 
 
56 
 
 EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 language But to superintend a native school, 
 
 we mean one taught by native teachers, and in the 
 native language, a slighter acquaintance with the 
 language is required, than is necessary in preach- 
 ing. In teaching an English school, the mission- 
 ary might begin almost immediately after his loca- 
 tion. Some diversity of sentiment exists as to the 
 prominence which should be given to education in 
 
 English One great object should be to train 
 
 up, by the Lord’s blessing and grace, a race of na- 
 tive preachers. To the former object (though to 
 a certain extent it should, and we hope will, re- 
 ceive our attention) our number is quite inade- 
 quate. It must, indeed, be manifest, that the 
 Church cannot send forth a sufficient number of 
 missionaries to educate the entire population in a 
 proper manner. The men, suitable in qualifica- 
 tions and circumstances, are not to be had. More- 
 over, it would be at a vast expense of money, of 
 time, and of life, that that plan could be carried in- 
 to execution. But all concur, that the best plan is 
 to train up native preachers, by sending forth a 
 sufficient number of persons to conduct the sys- 
 tem by which they are to be prepared. 
 
 “ Persuaded that yourself and the Committee will 
 fully accord with these views, though so imper- 
 fectly presented, we proceed to mention directly, 
 but briefly, the considerations which induce us to 
 think, that English education should be made 
 prominent. Here it will be recollected, that our 
 chief object in education is to prepare native min- 
 isters who should be possessed of all the know- 
 ledge necessary to understand, explain, and en- 
 force the meaning of the Sacred Volume. Any 
 other kind of ministers would be of little service. 
 But this knowledge does not exist in their lan- 
 
EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 57 
 
 guage. Shall we then endeavour to translate all 
 the store of English Theology into Panjabi; or 
 shall we educate young men in the English lan- 
 guage, and spread before them the vast treasures 
 of our Biblical, Systematic, and Practical Works? 
 The former plan is much the most expensive of 
 the two, and much the least practicable. All the 
 missionaries in India could not accomplish the for- 
 mer, though aided by the funds of all the existing 
 missionary societies. The latter plan is simple, 
 and, with the Divine blessing, may be carried into 
 effect by a few individuals. It is indeed only ap- 
 plying to a heathen land the principles recognized 
 by our beloved Church concerning our ministers, 
 though with greatly increased force of application 
 in a heathen land. English will become to this 
 country, what the Latin was to our forefathers — 
 the learned language of the people. And it is wor- 
 thy of special notice by every observer of Provi- 
 dence in this land, that just at the time when many 
 natives are wishing to acquire English, the Sanscrit, 
 Arabic, and Persian, as if by common consent, are 
 beginning to be laid on the shelf. The former con- 
 tains all that is good, though with much that is bad ; 
 the latter contains almost unmixed evil. So far as 
 there is any experience on this subject, it decidedly 
 confirms this statement. We may further men- 
 tion, concerning this matter, that, in addition to its 
 being the only way of preparing suitable ministers, 
 this kind of effort does not prevent the missionary 
 from preaching, or preparing books, according to 
 the measure of his time and talents ; while it seems 
 peculiarly recommended to our notice in this land, 
 where Europeans and Americans cannot engage in 
 preaching the gospel, nor perhaps in any kind of 
 duty, but at considerable hazard, exposure, and 
 6 
 
58 
 
 EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 brevity of life. It is hardly necessary to explain, 
 that we do not entertain the sentiments expressed 
 above, to the exclusion of wishes and purposes for 
 both common and female education; but we think 
 it expedient to present them thus at length, because 
 it is probable this will be our first kind of labour; 
 as we can commence soon after we reach the scene 
 of operation. We think we shall possess encour- 
 aging prospects as to both the other kinds of in- 
 struction.” 
 
 During the latter part of the cold season, Mr. 
 Reed was subject at times to a slight cough, though 
 as his general health was good, it gave us but little 
 alarm. After some weeks, however, it assumed 
 such a regular character as to awaken our serious 
 concern, and medical advice was obtained, which, 
 though not of a decided character, by no means 
 removed our fears. In the course of a few weeks, 
 it became evident that his disease was the con- 
 sumption. No means were now left untried to 
 avert the disease, but it was all in vain ; his strength 
 gradually declined, and at length all hope of a tinal 
 recovery was abandoned. Mr. Reed himself was 
 of the opinion that his illness might prove a very 
 protracted one; some of his relations had suffered 
 under the same complaint for years, enjoying du- 
 ring much of the time such a degree of strength as 
 fitted them for attending to their business. And 
 his medical attendant encouraged this view of his 
 case, which seemed the more probable, as but one 
 lobe of the lungs was supposed to be affected. 
 Still his weakness was so great as to unfit him for 
 usefulness in a new mission, where everything 
 was to be established, and the expense of living 
 much greater than it would be amongst his friends, 
 while the degree of comfort, bodily and mental, 
 
EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 59 
 
 was far less. After much consideration, and many 
 fervent prayers for direction from on high, we 
 were satisfied that it' was advisable for him to re- 
 turn home. This was an exceedingly trying de- 
 cision to himself, and not less so to his excellent 
 wife. But they considered that this seemed to be 
 the Lord’s will, and under the same principles, 
 and I believe with a greater sacrifice of feeling 
 than they had made on leaving the United States, 
 they now prepared for their voyage homeward. 
 Our house in Howrah was given up, and Mr. and 
 Mrs. Pearce again received our afflicted friends in 
 their kind home. Passages were taken for them 
 in the Edward, for Philadelphia; a few more 
 weeks soon passed away, during which time Mr. 
 Reed manifested the utmost degree of Christian 
 fortitude and patience, and on the 23d of July they 
 went on board. The ship had been delayed in her 
 departure, and during the last week or two, Mr. 
 Reed seemed to become feebler every day, so that 
 we were inclined to doubt about his attempting so 
 long a voyage. His kind medical adviser, how- 
 ever, still recommended the change, and all the 
 arrangements having been completed, they did not 
 deem it expedient to remain. Thus was our little 
 company a second time visited with most trying 
 dispensations ; the general prospects of our mis- 
 sion continued to be favourable, but what with 
 bereavement, loss of my companions, and health 
 far from good, the long and solitary journey to 
 Lodiana, appeared to me exceedingly dishearten- 
 ing. My own discouragements, however, were of 
 light consequence when compared with my be- 
 loved missionary brother’s mournful lot. His hopes 
 were all disappointed, his plans all set aside, his 
 fervent desire of usefulness to those poor heathens 
 
60 
 
 EVENTS AT CALCUTTA. 
 
 not granted — I do not say, not accepted nor re- 
 warded. For He whose eye saw his servant’s pur- 
 pose to assist in building the spiritual temple, would 
 in his case as in that of David, accept the desire 
 and vouchsafe a gracious reward. It is not what 
 our hands perform that chiefly receives his favour, 
 but what our hearts, influenced by his grace, devise 
 and desire to accomplish. And if this dispensation 
 appeared as dark as it was severe to us all, yet we 
 were assured that what we knew not then we 
 should know hereafter, and that we should yet 
 praise God for all his dispensations towards our- 
 selves and towards his cause. Thus in faith we 
 parted, no more to meet on earth, but with a firm 
 hope of meeting in a better world.* 
 
 * Nearly a year afterwards I heard of the death of 
 Mr. Reed, on the 12th of August, about three weeks after 
 leaving Calcutta. He continued to enjoy a calm and 
 steady peace until the last, and then resigned his spirit 
 into his Saviour’s arms. He was a man of respectable 
 talents, great patience, and excellent judgment; these 
 traits, united with the perfect sincerity of his Christian 
 character, and the entire devotion of all his powers and 
 aims to his Lord’s service, would have made him a most 
 valuable minister of the gospel either at home or abroad, 
 and seemed to fit him for eminent usefulness in the mis- 
 sionary field. But the Master whom he served had work 
 for him in a higher sphere of duty and enjoyment. 
 
JOURNEV TO LODIANA. 
 
 61 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 * JOURNEY TO LODIANA/ 
 
 Native boats — Serampore — Dangers of “tracking” — Nu- 
 merous towns — Boat wrecked — Berhampore — Moorshe- 
 dabad. 
 
 While my missionary companions were preparing 
 for their voyage by sea, I had been getting ready 
 for a hardly less tedious voyage up the Ganges, 
 and shortly after our parting on the Edward, I 
 went on board a native boat. While they were 
 going down the river, oppressed, I doubt not, with 
 deeply sorrowful feelings, I was slowly making my 
 way up the same river with no other company 
 than the natives, and with a journey of twelve 
 hundred miles before me, amongst a strange and 
 heathen people. Under these circumstances, and 
 at other times, I was made to feel that the trials of 
 missionary life are often chiefly those of the mind. 
 It is not the privation of the comforts of home, 
 nor the outward hardships of his lot in his new 
 sphere of life, but it is mainly the separation from 
 friends, the loss of social and Christian privileges, 
 
 I the thoughts and longings of the mind for what 
 must be foregone; the thousand visions of the 
 imagination, by day and by night, of what is far 
 distant and never again to be seen, making it ex- 
 tremely difficult for him to feel contented and 
 cheerful — it is chiefly these things that are trying 
 to bear. But trials can be supported with cheer- 
 fulness, if we are in the path of duty. I could 
 not look in any direction without seeing multitudes 
 of people “ without God, and without hope in the 
 
62 
 
 JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 world.” I could not receive the Sacred Scriptures 
 as the guide of my own faith, and the means of 
 my own hope of eternal life, without at the same 
 time believing a knowledge of them to be equally 
 necessary to the dark-minded people around me; 
 nor could I doubt the solemn obligation resting on 
 all Christians, to use all proper means for making 
 known the glad tidings of salvation to every crea- 
 ture. Here then was a work to be done, of the 
 most sacred character, by which the weightiest 
 interests of the souls of men would be affected ; 
 and if the Saviour’s spirit, not less than his com- 
 mand, but moved me to take part in that work, 
 surely I could not doubt that all temporal and 
 earthly sacrifices should readily be made in order 
 to fidelity and success in so holy a calling. These 
 were the circumstances, of all others, in which a 
 missionary might humbly hope for the fulfilment 
 of our Lord’s promise, “ Lo, I am with you 
 always.” — I could not hesitate, therefore, to go 
 forward. 
 
 There are three modes of travelling in India; by 
 the rivers in boats, or on land, with tents, or in 
 palankeens. Before the introduction of steamers, 
 which are but partially used, however, on the 
 India rivers, the only mode of expeditious travel- 
 ling was in a palankeen, carried by men, having 
 relays stationed, by a previous arrangement, at 
 certain stages, usually about ten miles apart. If 
 the traveller takes his rest in his palankeen, and 
 proceeds by night as well as by day, he may make 
 about one hundred miles in the twenty-four hours. 
 It is a very irksome way of travelling, and if he 
 has much luggage, which he wishes to keep under 
 his eye, this mode cannot be chosen. Travelling 
 with tents, during the cold season, is a pleasant 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 63 
 
 way of making a journey, though a tedious one. 
 From ten to fifteen miles a day is the usual dis- 
 tance of each stage. I determined to proceed by 
 the river in the kind of boat commonly taken by 
 European travellers, called a budgerow; and at the 
 recommendation of others, I procured a smaller 
 boat to accompany the budgerow, chiefly as a 
 freight boat, but to serve also as the kitchen of our 
 party. This smaller boat proved unnecessary and 
 inconvenient, while it added to the expense. These 
 boats are of a half round bottom, without a keel, 
 rather wide towards the stern, and tapering to a 
 long point in front. They have a cabin over the 
 after-part, with a flat roof, on which the boatmen 
 sleep at night, and work the boat much of the time 
 by day, particularly in poling or sailing. A single 
 mast stands nearly in the centre of the boat, just 
 forward of the cabin, and oars are fastened to the 
 long deck before the mast, but are seldom used. 
 They carry no ballast, and the lading is so placed 
 as to be above the water-line ; being thus top- 
 heavy, there is constant danger of being over- 
 turned. 
 
 These notices will aid the reader in understand- 
 ing some of the notes which I made on this river 
 journey, and which are now inserted, not merely 
 because they contain remarks on the people, and 
 present a mode of travelling with which we are 
 happily unacquainted in this country, but because 
 they will serve also to exhibit the serious dangers 
 which attend travelling on the Ganges. Our mis- 
 sionaries, who have all gone by this route, would 
 agree with me, probably, in accounting the journey 
 from Calcutta to the up-country stations, as really 
 more hazardous, and more trying to one’s temper, 
 
64 
 
 JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 though certainly far more interesting, than the 
 voyage to Calcutta. 
 
 July 25, 1834. — Having engaged a twelve- 
 oared budgerow, and another native boat for the 
 servants to cook on, and for part of the luggage, I 
 had expected to start early this morning on the 
 journey to Lodiana. Bishop Heber speaks of 
 “ two hours’ squabbling” with the boat-people 
 when he was setting out on his tour of visitation. 
 I found some trouble both with the budgerow peo- 
 ple and the freight or cook-boatmen. The former 
 refused to cook on the boat, insisting on being per- 
 mitted to cook on the budgerow — which, from the 
 nature of the ingredients which they use, and from 
 the smoke, would have been very disagreeable. 
 After they found that this point could not be gained, 
 which, however, they did not yield until the mat- 
 ter was carried before the Agents from whom I 
 had hired the boats, then the people of the other 
 boat set up a great jabbering about the place in 
 their boat which should be assigned to the budge- 
 row people for cooking. The ostensible ground 
 of the difficulty in both cases was the fear of losing 
 caste ; which was merely a pretext, the true rea- 
 son being a regard to their own convenience. The 
 evils of caste in this country are visible in a thou- 
 sand forms. One of these is in reference to the 
 place of their cooking their food. Each caste must 
 cook by itself — eat by itself. We have now three 
 places for cooking on the cook-boat; one forme, 
 at which also the servants cook ; and one each for 
 the crews of the two boats. One thing was ob- 
 vious in these disputes, that mild firmness in our 
 intercourse with these poor natives is quite impor- 
 tant. I believe they entertain more respect for me 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 65 
 
 now, than if I had yielded to all their demands. 
 We started with the tide ; but made no progress, 
 as the wind was strongly against us, and were 
 obliged to “ come to,” after two or three hours of 
 hard work. 
 
 July 26. — Started again with the tide about 
 three P. M., but did not make much progress, 
 mooring a few miles above Chitpur — five or six 
 miles distance. The boatmen seem a strong, ac- 
 tive set of young men; and are thus far disposed 
 to be very obliging. But they are very ready to 
 take every opportunity of imposing on the igno- 
 rance or weakness of the “ Sahib.” Two inci- 
 dents occurred to-day illustrating this remark. In 
 the afternoon the Manjhi, or headman, came with 
 great respect, to ask for twenty rupees, to be re- 
 paid at Cawnpore. He knew very well that his 
 wages were to be paid by the Agents, not by me, 
 and therefore wished me to lend him the money. 
 But I happened to know, that if he got possession 
 of any sum, however small, I should have much 
 trouble, and little hopeof getting itback again; and 
 so declined granting his request. Soon after, one 
 of the men came to beg a rupee, telling me that it 
 was clusturi, customary. Again, I happened to 
 know better. It is recommended to make them 
 occasionally a present of a basket of fish, which 
 gratifies them more than the money paid for the 
 fish. 
 
 July 27. — Started early, hoping to reach Se- 
 rampore by sun-rise. Serampore is a small Danish 
 settlement, about fifteen miles above Calcutta, on 
 the opposite side of the Hoogley. It has more of 
 a European appearance than most towns in India, 
 and stretches neatly a mile along the river’s bank, 
 but is of no great breadth. Every thing now wears 
 
66 
 
 JOURNEY TO EODIANA. 
 
 the aspect of decay; though formerly it was a 
 place of some importance. 
 
 The Serampore Baptists are known among all 
 the churches, as the earliest missionaries to this 
 part of India, and as formerly so extensively en- 
 gaged in translating and publishing the Scriptures. 
 It is any thing but agreeable to have to add, that 
 the operations of this society seem to be on the 
 decline, as well as the town in which its head- 
 quarters are established. It is ascribed partly to 
 the want of funds. At Serampore there are three 
 European ministers, including Dr. Marshman; and 
 there are some other Europeans connected with 
 the Press. The former are occupied partly with 
 a kind of College, to prepare young men for the 
 missionary service. There is a fine college edi- 
 fice, and a good collection of books; but not many 
 students. I believe a number of the missionaries 
 employed by this Society received their instruc- 
 tion here. If I have been correctly informed, the 
 greater part of the Serampore missionaries, at the 
 subordinate stations, are East-Indians — good men, 
 and, from their intimate knowledge of the native 
 language, and their ability to endure the heat of 
 the climate, well adapted for usefulness. I may 
 here add further, that I have not had opportunity 
 to become acquainted with many of these brethren. 
 One or two, whom I saw, I thought excellent mis- 
 sionaries. But I have no doubt, from all I have 
 heard, that their usefulness would be greatly pro- 
 moted by their spending some lime in a Christian 
 country, such as England or the United States, 
 while pursuing their studies. It is difficult for 
 those who have been born and brought up in a 
 heathen country, even though under the best aus- 
 pices, to form those clear and enlarged conceptions 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 G7 
 
 of the nature and advantages of Christianity, and 
 of civilization in general, which a residence in a 
 Christian land would almost certainly afford oppor- 
 tunities of forming. I do not mean to say, that 
 some of the missionaries of this class are not equal 
 or superior to some European missionaries ; but 
 only, that the former would be much benefitted by 
 enjoying the advantages of the latter. One of the 
 Church Society’s missionaries is an East-Indian, 
 who had the advantages of a residence for some 
 time in England; and he is now regarded as one 
 of the most efficient missionaries in the Presi- 
 dency. The Seram pore missionaries have English 
 services on the Sabbath at two or three European 
 stations not many miles distant ; and they have 
 also the superintendence and direction of the va- 
 rious branches of the Serampore mission. Dr. 
 Marshman is now rather an aged man. He is 
 almost the only aged missionary I know, and 
 stands like a venerable oak in the forest. 
 
 On the opposite side of the river is Barrackpore, 
 a large Military Village, where the native soldiers 
 t (called Sepoys, from the word Sipahi — a soldier) 
 attached to the Presidency-Division of the army, 
 have their quarters. Sepoys form much the great- 
 est part of the British army in India. They are 
 always commanded by English officers, and make 
 excellent soldiers. At Barrackpore, the Governor- 
 General has a country residence. There is a small 
 church also, and a chaplain. 
 
 July 28. — Started again in the clear moonlight 
 about three o’clock, A. M., and in the early part 
 of the afternoon reached Chinsurah, twenty-two 
 miles by water. The boatmen “ tracked,” a good 
 part of the way, that is, six or seven men went on 
 shore, and, pulling with a long rope, drew the boat 
 
68 
 
 JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 along at the rate of about two miles an hour. It is 
 hard work ; as the poor fellows have to cross nul- 
 lahs, or arms of the river, frequently so deep as to 
 require them to swim, and to walk often knee- 
 deep in mud, all the time exposed to a hot sun. 
 They relieve each other every hour by twos; that 
 is, two of the men from on board the boat take 
 the place of two who have been longest on shore. 
 In order to have sufficient purchase in pulling, 
 they take a very long rope; and, to keep this rope 
 from becoming entangled by the bushes, and from 
 dragging heavily through the water, they make it 
 fast, about fifteen feet above the deck, to the mast. 
 As a considerable part of the vessel in the water is 
 in advance of the place to which the rope is attach- 
 ed, when the current happens to be very strong, 
 there is great danger that the prow will be forced 
 to one side, or to the other, owing to the smallness 
 of the rudder; and then there is still greater danger 
 that the boat will be pulled, by the men at the rope, 
 on its “ beam-ends,” as the sailors say — on its 
 side, and go down to the bottom. I describe the 
 process minutely; for my most frequent dangers, 
 and some of the greatest, were from this source. 
 In many places, the current dashes along with 
 immense force at the rate of seven or eight miles 
 an hour. The “ trackers,” bent almost to the 
 ground, strain every nerve to pull the boat. The 
 prow suddenly veers from the right direction; the 
 boat is already half on its side ; all on board sing out 
 as loudly as possible to the men on shore to slacken 
 the rope; and, if they hear in time, all may be 
 well enough; but if not, the danger is very immi- 
 nent that every thing will be lost, except the lives 
 of the reckless boat-people, who seem to be an 
 almost amphibious race. It would be no easy 
 
matter to drown one of them. When the wind is 
 not favourable, “tracking” is the common mode of 
 getting along; as they hardly ever make use of 
 the long awkward oars. Of course, it is a very 
 tedious mode of travelling. When the wind is 
 favourable, they spread sail, contriving to fasten 
 two or three sails, one above another, to the single 
 mast in the centre of the boat. A strong wind will 
 carry the boat against the current from twenty to 
 thirty miles a-tlay ; the distance varying as the 
 channel may accord with the direction of the wind. 
 From June to October, the wind usually blows 
 from the S. E., though not without intervals of 
 contrary winds, or of no wind at all. From Octo- 
 ber to March, the wind is from the N. W. 
 
 A few miles above Serampore is Chandernagore, 
 a French settlement. The town is not very large, 
 and is not prosperous; though formerly it was a 
 place of considerable importance. The tricoloured 
 flag was flying, and guns were fired every half 
 hour, the day I passed — I suppose in commemo- 
 ration of the “ three-days’ revolution” in 1830. 
 Chinsurah was originally a Dutch settlement. It 
 is not a place of much commerce now. The situa- 
 tion of these three foreign settlements — Serampore, 
 Chandernagore, and Chinsurah — until recently, in 
 the midst of the British territory, is rather singu- 
 lar. They are regarded by the English authorities, 
 I believe, as islands, and the same general policy 
 is pursued towards them that would be pursued 
 towards Danish, French, and Dutch Islands in the 
 ocean. Each place has its own Governor ap- 
 pointed by its respective king. But since Calcutta 
 has engrossed the commerce of this part of India, 
 the duties of these Governors are chiefly to ad- 
 minister the local government of their respective 
 
TO 
 
 JOURNEY TO EODIANA. 
 
 towns — a very insignificant sphere of operation. 
 
 At Chinsurah tiiere is one missionary under the 
 London Missionary Society, who has the charge 
 of several schools. 
 
 July 29. — Started about five o’clock, and after 
 toiling hard for twelve hours, most of the time at 
 the rope, the men moored at a small village of fif- 
 teen or twenty cottages. This village is in the i 
 midst of the jungle, or waste, uncultivated land; j 
 which is here covered chiefly with tall, rank grass. 
 The people are cowherds; and not one of them 
 can read. By way of excuse, one of them told me 
 they were Bengalis, and there were no Bengali I 
 books. He was probably ignorant enough not to 
 know any better. We made about twenty miles. 
 The banks of the river are becoming higher, and I 
 even saw an elevation like a very low hill. Cocoa- • 
 nut trees are not numerous. Heretofore, the banks 
 of the river, when not cultivated, are covered with 
 a very dense, luxurious growth of underwood, 
 among which the cocoa-nut, raising its straight 
 trunk, without limb or leaf, except the tuft of long 
 leaves at the top, forms a very prominent object. 
 
 Saw a few English-looking houses to-day, oc- 
 cupied by indigo-planters; and passed one large 
 church, much like some of the churches in Ma- 
 deira. It was at Bandell, an old Portuguese town, 
 where, it is said, there is also a monastery. 
 Hoogley is close by Bandell, and is an ancient 
 native town, where formerly the French, Dutch, i 
 Portuguese, and Danes, had each a factory. In 
 1G32, the first serious quarrels between the Moguls 
 and Europeans occurred at this town. The Por- 
 tuguese lost sixty-four large ships, (on one of 
 which were two thousand persons, who, with all 
 their properly, were blown up,) fifty grabs, and 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 71 
 
 nearly two hundred sloops. The river at that 
 time must have been more favourable for naviga- 
 tion than it is at present. Such a fleet could not 
 now come thus far up the river. The town of 
 Hoogley is still large and populous; and is prosper- 
 ous, being the seat of considerable native trade. It 
 is an important place for a missionary station, 
 especially if it could be occupied by a well edu- 
 cated native missionary. 
 
 July 30. — Started at five, and at ten was not 
 more than fifteen minutes’ walk from the place 
 whence we set out, though we had made several 
 miles. The river makes a remarkable bend at this 
 place. Stopped for the night at Culna, a large and 
 prosperous native town. I understood that the 
 Church Missionary Society support a Catechist at 
 this town, who has charge of a school; but he was 
 not at home, and I did not learn any particulars. 
 By a large native town, I mean a town of several 
 thousand inhabitants. It is extremely difficult to 
 form a correct estimate of native population ; but I 
 should think that Culna contains ten or fifteen 
 thousand inhabitants. As usual, I took some tracts 
 to distribute during my walk on shore, if I should 
 meet with persons who could read. It is, how- 
 ever, but a very small proportion of these people 
 who are able to read; perhaps not one person out 
 of fifty. I gave three tracts this evening to dif- 
 ferent persons, who were very willing to receive 
 them. One of the men, a Brahman, soon came to 
 me for another tract, telling me he had given the 
 first one to his “ brother,” the common phrase for 
 friend. 
 
 July 31. — Moored, this evening, just below the 
 junction of the Bhagiralhi and Jellinghi rivers — 
 branches of the Ganges, which here unite and form 
 
72 
 
 JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 the Hoogley. On the opposite side of the river 
 is Nuddea, a native town of some size, which was 
 formerly the seat of considerable Brahmanical 
 learning; though, at present, few traces of it are 
 said to remain. The district of the same name, 
 in 1802, contained, in a territory of about three 
 thousand square miles, upwards of eight hundred 
 thousand people. It is supposed the number is 
 now much greater. In the adjoining district of 
 Burdwan, the population amounted to six hundred 
 persons, on the average, to a square mile. 
 
 August 5. — For two or three days, including 
 the last date, the wind was quite unfavourable; so 
 that we were obliged to lie to, without attempting 
 to make any progress. On Sabbath, 3d, the wind 
 increased to a violent gale, causing large waves on 
 the river, which is here deep and broad. We 
 were unfortunately moored to the lee-shore; so 
 that the wind both pushed the boats against the 
 shore, and the waves against the boats. The wind 
 had been unfavourable for two or three days pre- 
 vious, but on Sunday it increased to a violent gale, 
 and it soon became evident that we should have 
 difficulty to save the boats from being wrecked. 
 In the other budgerow were a gentleman, his wife, 
 and their children. The lady becoming alarmed, 
 insisted on leaving the boat, and it was well they 
 did so, for it sunk under the fury of the waves in 
 a few minutes after they left it. Several native 
 vessels, and my freight boat, in which were seve- 
 ral large boxes of things, shared the same fate. 
 I had most of the valuable articles taken out of the 
 budgerow, and with great difficulty it was just 
 saved; but as the rain was pouring down in tor- 
 rents, and the wind was very high, the books 
 were much injured, the other articles also damaged 
 
JOURNEY TO EODIANA. 
 
 73 
 
 more or less, and I got, of course, after three hours’ 
 hard work in the rain, completely tired and wet. 
 
 A kind English family happened to reside in 
 the neighbourhood, who received us kindly, and 
 provided dry clothing, &c. — This was one of two 
 special circumstances, deserving sincere gratitude; 
 the prejudices of the natives prevent their receiv- 
 ing foreigners into their houses, and there are 
 very few English families in that section of the 
 country — not one in twenty miles. The expo- 
 sure might have proved injurious, if it had been 
 necessary to remain unsheltered, in wet clothes, 
 during the dreadful stormy night which succeeded. 
 The other cause of thankfulness was that the gale 
 did not come on during the night, as in that case 
 every thing would have been lost, and probably 
 our lives also. The gale was very general, and 
 occasioned great loss of property, and the loss of 
 many lives. I hope to recover the greater part of 
 my pecuniary loss from the Insurance Office. 
 
 The travelling on this river is, almost at every 
 season of the year, attended with danger. The 
 boats, even those for the accommodation of Eng- 
 lish people, as budgerows and pinnaces, are awk- 
 wardly built on a more awkward model, (at least 
 the former) — the boatmen are unskilful and reck- 
 less — during the rains, though you have usually a 
 fine wind, yet you must stem a strong current — 
 at other times you are in danger from north-westers, 
 &c. &c. Every year many boats are lost. I have 
 heard of two budgerows being entirely lost since 
 I left, and I have several times seen that it was the 
 almost direct power of the Lord that saved mine 
 from the same fate, when rapid currents, contra- 
 ry wind, sails miserably managed, and inefficient 
 
 7 
 
74 
 
 JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 boatmen, seemed almost to make certain such a 
 result. 
 
 August 6 and 7. — Arrived at Cutwa on the 
 evening of the 6th, and was detained near that 
 town all the next day by contrary winds. Cutwa 
 is a native town of some size, about seventy-five 
 miles direct distance from Calcutta. There is a 
 Baptist missionary here, Mr. Carey, a son of Dr. 
 Carey. There is a school under the care of Mrs. 
 Carey, and a small church of native converts. 
 
 August 9. — Reached Berhampore in time to 
 spend the Sabbath among Christians — a great 
 privilege. This town consists of two parts, as do 
 most of the towns where the English have sta- 
 tions; the one for European residents, the other 
 for natives. These two classes are seldom found 
 dwelling together, or in the same street. The 
 reason is, that their mode of living, kind of houses, 
 customs, &c., are so widely different, that each 
 class finds it more convenient to have their own 
 quarters in the town or city. I mention this cir- 
 cumstance, because I am inclined to think it has 
 some bearing on the usefulness of missionaries. 
 Dwelling usually in the same parts of the place 
 with their countrymen, they are perhaps too much 
 identified with them ; and less opportunity is af- 
 forded to the natives to profit by their example 
 silently operating under continued observation. 
 There is probably, however, less truth in this re- 
 mark at Berhampore than at most stations, as the 
 missionaries reside near the native part of the 
 town. In general, also, it should be stated, that 
 the missionaries have really little choice about the 
 matter; as it is seldom practicable to obtain a 
 house in the native part of the town which would 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 75 
 
 afford any accommodation for an English family. 
 Indeed, if it were practicable, it might in many 
 cases be inexpedient, owing to the danger of in- 
 jury to health from the crowded, dirty, narrow 
 streets, which characterize most native towns. ' 
 Yet, where a house at all suitable and eligible 
 could be procured, I think the advantages of inter- 
 course and of example would be greater, and 
 should never be overlooked. Berhampore is a 
 military station, where, in addition to a regiment of 
 Sepoys, there is a regiment of European soldiers, 
 probably eight hundred or one thousand men. 
 
 The London Missionary Society have two mis- 
 sionaries at this place; who find employment in 
 the native town, which is not very large, and in 
 tours through the towns, and villages in the country 
 around. They have two or three schools, partly 
 under care of their wives, for teaching the elemen- 
 tary branches of the native language ; and there is 
 a small orphan asylum. One of the missionaries 
 has an English service, on Sabbath evening, in a 
 neat chapel. There are no native converts at pre- 
 sent, I believe, or but two or three. This mission 
 was commenced about ten or twelve years ago. — 
 On Sabbath, I went with Mr. H. into the bazar, 
 whither he usually goes every day to make known 
 the Gospel. A bazar corresponds to the streets of 
 our cities and towns where the stores of merchants 
 are kept. The part of the building next to the 
 street is appropriated as a kind of open shop, in 
 which various commodities, commonly of but little 
 aggregate value, are exposed to sale. During busi- 
 ness hours, the bazars are generally full of people, 
 buying and selling. — Mr. H. took his station at 
 one side of one of the principal streets, under 
 shade of a house; and, addressing a native who 
 
76 
 
 JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 
 
 seemed to have little to do, he began to read a tract 
 aloud. Seeing a “ Sahib” thus employed, number^ 
 of those who were passing to and fro, stopped to 
 listen, until we were surrounded by forty or fifty 
 , people — men, women of the lower classes, and 
 boys. Some staid for a few minutes, and then 
 pursued their way. Others staid longer, and some 
 staid all the time. Some seemed to listen from 
 curiosity ; some with seriousness ; all respectfully. 
 After reading a few pages, Mr. H. made a short 
 address, to which occasionally some gave assent ; 
 and then he distributed a small bundle of tracts, 
 which all seemed very eager to obtain. Several 
 were disappointed. The scene was one of much 
 interest to me. 
 
 August 12. — After receiving much kindness 
 from the missionary brethren and other Christian 
 friends, I started from Berhampore and reached 
 Moorshedabad. This city was formerly the Capi- 
 tal of Bengal ; and is still a very large place, 
 stretching five or six miles along the east shore of 
 the river. It is, however, greatly on the decline. 
 Multitudes of the mud hovels are going to ruin, a 
 process which in this climate is very rapid, where 
 the materials are so perishable. There are few 
 good buildings in Moorshedabad, and scarcely any 
 now building. A very extensive palace, which is 
 now building for the nabob, is almost the only 
 new public edifice I saw. There are a number of 
 temples and mosques; but they wear the aspect 
 of neglect and decay. The nabob of Bengal, who 
 resides here, receives a large pension from the 
 Company, instead of Sovereignty. He is said to 
 be a young man of exceedingly dissipated habits; 
 so that his influence amongst his countrymen is 
 very injurious. . He takes little interest in political 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA. 77 
 
 matters, and is anxious apparently only to live a 
 luxurious, sensual life. 
 
 Moorshedabad is the seat of considerable native 
 trade; and, in this neighbourhood, it is said a 
 greater amount of silk is woven into different 
 fabrics than at any other place. It is also the 
 head-quarters of a circuit court; but the magis- 
 trates reside at Berhampore, nine miles below. The 
 London Missionary Society have recently sent a 
 Catechist to this place; but no particular results 
 are yet manifest from his efforts. The missiona- 
 ries at Berhampore occasionally visit it. It seems 
 to require much greater attention from the Chris- 
 tian world than it has yet received. But that is too 
 true of many cities in India. A large proportion 
 of the people of this place are Mussulmans. 
 
 August 10. — Our progress for several days has 
 been very slow, owing to light winds, which 
 afforded little aid in stemming the rapid current of 
 the river. While slowly toiling along this after- 
 noon, two of the nabob's pleasure boats passed 
 us. They are of a singular structure, very long, 
 very narrow, built almost on the model of a large 
 Indian canoe ; but with very high prow and stern, 
 which were richly ornamented. A highly finished 
 awning was spread over the middle of the boats, 
 affording a screen for two or three persons from 
 the sun. The rest of the boats, fore and aft, was 
 occupied by rowers, to the number of thirty or 
 forty to each boat. These rowers kept admirable 
 time; as they lifted their paddles out of the water, 
 
 ( quickly performed a circuit with them through the 
 air, raising them above their heads, and then all, 
 at the same moment, striking them into the water 
 again ; thus propelling the boats seven or eight 
 miles an hour against the current. They formed 
 
78 
 
 JOUHNET TO LODIANA. 
 
 a great contrast to the awkward budgerow, slowly 
 moving along by the shore. 
 
 To-day, I passed Jungipore, the greatest silk 
 station of the East India Company. Hamilton 
 remarks, that “ the buildings were erected here in 
 1773, and in 1803 about three thousand persons 
 were employed. They use the Italian method of 
 spinning. The mulberry tree is the oriental; it 
 is dwarfish, and the leaves but indifferent; to 
 which is attributed a degeneracy in the breeds that 
 have been introduced from foreign countries.” 
 
 August 17, Lord’s Day . — Lay to, at a native 
 village, a short distance above Jungipore. A num- 
 ber of people, hearing that there was a “ Padre 
 Sahib” who gave away tracts, came to ask for 
 them ; and I suppose I gave one to nearly every 
 person in the town who was able to read. A Brah- 
 man set the example, though at first evidently at 
 the expense of some struggles between his pride 
 and his curiosity; but afterwards, he brought a 
 number of others of the same caste. It is a cause 
 of thankfulness, that they are willing to receive 
 and to read our religious books. — Some very pleas- 
 ing boys interested me much. They belonged to 
 families in the higher classes ; had fine, animated, 
 intelligent countenances ; and were much gratified 
 by a tract to each one; which they read with great 
 fluency, and which they forthwith ran to show to 
 their parents. They reminded me of some of my 
 former Sunday School scholars. Would, that theke 
 heathen boys were as highly favoured! 
 
 From this place, I had a distant view of the 
 Raj-mahal Hills, the sight of which was very grate- 
 ful to the eye, wearied with the sameness of the 
 dead level country of Bengal. From this village 
 our next day's sail was over what Bishop Heber 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 79 
 
 would call “ a miserable drowned country.” Fre- 
 quently nothing was to be seen in any direction 
 but water, with the exception of an occasional vil- 
 lage or slightly elevated ground, and perhaps the 
 tops of a few straggling low trees. In such places 
 the current is very slow ; as its force is lost in the 
 dispersion of the overflowing waters. The water 
 of the Ganges, and of course, of all its outlets, is 
 extremely muddy. I have heard it said, that the 
 clayey sediment held in solution during the rainy 
 season, is estimated at one-third of the bulk of 
 water. Much of this sediment is deposited on the 
 land which is overflowed, and forms a very rich 
 manure in which, after the waters subside, and 
 under a hot sun, the extensive crops of rice and 
 dal luxuriate with great delight, at least to the 
 owners. We made fast, for the night, to a tree in 
 the midst of the waters, and found, the next morn- 
 ing, that the river had subsided a little during the 
 night. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 The great Ganges — Raj-mahal Hills — Mussulmans and 
 Hindus, compared — Anecdote of Caste — Danger from a 
 gale — Bhagulpore — Spirit of lying — Native boatmen — 
 Monghir — Patna — Dinapore. 
 
 August 19. — After passing through a narrow chan- 
 nel between lofty trees on each shore, and then for 
 a few miles through an open country, we entered 
 
80 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 on the Burra Gunga of the natives, the main branch 
 of the Ganges. The river is here, at this season 
 of the year, from three to four miles wide, and 
 presents truly a grand appearance. The idea of 
 irresistible power is strongly impressed on the 
 mind of the observer. The mighty river rolls 
 along in majesty, rapidly, but tranquilly, as if re- 
 gardless of all the world besides. It is one of 
 God’s greatest works; and the innumerable native 
 boats, which are seen sailing close by the shore, 
 render the contrast between his works and the 
 works of man very striking. The latter are little, 
 feeble, and apparently in constant dread of the 
 overwhelming power of the river in whose waters 
 they venture to sail. The boatmen seemed to feel 
 themselves in the presence of one of the gods of 
 their countrymen, but, being Mussulmans, they 
 only poured some water on the prow of the boat, 
 and then repeated with double energy their usual 
 prayer to “ Allah, ’la ’la ’la-h.” I do not wonder 
 that the ignorant mind of the heathen should be- 
 come superstitious on beholding this vast body of 
 waters. 
 
 This may be a proper place to introduce some 
 notices of a river whose sacredness is so great in 
 India, and whose fame is so widely spread through 
 other lands. I take them chiefly from Hamilton. 
 The course of the Ganges is on the southern side 
 of the great Himalaya range of mountains. It has 
 been traced to a short distance above the place of 
 Hindu pilgrimage, Gangoutri. Two miles above 
 this place is the “ Cow’s Mouth,” about which 
 the natives have various fables. It is merely a 
 large stone in the middle of the river, of which a 
 part projects above the water; and, with the aid 
 of a lively fancy, may be supposed to resemble the 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 81 
 
 mouth of that sacred animal. The pilgrimage of 
 Gangoutri is considered a great exertion of Hindu 
 devotion; and is supposed to redeem the performer 
 from troubles in this world, and to insure a happy 
 transit through all the transmigrations that await 
 him hereafter. “After issuing from the moun- 
 tains nearHurdwar, Lat. 29° 57', long. 78° 2' East, 
 to the conflux with the Jumna at Allahabad, the 
 first large river that joins it, the bed of the Ganges 
 is generally from a mile to one and a quarter wide. 
 From hence its course becomes more winding, 
 until after receiving the Gogra, the Soane, and 
 other smaller streams, its channel attains its full 
 width, which in some parts is three miles across. 
 When at the lowest, it is commonly about three- 
 fourths of a mile in width.” During the rains, the 
 width is of course greatly increased ; as the Ganges 
 rises about thirty-two feet, and the banks are low, 
 and the country level for a great part of its course ; 
 so that the waters spread widely over the face of 
 the land. The Ganges appears to owe its increase 
 as much to the melting of the snow and the rains 
 on the mountains, as to the rains which fall on the 
 plains ; for it rises fifteen feet out of thirty-two 
 by the latter end of June, and the rainy season 
 does not fully begin in the most of the fiat coun- 
 tries until about that time. 
 
 “ About two hundred miles from the sea the 
 Delta commences. The two most western branch- 
 es, the Cossimbazar, or Bhagirathi, and Jellinghi 
 rivers, unite and form the Hoogley, the only 
 branch of the Ganges generally navigated by ships. 
 That part of the Delta bordering on the sea is com- 
 posed of a labyrinth of rivers and creeks, named 
 the Sunderbunds, which, including the rivers that 
 bound it, give an expansion of two hundred miles 
 8 
 
82 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 to the branches of the Ganges at its junction with 
 the sea.” The whole course is fifteen hundred 
 miles. “ By the latter end of July, all the lower 
 parts of Bengal contiguous to the Ganges and Brah- 
 maputra are overflowed, and form an inundation of 
 more than one hundred miles in width, nothing 
 appearing but villages and trees. At five hundred 
 miles from the sea the channel is thirty-nine feet 
 deep when the river is at the lowest; which depth 
 continues nearly to the sea; but the outlet of the 
 main branch is obstructed by sandbars. In the 
 dry season, the mean rate of motion of the current 
 is less than three miles an hour; in the wet season, 
 five or six; and, at some places, seven or eight. 
 Taking the medium of the whole year, the quan- 
 tity of the water discharged is nearly one hundred 
 and eighty thousand feet per second of time. 
 
 “ It is only that part of the river which lies in a 
 line between Gangoutri, where its feeble stream 
 issues from the Himalaya snows, to Saugor Island 
 below Calcutta, that is particularly sacred in the 
 eyes of the Hindu. The Hoogley river, therefore, 
 of Europeans is considered the true Ganges. Par- j 
 ticular places are esteemed more eminently holy | 
 than the rest; and to these pilgrims resort from a i 
 distance, to perform their ablutions, and to obtain : t 
 the water that is used in their ceremonies. The 
 chief of these are the five Prayags, or holy junc- r 
 tions of rivers, of which Allahabad is the principal, j t 
 and by way of distinction is named ‘ Pruyag i « 
 Including these Prayags, there are nine especially * 
 holy places on this river.” 
 
 Having a moderate wind, the boat-people were 
 anxious to go on until a later hour than usual, | 
 there being moonlight, though obscured by passing : , 
 clouds. Accordingly, we sailed along the edge of : 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 83 
 
 the river until after eight o’clock. The country 
 seemed to be extensively covered with water; and 
 where the land appeared, it was so saturated with 
 the rains that had fallen as to afford no firm 
 ground for making the boat fast for the night — 
 which is done by means of ropes attached to seve- 
 ral stakes driven into the ground. At last, the 
 men moored the boat at a place which they thought 
 might suit. About the middle of the night, I heard 
 them making a great noise ; and, on going out, 
 found that the fastenings were giving way, while 
 the wind had become very high, and a densely 
 black cloud was threatening a furious gale. No 
 time was to be lost; and, with all hands hard at 
 work, we got the boat moved a short distance and 
 made fast at another place. If the moorings had 
 not been discovered giving way in time, there 
 would have been little hope of being saved. As 
 it was, the danger was very great. 
 
 August 20. — Approached Raj-mahal. Thera nge 
 of hills which bear that name have been in sight 
 for two or three days. They resemble some of 
 the Allegheny Mountains, and their appearance is 
 very beautiful. Their general direction is south- 
 ward from this place, though inclining a good deal 
 to the east. Their range above the town of Raj- 
 mahal is quite to the westward of north. The 
 river washes their base from a considerable dis- 
 tance above to this town; but soon afterwards its 
 waters, as if wearied with the fruitless effort to re- 
 move these mountains, roll away in an easterly 
 direction. 
 
 These hills are inhabited by a distinct race of 
 people, called Paharis, which simply means hill- 
 people. They are supposed by many to be the 
 aboriginal inhabitants. They have no idols, and 
 
84 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 pay a much greater regard to truth than the Hin- 
 dus. Their mode of life is less refined ; their lan- 
 guage is different, and has not been reduced to 
 writing. A Baptist missionary from Munghfr has 
 made one or two excursions among them; and 
 speaks favourably of their candour and willing- 
 ness to listen to his sentiments concerning the true 
 religion. Their number cannot be very great. 
 Raj-mahal was formerly the residence of royalty, 
 and some old palaces still remain, but in a state of 
 great decay. The present town contains perhaps 
 a few thousand inhabitants. The people begin to 
 wear an appearance less effeminate than that which 
 characterizes the Bengalis. 
 
 August 21. — Passed Sicly Gully and PfrPonti 
 — both of them places to which the attention of the 
 traveller on this river is directed as possessing 
 novelty, no small recommendation where there is 
 so much sameness in every thing as in this region 
 of India. The former was once a celebrated pass, 
 commanding the entrance from Bahar into Bengal. 
 There is a fine view of the hills and of the river from 
 this place. Pfr Pontf is the name given to a detach- 
 ed hill, on account of a Mussulman saint, Father, or 
 St. Ponti, who was buried there. There is also 
 a small but rather neat Hindu temple to Maha 
 Dev, about half way up the hill, which is conspi- 
 cuous and pleasing in its appearance. It stands on 
 a little knob jutting out from the hill, while on 
 each side, below and above, the deep green of the 
 dense woods contrasts strongly with the white 
 walls of the temple. I have often admired the 
 beauty of the sites chosen for these little temples 
 to Maha Dev. They are often overshadowed by 
 the peepul tree (ficus religiosa) which is sacred to 
 Shiva; and almost invariably some trees of that 
 species are planted in the vicinity. 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 85 
 
 It is very common, especially in towns of some 
 size, to see the holy places of Hindus and Mussul- 
 mans thus immediately in contact. You see a 
 temple at one corner, and a mosque at the next. 
 But, in the smaller towns, it is more common to 
 find each class distinct ; either all Mussulmans or 
 all Hindus. The average proportion of Hindus 
 who are followers of Mohammed to those who 
 worship idols is said to be about one to ten. The 
 further to the northwest we go, the larger does the 
 proportion of Mussulmans become. In the “Up- 
 per Provinces,” (as they are termed,) as Oude, 
 Allahabad, Agra, Delhi, &,c., I understand, that 
 the more respectable, that is, the more wealthy 
 and intelligent inhabitants, are generally Mussul- 
 mans. In the Western, or Rajput Provinces, Hin- 
 duism is said greatly to predominate. This is 
 easily to be accounted for; as those regions were 
 never so entirely subject to the rule of the Patan 
 and Mogul conquerors as were the Upper Provin- 
 ces. The two classes, in the Lower Provinces, 
 resemble each other in ignorance, in vice, and 
 rigid adherence to caste. They differ chiefly in 
 the external mode of worship ; though among the 
 great mass of the people, their observances are, in 
 both cases, an unintelligible round of ceremonies, 
 alike unmeaning and useless. The two best things 
 in the Hindu religion seem to be the ablutions, or 
 rather bathings, and the prohibition of most kinds 
 of animal food — regulations which are certainly 
 useful in a hot climate like this; as they secure a 
 certain degree of cleanliness and of temperance. 
 These are both wanting in the Mussulman sys- 
 tem: yet custom secures the former, and poverty 
 the latter. On the whole, I am disposed to think, 
 at present, that there is not much difference be- 
 
86 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 tween the two systems in the Lower Provinces of 
 the Bengal Presidency, in their effects on the 
 morals or the minds of their votaries. Probably 
 the Mussulman part of the community have some 
 advantages over their neighbours in being permit- 
 ted to keep fowls, &c. Small as this item is, it is 
 a privilege of considerable importance among a 
 people so very poor, and so very densely settled. 
 
 It is rather singular to see the Mussulmans so 
 tenacious of caste. My boat-people and servants 
 are all Mussulmans; and yet 1 have to be as care- 
 ful not to pollute their food by touching it in any 
 way as if they were Hindus. A little terrier dog, 
 given to me by a lady at Berhampore, and which 
 is quite a favourite amongst the men, gave great 
 offence one afternoon. Having swam from the 
 shore, when he got on deck he very naturally 
 shook off the water, and a drop or two fell on the 
 servants cliipatis, flat cakes of bread, which they 
 were just getting ready for their dinner. Forth- 
 with, a clamour was raised ; the little dog scamp- 
 ered off to the cabin; and the poor cakes of bread, 
 pitched overboard by the men with much indigna- 
 tion, floated away piteously on the water. This 
 prevalence of caste among both classes seems to 
 show that it is a civil institution in some sense, 
 though invented by the Brahmans; or raiher, per- 
 haps, that the Mussulmans in India retain, in some 
 degree, the religious character of their heathen 
 countrymen. The latter inference is no doubt 
 correct in itself, whether it be drawn from their 
 attachment to caste or not. And, in regard to the 
 former, in India the civil and social institutions, as 
 well as the literature of the country, are interwoven 
 inseparably with the religious system that prevails. 
 And this it is which opposes such a barrier to the 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 87 
 
 progress of Christianity. To forsake their religion 
 is to give up their connection with the social frame- 
 work of society, with the literature of the commu- 
 nity, and even with the common rights of citizens, 
 where some other power than Hindu is not inter- 
 posed to protect them. It is to become a foreign- 
 er in the midst of one’s own country; a stranger 
 in one’s own neighbourhood ; an enemy, hated and 
 despised, in one’s own family. It is really no 
 wonder, therefore, that there has been so little nu- 
 merical progress of Christianity in India. The 
 actual progress in the weakening of former attach- 
 ments and prejudices, and in the diffusion of light, 
 is supposed by all competent judges to be very 
 great. 
 
 Leaving Pir Ponti, we sailed over a broad ex- 
 panse of water, in order to get to the other side; 
 for the boatmen on this river seldom steer their 
 boats into the middle of the channel, but creep 
 along close by the shore. At the place where we 
 crossed, the river is probably three or four miles 
 wide. While in the middle of the channel, a gale 
 sprung up suddenly, and struck the boat on the 
 foreside, coming partly in the same course as the 
 current. The consequence was, that we were 
 carried obliquely down the current with fearful 
 rapidity for two or three miles, until all at once we 
 were “ brought to” by being dashed violently 
 against the low shore. The shock was so great 
 that it was with difficulty I could keep on my feet; 
 while chairs, books, plates, pitchers, glasses, were 
 scattered over the cabin floor in great confusion. 
 I felt extremely grateful to the kind Providence 
 which preserved us. Often in such sudden gales, 
 boats founder at once, and all on board frequently 
 perish. 
 
88 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 The scenery on the south side of the river, in 
 this place, is very beautiful. A low range of irre- 
 gular hills stretches along for several miles, among 
 which the eye is perfectly rejoiced to see some 
 pretty little brooks hastening to pay their tribute to 
 the great river. How beautiful the Scripture lan- 
 guage about “living water,” that is, not standing 
 pools, but running streams, than which there is no 
 more refreshing and beautiful object in the eastern 
 countries. Their water is fresh and pure, ever 
 flowing, and free to all, the poor and the rich ; 
 while in the tanks or pools, and in the cisterns or 
 wells, the water is usually stagnant and extremely 
 dirty ; and frequently is accessible only to a limited 
 number. God is our fountain of “ living water,” 
 and Christ has promised his Holy Spirit to be as 
 “rivers of living water.” The allusion, we may 
 suppose, is to the flowing streams that watered 
 Palestine; though the meaning or sense relates to 
 higher blessings than earth can afford. 
 
 On the opposite side of the river, the country is 
 as flat and uninteresting as usual. Here, as else- 
 where, large herds of buffaloes are to be seen 
 grazing, under the care of a few poorly clad herds- 
 men. These animals are all of a dark colour, a 
 good deal larger than the common cow, with semi- 
 circular horns projecting backward along the neck, 
 and not so crooked as those of a ram, though 
 resembling them in other respects. The buffaloes 
 in this country seem to take as much pleasure in 
 wallowing in a pond of mud and water as the less 
 honoured swine. Frequently in passing along, a 
 person may see the noses and horns of many hun- 
 dreds of them sticking up out of the water, in 
 which they delight to remain during the hot part of 
 the day. They are used, as are cows, in plough- 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 89 
 
 ing, harrowing, and carrying burdens. Their milk 
 also is much used, but it is deemed a coarser fare 
 than that of the cow. 
 
 August 22 . — Above Bhagulpore, we left the 
 main body of water to the left, and passed several 
 miles up a channel that has been formed within a 
 few years, and which is much more direct. It is 
 now a large river, and will most probably become 
 the highway of the Ganges in a few years. Owing 
 to the kind of soil, such changes are constantly 
 taking place. One of the greatest obstacles to the 
 navigation of this river by steamboats is the con- 
 stant changing of the channel and formation of new 
 sand bars, so that the most experienced pilot hardly 
 knows where to guide his vessel; while the muddy 
 nature of the water renders useless any effort to 
 see his way. By having left the principal channel, 
 I was deprived of the opportunity of seeing, ex- 
 cept at a great distance, the Rocks of Two 
 
 of them rise up out of the channel to a considerable 
 length ; and are not only remarkable in a river 
 where sameness is the general characteristic, but 
 form rather a dangerous pass for boats, as the cur- 
 rent is said to form violent eddies around them. 
 
 Bhagulpore is an English civil station; that is, 
 it is the residence of an English collector, perhaps, 
 judge, surgeon, and probably a few other officers, 
 who collect the revenue of the district, and admin- 
 ister justice. Often the civil and military stations 
 are at the same place; though frequently this is 
 not the case. The town is not large, but presents 
 a pleasing appearance at the distance of two or 
 three miles, from which I saw it; as there are a 
 number of large houses, and the situation is rather 
 elevated. 
 
 August 23. — A trifling incident attracted my 
 
90 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 notice, as affording an illustration of the spirit of 
 lying which pervades, according to all testimony, 
 the entire Hindu people. Our boat was moored 
 with several others in the same place, and a num- 
 ber of men were busy on the shore preparing their 
 dinner. A fowl made its escape from the coop on 
 one of the boats, and, taking its flight in a little 
 circle in the presence of the people, happened to 
 alight near an old grey-headed man, who was 
 cleaving w r ood. A boy ran after this stray chicken 
 to bring it back, when the old man ordered him 
 off, roundly asserting that the fowl was his, and 
 had escaped from his boat; though he was a 
 Hindu, to whom it would have been worse than 
 death to have eaten the unclean bird for which he 
 was so willing to tell a lie. The other people did 
 not give up their right; but the incident seemed to 
 be looked on as a matter of course. 
 
 August 25. — Have made little progress for seve- 
 ral days, on account of strong current and no wind. 
 We are now lying below Jangera, one of the few 
 places of note on this river. It is remarkable for 
 two large rocks which project out some distance 
 into the river, and are distant from each other 
 about one hundred yards. On the top of one is 
 built a mosque, and on the other a temple. The 
 former is now in ruins. 
 
 August 26. — At our place of mooring this even- 
 ing there were many native boats, and I counted 
 nearly a hundred people belonging to them. Only 
 one man among them all could read the tracts I 
 offered, and he very imperfectly; and yet in each 
 boat there is usually one or two respectable men. 
 These boats are commonly laden with return car- 
 goes of various native goods and wares from Cal- 
 cutta to different places up the country. The head 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 91 
 
 man of one of the boats came to tell me he had 
 some English goods to sell. Feeling a curiosity 
 to know of what description they were, I went on 
 board, and found a box of old Windsor soap and 
 a cracked bottle of arrow root. The rest of his 
 cargo was entirely native. The chief articles in 
 the native trade seem to be salt, rice, various kinds 
 of pulse, cotton, coarse cotton fabrics, sugar, mus- 
 tard, oil, &c. We frequently see boats laden with 
 earthen-ware crocks; and, less frequently now than 
 lower down, many boats employed in carrying the 
 indigo plant, which looks somewhat like long 
 coarse grass, to the nearest factory. Many boats 
 are filled with European stores for the various sta- 
 tions up the country. These boats are always 
 hired, freighted, and insured by some mercantile 
 house in Calcutta. 
 
 One is surprised at the lowness of the wages 
 paid to the boatmen. It is indeed wonderful that 
 they can live and support their families on such 
 terms. The general wages are three rupees per 
 month to the men, equal to a dollar and a half of 
 American money, and four to the manjhe, or head 
 man; out of which they must purchase their own 
 food and clothing, and pay all their expenses of 
 every kind ; as they have no other means of sup- 
 port. And although these poor fellows work at a 
 great disadvantage, on account of their very awk- 
 ward boats, and still more rude means of propelling 
 them ; yet, bating something for the irregular habits 
 of heathen, I have scarcely ever seen harder work- 
 ing men. I almost daily see them working from 
 sunrise until sunset, pulling, pushing, wading some- 
 times in mud, often in water above their waist, 
 exposed all the time to an intensely hot sun ; and 
 their only reward is a pittance which enables them 
 
92 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 to buy their rice to eat, and their tobacco or their 
 opium to smoke in their huka, and perhaps once 
 in six months, a kapra for a new suit of clothes; 
 that is, a piece of coarse cotton muslin, two or 
 three yards long by three-fourths of a yard wide. 
 The boatmen of the Ganges deserve great com- 
 miseration. They are a peaceful, hard-working, 
 and obliging race; but they are compelled to live 
 nearly at the lowest point of human subsistence. 
 Their minds are perfectly blank as to all elevating 
 knowledge; their morals are what might be ex- 
 pected, where human nature is left utterly unillu- 
 minated by the Gospel, and uncultivated by good 
 agency of any kind ; and their prospects as to the 
 future world afford nothing whatever to support 
 them under the hardships, or comfort them under 
 the sorrows, of their existence in this life. 
 
 Jlugust 27. — Reached Munghir. For the last 
 eight or ten miles, the river has been separated into 
 various channels, so that, at the place where we 
 were moored last night, the broadest was not more 
 than a quarter of a mile. Just before reaching 
 this town, the new iron steamboat, which was 
 launched a few months ago at Calcutta, passed the 
 budgerow, bound to Allahabad. This is said to 
 be the second time a steamer has attempted to 
 ascend any distance on the Ganges, and the first 
 attempt to go up so great a distance. I have 
 already mentioned some of the difficulties attend- 
 ing the navigation of this river. It is thought 
 rather doubtful by many, whether the efforts now 
 making to introduce steamboats, will prove very 
 successful. This vessel moves at rather a slow 
 rate against the current. But it is a small-sized 
 boat, and has in tow a baggage-boat, as large as the 
 steamer itself. 
 
VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 93 
 
 Munghi'r presents a very pleasing appearance, as 
 a person approaches it from the river. It stands 
 on a kind of promontory, at the south-east ex- 
 tremity of an island formed by the river, and its 
 situation is elevated — an advantage possessed by 
 few Indian towns. It was formerly a place of con- 
 siderable strength, in the wars between native 
 kings ; and the extensive walls of the fort, which 
 are yet remaining, must have proved almost im- 
 pregnable to a native army. Its aspect now is 
 more peaceful and more pleasing, as the fort has 
 been allowed to go to decay, and some good look- 
 ing European houses have been erected on the high 
 knolls in its enclosure; while the native town 
 seems to be prospering, and the people to be driv- 
 ing an active business in the various kinds of iron 
 manufactures, for which this place has long been 
 celebrated. Fowling-pieces, pistols, kettles, knives, 
 &c , are made with great neatness, and at low 
 prices, but are said to be apt to break, on account 
 of the bad materials from which they are made. 
 
 There is a branch of the Baptist mission at this 
 place, and two Baptist missionaries, with their 
 families. One of them is actively employed in 
 various efforts to extend the Gospel among the 
 heathen, and has a small church of native converts 
 — about twenty, I think he told me. There is also 
 an English service on Sundays, and on one or two 
 evenings during the week. Munghir is two hun- 
 dred and seventy-five miles by land from Calcutta, 
 and probably four hundred miles by the river. 
 
 August 30. — A few miles below Bahar. We 
 are fully entered into the great plain of Hindus- 
 than, or Hindusthan Proper. A pleasing range of 
 hills, the Gorruckpore, were in sight the two first 
 days after leaving Munghir. But now, I may bid 
 
94 VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 farewell to hills for many hundred miles to come. 
 The banks of the river have presented an almost 
 continuous succession of villages; and the people 
 are a hardier and more manly looking race than 
 the Bengali's. The province of Bahar, which 
 forms the western boundary of Bengal, is one of 
 the largest in this Presidency. The soil is of a 
 drier nature, and the climate is said to be more 
 temperate, than in Bengal, though the hot winds 
 from the westward extend over part of this pro- 
 vince. In some parts the proportion between the 
 Mussulmans and Hindus is one of the former to 
 three of the latter. The celebrated place of Hindu 
 pilgrimage, Guya, is in the south part of this pro- 
 vince, about fifty miles south from Patna. For- 
 merly the East India Company collected an annual 
 sum equal to eighty thousand dollars, from a small 
 tax on each pilgrim. It derives its holiness from 
 having been the birth-place of some of the gods. 
 This is the chief region of the opium and saltpetre 
 manufactures ; and instead of the immense fields 
 of rice which tire the eye in Bengal, we now begin 
 to see wheat and barley. The town of Bahar, or 
 Bar, is an old and ruinous looking place, but of 
 considerable size, thirty-five miles south-east from 
 Patna. 
 
 September 1. — Plaving had a fine wind, and the 
 course of the river being very direct from Bar, I 
 reached Patna this morning — about three hundred 
 and seventy miles by land, and five hundred or 
 five hundred and fifty by water, from Calcutta. 
 The appearance of this city from the river is cer- 
 tainly superior to that of most India towns I have 
 yet seen. It is built chiefly along one street, on 
 the south bank of the river which is here more 
 than usually elevated above the water; and many 
 
VOYAGE ON TUE GANGES CONTINUED. 95 
 
 of the houses are quite large, constructed of brick, 
 and abutting on the river. Yet a nearer view 
 shows that many of the buildings are going to ruin, 
 while scarcely any of them are in a better style 
 than what is seen in Hindu buildings elsewhere. 
 The population is variously estimated. Probably 
 it is not less than one hundred and fifty thousand. 
 The number is so large that the city extends six 
 or seven miles along the river; though in no part 
 is the width perhaps more than half or three fourths 
 of a mile. Among the manufactures of this city, 
 a kind of cloth resembling diaper and damask 
 linens, and wax candles, are of most note in other 
 parts of India. The Company have some of their 
 depots for opium at this place; of which article, 
 as of salt, they retain the monopoly. 
 
 There are two missionaries at Patna; one a very 
 devoted, interesting gentleman of fortune who is 
 not in connexion with any society; the other a 
 Baptist. Neither of them has been very long here, 
 and they have not as yet had the privilege of see- 
 ing any converts from among the Heathen. The 
 Sikhs have a place of worship at Patna of con- 
 siderable repute. It would be interesting to ascer- 
 tain how this solitary branch of that religion was 
 planted so far from the parent stock. After stay- 
 ing a few hours with a kind Christian family to 
 whom I had letters, and where I had the additional 
 pleasure of meeting the former mentioned mission- 
 ary, I started again in the afternoon, and made a 
 few miles, mooring for the night opposite to Ban- 
 kipur. 
 
 September 2. — Passing Bankipur, where the 
 civil servants of the Company, engaged in admin- 
 istering justice and collecting the revenue, chiefly 
 reside, and then passing Dighah, I stopped be- 
 
9G VOYAGE ON THE GANGES CONTINUED. 
 
 tween the latter place and Dinapore, and spent the 
 rest of the day with another Baptist missionary 
 who is stationed at this place. Here I enjoyed the 
 satisfaction of much Christian intercourse with this 
 family and the other Baptist missionary who had 
 come to spend the day with them. These breth- 
 ren, in addition to their duties among the Heathen 
 in preaching or talking to them and distributing 
 tracts, have each an English service attended by 
 some of the Europeans or others who speak Eng- 
 lish. Patna, Bankipur, Dighah, and Dinapore form 
 an almost continuous city of twelve or fifteen miles 
 in length. Dighah is a considerable village, and 
 Dinapore, the scene of Henry Martyn’s pious la- 
 bours, is one of the largest military stations; and 
 has also a native population of probably fifteen 
 or twenty thousand. There is usually a King’s 
 regiment European, a Company’s, and a large 
 artillery detachment, at this post, who have fine 
 substantial barracks. The church also makes a 
 good appearance. With the chaplain I did not 
 become acquainted. From all I have heard, reli- 
 gious matters are in a condition but little if any 
 better than when the faithful Martyn was here, 
 or than is described in the Journal of Bishop 
 Heber. 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 97 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 Rivers and towns — Attar of Roses — Danger from falling 
 banks — Benares — Allahabad, example of fatal supersti- 
 tion — Review of the river journey — Ddk travelling — 
 Agra — Delhi — Arrive at Lodiana. 
 
 September 3. — This morning, there was a fine 
 breeze which raised quite a sea in the broad ex- 
 panse of water over which we sailed. The river 
 is here several miles wide at this season. In the 
 course of to-day’s sail, we passed the mouths of 
 three large rivers which enter the Ganges; the 
 Gunduk which is said to take its rise in Thibet, 
 and in whose waters the stricter Hindus are for- 
 bidden to bathe; the Gogra, also from the Hima- 
 laya mountains, after a course of five hundred 
 miles; and the Soane, from the south, after an 
 equally long journey. But, owing to the lowness 
 of the banks, and the extent to which the waters 
 are spread over the face of the country, I could not 
 distinguish the places where their streams unite 
 with the great river. 
 
 About twenty miles above Dinapore, we passed 
 Chaprah, a fine looking native town, of some thirty 
 thousand inhabitants, situated on the north bank of 
 the river. It is the capital of the district of Saran, 
 in the province of Bahar, and is the residence of 
 an English magistrate, a collector, and perhaps a 
 surgeon. This town presents many advantages 
 as a situation for a mission family. The district 
 of which it is the chief town contains twenty-five 
 hundred square miles, and its population in 1801 
 9 
 
98 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 was estimated by the Governor-General from reve- 
 nue statistics at one million two hundred thousand. 
 Probably, the number at present is not less than a 
 million and a half. 
 
 September 4. — In the evening, reached Buxar 
 where there is a dismantled fort, the situation of 
 which completely commands the river, contracted 
 here to a litde more than a quarter of a mile in 
 width. Buxar is one of the stations for invalid 
 soldiers; of whom there is always a considerable 
 number under proper officers. It is also one of 
 the places where the Company have an establish- 
 ment for rearing horses for the cavalry. The na- 
 tive town is quite large, and said to be chiefly 
 composed of Mussulmans. 
 
 September 5. — Passed to-day the mouth of the 
 Karamnasa river, said to be a small winding stream. 
 For the reason which prevented my seeing the 
 place of junction of the Soane, I did not enjoy the 
 gratification of seeing that of this river with the 
 Ganges. The banks of the Ganges are now higher, 
 the trees scarcer, and the innumerable villages 
 more uniformly characterized by having a tope or 
 grove of mango trees in their immediate vicinity. 
 
 September 8. — On the evening of the sixth, I 
 reached Ghazeepore and stayed the Sunday with 
 the chaplain, a pious amiable and excellent man; 
 in whose family I had the pleasure of meeting two 
 or three pious officers, connected with the military 
 at this station. This is both a military and a civil 
 station. As there is usually a regiment of Eu- 
 ropean soldiers in the barracks, there is a chaplain 
 and a church. But for the service of the natives 
 (and the population must amount to many thou- 
 sands, perhaps fifty thousand, there is neither mis- 
 sionary nor any kind of agency employed. This | 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 99 
 
 is an important station fora mission family ; as 
 there are no missionaries nearer than Benares, 
 which is forty miles distant, while the population 
 of this district is as dense as usual. The town is 
 considered one of the most healthy in India, which 
 I should think very probable from the high open 
 ground on which it stands. Of the native inhabi- 
 tants rather a large portion are Mussulmans; but 
 in the country they do not average more than one 
 eighth of the people. The character of the people 
 of this town is rather unfavourably noted. They 
 are spoken of as lawless and ready for acts of vio- 
 lence. 
 
 The country around is extensively covered with 
 rose bushes, which are cultivated for the purpose 
 of manufacturing rose water, and the famous attar 
 I of roses. To produce a quantity of the latter equal 
 in weight to rather less than half an ounce, it is 
 said that twenty thousand grown roses are requir- 
 ed, and the price of that quantity is about fifty 
 dollars. The attar is obtained by skimming off 
 the oil which is found on the surface of the rose 
 water after being exposed all night to the open air. 
 
 To-day, we got under sail again ; but the wind 
 being very light, and the current very strong, the 
 men were soon obliged to go on shore with the 
 rope. We had several times the opportunity of 
 seeing one of the most common kinds of danger to 
 vessels in these Upper Provinces. The banks are 
 frequently high and often crumbling and ready to 
 fall into the water. By the tow rope the boat is 
 dragged close to the bank, whilst the heavy tramp 
 of the men in pulling, and the rubbing of the rope 
 on the edge of the bank, are very apt to detach 
 large masses of ground. The danger is, that they 
 may fall on the top of the poor boat; in which 
 
100 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 case it would almost certainly founder. This 
 afternoon, the risk appeared so great that I felt it 
 a duty to leave the boat and walk some miles. 
 Providentially, the sun was covered with clouds, 
 so that I did not experience the evil influence which 
 invariably attends exposure to his rays at this sea- 
 son of the year. 
 
 September 9. — Passed a Conductor’s fleet of 
 boats, some thirty or forty, carrying military stores 
 to different stations of the army. Passed also 
 the native town of Seidpur, a place of some busi- 
 ness. No incidents of much interest occurred. 
 
 September 11. — Reached the far-famed city Be- 
 nares. The appearance of this city is certainly 
 very fine, as one approaches it on the river. It 
 stands on a high bank, perhaps thirty feet higher 
 than the water, on the outer circumference of a 
 semicircular sweep which the river here makes of 
 some three or four miles ; so that, at one glance, a 
 person can see to good advantage, the entire river- 
 view of the city. This view is probably quite 
 unique, without any thing to resemble it, much 
 less to rival it, in the world. The houses are 
 built close to the edges of the bank. Numerous 
 temples stand also on the same eminence, while 
 many ghats, or landing places, of stone-steps, lead- 
 ing from the water up to the top of the bank, some 
 of them very large, are covered with crowds of 
 worshippers bathing or washing in the holy river. 
 
 But it is in the city itself that a person sees how 
 entirely it is “ given to idolatry.” The streets 
 are so narrow that neither carriage nor horse can 
 enter; at least, it is not expedient to attempt pene- 
 trating them on horse-back ; and, in a carriage, it 
 is impracticable to do so. Then, as the houses are 
 very high, never less than two stories, but more 
 
JOURNEY TO LODI ANA CONTINUED. 101 
 
 frequently five or six, there is an air of gloomy 
 seriousness, befitting a holy place of such a reli- 
 gion. At every corner and turn, the eye sees 
 temples and pagodas, of all sizes, and of every 
 kind of structure. In the streets many fat, lazy, 
 tame Brahminy bulls are moving about at their 
 leisure ; and beggars, and devotees, and Brahmans, 
 are not less numerous. The walls of the houses 
 often present rude paintings of the different gods 
 and goddesses ; their various transformations and 
 exploits, with their many arms and weapons ; and, 
 in the raised narrow projections, at the doors of 
 the houses, and in the inner corners of the streets, 
 are sitting numerous persons, selling flowers and 
 beads for the accommodation of the multitude of 
 worshippers. In the temples there are always 
 various Brahmans; some reading in loud, chanting 
 tones, the shasters ; others, besmearing the obscene 
 lingo, with oil, and decorating it with flowers ; 
 others, pouring libations of holy water from the 
 Ganges on the idols, and on different places in the 
 temple; while not unfrequently a crowd of holy 
 beggars, looking like demons through chalk and 
 cow-dung, make a person almost deaf with their 
 incessant repetition of Ram ! Ram ! Ram ! 
 
 Benares is held sacred for ten miles around, 
 though particular places in it are accounted pecu- 
 liarly holy. One visit to this city secures for the 
 pilgrim a certain admission into heaven. Many 
 resort here from all parts of India, to finish their 
 days; and so great is the opinion of its holiness, 
 that many Rajahs have vakels, or delegates, resid- 
 ing here, to perform for them the requisite cere- 
 monies and ablutions. It is said that within this 
 city are a million of images of the lingo. If true, 
 or even near the truth, this estimate conveys a 
 
102 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 most mournful idea of the state of morals. — The 
 mosque built by Aurangzebe is the highest edifice, 
 the minarets being upwards of two hundred feet 
 high. It was built to mortify the Hindus, and is 
 erected on the site of one of their most holy tem- 
 ples. The view from the top is very extensive 
 and interesting. 
 
 Among the various buildings of some interest is 
 an old Observatory, where may be seen a large 
 gnomon of stone and some other instruments. Be- 
 nares is not merely the Jerusalem of the Hindus ; 
 it is also their Athens. There are many private 
 schools in which Sanscrit is studied under learned 
 Brahman Pandits, who are supported by native 
 princes and other wealthy Hindus. There is also a 
 Hindu College, in which are taught the various 
 branches of Hindu learning, not even excepting 
 astrology, nor the astronomy of Ptolemy, nor the 
 geography which teaches that the earth is sup- 
 ported by the tortoise “ chakwa,” and that Mount 
 Meru, standing in the centre of the vast plain 
 which forms the earth’s surface, supports the va- 
 rious heavens. It is said to have eight or ten pro- 
 fessors and about two hundred students. The 
 superintendent is an European. 
 
 The population has been estimated at upwards 
 of five hundred thousand ; but various persons, 
 with whom I conversed, supposed that it does not 
 exceed three hundred thousand. At particular fes- 
 tivals the concourse is great beyond any compu- 
 tation. The European residents live in Secrole, 
 one of the suburbs about three miles distant from 
 the chief part of the city. There is also a regiment 
 of sepoys stationed there, and a chaplain. 
 
 There are seven missionaries at this city; three 
 under the Church Society, and one superintendent 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 103 
 
 of a large English and Persian school, founded by 
 a weahhy native, but committed to the manage- 
 ment of that Society; three from the London Mis- 
 sionary Society, who have a small chapel and 
 stated service in the city; and one from the Se- 
 rampore Baptist Society, who resides in the city, 
 and has a room in his own house fitted for a 
 chapel. Usually these brethren go every day to 
 the city, and talk with the people, and give reli- 
 gious books and tracts to those who, they think, 
 will make a good use of them. Though they have 
 not yet had any conversions, they all say that they 
 are heard with more attention and seriousness now 
 than a few years ago. 
 
 Above Benares no regular journal was kept, 
 and I shall give some notices of the remainder 
 of the journey from letters written at that time. 
 Passing Chunar, Mirzapore, and other native 
 towns, I reached Allahabad on the 23d of Septem- 
 ber. From a letter written on the next day to the 
 Secretary of the Society, the following extract is 
 made : 
 
 The junction of the Ganges and Jumna, you 
 know, is regarded by the Hindus as one of the 
 most holy places in the sacred river. — As the 
 Jumna is not, I believe, an object of worship, I 
 hardly know how the opinion has originated that 
 the god Gunga, or Ganges, should derive an ac- 
 cession of holiness from the union with that river. 
 Nor is there any thing in the natural scenery of 
 the place peculiarly impressive. The country is 
 level on both sides, though not so flat as in Bengal, 
 and the two rivers unite without occasioning, even 
 at this season when both are much swollen, any 
 great noise or large waves. The mind always 
 takes an interest in seeing two large rivers flowing 
 
104 JOURNEY TO LODI AN A CONTINUED. 
 
 into one, but apart from that, there is not so much 
 to excite ideas of power in the junction of these 
 rivers as of the Allegheny and Monongahela. Till 
 a few years ago it was quite common for the de- 
 luded worshippers, many of them, to drown them- 
 selves at this place, supposing that thereby the 
 possession of heaven was rendered certain. The 
 boat in which they were accustomed to go to the 
 proper place to take their departure, came at last 
 into the possession of an old woman, some time 
 before the English authorities interfered to put a 
 stop to the custom, and she “by that craft had her 
 wealth.” Of course she did not relish a change 
 which would take away her income, and earnestly 
 contended that people had a right to drown them- 
 selves if they pleased. The magistrate was firm, 
 and while he did not directly oppose the custom, 
 he informed all concerned that he should punish 
 with death, any who should, in any way, be ac- 
 cessary to the drowning of such persons. This 
 simple measure brought the custom to an end. 
 This occurred but a few years ago. I could not 
 but feel sad at heart while sailing over the place 
 where many of our fellow creatures “ rushed un- 
 bidden” into the presence of their final Judge, 
 hoping to secure his favour by an act of sin, as- 
 sured of heaven while on the way to a widely 
 different destiny. And though the practice no 
 longer exists, yet the creed does in all its blighting 
 influence. Oh soon may the knowledge of the 
 true way of happiness be spread amongst this 
 people! Incidents like these sacrifices, and like 
 the swinging by hooks inserted in the muscles of 
 the back, (of which I saw an example last spring.) 
 would seem to show that the promptings of natu- 
 ral conscience are very strong, even where great 
 
JOURNEY TO UODIANA CONTINUED. 105 
 
 ignorance exists. However, much may be ascrib- 
 ed to motives of vain glory in the applause of men, 
 and to the influence of stupefying doses of opium ; 
 yet the foundation of these customs lies much deep- 
 er. Their origin and continued existence show 
 that the witness, which God has created in the 
 bosom of every man, (see Acts xiv. 17, compared 
 with Rom. i. 20,) still performs its duty. Such 
 proofs of the power of natural conscience, I am in- 
 clined to think, should encourage missionaries in 
 their addresses to the heathen, to make pointed ap- 
 peals to it. 
 
 From Cawnpore, where the river part of the 
 journey was ended on the 9th of October, a letter 
 was sent to the same gentleman, of which a part 
 is annexed: 
 
 A journey on this river affords many opportu- 
 nities of usefulness to the natives on the part of 
 those who can speak the language. Villages are 
 thickly studded along the banks — often many boats 
 are moored at the same place with yours ; gene- 
 rally during day light, and often at night too, the 
 people live “ sub dio,” in the open air, and are 
 very willing to attend to what you may wish to 
 say, and to receive the tracts you may have to 
 give. I greatly regretted that I could not speak 
 to them about the true salvation. However, 1 dis- 
 tributed a good many tracts, and at times under 
 circumstances which affected my mind very much. 
 On one Sabbath, a venerable aged Brahman, the 
 chief man in the village where I was lying to, 
 came to ask for a tract. He could not read him- 
 self, but said he would get his little grandson to 
 read it for him, and he listened with much atten- 
 tion while I read a few pages. In coming up this 
 river, a person should have some Bengali, and as 
 10 
 
106 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 many Hindui and Hindustani' tracts as he can ob- 
 tain, and also separate books of the sacred Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 A journey of this kind affords much leisure for 
 personal improvement. The time is hardly ever 
 less than two months and a half, often three months, 
 during which but little occurs commonly to pre- 
 vent close application to reading, writing, &c. 
 Few visits or calls to pay or to receive, few news- 
 papers to spend the morning over, few objects of 
 interest in the scenery around : the danger is rather 
 that of too much, than too little time for study. 
 There is something also in this kind of life to aid 
 in a higher kind of improvement than merely men- 
 tal — the improvement of the heart in piety. Cer- 
 tainly the presence of so many visible dangers, and 
 the preserving care of the Lord, so often too ob- 
 vious to be overlooked, “ in perils of waters — in 
 perils by the heathen,” should lead to unfeigned 
 gratitude, no less than to the exercise of humble 
 confidence in the providence and grace of God, 
 and also to entire consecration to his service. 
 
 There are few objects of interest to be seen in 
 a journey on this river. The Raj-mahal, and the 
 Gorruckpore Hills, and the city of Benares, ap- 
 peared to me more interesting than any thing 
 else — the former by reminding me of our “ love- 
 ly native land” — the latter because so perfectly 
 unique, for I suppose it would be difficult to find 
 another city with so many features peculiar to it- 
 self. In general, the country is very level, the 
 banks of the river low and monotonous in appear- 
 ance — the river itself as muddy as high rivers 
 usually are, and less impetuous, and apparently 
 quite unconscious of its divine character, and 
 equally regardless of the worship it receives. As 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 107 
 
 to the native villages and towns, when you have 
 seen one, you have seen a specimen of nearly all. 
 The great part of the houses are low mud cottages, 
 with two low doors, and covered with thatch com- 
 ing so low down in front as to form a sort of ve- 
 randa, or open portico. Usually they have a great 
 many low shady trees planted in their villages, 
 and one or two large peepul trees, a fine shady 
 species, around the foot of which a clay platform 
 is erected, and there, under the wide spreading 
 branches, of an afternoon, you may see most of 
 the respectable villagers smoking their hookas, and 
 probably discussing the politics and news of the 
 village. These are the places for a missionary to 
 take his station at, and direct their thoughts to hea- 
 venly themes. If he were prudent and kind in his 
 manner, he would hardly ever fail to obtain a pa- 
 tient, respectful hearing. One is much struck with 
 the good taste these people have displayed in 
 choosing the sites of their temples. These latter, 
 in the country and in villages, are commonly small 
 four, six or eight sided buildings, of brick, covered 
 with plaster, about ten or twelve feet high, sur- 
 mounted by a dome, and a short spire. They have 
 seldom any other furniture than the idol, or em- 
 blems peculiar to the particular deity worshipped, 
 though these are most frequently of the most inde- 
 cent description — too much so to be named openly, 
 much less described. But I have often admired 
 the situation of the temples. Where there happens 
 to be a high, bold bank to the river, you will very 
 often see one of these small buildings standing, 
 white and conspicuous, in the midst of two or 
 three small trees, of little more than its own height. 
 At other times you see them in low places, under 
 an overspreading peepul, close by the water’s edge, 
 
108 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 with a flight of steps, leading down into the water. 
 Perhaps a fine grove of open, round-topped trees, 
 may form a back view of peculiar beauty, and 
 coolness of appearance in this burning sun. One 
 view of the Hindu temples is often presented to 
 my mind, their entire want of any thing to im- 
 prove either the intellect or the heart. As to the 
 latter object, every association, every thought awa- 
 kened by the great majority of heathen temples, is 
 depraving , and ruinous to the soul. But as to the 
 former, the most that any of these places of wor- 
 ship accomplish, is to furnish occasionally a place 
 for the reading of shastras, which, in many cases, 
 neither reader or hearer understands. But even 
 this is seldom done — there is no stated assembling 
 of the people to receive instruction — there is nei- 
 ther scribe nor teacher — neither book nor manu- 
 script. The worshippers, after saying over by rote 
 some dry names of gods, sprinkling a little water, 
 and offering, perhaps, a few flowers to the idol, 
 and if a follower of Shiva, daubing his face with 
 some mud, not forgetting sundry ablutions in the 
 Ganges, when the temple is near it — then goes 
 away as ignorant as he came, and more depraved. 
 
 I ought to notice one other feature of a journey 
 on this river — the intercourse with missionaries. 
 At Serampore, Chinsurah, Cutwa, Berhampore, 
 Monghyr, Patna, Digah, Benares, and Buxar, 
 there are missionaries, either of the Baptist, Lon- 
 don, or Church Societies. It is necessary to stop 
 at most of these places to obtain provisions, and 
 the Christian kindness of these good people is very 
 refreshing, while a knowledge of their plans and 
 operations and experience will be of great service. 
 Every where I think it will be found that God re- 
 gards the kind of heart with which he is served 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 109 
 
 more than the kind of missionary organization. 
 Here are the agents of voluntary and ecclesiastical 
 societies — all have been blessed, and the former 
 certainly not more than the latter. But all can 
 labour in love — and there is room and need for all, 
 and for many more. 
 
 From Cavvnpore toLodiana I proceeded by dak, 
 or in a palanquin. From other letters I have taken 
 a few notices of this part of the journey. 
 
 Delhi , October 27 . — At Cawnpore, I made a 
 new disposal of my goods and chattels; putting 
 them on three hackeries, or rude carts, of three 
 oxen each. The distance thence to Lodiana is 
 about five hundred miles ; and the expense of 
 transporting them, I think will be considerably 
 less than in the United States by a similar or land 
 conveyance. As for myself, I had to decide on 
 travelling by dak. In this manner one goes along, 
 night and day, at the rate of four miles an hour. 
 
 At night, a dak traveller presents a singular ap- 
 pearance. Foremost are the petarrah walas, or 
 bundle-carriers; of whom I have three, each man 
 carrying two bundles of twenty-five pounds each, 
 
 I swung at the ends of a stick over his shoulder; 
 who walk along with a peculiar fast gait. Then 
 comes the traveller in his palanquin, borne by four 
 men, who, at every step make a peculiar unpleas- 
 ant sound by way of music ; while four others run 
 by their side, and thus relieve each other about 
 once in every five minutes. But the most singu- 
 lar appendage is the mussatc/u, or torch-bearer, 
 who runs along before, carrying a large torch, 
 on which he pours oil every few minutes, making 
 a fine light. Every ten or twelve miles, a fresh set 
 of men are stationed, to relieve the preceding set. 
 The chief difficulty in this mode of travelling is its 
 
110 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 irksomeness from always lying in the same position. 
 Persons who cannot sleep at night, are seldom able 
 to endure the fatigue. But I got along finely, sleep- 
 ing as well as usual, until, at the end of their stages, 
 the bearers would awake me for their bakshish, or 
 usual present of a few anas. From Cawnpore to 
 Agra is about one hundred and ninety miles; which 
 distance I made in fifty hours ; and from Agra to 
 Delhi, I was thirty-seven hours in coming. 
 
 Agra and Delhi are the two chief cities of Up- 
 per India; and are the richest in memorials of 
 former greatness that I have ever seen. The Taj, 
 at Agra, is a wonderfully chaste and beautiful 
 structure. It is built of polished white marble 
 having four minarets or towers, at the four corners 
 of the white marble terrace, on the centre of which 
 the main building stands; and is approached 
 through a delightful garden. Perhaps the feature, 
 which attracts chief attention in the interior of the 
 Taj, is the mosaic-work, or inlaying of cornelian, 
 and other valuable stones, in the shape of flowers 
 and vines, of great variety in figure and delicacy 
 of colouring. T wo richly finished tornbs, in what 
 might almost be called the cellar, but which have 
 corresponding tombs in the chief apartments, di- 
 rectly above the lower ones, where the bodies are 
 deposited, contain the only inhabitants of this 
 wonderful edifice. Their glory has passed away; 
 even their names are nearly forgotten ; while as 
 to their present condition, the multitude of extracts 
 from the Koran, inlaid over the walls, afford little 
 ground of hope, that they look back on their earth- 
 ly splendour, or on the sepulchral slate of their 
 clay- tabernacles, with any rejoicing. The Taj 
 was erected by a former king, Shah Jehan, in 
 memory of a favourite wife; and when he died 
 his remains were entombed by her side. 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. Ill 
 
 The fort at Agra, containing a palace and a 
 mosque of white marble also, is well worth see- 
 ing; as are some other tombs. So, at this city, 
 there are several mosques and public buildings of 
 great interest. At Delhi, these buildings are larger, 
 but not perhaps so highly finished, as at Agra. 
 The principal masjid, or Mohammedan temple, in 
 this city, is built of a kind of free stone. These 
 Mohammedan buildings, the Taj and mosques at 
 Agra, and the mosques at Delhi, are generally con- 
 structed on the same principles of architecture ; 
 which indeed seem to characterize all Moham- 
 medan public buildings. You have a noble ter- 
 race, with perhaps some fine reservoirs of water. 
 Then in the centre of the terrace stands the main 
 building, surmounted invariably by one dome; 
 sometimes by more, with short gilded spires; 
 while at two of the corners of the terrace, and 
 sometimes at all the four, lofty minarets or towers 
 arise, either in an octagonal or circular form, and 
 usually very lofty. At Benares, two are upwards 
 of two hundred feet high; at Agra, the four of the 
 Taj are about the same height, and perhaps some 
 of the minarets here are nearly as lofty. They are 
 generally surmounted by an open cupola. 
 
 I went through the palace in this city, in which 
 all that remains of the former splendid Mogul 
 royalty now resides. Some of the buildings in 
 it are very fine, with beautiful mosaic work, but 
 there is always a strange combination, in these 
 eastern countries, of greatness and meanness in 
 their Dublic works, as in other things. The great 
 hall of audience, for example, with its large court, 
 where suppliant kings and ambassadors formerly 
 kneeled in profound humility, is the next in series 
 to a stable yard, from which it is separated only by 
 
112 JOURNEY TO EODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 a single large gate ! The throne, whence Aureng- 
 zebe gave laws to millions, is ascended by a dark, 
 narrow flight of rough stone steps ; though there 
 was another and better entrance to it, which is now 
 walled up. The throne itself is now covered with 
 defilement, while the hall of audience is lumbered 
 up with old palanquins, worn out carriages, &c. 
 The present Mogul Emperor has no authority out 
 of the palace, and seems to care little about its in- 
 terior appearance, provided he may have plenty to 
 eat. The English treat him with great respect ; 
 which is perhaps the reason that so little care is 
 given to keeping things in better order. If the 
 palace were entirely theirs, there is little doubt 
 that their liberal policy would secure the careful 
 preservation of these remains of the former great- 
 ness of the Mogul dominion. 
 
 The missionary here is Mr. Thompson; a good, 
 intelligent, judicious man, of considerable enter- 
 prise, and much respected by the English people. 
 He has been seventeen years at this city — speaks 
 the language, of course, as his mother tongue, with 
 perfect fluency ; and is very diligent. The Lord 
 has granted him to see some few converts from 
 the heathen. He was once at Lodiana, and has 
 travelled much on missionary tours in Upper 
 India ; so I was very glad to hear him say that he 
 considered our field of labour the finest in India. 
 
 I went about fourteen miles, all the way through 
 the ruins of the old city, to see the Kutab, an im- 
 mense tower of two hundred and forty feet in 
 height. The view from the top of it is very sin- 
 gular, and full of mournful interest. For miles 
 and miles around, you see scarcely any thing but 
 the ruins of former greatness — one dilapidated 
 palace, or mosque, or tomb, after another, rises in 
 
JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 113 
 
 the view, till you are almost oppressed at seeing 
 such manifold evidences of the feebleness of man. 
 The river Jumna terminates the view in one direc- 
 tion; and, though here but a narrow stream, is yet 
 a perpetual witness of the power of God in his 
 works, who can preserve as well as create. * * * 
 
 November 5. — After leaving Kurnal, one hun- 
 dred and twenty miles north of Delhi, I entered 
 the territory of the Protected Sikh States. There 
 is nothing, however, in the appearance of the 
 towns, or in the state of cultivation, to show the 
 traveller that he has left the Company’s territory. 
 Enjoying the protection of British influence, this 
 region seems to enjoy all the same peace and de- 
 gree of prosperity that distinguish English from 
 Native rule in these parts of the earth. But from 
 Cawnpore, but especially from Delhi, it is easy to 
 see that the inhabitants are a more energetic, war- 
 like people, than those of the lower provinces. 
 You meet many, perhaps most, native travellers, 
 armed with swords, spears, or match-locks — some- 
 times with all these weapons. They are large, 
 strongly built men, with prodigious beards com- 
 monly; and often look savage enough; but are in 
 fact very peaceable, I believe, if not molested. 
 
 Northward of Delhi, the soil of the country is 
 very sandy, and under only partial cultivation. 
 There are few trees, except in the neighbourhood 
 of the towns. The inhabitants do not live, as we 
 should say, “ in the country ;” but nearly all dwell 
 in large towns, which are usually walled. This 
 circumstance, in connexion with the common prac- 
 tice of carrying arms, indicates that the state of 
 the country has formerly been very unsettled; 
 which indeed was the case. But we may hope, 
 those days have passed away, and that the times 
 
114 JOURNEY TO LODIANA CONTINUED. 
 
 of peace which have succeeded will afford oppor- 
 tunity to introduce the peaceful reign of our Sa- 
 viour. 
 
 Thus the first post of our future duty was 
 reached on the 5th of November, 1834, about 
 eighteen months after leaving Philadelphia. And 
 it serves to give a striking illustration of the man- 
 ner in which distant places have been connected 
 with each other, by the providence of Him who 
 beholds all the nations of the earth at one view, 
 that a messenger from the churches of the western 
 hemisphere, after traversing nearly seventeen thou- 
 sand miles of the broad ocean, and penetrating 
 thirteen hundred miles further towards the heart of 
 Asia, should at last find his sphere of labour in a 
 city unknown even by name to those by whom he 
 was sent, when his journey was at first undertaken. 
 Our neighbours are all our fellow men whom we 
 can reach, directly or indirectly, to do them good; 
 and Christian and Heathen nations are now so re- 
 lated to each other that the multitudes of those 
 who are “ sitting in darkness and the shadow of 
 death,” though living in distant lands and of a 
 strange speech, may be effectively reached by the 
 benevolence of their more favoured brethren. We 
 may offer to them the blessed gospel if we are so 
 inclined. Who that knows the worth of this gift 
 would refuse to his dark-minded neighbour so in- 
 estimable a boon? 
 
AT LODIANA. 
 
 115 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 AT LODIANA. 
 
 Lodiana — Sickness — English Preaching — Importance of 
 Schools — English School at Lodiana. 
 
 From the first letter written from Lodiana to the 
 Secretary of the Society, I take the subjoined ex- 
 tract: 
 
 I have the privilege, at last, of writing to you 
 from this place. I arrived last evening; and feel 
 extremely grateful for the favour of Divine Provi- 
 dence in bringing me to the end of my journey. 
 Protection, health, and peace, have been granted 
 during all the way. At all the European stations 
 great kindness has been shown by persons who 
 previously were, of course, entire strangers: and 
 that sense of the Lord’s presence, which is more 
 precious than all the favour of man, unless I am 
 mistaken, I have almost continually enjoyed. 
 
 Lodiana is the most remote of the English sta- 
 tions in India on the North West. It is situated 
 on a small nalla, or creek, about five miles from 
 the river Sutlej, which forms the eastern boundary 
 of the Panjab, and divides the territories under 
 British influence from those of Ranjit Singh, the 
 ruler of the Sikhs on that side of the river. The 
 present population of Lodiana is estimated at from 
 twenty thousand to Uventy-five thousand ; and is 
 on the increase. When the navigation of the In- 
 dus is freed from the present restraints, which will 
 most probably be within another year, the place 
 may be expected to increase considerably ; as it 
 will then become one of the marts of trade with 
 countries down the Indus. It is now a place of 
 
116 
 
 AT LODIANA. 
 
 considerable business-intercourse with the countries 
 westward. Few places have so varied a popula- 
 tion in people and language. There are two regi- 
 ments of infantry, and one troop of horse artillery 
 here, commanded, of course, by English officers; 
 so that nearly a hundred persons use the English 
 language. Then, there are probably two thousand 
 five hundred people from Cashmere, who have 
 found refuge here from the famine and oppression 
 that have almost desolated their beautiful native 
 valley. There are probably one thousand Aflghans, 
 who speak Persian chiefly. The higher classes, 
 of whatever nation, in this part of India pride them- 
 selves in speaking Persian. The regular Sikhs, 
 who, both on this side of the Sutlej and on the 
 other, form about one tenth of the population, 
 speak and write, (when they can write at all, 
 which is seldom the case,) the Gurmukh! or Pan- 
 jabi dialect, which appears to be formed from the 
 Hindu!. 
 
 In regard to Lodiana, as a place for missionary 
 operations, I still think it quite desirable to have a 
 mission established here, of two families for the 
 present; that is, of two married missionaries. One 
 of them, in addition to the Hindu!, should possess 
 a knowledge of the Panjabi. The other to Hin- 
 dustan! or Urdu should add Persian. After some 
 time, perhaps one, two, or three years at the fur- 
 thest, a press will most prqbably be nearly indis- 
 pensable. At first, the missionaries will need to 
 labour in a quiet way, avoiding professions of in- 
 tention to convert the natives, but watching and 
 improving the opportunities which I have no doubt 
 will be constantly occurring for conversation, dis- 
 tribution of portions of the Scriptures, Tracts, <fcc. 
 
 One thing has been much impressed on my 
 
AT LODIANA. 
 
 117 
 
 mind — the importance of sending some person to 
 make observation before a mission, of any size at 
 least, is resolved on. I find that actual observation 
 has corrected and modified my views of this field 
 of missionary labour in no small degree; as I shall 
 now attempt briefly to describe: 1. The way does 
 not seem to be yet open for direct efforts, as it is, 
 for instance, in the lower provinces. The native 
 chiefs on this side the Sutlej, and Ranjit Singh, 
 on the other side, have still the power to prevent 
 an intercourse with their people. It is not proba- 
 ble, that they would attempt to do it, if quiet pru- 
 dent measures were pursued. 2. The manner in 
 which the population is distributed is quite differ- 
 ent from what I expected to find, judging from 
 other parts of India. The people chiefly dwell in 
 large towns, often considerably distant from each 
 other ; while the intervening country is uninhabit- 
 ed. This circumstance may afford a better oppor- 
 tunity ultimately of making all the people acquainted 
 with the gospel. 3. The proportion of those who 
 embrace the religion of Mohammed is much larger 
 than I had supposed, and composed of the better 
 classes of the people. The Sikhs form about the 
 tenth or twelfth part of the people. The great 
 majority of the rest are Mussulmans. There is 
 less prospect of their conversion than of any class ; 
 yet “ the arm of the Lord is not shortened, that it 
 cannot save.” 
 
 The same letter having been delayed some three 
 weeks, conveyed the first news of what proved the 
 cause of an entire change in my course of life, 
 which I can not set forth in fewer words than I 
 then wrote. 
 
 What a change in a man’s prospects and hopes 
 is sometimes effected by the events and the in- 
 
118 
 
 AT L0DIANA. 
 
 formation of a few days ! Since my last date, I 
 have been ill with a severe attack of congestion of 
 the liver. Through the favour of the Lord, the 
 means used have been attended with so much suc- 
 cess that I am now able to sit up again, at least 
 during part of the day. For about a week, I could 
 neither read, nor indeed attend to any thing ; I 
 had scarcely strength to rise from my bed. This 
 was partly owing to the severe course of medicine 
 which it was found necessary to prescribe. But 
 I do not love to dwell on what has been severe, 
 there has been so much goodness mingled in this 
 illness. Though an entire stranger, 1 have received 
 the kind treatment of friendship. I have especially 
 cause for thankfulness in having had the services 
 of a skilful and experienced surgeon. Mv mind 
 too has been kept in peace ; and now, that I am 
 getting better, I am glad to have a grateful heart, 
 and to feel inclined to trust in the Lord w'ith re- 
 newed confidence The Doctor tells 
 
 me, that my constitution will not suit this climate, 
 and that the sooner I return the better. 
 
 On recovering from the severe illness referred to 
 in this letter, I took charge of an English school, 
 and also of a school for the children of the Drum- 
 mers, Serjeants, and Native soldiers, besides con- 
 ducting public worship on the Lord’s Day, attend- 
 ed by the English officers and others speaking our 
 language. 
 
 This latter service was very well attended, and 
 was an important, and in the circumstances then 
 existing, an appropriate sphere of duty. Where 
 the Europeans at a station are disposed to attend 
 on the ordinances and ministrations of religion, it 
 is decidely important to have these services estab- 
 lished. Not to insist that their spiritual interests 
 
AT LODIANA. 
 
 119 
 
 like those of all other men should never be ne- 
 glected, their official standing and the superior in- 
 fluence of their character give them every advantage 
 for promoting the welfare of the natives, both by 
 their own efforts directly, as representing our com- 
 mon religion, and by the countenance and co-ope- 
 ration which they can give to the missionary. 
 There may be in some cases an impropriety in a 
 missionary’s undertaking such duties, especially 
 where chaplains are already officiating; and in no 
 case should missionaries turn aside from their pro- 
 per vocation in the hope of greater usefulness 
 amongst the comparatively few Europeans at their 
 station. Their work is a special one, and it is 
 clearly defined by the commission under which 
 they act ; it must not be thrown into the shade by 
 any other undertaking. As they have opportunity, 
 however they must do good unto all men; and the 
 main difficulty will often be to know how to give 
 a due share of their time and labour to the nume- 
 rous claims which are made on them. The great- 
 est usefulness in the long run to the greatest num- 
 ber must be their aim. — In my own instance, there 
 could be no difficulty about giving a part of my 
 time to this English service, as I had been con- 
 strained to relinquish the study of the native lan- 
 guage on account of the slight prospect of being 
 able to continue long in the country. 
 
 The English school had been set on foot by 
 Captain, now Colonel Sir C. M. Wade, the politi- 
 cal agent, a few months before I reached Lodiana, 
 and had been placed under one of his native clerks, 
 with the design of transferring it to my care when 
 I should arrive. Some fourteen or sixteen native 
 boys had been in attendance. After a few weeks 
 the number was increased to about fifty, of whom 
 
120 
 
 AT LODIANA. 
 
 some were the sons of two or three native chiefs, 
 and other respectable native gentlemen ; some of 
 them were Hindus, others Affghans, others Cash- 
 merians, and a few Sikhs; speaking, amongst 
 them, the Hindu!, Hindustani, Gurmukhi, Pushto, 
 Persian, and Cashmerian languages. By giving 
 two or three hours a day to the superintendence 
 of the school, and with the valuable service of an 
 Indo-Brilish teacher, the progress of the scholars 
 was very creditable to themselves, and gratifying 
 to their generous patron, Captain Wade, and other 
 European visiters. 
 
 Several of these youths evinced no ordinary de- 
 gree of capacity, and most of them were of clever 
 abilities. All were uniformly respectful in their 
 behaviour, and after a little training became stu- 
 dious and some of them earnest in their attention 
 to their books. It was delightful to look on their 
 animated faces, and see their ej'es kindle as they 
 received knowledge daily to which before they 
 had been entire strangers. And when their confi- 
 dence had been gained, they appeared to regard 
 me with mingled respect and affection, and to re- 
 ceive my instructions with apparently perfect faith. 
 1 advert to this, though at the risk of appearing to 
 speak my own praise, for a special reason — to 
 show how invaluable are the opportunities afforded 
 to a missionary by such a school for promoting the 
 great object of his mission. He has a most hope- 
 ful charge, a company of youths whose minds are 
 as yet but partially under the influence of heathen 
 opinions and associations. The influence of their 
 families, out of school, is doubtless strongly unfa- 
 vourable, but this weighty hinderance is perhaps 
 more decidedly felt by adults than by children in 
 India. And opportunities will occur every day of 
 
AT LODIANA. 
 
 121 
 
 correcting the false views which prevail around 
 them, and imparting clear and connected instruc- 
 tion concerning the Christian religion, while all 
 the teaching of the missionary is enforced by his 
 example, and rendered almost sacred in the eyes 
 of the scholars by their high views of his charac- 
 ter. 
 
 The importance of Christian schools becomes 
 still more apparent when we recollect that the 
 main hope of success in our endeavours to convert 
 any heathen people, so far as the use of means is 
 concerned, consists in preparing native agents who 
 shall preach the gospel to their countrymen. These 
 must be found and qualified, in heathen as in 
 Christian countries, chiefly amongst the youth. 
 Missionaries from foreign countries are indispen- 
 sable in the first instance. It is theirs to sow the 
 seed, to plant Christian institutions, to organize 
 and train the army of native soldiers of the cross, 
 and for a while to be the officers of “ the sacra- 
 mental host.” All this they are now doing in 
 India. But they labour under great disadvantages ; 
 their numbers are too small, not more than two 
 hundred men, where an army of seventy-five thou- 
 sand is needed, in order to give one religious 
 teacher to each two thousand of the Hindus; they 
 are and ever must be regarded as foreigners, im- 
 perfectly acquainted with the language, the usages, 
 and the habits of mental association of the people ; 
 they cannot live but at great expense, compared 
 with the cost of supporting a native missionary ; 
 they are poorly fitted by their previous habits and 
 by their having been brought up in colder coun- 
 tries, for resisting the insidious and too often fatal 
 influence of the Indian climate — these and similar 
 considerations will ever preclude the hope of the 
 11 
 
122 
 
 AT LODIANA. 
 
 conversion of the Hindus by a purely foreign 
 agency, and they show the necessity of directing 
 our endeavours to the rearing up a native ministry, 
 on whom must finally devolve the great work of 
 evangelizing India. The limited experience of 
 European missionaries in India, would, it seems 
 to me, fully support these views. Those missions 
 and missionaries have been most successful, which 
 employed the largest and best trained force of na- 
 tive assistants. And it is very satisfactory to know 
 that within the few last years, these doctrines have 
 been more fully recognized by missionary societies 
 than formerly. We may indulge brighter hopes, 
 therefore, of future success. Indeed it has always 
 appeared to me surprising that objections should be 
 made against missionaries having the charge of 
 schools among the heathen — especially in India, 
 where nearly all the native writings, no matter 
 how erroneous, have a sacred character, and where 
 all the instructions of the missionary, even con- 
 cerning geography or astronomy, have a direct in- 
 fluence in overthrowing the great fabric of Hindu 
 superstition. In every heathen country, the mis- 
 sionary’s schools are his churches, the scholars 
 his congregation, and every day is hallowed by 
 him in giving and applying Christian knowledge. 
 It cannot be contended that preaching the gospel, 
 which is doubtless the one great object of the mis- 
 sionary’s life, is to be restricted to the forms of 
 stated public worship which have been matured in 
 old Christian communities, to regular sermons, for 
 example, delivered from a pulpit to the people sit- 
 ting below in pews. There could have been very 
 little preaching of this kind in the Apostolic age, 
 or in times of persecution afterwards. Divine 
 truth may undoubtedly be preached without the 
 
AT LODIANA. 
 
 123 
 
 presence of the forms which we so justly revere. 
 It may be made known by a public and authorized 
 person in many other ways. It may be taught by 
 the gift of the Sacred Volume with a few words of 
 kind advice; it may be proclaimed with a loud 
 voice in the midst of the confused multitude, press- 
 ing madly after their idols ; it may be preached to 
 a few heathens under the shade of a banyan tree, 
 by the missionary’s earnest talking with them; 
 it may be announced in quietness and peace in the 
 humble mission chapel, to a little company of pa- 
 tient hearers; and we should be thankful for all 
 these ways of preaching good news to our fellow 
 men. Why should we feel less thankful that the 
 gospel may be taught daily to children, teachably 
 and hopefully waiting on the lips of well known 
 and beloved instructors? If there have been schools 
 in which a decided Christian influence has not 
 been exerted, I am not their advocate ; but when 
 properly conducted, schools certainly afford most 
 important facilities for advancing the object which 
 the Church has in view in her missions to the 
 heathen. At the same time, I am well aware that 
 serious difficulties may often exist to hinder the 
 usefulness of schools, and even to prevent their 
 being taken under the missionary’s care. 
 
 If I have dwelt too long on this topic, it has 
 been only in part on account of its deep impor- 
 tance to the successful prosecution of the mission- 
 ary work ; I have also wished to secure the read- 
 I er’s greater interest in the school, with which our 
 efforts among the natives at Lodiana were com- 
 menced. Its early history has given pleasing evi- 
 dence of the favour of God towards our mission. 
 
 At first, however, there seemed to be no little 
 uncertainty about its prospects, and whether in- 
 
124 
 
 AT LODIANA. 
 
 deed it should become a mission school. This 
 may appear surprising to the reader who recollects 
 the account given by Mr. Reed and myself in our 
 letter to the society, from which an extract has 
 been given on a previous page; but that letter con- 
 veyed only the impressions made by the informa- 
 tion we had then received. Now, I found that 
 among the Europeans in the Upper Provinces there 
 was much apprehension about connecting religious 
 instruction with the education of the natives ; and 
 some men, of liberal views too, were decidedly 
 opposed to such a union, at least at that time. The 
 general policy of the government colleges, in which 
 the Christian religion is no more recognized than 
 the Mohammedan or any other, should be followed 
 with special care, it was argued, amongst a people 
 so partially under subjection to the British as the 
 inhabitants of the Protected Sikh States, and a 
 people moreover of so much independence, not to 
 say recklessness of character. The popularity of 
 those colleges among the natives was every where 
 acknowledged, but the successful religious institu- 
 tions of learning in Calcutta, attended largely by 
 native youths of the highest castes, were not so 
 well known in the Upper Provinces, or not con- 
 sidered examples to be imitated where the circum- 
 stances were so different. And it was easy, start- 
 ing from premises like these, to form quite an 
 array of objections, which 1 doubt not were sin- 
 cerely felt, against attempting to combine religion 
 and education in schools for the natives. Religious 
 prejudices would be aroused, disaffection might be 
 created against the government, and the improve- 
 ment of the natives retarded by premature zeal — 
 these were views which it is not strange that men 
 should form in the peculiar circumstances of those 
 
AT LODfcVNA. 
 
 125 
 
 provinces. I esteemed myself highly fortunate in 
 having to consult with a gentleman of such en- 
 larged and correct views, and of such generous 
 zeal for the good of the natives, as were evinced 
 by the Political Agent at Lodiana. With many 
 other men it might have been impracticable for me 
 to have had any connection with the English school 
 at that place, as I could not consent to take the 
 responsible charge of an institution from which 
 our holy religion was to be utterly excluded. After 
 mature reflection, the school was fully placed under 
 my control, and its studies were directed by a set- 
 tled plan. No professions of our object were 
 ostentatiously made, but on the other hand no con- 
 cealment of our views was attempted, nor was there 
 any withholding of religious instruction. No alarm 
 was awakened among either Hindus, Mussulmans, 
 or Sikhs. And the school after a fair trial was con- 
 sidered a successful effort. At least a favourable 
 beginning had been made, though another and 
 hardly less critical decision as to its permanent 
 character was yet to be given. 
 
 Thus far there was abundant ground for acknow- 
 ledging the hand of God for good towards our 
 mission and, we trust, towards the native inhabi- 
 tants. It would have been a matter of deep regret, 
 if the first efforts in this new sphere of education 
 had been established on the contracted policy of 
 excluding that instruction without which all other 
 teaching is incomplete and unsatisfactory ; thereby 
 awakening or confirming a host of prejudices, and 
 closing the door against the most valuable oppor- 
 tunities of imparting religious knowledge to those, 
 who were soon to wield the highest native in- 
 fluence. Indeed so grave was the complexion of 
 this matter, that I could not but seriously doubt 
 
126 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 the expediency of attempting a settlement at Lodi- 
 ana, unless it could be satisfactorily adjusted. This 
 was evidently the first thing to be done, as matters 
 then stood in that city ; and not to have had the 
 supervision of whatever was done or attempted 
 might have proved in many ways embarrassing. 
 But whatever fears I might have been constrained 
 to indulge, not so much from the views of Euro- 
 peans at that city as from the general considera- 
 tions already referred to, I could not but acknow- 
 ledge with lively gratitude the favour of Him, who 
 disposes and governs all the councils of men ac- 
 cording to his own holy will. It was highly pro- 
 per, also, to acknowledge thankfully the favour of 
 the Europeans of the station, and particularly of 
 the Political Agent, Captain Wade, who in this 
 instance as in all others proved himself a cordial 
 and efficient friend of our mission. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 Information desired — Invitation from Ranjit Singh — Man- 
 ner of travelling — Appearance of the country — Paghwa- 
 rah — Dancing girls — Villages — Cities — Interview with a 
 Native Chief — River Bias — Cashmerian emigrants — Sa- 
 cred reservoir at Amritsir ; visit of a Native Chief. 
 
 Those who are engaged in establishing a new mis- 
 sion, should seek earnestly for such information as 
 shall enable them wisely to form their plans of 
 proceeding. They should know the numbers of 
 the people amongst whom they are to labour ; their 
 
TOUE TO LAHOB. 
 
 127 
 
 character, business, usages, learning, government, 
 laws, state of society, chief towns and cities, and 
 other matters affecting their condition, and especially 
 their religion and its institutions and observances. 
 These things influence greatly the efforts, both in 
 kind and extent, which the missionary should un- 
 dertake for their welfare. Entertaining this opinion, 
 I endeavoured to collect information on these points 
 from every quarter — particularly after the physi- 
 cian, to whose kind and valuable services I was so 
 deeply indebted, had given his opinion as to the 
 necessity of my returning home. As our mission 
 had a special- reference to the Sikh people who 
 inhabit those north western parts of India, and as 
 most of the Sikh tribes live in the Punjab, or 
 country between the Sutlej and the Indus at that 
 time under the government of Maha Rajah Ranjit 
 Singh, and seldom visited by foreigners, I was 
 \ anxious to make a tour on the other side of the 
 Sutlej. I soon learned that there was little prospect 
 of being able to make such a journey. Through 
 jealousy of foreign influence, Ranjit was reluctant 
 to permit Europeans and other foreigners to enter 
 his territores, and to avoid giving umbrage to a 
 ruler of so much power, the British authorities did 
 not authorize, except in special instances, foreign- 
 ers to cross the Sutlej ; I had therefore reluctantly 
 to relinquish the project of making inquiries in the 
 Panjab itself. The reader will judge then of my 
 surprise and gratification at receiving from the 
 Maha Raja an invitation to pay him a visit at 
 Lahor! He had heard of me and of our English 
 school through his Vakil, or Charge des affaires, 
 at Lodiana, and with his invitation he made a pro- 
 posal that I should spend six months of the year 
 at his capital, to take charge of the education of a 
 
128 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 number of the young Sikh noblemen, the sons of 
 chiefs. I should have been delighted to have ac- 
 cepted this proposal, if the state of my health 
 would at all have justified my living on the plains ; 
 it presented a fine prospect of obtaining a standing 
 and influence, which would have been invaluable 
 to a missionary. And in reflecting on the past, I 
 have been disposed to regret that I had not con- 
 sented at whatever risk ; but the physician’s ad- 
 vice was imperative. I must repair to the hills on 
 the approach of the hot season, as the only means 
 of preventing another attack, w'hich in the warm 
 season would probably prove extremely dangerous, 
 if not fatal. I was constrained therefore to decline 
 the proposal, and as the invitation was connected 
 with it, I much feared that my declining the one 
 would prevent a renewal of the latter, though in 
 acknowledging the honour of the invitation, I ex- 
 pressed myself as anxious to be permitted to come 
 and pay my duty to “ the great King.” 
 
 The invitation was repeated, and the visit to 
 Lahor was shortly afterwards made. Of this tour 
 I took notes at the time, which will serve to give a 
 better view of the condition of the Panjab, than I 
 could present in any other form. 
 
 January 28, 1835. — Agreeably to an arrange- 
 ment previously made, I set out this afternoon on 
 the journey to Lahor. An elephant had been sent 
 from that city, to carry the tents ; and another, 
 which the Maha Rajah keeps at Lodiana, was 
 assigned for my use to ride. The latter is a noble 
 animal, being nine or ten feet in height. On his 
 back is placed the Howdah, a kind of gig-like 
 frame, but without a hood, and having two seats. 
 The front one is richly ornamented with silk cush- 
 ions, of a yellow colour, the favourite colour of the. 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 129 
 
 Sikhs ; and affording good accommodation for two 
 persons. Behind it is a lower seat, for a servant 
 to sit on, either for parade or to hold an umbrella 
 when necessary. The driver sits on the neck im- 
 mediately before the howdah, while one or two 
 assistants run by the side of the elephant — all 
 carrying goads, or iron sticks, to guide the animal 
 or quicken his pace. The motion is not a plea- 
 sant one to persons not used to it. He goes at a 
 kind of walking pace, as if trampling on round 
 stones, and apparently so much at his leisure as to 
 lead a person to think he was making little pro- 
 gress. In truth, however, the horsemen in com- 
 pany, of whom there are ten assigned as guards, 
 are obliged to amble along (for the Hindus seldom 
 trot) four or five miles an hour, to keep up with 
 him. 
 
 Before mentioning the elephants and the horse- 
 men, I should have introduced the Persian Munshi, 
 or Secretary, who goes with me as interpreter. 
 He is a Mussulman Hindu, who has acquired a 
 pretty good knowledge of our language at the Eng- 
 lish College at Delhi. He will be of great use to 
 me ; as, in addition to the knowledge of the lan- 
 guage, he is acquainted with the customs of the 
 people, and his pleasing manners render him not 
 unacceptable as a companion. 
 
 There are no hotels in this country; so that in 
 travelling it is necessary to take every thing along 
 that is needed for cooking, sleeping, &c. And 
 such is the division of labour among different castes, 
 who will not do any thing not pertaining to their 
 own class, that it requires no small number of men 
 to form an establishment. Thus, our present 
 company amounts to about sixty persons, includ- 
 ing myself, munshi, horseguard, and our respec- 
 12 
 
130 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 live domestic servants ; as also tent-pitchers, atten- 
 dants for the elephants, horses, &c. Large as this 
 number appears to be, I have the satisfaction of 
 knowing that it is smaller than the attendance of 
 most European travellers in the Panjab. 
 
 Crossing the Nullah, or moderate sized creek, 
 of clear beautiful water, which flows almost half 
 round Lodiana, our road led through fields of grain 
 covering the level sandy plains with a carpet of 
 green. We passed two or three small, ill-looking 
 villages, where the mud-houses of the people, their 
 cattle, and their grain, were all jumbled closely 
 together, and surrounded by a low clay wall. At 
 five or six miles distance, we came to the river 
 Sutlej. The water flows along in a naked channel 
 through the sandy plains which characterize this 
 part of India. There are a great many shoals, or 
 sand-bars, in the channel, which make their ap- 
 pearance at this time of year ; yet, in the main 
 channel there is rather a strong current, and about 
 ten feet depth of water. During the rainy season, 
 the waters of this river are spread over the country 
 two or three miles in breadth. Formerly, it ran 
 past Lodiana, where the Nallah now runs; but it 
 forsook that channel some fifty years ago — an 
 occurrence which one may suppose would not be 
 unfrequent, as the water receives a rapid impulse 
 in the mountainous regions, and the sandy soil of 
 the plains opposes but feeble resistance to their 
 progress. The ancient name of this, river was 
 Saludar — whence Hesudrus. It is the most eas- 
 tern of the five rivers from which the name Pun- 
 jab* is derived, and forms the boundary on the 
 east of that part of India. After continuing its 
 course forty miles from this place, it receives the 
 
 * From two India words, panj five; and ub, water. 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 131 
 
 Bias, the ancient Hyphasis , the second river of 
 the Punjab from the east; and thence, the united 
 stream is called the Gharra. At Uch, lower down 
 to the southwest, the river formed by the other 
 three rivers of the Panjab joins the Gharra; and 
 thenceforward, the name is Panjnad, which falls 
 into the Indus at Mithan Khol. We crossed the 
 Sutlej at a town called Filor, on the opposite bank, 
 where there is a Fort of some strength, garrisoned 
 by one hundred and fifty men, and a population of 
 six or seven thousand persons, chiefly Mussul- 
 mans. Here we encamped for the night on the 
 open plain near the town. 
 
 January 29. — Started this morning at 7 5 o'clock, 
 and came to Paghwarah, tenkos, or about thirteen 
 miles. The road led us past six or seven villages ; 
 some of them large, containing probably two or 
 three thousand inhabitants each. Many others 
 were in sight, and several had small forts, of no 
 great strength. Paghwarah contains probably fif- 
 teen thousand inhabitants. The houses and public 
 buildings make a better appearance than is usual 
 in cities pf India, a larger portion of them being of 
 brick than is common. The people are chiefly 
 Hindus; the Mussulmans have two mosques ; and 
 there are two or three hundred Sikhs. So we are 
 informed by the chief man of the town, himself a 
 a Sikh. There are a few Persian and Sanscrit 
 schools at this town, attended by a few scholars 
 each. The chief trade of the people is in the com- 
 mon white sugar of the country. The fort pre- 
 sents a formidable appearance at a distance. We 
 did not go near enough to examine it closely. 
 
 In the afternoon, a company of Nach girls came 
 to the place where our tents were pitched on the 
 plain, wishing to exhibit their skill in dancing, in 
 
132 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 order to obtain a present. There were about 
 twenty of them, attended by two or three men with 
 instruments of music. All were unveiled, and 
 were dressed in their richest finery. Nearly all 
 were quite young, probably not more than ten or 
 eleven years of age. As I did not wish to give 
 them any encouragement, they went away ap- 
 parently much disappointed. 
 
 This class of girls is to be found in all the large 
 towns and cities of India. Their profession, from 
 which they receive their name, is that of dancing 
 and singing; in which they are employed at all 
 feasts and joyous occasions. The Hindus consider 
 such amusements very disgraceful in themselves; 
 though they take great delight in witnessing the 
 performances of others. These poor girls are 
 universally of disreputable character; and their 
 number and style of dress afford one of the many 
 proofs which exist, that impurity extensively pre- 
 vails among this people. It is said that their 
 songs and dancing are often very indecent. This 
 general subject is a painful one to every Christian 
 mind, and requires the veil of silence to be drawn 
 over most of its aspects. Yet it would be a want 
 of faithfulness in missionaries not to advert to it at 
 all ; as thereby one of the most prominent evils of 
 Heathenism would awaken little sympathy. If 
 any of the views, however, which may be present- 
 ed, admit minuteness of statement and call for 
 peculiar concern, it is the affecting truth that the 
 great majority of this class are so very young. It 
 not only shows that they are early initiated, into 
 the grossest vice, but that their course in it is brief. 
 Soon they are discarded, wander about as beggars, 
 and perish miserably. 
 
 January 30. — Jhalandar, ten kos. We started 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 133 
 
 at six o’clock. The morning was cold and frosty, 
 the thermometer standing at 32° in the open air. 
 We passed two large villages, and saw several 
 others at a short distance ; from one part of the 
 road, no less than six, all of them but four or five 
 miles from all the others, and connected together 
 by the greenly covered field of grain. At one of 
 them there is a large mosque. The appearance of 
 villages in the northern parts of India is almost 
 every where the same. If rising ground can be 
 obtained, they are placed on the highest part; 
 which however, is seldom more than a few feet 
 elevated above the vast surrounding plains. The 
 houses are almost always built of clay or mud, as 
 is the wall which commonly encloses the town. — 
 There is greater neatness and cleanliness in the in- 
 terior of these villages than a person would expect 
 to see; but on the outside of the walls there is 
 much to offend more senses than one. I have 
 often been reminded of the expression in Revela- 
 tion, “ without are dogs.” These animals are by 
 no means held in such estimation in this country 
 as among western nations. Many of them run 
 wild, or unclaimed by any owner; and often seve- 
 ral of them may be seen, half-starved, sneaking, 
 and stupid in their appearance, preying on the 
 filthy, putrid matters that are thrown over the 
 walls. 
 
 The cultivated plains over which we are travel- 
 ling are said to yield two crops in the year ; the 
 first, of wheat and barley, sown in November, and 
 reaped in April; the second, of different kinds of 
 a native grain, generally called dal, sown or plant- 
 ed in July, and gathered in October. The seed of 
 the dal is used by the natives for food, and the 
 stalks make fodder for the cattle. The wheat and 
 
134 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 barley seem to be cultivated with great care. Often 
 it is planted in rows a few inches apart; and often 
 the seed has been so deposited as to spring up in 
 bunches or clusters of two or three stalks each. 
 
 Before reaching our stage to-day, we met a string 
 of sixty or seventy camels, loaded with salt. They 
 travel in “Indian file,” a cord being attached either 
 from the crupper or tail of the first, to the nose of 
 the second, and so on. The salt is brought from 
 Dadal Khan ka Pind, a place on the other side of 
 the Jilum, upwards of one hundred miles from La- 
 hor to the N. W. There is a range of salt hills, in 
 which, at some distance and partly descending, the 
 salt is found in solid mass of a reddish colour. It 
 is dug with sledges and hammers, and exported to 
 all parts of the Panjab; yielding a revenue at the 
 mines, it is'said, of more than a million and a half 
 of rupees. 
 
 Jhalandar, in the vicinity of which our tents are 
 pitched to-day, is a large, substantial-looking city. 
 It was formerly the residence of the Lodi race of 
 Aflghan kings (from whom the town of Lodiana 
 takes its name) who have left many traces of their 
 having made this place their home. It is surround- 
 ed by a high wall, partly of brick with bastions, 
 and partly of clay — has a large fort, and many 
 brick houses. The population is said to be forty 
 thousand ; chiefly Hindus, then Mussulmans, and 
 a few Sikhs. The country around is highly culti- 
 vated, and in the immediate vicinity are numerous 
 gardens, mango, pomegranate, orange, and rose 
 trees. — Our tents are near three large tombs, erect- 
 ed to perpetuate the names of former kings. But 
 their remembrance has passed away, and their 
 memorials are fast sharing the same lot, being in a 
 very ruinous condition. I estimated the smallest 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 135 
 
 one to be forty feet square, and twenty-five to the 
 commencement of the dome. The other two are 
 larger, and of different structure; but are also sur- 
 mounted by domes. This circumstance is proof 
 itself of the Mussulman faith of their builders. 
 They seem to be very fond of that kind of struc- 
 ture, probably because it forms so large a part of 
 the ornamental roofs of their sacred temple at 
 Mekka. They place domes, in this country, on 
 the tops of nearly all their mosques ; usually three ; 
 and on their tombs and other public buildings. 
 
 In the afternoon, the Thanadar, or Governor of 
 the city, came to pay his respects. He was attend- 
 ed by several of the chief men, and a crowd of 
 guards with long spears, making a little forest of 
 sharp points over their heads. I was indebted for 
 this mark of respect to my character as an Eng- 
 lishman; for such they think I am, and to my 
 travelling through the country at the Malta Rajah’s 
 invitation. The custom is for inferiors of respect- 
 ability, in approaching a person whom they regard 
 as superior, to offer a rupee or two on the folded 
 corner of their mantle; which was done this after- 
 noon ; but I think it best to decline receiving the 
 present. It is only meant as a matter of form. 
 After making some inquiries, I distributed tracts 
 to those among them who could read ; which were 
 accepted with many thanks; chiefly, I suppose, be- 
 cause they look on me as their superior, so that it 
 is a mark of favour from me. I am thankful, that 
 this adventitious dignity will probably secure a 
 careful perusal of these silent little messengers of 
 salvation. 
 
 January 31. — To Kaphurtalah, ninekos. Soon 
 after starting this morning, we passed two of the 
 twelve paklca villages which belong to the city of 
 
136 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 Jhalandar. Their houses and walls are all built of 
 burnt bricks (whence the name pakka) which gives 
 them a very superior appearance to that of many 
 Hindu villages. None of them are more than 
 three kos from the city. The district of Jhaland- 
 ar, including the city, is farmed for its revenue by 
 a Sdih chief, who pays two hundred thousand ru- 
 pees annually for the privilege to Ranjit Singh. — 
 When we got within a mile of our halting place, 
 we were met by a vakil, or kind of ambassador of 
 the Chief of this part of the country, mounted on 
 an elephant, and accompanied by eight or ten foot 
 soldiers with their muskets, who presented arms 
 as a salute, and then went before us, the vakil 
 riding by our side. For this mark of respect we 
 may thank, partly the circumstances under which 
 I make the journey, and partly the custom of the 
 country. We were conducted to a large and fine 
 dwelling, for this country, in a garden some dis- 
 tance outside of the walls of the city where the 
 Chief wished me to take up my quarters. 
 
 Fatteh Singh, the Chief of Kaphurtalah, is one 
 of the most powerful of the Sikh chiefs, having a 
 revenue of about seven laks of rupees, or three 
 hundred and fifty thousand dollars. He was for- 
 merly an independent prince but was obliged to be- 
 come a feudatory of Ranjit Singh, after being de- 
 prived of a considerable portion of his territories. 
 Part of his possessions lie in the district of country 
 between the Sutlej and the Jamna, under British 
 protection. The population of the town where he 
 resides is probably about ten thousand persons; 
 chiefly Hindus, then Mussulmans, and a few Sikhs. 
 It is a new town, and is apparently increasing with 
 much rapidity. Some of the public buildings are 
 large and not deficient in Hindu taste. The most 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 137 
 
 singular and extensive is a temple to Siva, erected 
 for the Hindus by the Chief, himself a Sikh. It 
 has a lofty pagoda-like structure at each corner of 
 a square, and a similar building in the centre of 
 larger dimensions. These pagodas are from thirty 
 to fifty feet high, with many gilded short spires 
 shooting up from various projections. In the after- 
 noon, the wind was very high and from the east. 
 The thermometer stood in the open air at 40°, 
 101°, and 50°, at sunrise, noon, and sunset. At 
 noon it stood at 61° in the shade. 
 
 February 2. — Yesterday I went to see the Chief, 
 and had much conversation with him and his at- 
 tendants. He is rather under the middle size, has 
 an intelligent countenance, dresses plainly — much 
 more so than his sons — and all his remarks evinced 
 strong good sense, though not much cultivation of 
 mind. I was struck with the frank, unceremoni- 
 ous, yet respectful manner in which all seemed to 
 address him. It wore something of a patriarchal 
 aspect, which the grave countenances and long 
 beards of the people rendered the more dignified. 
 It was interesting, also, to see Sikhs, Mussulmans, 
 and Hindus, mingled among the chief men of this 
 court, in the same manner as the mosques and 
 temples of these sects are seen standing in the 
 same streets of the town. I should think it very 
 probable, that in a few years, if favour still be 
 given, a branch of our mission might be estab- 
 lished here under promising prospects. Even now, 
 I think the Sardar could be persuaded to grant his 
 protection, if not his influence; and especially if 
 an English school were undertaken. 
 
 Our halting place to-day is at Bahrowal, eleven 
 or twelve kos from Kaphurtalah, on the opposite 
 bank of the Bias , the second river of the Panjab 
 
138 
 
 TODR TO LAUOR. 
 
 from the east. The Bias is here a pretty stream 
 of about one hundred yards in breadth. The 
 eastern bank is low, and covered with a deep fine 
 white sand, for a mile from the water. The other 
 bank is bolder, and is probably thirty feet high. 
 The town of Bahrowal stretches along the western 
 bank for two or three miles; but does not contain 
 more than five or six thousand inhabitants, who 
 are chiefly Hindus. It is a kind of landing-place 
 for rafts of timber, which are brought down the 
 river in the rainy season. But it does not present 
 the appearance of a business place; rather it ap- 
 pears to be on the decline. As usual, there are 
 no schools, and but few persons who can read. 
 
 February 3. — To Jandyala, eleven kos. The 
 country, to-day, has the same general appearance 
 that we have noticed on former days — level, sandy, 
 destitute of trees, stones, houses, or any thing to 
 break the uniformity of the landscape. There 
 were occasional fields of fine wheat, and a few 
 villages looking as uninteresting as usual. The 
 fields have now commonly a low, brier fence 
 around them. One is ready to wonder at the rich- 
 ness of the grain on so sandy a soil; but the soil 
 is rather a loam in which much sand is intermin- 
 gled, and which becomes very productive when 
 water can be applied to irrigate it. To obtain 
 water for this purpose, the Persian wheel is com- 
 monly employed. 
 
 To-day, as on former days, we met a number 
 of Cashmerians, emigrating from their lonely na- 
 tive valley, in search of employment and liveli- 
 hood. Through famine and oppression, the valley 
 of Cashmere is said to be now almost deserted; 
 containing probably less than one hundred thou- 
 sand inhabitants, and yielding no revenue at all, 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 139 
 
 where, some years ago, it is said, forty laks, or 
 four millions of rupees were collected. These 
 emigrants look very wretched, being ragged, dirty, 
 and often bare-headed, which in this country indi- 
 cates much deeper poverty, than to be bare-footed 
 does in other, at least in western countries. They 
 carry with them a few utensils for cooking, and 
 perhaps a small bundle of ragged clothes. The 
 men have usually fine, intellectual looking coun- 
 tenances, and are rather small in stature, and of 
 active make. The women may rank in their ap- 
 pearance among the poorer classes of emigrants 
 from Europe to America, and have frequently good 
 countenances and fine eyes, though not so remark- 
 able for beauty as some writers represent. They 
 are a very industrious people, and are now to be 
 found at nearly all the large towns in this region 
 of India, employed in manufacturing the various 
 fine fabrics for which their valley is so celebrated. 
 
 Jandyala presents rather a good appearance, as 
 many of the houses are built of brick. It is 
 always difficult to form a correct estimate of the 
 population of a Hindu town. There are seldom 
 any well ascertained statistics, never any records, 
 and the natives differ widely in their guesses. One 
 informant stated the inhabitants of this town at 
 thirty thousand. It probably contains about one- 
 third that number; chiefly Hindus of the Khsatriya 
 caste, one of the most respectable orders of the 
 community. There are, however, no schools of 
 any kind, and few are able to read. Those who 
 wish to have their children taught to read and write, 
 send them to Amritsir. There is a brick fort in 
 the immediate vicinity of this town, the walls of 
 which are probably twenty or twenty-five feet 
 high. It is smaller than one or two others we have 
 
140 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 seen, that were built in the same style. Scarcely 
 any of them would hold out, for any length of 
 time, against European artillery. Some of them 
 would tumble down at the first discharge. Yet 
 others display considerable acquaintance with mili- 
 tary science, having the same array of bastions, 
 ramparts, port-holes, ditches, drawbridges, &c., 
 that are common in European fortifications. 
 
 February 4. — Our ride this morning presented 
 nothing worthy of particular notice. The fields 
 of grain were more scattered than we observed on 
 former days, and large tracts of land were lying 
 waste. Two or three large villages on the road- 
 side, and some others at a distance, had the usual 
 appearance. When we had made about half our 
 march, we saw several lofty columns rising from 
 the city Amritsir, distant five or six miles. We 
 soon reached the city, and found our tents pitched 
 in a garden outside of the wall, at the north end. 
 This is one of the largest cities in the north of 
 India, as the population is supposed to be upwards 
 of one hundred thousand. It has the higher recom- 
 mendation of being a city not on the decline, but 
 of increasing prosperity. It is the emporium of 
 the Panjab, and' the chief mart of the fine fabrics 
 of Cashmere, and yields a revenue, it is said, of 
 five laks of rupees, (five hundred thousand,) 
 which is paid to the Maha Rajah by the Chief, 
 who has the farming of its collection; so that the 
 entire sum is probably much greater. 
 
 Like Benares among the Hindus, Amritsir is the 
 Sikh Athens and Jerusalem, being the place of 
 chief learning and sacredness. The cause of its 
 celebrity is undoubtedly the Sacred Reservoir, said 
 to have been formed by Guru Ram Das about the 
 year 1575. It has been once or twice profaned 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 141 
 
 by Mohammedan conquerors, yet has still been 
 regarded with the utmost veneration. It is the 
 chief place of resort among the Sikh pilgrims, and 
 has many daily devotees, who think their worship 
 becomes highly meritorious by being performed at 
 so sacred a place. Rajahs have vied with each 
 other in the richness of their offerings for its deco- 
 ration; and the number of learned Sikhs, who 
 constantly live in the cloisters around its pavement, 
 and in the booths on the margin of its waters, to 
 explain the sacred book, the Grantli, is so large, 
 as to diffuse almost a literary atmosphere over the 
 place of devotion. I went to see the reservoir, 
 though there was some danger attending the visit; 
 as there are always present many of the Mails, a 
 kind of desperate fanatics, who fear not God nor 
 man. It is a large square court, paved with bricks 
 along the four sides, which form what may be 
 termed the wharf of the sacred water. Along the 
 outside of the pavement there is a range of build- 
 ings with open doors or windows, facing the re- 
 servoir; and the various shady trees, which are 
 growing in the pavement, make the walk agreeable, 
 and are in good keeping with the serious character 
 of the place. The pool of water is about one 
 hundred yards square, and is probably ten or 
 twelve feet deep. It is supplied from a small canal, 
 brought from the river Ravi, at about thirty-five 
 miles distance. In the midst of the water stands 
 a small, but neat temple, covered over with neat 
 gilding, and connected with the pavement by a 
 causeway at one side. At the north side there is a 
 large and richly decorated temple to Guru Govind 
 Singh, near which is planted a lofty flag-staff, 
 covered with gold cloth. Both of these are objects 
 of great sacredness. At the edges of the pavement 
 
142 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 next the water are sundry small booths, or little 
 buildings, open at one side, and containing litde 
 else than a Granth and a Guru, a Sikh Bible and 
 a Sikh priest. 
 
 A number of boys accompanied us in our walk 
 around, and behaved very insolently; as did some 
 beggars; so that I was not sorry to see an additional 
 guard of policemen, and soon after a company of 
 soldiers, who were sent by the chief men of the 
 police, and by the Governor of the city, to pre- 
 vent any person from offering insult or violence. 
 It is usual for visiters to make an offering of money 
 to the Granth that is kept in the Gilt Temple. I 
 evaded compliance, as it would have been wrong 
 to do so, but softened the matter as much as I could 
 by ordering a few rupees to be given to the nume- 
 rous beggars. This measure was far from being 
 satisfactory. 
 
 No religious place that I have seen in India, not 
 even excepting those in Benares, seems to me as 
 well adapted to impress the minds of the deluded 
 worshippers with devotional feelings. Nor do I 
 recollect any so pleasing in its whole appearance, 
 nor in which there is so little to offend good taste. 
 It is a place where a Christian would love to see 
 temples to the living and the true God; and where 
 he would be delighted to observe the countenances 
 of the crowds of worshippers reflecting love and 
 Christian peace, instead of Pharisaical and despe- 
 rado hauteur. The Lord hasten the time when 
 this shall be the kind of remark which the passing 
 visiter has to make of the reservoir at Amritsir, 
 and of the people who resort there for religious 
 worship ! 
 
 In the evening the Sardar or Chief of this dis- 
 trict, Lehna Singh, paid a visit, ostensibly to the 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 143 
 
 garden grounds where the tents were pitched, but 
 really to see the “ Padri Sahib.” He is a very 
 sensible and thinking man. In the course of the 
 conversation, he adverted to the almost atheistical 
 principles or rather want of principles, which most 
 Europeans of his acquaintance manifested. See- 
 ing a thermometer and compass lying on the table, 
 he soon showed that he perfectly understood the 
 uses of each, and wished to know why the magnet 
 always pointed to the North. He referred to the 
 healing effects of some kind of metals when ap- 
 plied to different parts of the body, as an instance 
 of European science; and asked for the reason. 
 I saw that he had heard something about the 
 “ magnetic tractors” which were so famous in 
 France toward the close of the last century, and 
 explained to him their history. He then inquired 
 about the extent of my studies ; and finding I had 
 paid some attention to Geometry, mentioned that 
 he had an instrument which he did not know how 
 to use, and asked me to explain the mode. Making 
 a sketch of it with a pencil, it proved to be a quad- 
 rant, which he afterwards sent to me by one of his 
 most intelligent men. The Sardar wished to know 
 the mode of taking the longitude and latitude of a 
 place, and what instruments were necessary, and 
 wherein they differed from each other. He ad- 
 verted to spires of buildings becoming magnetic 
 after some year’s exposure; and also remarked, 
 that iron which had been some years exposed to 
 fire often becomes magnetized. He mentioned 
 seeing the stars in day-light, when in the valleys 
 between mountains, as a parallel example to a re- 
 mark I had incidentally made about seeing them 
 from the bottom of wells; and, in the interview, 
 
144 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 asked many questions about these and other sub- 
 jects, evincing both thought and observation, as 
 well as a judicious mind; while there was but lit- 
 tle shading of vanity in his manner, or disposition, 
 either to value himself on account of attainments 
 so unusual among his countrymen, or to make a 
 display of them to others. 
 
 I was highly gratified with the scientific part of 
 the interview; but regretted that religion did not 
 form a more prominent part of the conversation. 
 On proposing to present him with a Ghurmukhi 
 Testament, 1 found that he already possessed one; 
 and the attempt I made to introduce religious topics 
 through that door was prevented by the questions 
 already referred to. However, the latter may pre- 
 pare the way for the former. Lehna Singh is a 
 middle-aged man, of mild but dignified manners; 
 and greatly beloved, I understand, by his subjects. 
 He aids the Maha Rajah, when necessary, with a 
 quota of troops. His own revenues are said to be 
 about three hundred thousand rupees per year. 
 
 February 5. — To Jangri ka Phul, fourteen kos, 
 or twenty miles; for I have come to the conclusion 
 that the kos in this part of India is nearly, if not 
 altogether, equal to one and a half English miles. 
 The general face of the country is more than 
 usually barren, though there were many villages 
 and numerous karel trees. Our station to-day is 
 in the vicinity of the village already named, which 
 is not very large. 
 
 Thermometer at three P. M. in the shade, 60°. 
 A newly raised regiment is encamped in our vici- 
 nity. They muster about eight hundred men. 
 They are commanded by an Englishman. There 
 are three or four Englishmen, as many French- 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 145 
 
 met}, and one American, in Ranjit’s service. 
 Chiefly by the aid of one or two of the French 
 officers, a large part of his army has been organ- 
 ized and trained according to European tactics. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 TOUR TO LAIIOR — RANjiT SINGH. 
 
 Reach Lahor — Visits of two fakir courtiers — Interview 
 with the King — Conversations with the fakirs — Invita- 
 tions to see dancing girls declined — Mussulman version 
 of David’s repentance — Appearance of Lahor — An armed 
 Maulavi. 
 
 February 6. — To Lahor, twelve kos. From 
 Amritsir to this city there is a gradual descent in 
 the plain, so that a canal had been dug to supply 
 the latter place with water from the canal which 
 furnishes that important element to the good people 
 of Amritsir. This canal runs side by side with 
 the road, but is now dry ; and it is said another 
 has been formed for the same purpose. Lahor 
 lies rather south of west from Amritsir. The in- 
 tervening country exhibits a more barren appear- 
 ance, than >any other part of the Panjab we have 
 seen; though, owing probably to the vicinity of 
 the two cities just named, the number of villages 
 is greater. The soil is of a hard, dark, sandy 
 nature. About five miles from Lahor the whole 
 scene changes, and the road passes through an ex- 
 tremely fertile tract of country, covered with luxu- 
 riant wheat and fine gardens, and adorned with 
 beautiful mango and tamarind trees. One of the 
 gardens, the Shahlabagh, is a mile by half a mile 
 in extent, filled with orange, pomegrante, rose, and 
 13 
 
146 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 other beautiful trees. This tract is abundantly irri- 
 gated by means of numerous Persian wheels. 
 
 At two or three miles distance, we entered the 
 ruins of the Old city. A great many mosques, 
 temples, palaces, and tombs, are seen in every 
 direction, and in every stage of dilapidation. Some 
 are almost entire; but most are greatly injured. 
 Of some, the domes are yet unimpaired, while the 
 pillars which support them totter in every breeze, 
 and must soon share the common fate. These 
 ruins are very extensive ; so that Lahor may be 
 termed the Delhi of the Panjab, if not in the mag- 
 nificence, at least in the extent, of the ruins of its 
 former self. 
 
 The present city presents a good appearance at 
 a distance; as it is compactly built, and has seve- 
 ral lofty towers, and many brick houses of con- 
 siderable height. We were conducted to an exten- 
 sive garden of orange trees, in which a French 
 officer had erected a large summer residence. This 
 place has been assigned for our lodgings, and is all 
 that I could wish; as it is retired, and yet suffi- 
 ciently near the city, being about a quarter of a 
 mile outside of the walls. 
 
 In the afternoon, one of the chief men brought 
 the Ziafat, or present, with the addition of much 
 profession about the good understanding existing 
 between the British government and themselves. 
 This I was prepared to expect. He is a Fakir, 
 though nothing in his manner or appearance would 
 indicate that he is. He made many remarks of a 
 religious kind ; but they were common place and 
 indefinite in their nature. He introduced the sub- 
 ject of an English school in a very skilful manner; 
 inquiring successively, how I, who understood so 
 little of the native language, could teach the Eng- 
 
TOUR TO IAHOR. 
 
 147 
 
 lish; how I should act, if different pupils wished 
 to learn different branches ; who should decide. 
 The answers seemed to give much satisfaction, 
 and suggested another question, which I think was 
 the chief subject of his long interview, though he 
 presented it as if it were a matter of no impor- 
 tance; “If a Government established a school, who 
 should decide on the branches to be taught?” I 
 answered, “ The Government, certainly.” This 
 was “ very good,” he thought. ' I took care to add, 
 however, that if a Government should establish a 
 school, it would still be optional with persons pro- 
 posing to take charge of its instruction, to do so or 
 not, as they might approve or disapprove the plan 
 proposed; to which he assented. The whole con- 
 versation was as abstract as if we had been sitting 
 somewhere in the region of the north star ; but its 
 bearing on the points of interest here on the earth, 
 and at Lahor, is sufficiently obvious. 
 
 Fakir Nur Ud Din is very much of a courtier; 
 perhaps I should say, of an eastern statesman, in 
 his manners — grave, cautious, cool; yet abounding 
 in compliments, and apparently very self-compla- 
 cent. He has a fine large forehead, good eyes, and 
 greyish beard; is about fifty years of age, I should 
 think, and dresses plainly. 
 
 February 7. — Last night, a note came from Nur 
 Ud Din, to say, that he had communicated the 
 conversation of the interview to the Maha Rajah ; 
 who expressed much satisfaction, &c. — that his 
 brother, (the chief man here,) would come to see 
 me to-day, and wishing to know whether I would 
 prefer to pay my respects to-day or to-morrow. I 
 sent an answer, that I would prefer going to-day; 
 but would leave the Maha Rajah to decide. 
 
 To-day, Aziz Ud Din, the prime minister, call- 
 
148 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 ed, with a present from Ranjit Singh of pome- 
 granates and grapes; and afterwards, oranges, &c. 
 The conversation was miscellaneous, and a little 
 more of a business character than yesterday. It 
 turned, however, chiefly on the friendship sub- 
 sisting between the British and themselves, now 
 known to all the world, cementing the two nations 
 into one, causing them great joy to see the face of 
 any European. Then some inquiries about my 
 health; what would become of the school at Lodi- 
 ana, if I should leave; what had been the course 
 of my studies; whether including military science, 
 &c. Having mentioned that I expected some 
 friends to arrive, he inquired very particularly both 
 as to the time of their coming and my probable 
 leaving. 
 
 This Fakir, as well as his brother yesterday, 
 paid me some high and extravagant compliments; 
 chiefly expressive of their great joy at seeing me, 
 and the great pleasure my conversation gave them. 
 I have every reason to think they were perfectly 
 meaningless, if not insincere; yet an instance or 
 two will be amusing. Yesterday, the Fakir, said ; 
 “ The bud of my heart, (that is, my dearest bud,) 
 which was shut up, has been opened by the wind 
 of your conversation into a fine flower.” To-day, 
 at taking leave, the Fakir, in expressing his great 
 happiness at having the interview, said, that, “ I 
 was like a treasury of precious jewels, which he 
 could not obtain,” referring to my not being able to 
 communicate the knowledge to him which he sup- 
 posed I possessed. I was quite at fault when he 
 referred to “ an ancient tradition about the philoso- 
 pher’s stone which converted every thing into 
 gold; but if even a leaf intervened between the 
 stone and the material to be changed into gold, 
 
TOUR TO XAHOR. 
 
 149 
 
 then the latter received little benefit.” At first, I 
 thought the remark was intended as a display of 
 learning; but saw presently that it was a further 
 compliment in reference to the difficulty of com- 
 municating by an interpreter. This Fakir, is a 
 very different looking man from his brother. His 
 countenance indicates distrust and suspicion, yet 
 much sagacity. His conversation was marked 
 with good sense, less display, and a more direct 
 “coming to the point,” than that of his brother. 
 He has evidently been much in intercourse with 
 the world; and I detected him scrutinizing my 
 countenance with an almost embarrassing closeness. 
 He is about of middle stature, dressed very plainly, 
 and wears a full beard, dyed blue by way of orna- 
 ment. 
 
 February 8. — We went, about 9 o’clock, to pay 
 our respects to the Maha Rajah. He was seated 
 in an open hall on the highest ground in the enclo- 
 sure where his palace is erected, and was sur- 
 rounded by about a dozen of his chief men, all 
 dressed very richly, and sitting on very rich crim- 
 son cushions. After being seated on the floor like 
 the rest, and after exchanging the usual compli- 
 ments, I presented the English Bible and Gur- 
 rnukhi Pentateuch I had brought with me for that 
 purpose. He then asked, without any further in- 
 troduction, “Where is God?” “It would be as 
 easy to answer the question, Where is he not?” 
 “ Well, if you don’t know where God is, how can 
 you worship him?” Inferring from what I saw, it 
 was their intention to make a trial of my skill in 
 such subjects, I answered more fully: “We do 
 know that God is every where present; though 
 he specially reveals himself in heaven; that he can 
 see us, though we cannot see him ; and that he 
 
150 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 has made known in his holy word, (pointing to 
 the Bible I had presented,) how we should wor- 
 ship him.” The answer appeared very satisfac- 
 tory. “ What precepts has God given in his 
 word ?” I mentioned the two great commandments ; 
 which also gave much satisfaction. “ But what 
 will be done to those who disobey his command- 
 ments ?” “God will punish them with eternal 
 suffering in the next world.” “ If so, why do 
 rulers punish men who commit murder, for in- 
 stance, in this world?” “ Rulers are appointed 
 by God to punish in this world many kinds of 
 wickedness; but all will have to give an account, 
 in the next world, to God, both rulers and sub- 
 jects.” He inquired if that was so written in our 
 Scriptures. I took occasion, then, to mention that 
 “ Christians believe that they may avoid the suf- 
 fering in the next world which is due to all men 
 for sin, by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.” 
 The questions proposed subsequently did not ap- 
 pear to be intended to “ gravel” me; but rather to 
 be prompted by Sikh curiosity. Having inquired 
 about my learning, and whether it included mili- 
 tary and medical branches, he made some inquiries 
 about his interview with the Governor General, 
 two or three years ago at Rupar. Then he inquir- 
 ed about my acquaintance with horses; and rising 
 from his cushion he led the way to an outer hall, 
 where being again seated, he asked further ques- 
 tions about my health; whether married; why I 
 wore crape on my hat ; why I wore spectacles, 
 &c., to all which I gave briefly the proper answers. 
 Then, telling me that the Fakir would come to 
 see me, and to talk about other subjects, permis- 
 sion was given to take leave. 
 
 February 9. — Yesterday afternoon, Fakir Aziz 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 151 
 
 Ud Din came again to see me, and two boys pre- 
 sently arrived, wishing to study English under my 
 direction while I remain here. They are the sons 
 of one of the chief ministers. Before they came, 
 the Fakir, inquiring about the books lying on the 
 table, wished to hear me read out of the Greek 
 Testament. I turned to the latter part of the third 
 chapter of John’s Gospel, and read the distinct 
 testimony there given to our Saviour’s mission. 
 Polite as the Fakir was determined to be, his Mus- 
 sulman prejudices would not allow him to say 
 “durust khub,” (good, excellent,) to all that was 
 read; though he did not manifest the opposition I 
 expected. I had an opportunity of explaining the 
 sense in which Christians hold the doctrine of 
 Father and Son, in the Trinity, which is so very 
 offensive to the Mohammedans, partly because they 
 understand our creed in the sense those terms con- 
 vey in regard to human relations. Afterwards, I 
 read the apostle’s glowing and sublime account of 
 the resurrection, in the 15th chapter of 1st Corin- 
 thians; with which he was much pleased. The 
 more I see of this man, the higher my opinion rises 
 of his talents and address. There is a sound of 
 sincerity also in his voice, which is pleasing, even 
 though one cannot trust it, because contradicted by 
 the sinister expression of his eye. 
 
 In the afternoon to-day, it was announced that 
 the “ Bara Fakir,” the chief Fakir, was coming — 
 this same man — and presently the news was 
 brought, that he had stopped to say his prayers in 
 the garden. About a quarter of an hour afterwards, 
 he made his appearance, and told me himself that 
 he had been at prayers. I made some remarks 
 about that being a good employment, which led to 
 a long series of remarks and quotations from the 
 
152 
 
 TOUR TO I/AHOR . 
 
 Koran, in Arabic, on the subject of religion, as if 
 he were determined to inflict punishment for the 
 Greek of yesterday. He assented to an observa- 
 tion, that prayers should not be made to be seen of 
 men, and that they should be from the heart, with 
 much cordiality ; and went on to give illustrations, 
 which were very appropriate. He informed me 
 at last that he was a Sufi Mussulman, (nearly a 
 freethinker in that church,) and believed in all the 
 prophets; Jewish, Christian, and Mussulman, to 
 the number of many thousand. 
 
 One thing in which we both agreed was, that 
 we should not reason or dispute about any thing 
 that God makes known for us to believe; but 
 should receive it at once. I stipulated, however, 
 that we should exercise our reason to judge what 
 God had revealed, or what book contained his will. 
 To this he agreed after some demurring. I then 
 wished him, as he was a learned Mussulman, to 
 tell me, in some of his visits, why he believed the 
 Koran to be the word of God. The request was 
 obviously not very agreeable. However, he quot- 
 ed, in a sort of singing, or chanting tone, a long 
 Arabic sentence from the Koran about God, as our 
 Creator, Preserver, &c.; and ended with telling 
 me, that Mohammed had challenged the Arabs to 
 produce any thing equal to a chapter of the Koran, 
 which he, (the Prophet,) though illiterate, had 
 spoken to them ; and, if they could not do so, then 
 they should believe in his mission. The inference 
 from the Fakir’s argument was obvious ; but as I 
 had previously obtained his consent to hear me 
 explain our religion at some other time, I deemed 
 it best to wave argument on this occasion. 
 
 In the evening, a guard of forty soldiers was 
 sent. It would be useless to decline their service ; 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 153 
 
 as it would be said they are necessary for the Maha 
 Rajah’s dignity, if not for mine. 
 
 February 11. — At an early hour to-day, the 
 Maha Rajah sent one of his officers to conduct me 
 to pay him a visit. He was encamped on the 
 plain about two miles from the city, preparatory 
 to going on a hunting excursion. A regiment of 
 fine looking men were on guard, and a considera- 
 ble number of fine horses, in which Ranjit takes 
 great pleasure; and some elephants were also 
 brought forward for purposes of parade. The 
 tent, which was quite large, was made of fine Cash- 
 mere shawls. In the Rajah’s immediate presence 
 there was no particular display of state on this 
 occasion. 
 
 He received me with much favour; which I 
 soon perceived was owing not a little to his having 
 heard from his Envoy at Calcutta, that some kind 
 friends there, who are high in office, wished him 
 to show me kind attentions. It is almost amusing 
 to see the anxiety which pervades this court, to 
 please the English authorities. He made some 
 remarks about my having begged to decline accom- 
 panying him on his hunting tour; and promised to 
 send for me, if he should find any lions or tigers. 
 
 A few days ago, he had sent me an invitation to 
 be present at a public entertainment; which I had 
 accepted at first, but afterwards, on further reflec- 
 tion, had desired to be excused from going, as I 
 learned that a part of the amusement was to con- 
 sist in the dancing of the Nach girls. The cir- 
 cumstance was quite an awkward one, and I fear 
 gave offence; but I feel glad to have been led to 
 think of the impropriety of being present, before 
 it was too late to draw back. To-day, a good 
 many of his remarks had an indirect reference to 
 14 
 
154 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 that circumstance. He inquired particularly about 
 our liberty to drink wine, which was part of the 
 amusement, and which, knowing the scruples of 
 the Mussulmans, he may have supposed to have 
 been my real motive for declining. However, I 
 honestly explained, that our religion forbids all 
 loose conduct in women, and also all encourage- 
 ment of such conduct by men; and that I could 
 not be present without thereby giving the sanction 
 of my influence to the shameful profession of these 
 girls. He said something about their performance 
 being in his presence, and not at my house, and 
 added, “If you have not seen the Nach girls of 
 Lahor, what have you seen ?” The higher classes 
 in this country are passionately fond of witnessing 
 these dances. But I persisted in thinking that the 
 influence of my example would be the same in 
 either case, and in declining, with as good a grace 
 as I could, to see them. When he found 1 was 
 firm, he paid some compliments to my consistency. 
 I note this circumstance the more readily, because 
 it throws some light upon the corrupt manners of 
 this court, and because I felt thankful at having the 
 opportunity of partially explaining the precepts of 
 our religion in regard to a vice which is so very 
 common in that dark land. 
 
 February 12. — Fakir Nur Ud Din to-day re- 
 marked, that in his religion their prayers were in 
 Arabic, according to certain forms; and wished me 
 to tell him about our forms of prayer. I mentioned 
 that we were required to pray with the understand- 
 ing, and therefore made use of a language which 
 we could understand; and that our Sacred Scrip- 
 tures teach us how to pray, and what to pray for, 
 but give us few forms. After reading Matthew vi. 
 5 — 13, we had a long conversation on religion, as 
 
TOUR TO LABOR. 
 
 155 
 
 to the mode of obtaining pardon for sin. He urged 
 that it was only necessary to be sorry for it. I 
 referred him to the course of human justice, which 
 mere sorrow could not arrest, and explained to him 
 our belief in the satisfaction which Christ has made. 
 He then professed to believe in the Pentateuch, 
 the Gospels, and the Koran; in Moses, Christ, and 
 Mohammed. I referred him to some of the points, 
 not only of difference, but of contradiction, be- 
 tween the latter and the former; especially, that 
 the one requires confidence in Christ Jesus, as 
 Mediator between God and men, and in no other; 
 while the other requires the same confidence in 
 Mohammed, and in no other. He professed to 
 believe them both ! 
 
 February 15, Lord's Day. — The chief Fakir 
 came and spent two or three hours in conversation 
 concerning various important topics of religion. I 
 was glad to find that his brother and himself had 
 been talking the matter over since our last conver- 
 sation; and this man, to-day, seemed anxious to 
 show that repentance for sin was sufficient in the 
 sight of God to secure its forgiveness. This he 
 illustrated by quoting the example of David, in 
 reference to the sin against Uriah. I was amused 
 at the appearance of the narrative after its Mussul- 
 man transmigration: “David was at prayer, during 
 which it is a great sin to think of any thing else, 
 when a very beautiful bird appeared very near 
 him. He was tempted to try to catch it; but it 
 hopped away further and further, until it led him 
 to the parapet of the roof, and then it flew away. 
 But he was thus led to see the wife of his prime 
 minister bathing herself, &c. Then, after he was 
 convinced of his sin, by means of a quarrel be- 
 tween two men, one rich and the other poor, about 
 
156 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 a camel, lie fasted and wept at the tomb of Uriah, 
 until he obtained his forgiveness for some unknown 
 crime; but God would not confirm the pardon, 
 unless he would obtain Uriah’s forgiveness for the 
 crime, after making it known to him. Again David 
 fasted and prayed, and wept, for many, many 
 months, at the tomb, and at last God forgave him.” 
 I turned to the simple and affecting parable of 
 Nathan, and read it, and also the verses in which 
 punishment was denounced — a part of the narra- 
 tive which the Mussulman account of the story 
 omits. This answered two purposes; it showed 
 one instance of difference between the Koran and 
 the Bible; and it showed that justice must be 
 satisfied. The Fakir saw the force of another 
 remark — that we are always under the highest ob- 
 ligation to love and serve God; and therefore can- 
 not, in future, atone for past sins, and exclaimed, 
 “ Then, what must a man do who has been an 
 infidel for twenty years? Must he always suffer 
 punishment?” This gave me a fine opportunity 
 of mentioning the method of escape through the 
 merits of Christ. I illustrated these remarks by 
 a reference to my own hopes, which seemed to 
 interest his mind. 
 
 In regard to the oneness of the Mussulman and 
 Christian systems, the great argument always is, 
 that God may give additional revelation, adapted 
 to the circumstances of different people. After 
 pointing out some essential points of difference, I 
 explained that God had made known that the 
 Gospel was intended for all men in all ages; and 
 therefore it implied a reflection both on his un- 
 changeableness and his wisdom, as well as his 
 truth, to admit the Mussulman system. He asked 
 where it was expressly written that it was intended 
 
TOUR TO LAIIOR. 
 
 157 
 
 always for all. I referred to the commission given 
 by our Saviour at the close of Matthew’s and 
 Mark’s Gospels, and also the solemn conclusion 
 of the Bible in the last of Revelation. It struck 
 me as singular, that those Fakirs should wish to 
 claim a brotherhood for their system with the 
 Christian. Perhaps it is owing partly to infidelity 
 as to any system, and partly to a wish to rank res- 
 pectably in the eyes of those whom they see to be 
 so much their superiors in other respects, as Chris- 
 tians usually are. 
 
 At parting with this man to-day, I gave him 
 three tracts, and could not but feel grateful that 
 my situation or standing is here so regarded as to 
 secure for them a thankful acceptance, and pro- 
 bably a careful perusal. This is one advantage of 
 making this journey under the circumstances I 
 have made it, to balance some serious disadvan- 
 tages, that it gives me access to some of the most 
 influential persons in the community. The Lord 
 bless the truth presented in this conversation ! 
 The congregation was small — the Fakir, one at- 
 tendant, and the interpreter — but their souls are of 
 infinite worth, and their conversion would, in hu- 
 man view, produce unspeakably important results. 
 
 February 21. — I have spent several afternoons 
 in “ sight-seeing,” in visiting the principal public 
 buildings and places of interest. The first was a 
 large mosque, from the top of one of whose min- 
 arets there is an extensive view of the city and 
 country around. It is in a bad state of repair, and 
 contains nothing worthy of notice, unless it be a 
 kind of inlaying of clay, resembling porcelain, and 
 painted with bright and very durable colours, as 
 they still retain their lustre, though upwards of 
 two hundred years old. Next day, we went to 
 
158 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 see the mosque built by the great Akbar, at the 
 north extremity of the city. It has three domes, 
 faced on the outside with white marble, and its 
 four large and lofty minarets, faced with a fine 
 red sandstone, are among the most conspicuous 
 objects in the city. But now all is in a state of 
 ruinous decay, the whole place being used as bar- 
 racks for a company of infantry, who pile up their 
 arms in one apartment of the most sacred part of 
 the mosque, while they sleep in another. These 
 minarets are probably one hundred and twenty 
 feet high. It is said that this mosque was built 
 after the model of the Juma Masjid, at Delhi; but 
 it is every way inferior to that celebrated building. 
 A branch of the Ravi washes the northern founda- 
 tion of this mosque. The palace of Akbar con- 
 tains one tolerably good hall of audience, open on 
 three sides, supported by graceful marble columns, 
 and having a recess on the fourth side for the royal 
 seat — all on the same plan, and nearly as good as 
 in the palace at Delhi. But in what a changing 
 world we live ! In the hall where suppliant princes 
 once knelt in the great emperor’s presence, Ran- 
 j it now keeps picketed among the marble columns 
 some half a dozen horses ! There are various 
 apartments adjoining this hall of audience; some 
 of them designed for the females of the Rajah’s 
 family; others covered with paintings of Hindu 
 gods and goddesses. Among the paintings are 
 two representing Ranjil as a suppliant, but stand- 
 ing before Guru Nanak and Guru Govind Singh; 
 while another is intended to represent his interview 
 with Lord William Bentinck at Rupar. The Eng- 
 lish people, in the hands of the artist, have been 
 made to present a most ridiculous appearance. 
 The art of painting is obviously in a rude state 
 
TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 159 
 
 among these people. But these efforts attracted 
 many exclamations of good, good, from the attend- 
 ants. The best parts of the display of taste are 
 the numerous jets d’eau, to keep the air fresh and 
 cool. 
 
 In visiting these “ lions” of the city, we usually 
 rode on an elephant — the best mode in such dirty 
 streets as we had to traverse. A sewer, containing 
 black, filthy mud and water, runs in the middle of 
 every street, threatening defilement, unless a per- 
 son is elevated too high to be spattered when a 
 galloping horse dashes along. The streets, more- 
 over, are all so very narrow that two elephants 
 cannot pass, nor even a camel and an elephant, as 
 we had frequent opportunities of seeing, and some- 
 times at no little expense of patience, in waiting 
 until the way could be made clear. To meet a 
 string of some twenty or thirty camels, as we did 
 one evening, is no very agreeable matter to a per- 
 son who may wish to lose no time. 
 
 The houses are from three to five stories high, 
 and nearly all built of bricks that have been dug 
 out of the ruins of the old city. Their appear- 
 ance, therefore, is quite in keeping with that of the 
 streets. They are built very densely together; the 
 narrow bazars are crowded, and the streets are full 
 of people ; so that the population seems to be very 
 great, and not to be diminishing, as I had under- 
 stood. The walls of the city, and its mosques, 
 and the fort, certainly do present the appearance of 
 decay. But that seems to be owing to the Maha 
 Rajah’s neglect. He takes more interest in build- 
 ing up Amritsir. The population of Lahor cannot 
 be less, I should think, than one hundred thousand; 
 yet the present city is a mere village compared with 
 the ancient, if an opinion may be formed from the 
 
160 
 
 TOUR TO LAHOR. 
 
 ruins of the latter. Those extend about four or 
 five miles in length, by three in breadth; and even 
 now, upwards of fifty large mosques, and other 
 public buildings remain, besides a great number of 
 smaller ones — all, however, in a most ruinous 
 condition. 
 
 February 23. — To-day, a respectable Maulavi 
 came to see me. He had a sword sticking at one 
 side of his sash, and a pistol at the other. In other 
 respects, his appearance was very pleasing, being 
 a middle-aged man, of an intelligent, lively counte- 
 nance. I inquired how he accounted for the appa- 
 rent change in the spirit of Mussulmans, so that 
 we now seldom hear of force being employed to 
 make converts ; and also, how he justified the use 
 of the sword in making proselytes. The questions 
 were rather difficult to answer. However, he re- 
 ferred to the command of God in the Koran — 
 thought the practice proper only when the infidels 
 refused to believe after suitable efforts had been 
 made to convince them, and concluded with the 
 usual remark, that it is not proper to reason about 
 God’s commandments. The latter remark I, of 
 course, assented to, when we know what God has 
 commanded, but not till then. I explained to him 
 our mode of advocating Christianity; adding, that, 
 as to those who refuse to believe in Jesus, we think 
 it both their loss and their sin. For the former, 
 we pity them ; and, as to the latter, we are not 
 able to punish them as they deserve, but prefer to 
 leave them in the hands of God ; and then asked, 
 which plan he thought most honourable to the 
 character of God? After approving of our method, 
 he evaded expressing an opinion as to which is 
 best. On promising him the loan of a Testament, 
 he took leave. He says there are about a dozen 
 Maulavis in this city. 
 
HUNTING EXCURSION. 
 
 161 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 RANJIT SINGH’S HUNTING EXCURSION NOTES ON THE PAN- 
 
 JAB, AND THE SIKHS. 
 
 Leave Lahor for the hunting ground — Hunting Company 
 — Manner of despatching business at Court — Dismission 
 granted — Notes on the Panjdb and the Sikhs. 
 
 February 28. — Agreeably to an arrangement made 
 within the last few days, I left Lahor this after- 
 noon, to join the Maha Rajah on the hunting 
 ground. Fakir Nur Ud Din came to conduct me 
 out of the city. We had some conversation about 
 the prophecies contained in our Sacred Scriptures, 
 which grew out of an inquiry of his about the fore- 
 telling of the future by astrology. He wished to 
 know what would come to pass according to our 
 prophecies. After referring him to several that 
 have been fulfilled, I read some passages out of 
 Isaiah concerning the future progress of the gos- 
 pel. They appeared interesting to him, though he 
 did not express any opinion about them. I could 
 not but offer up a silent prayer that we may soon 
 witness their fulfilment. Afterwards, I gave him 
 about a dozen of tracts, as a parting gift; with 
 which he was pleased. Crossed the Ravi about 
 six miles to the southwest, and encamped in the 
 midst of wheat fields two or three miles from the 
 ferry. The waters of this river are of a red 
 muddy colour. It flows here through a flat coun- 
 try, and is about forty or fifty yards wide. The 
 fields of grain on its banks are extremely fine. 
 
 March 1, Lord's Day. — Halted to-day, though 
 not so much to the satisfaction of the people as on 
 a former occasion. W'ord has been received that 
 
162 
 
 HUNTING EXCURSION. 
 
 a tiger has been found, and they are anxious to 
 reach the hunting party so as to partake in the 
 sport. The Maha Rajah, too, would no doubt 
 prefer my omitting to observe this day ; but it is 
 better to please God than man. 
 
 March 2 . — To Mahadevi, ten miles over a bar- 
 ren heath, without any cultivation, or any produc- 
 tion, except a sort of desert grass and some stunted 
 thorn-trees. We learned, as we drew near the 
 camp, that the tiger had been killed yesterday, 
 much to the regret of the people with me. 
 
 In the afternoon I went with the Maha Rajah 
 and his people on their daily hunt. The company 
 was very singular in appearance to my eye, con- 
 sisting of several hundred men, in white, yellow, 
 and red, and often very rich, robes and uniforms; 
 some on elephants, of which there were nearly 
 thirty; some on camels; many on all sorts of 
 horses, from the very finest to the most sorry; and 
 more still on foot, some carrying guns, others 
 swords, others spears and shields; some leading 
 dogs, others carrying falcons ; and all this caval- 
 cade in the midst of a barren plain, covered only 
 with densely standing long grass, and scrub thorn 
 bushes. YVe took a circuit of several miles, but 
 started nothing, except a few birds and deer. 
 There is no little enthusiasm of feeling on such an 
 occasion; and I was not sorry to have the oppor- 
 tunity of seeing this favourite sport of eastern 
 kings. Had some miscellaneous conversation with 
 the Rajah by the way, and more after our return. 
 Almost the only topic of importance was a state- 
 ment, on being asked if I had read the books of 
 different religious systems, that the Christian reli- 
 gion differed from others chiefly in teaching that 
 all men are sinners, and that Christ died to open 
 
NOTES ON THE PANJAB, ETC. 163 
 
 the way for pardon to be given; and hence it is 
 that we love him so much. To all which, at the 
 end of each clause, the Maha Rajah gave his short, 
 but expressive “ thik" — good. I was not sorry 
 to find that my declining to see the dancing girls 
 had been thought about; and it led to a question or 
 two which opened the door for stating the seventh 
 commandment, and some other duties. 
 
 March 3. — To a village five miles east of Ma- 
 hadevi. While at the Court, after arriving, the 
 Maha Rajah transacted some business of an unim- 
 portant nature. It was curious to see the half- 
 business, half-conversational manner of their pro- 
 ceeding. As each item was mentioned, something 
 was said by him either of approbation, or to modify 
 it — which was assented to by the courtiers seated 
 around, who had hardly ventured even to make a 
 suggestion; while anecdotes, remarks a^put differ- 
 ent persons, queries to myself, <fcc. occupied so 
 much attention, that only the writers appeared to 
 be employed in business. They watched their 
 opportunity, when there was any interval in the 
 miscellaneous talk, to read the statement they were 
 making. I had mentioned during the ride, that if 
 the Granth were a printed book it would not cost 
 more probably than twenty rupees. This remark 
 the Rajah repeated in court, and it became the sub- 
 ject of a good deal of conversation. A manuscript 
 copy costs from one hundred to two hundred ru- 
 pees. 
 
 March 4. — To the encampment between the 
 three villages about four miles south of yesterday’s 
 halting place. The Maha Rajah set out in the 
 morning without sending me word of his move- 
 ments. I was not sorry to have the opportunity of 
 declining to go in the sun, and so refused to fol- 
 
164 
 
 NOTES ON THE PANJAB 
 
 low, until I should be so inclined. This measure 
 no doubt was not gratifying; but I do not feel it 
 to be a duty to ride in the sun and dust among the 
 crowd where so little seems now likely to be 
 gained for any general object. 
 
 March 5. — This afternoon I obtained my dis- 
 mission. Previously the chief minister had in- 
 formed me of the Khilat, or present, that would be 
 given; which, though it is customary to give on 
 such occasions, was yet on a much more liberal 
 scale, than I had expected. The Maha Rajah was 
 in high good humour when we were present. I 
 took opportunity to explain my connection with 
 the Missionary Society, and that the presents he 
 had been so kind as to give me, would be made 
 over to them. He listened with a half-incredulous 
 air ; but it occurred to me to illustrate the matter 
 by a refinance to a rule of the East India Compa- 
 ny, requiring their servants to deliver all presents 
 that may be made to them to the proper officer. 
 "With this rule he is well acquainted, and the refer- 
 ence seemed satisfactory, but led to various ques- 
 tions about the society : Is it a Government Com- 
 pany? What objects? I explained the manner 
 in which funds were raised; and that they were 
 given thus by religious people, to promote religion 
 and education; and also, that those who were sent 
 as missionaries were influenced by religious mo- 
 tives, receiving from the Societies merely what 
 was sufficient for their comfortable support; add- 
 ing, that some of them might have received larger 
 salaries at home. This he evidently did not be- 
 lieve; but he seemed interested by the explana- 
 tion; praised the conduct of the people in forming 
 such a Society; wished to know if I would give 
 them these presents; and added, that I must tell 
 
AND THE SIKHS. 
 
 165 
 
 them, at any rate, that he gave the horse (a fine 
 Turkman pony) to myself, not to the Society. 
 When I had explained that the Society was not a 
 Government concern, he wished to know about 
 the padris, what connection they had with the 
 Government. I explained, that it was merely that 
 of other citizens. “ What! if a padri commits a 
 crime, will they punish him like another man?” 
 “ Certainly.” This he deemed wonderful ; and 
 certainly it is very different from the impunity 
 with which the akalis commit the most disgraceful 
 crimes here. I could not but feel grateful for the 
 difference. I was very glad to have the opportu- 
 nity of making this explanation in regard to these 
 presents. It may remove, in part, the impression 
 that I am influenced merely by selfish and pecu- 
 niary views. But I fear this impression will re- 
 main, notwithstanding, on the minds of many of 
 these people. On the whole, I think it would have 
 been better to have declined receiving any of the 
 presents, if it could have been done without giving 
 too much offence. 
 
 In the evening, the chief Fakir came to bid me 
 good-bye; and afterwards the Rajah’s chief Mun- 
 shi, Kahand Chand, who has been with me, by 
 the appointment of Ranjit Singh, since leaving 
 Labor. The latter is a most respectable man, of 
 clear, good mind, and pleasing manners, without 
 the obsequiousness so common, and with much 
 apparent sincerity. I have become much interested 
 in him. We had a good deal of conversation, 
 chiefly on religious subjects. He inquired what 
 was the appearance of God, how we could think 
 of him, &c. In reply, I illustrated my remarks 
 by referring to our own spirits. He seemed inte- 
 rested in hearing of the way our Sacred Scriptures 
 
166 
 
 NOTES ON THE PANJAB 
 
 teach that sin can be pardoned, and also of the in- 
 tellectual and social elevation of the female sex in 
 Christian countries. He wished to know whether 
 their advantages were owing to our religion, or to 
 our usage or custom. I told him of their condition 
 when our forefathers were heathens. Expressing 
 his warm wishes that my health may be restored, 
 so that I might remain in this country, and he 
 might become better acquainted with me in future; 
 kind feelings which I sincerely reciprocated with 
 my best wishes in return; we exchanged our last 
 farewell. I could not but feel sorry at parting 
 with these men. In many respects, they are inte- 
 resting men, whose acquaintance I have been glad 
 to make, and with whom my intercourse has been 
 of both a varied and friendly nature. But now we 
 have parted, most probably never to meet again. 
 What a precious hope Christian friends enjoy 
 when separated! Whatever be their path on earth, 
 they can look upwards to a place of meeting, to 
 say. Farewell, no more for ever! 
 
 The following summary views of the informa- 
 tion acquired during this tour was communicated 
 to the Secretary of the Society, on returning to 
 Lodiana. 
 
 1. Population . — It is not easy to form an esti- 
 mate that would be at all exact. It is probable 
 that Ranjit Singh’s rule extends over two mil- 
 lions of persons; of whom the greater part occupy 
 the country bounded by the Sutlej, the Indus, and 
 the Himalaya mountains, including the valley of 
 Cashmere, and the Hill States on the south-wes- 
 tern sides of those mountains from the river Sutlej 
 to Cashmere. Ranjit has, within the last few 
 years, made some conquests on the other side of 
 the Indus; and has, at present, the possession of 
 
AND THE SIKHS. 
 
 167 
 
 Pesliawer, one of the chief Affghan cities. It is 
 doubtful whether he will be able, or deem it ex- 
 pedient, to retain those conquests. 
 
 2. Climate . — The name Panjab, in strict pro- 
 priety, belongs only to the plains; while a large 
 section of the country, descending from the Hima- 
 laya mountains, is quite hilly. Both these regions, 
 and also part of the region south and east of the Sut- 
 lej, are classed by the older writers under the gene- 
 ral name of the Provinces of Lahor; of which the 
 population is said to be about four million. The 
 climate of the plains is much more oppressively 
 hot during the warm season of the year, that is, 
 from March to November, than that of the hills. 
 The heat is probably as great as in almost any part 
 of Upper India; and there is the same variation of 
 seasons, as hot, rainy, <fcc. In the cold season the 
 thermometer falls as low sometimes as the freez- 
 ing point, in the plains. Last winter, in which 
 there were some very cold mornings, the thermo- 
 meter, at Lodiana, was once down to 28° in the 
 open air at sunrise. Lodiana is in nearly the same 
 latitude as Lahor, and about equally distant from 
 the hills. Throughout this region, the hot winds 
 begin to blow in April, and are very trying to the 
 constitution of foreigners. 
 
 3. Language . — The spoken language seems to 
 be substantially that of the Hindus generally. It is, 
 however, called the Panjabi, and contains an admix- 
 ture of many Persian words. There are three or 
 four characters in use: the Persian, for the Per- 
 sian language, and also for the Hindustani ; the 
 Dev Nagar'i, for the Hindui, which differs but 
 little from the Hindustani; the Gurmuk/n, for the 
 written language of the Sikhs; the Kashmiri, for 
 the written language of Cashmere. The two last 
 
168 
 
 NOTES ON THE PANJAB 
 
 characters are obviously derived from the Nagari; 
 and I should think the dialects, which receive these 
 names, differ but little from the common language 
 of the Hindus. 
 
 4. Education. — It is not probable that one per- 
 son of every hundred is able to read. Of those 
 who can read, the four-fifths, probably, read only 
 the Persian. A few of the Sikhs read the Gur- 
 mukhi; and a few of the Gashmerians, perhaps, 
 read Kashmiri. I say perhaps ; for I never met 
 with a Cashmerian who could read that character'; 
 though I have met with several who could read the 
 Persian. 
 
 Of those, who acquire a knowledge of their 
 written language, few learn any thing beyond the 
 simplest rudiments. There are scarcely any books, 
 and there are none adapted for purposes of instruc- 
 tion. The schools are very few, and under the 
 worst management. Sometimes the teachers are 
 paid by religious persons, or else, as is most com- 
 mon, are themselves religious persons, such as 
 Fakirs. In other instances, a trilling sum is paid 
 by each scholar. No effort is made to discipline, 
 or excite the minds of the scholars. Every thing 
 is learned by rote. In the Mussulman schools, for 
 higher scholars, one of the first things is to teach 
 the boy to read the Koran in Arabic, without even 
 pretending to teach him the meaning of a single 
 word. And this is considered rather a high attain- 
 ment. It is common for Hindu and Sikh religious _ 
 people, that is, pundits and gurus, and sometimes 
 the Mussulman maulavis, to expound their respec- 
 tive sacred writings at their religious places; and 
 from them a species of knowledge is learned by 
 some of the people. But in all the parts of India, 
 where I have been, it is not unusual to see a reli- 
 gious man bawling away without receiving the 
 
AND THE SIKHS. 
 
 169 
 
 least attention; though he may be sitting in the 
 most sacred place, and reading, or rather chanting, 
 their most sacred writings. 
 
 5. Government. — Originally, the people were 
 governed by numerous chiefs, who were indepen- 
 dent of each other, though of very unequal power. 
 These chiefs were brought into subjection to Ran- 
 jit Singh, who would no doubt have extended 
 his power over the chiefs on this side the Sutlej 
 also, if they had not applied for and received Eng- 
 lish protection. Some of the conquered chiefs 
 Ranjit removed altogether from their possessions; 
 others he permitted to retain their districts, vari- 
 ously modified ; but exacted from them a kind of 
 tribute — either a quota of troops or an annual pay- 
 ment in money ; or in some cases both of these 
 acknowledgments of subjection. On the death of 
 one of these inferior rulers, further changes were 
 often made; though the general usage is that the 
 son shall succeed the father. Frequently persons 
 in favour are rewarded with tracts of country in 
 jaglrir, that is, for which they pay a specified 
 sum, and then have the entire management of the 
 revenue, justice, &c., of these particular districts. 
 Of course, they may act as oppressively as they 
 please ; and usually do extort as large an amount 
 from the poor people as they can. It is very sel- 
 dom that any appeal is made; as it would require 
 too much money, in the shape of bribes to the 
 courtiers, to bring grievances to the notice of the 
 Malta Rajah ; and as it would not be certain that 
 redress would be obtained, even if a hearing could 
 be secured. It was very much owing to the op- 
 pressive administration of one of these favourites, 
 or rather of his myrmidons, that the beautiful valley 
 of Cashmere has become so desolate. 
 
 15 
 
170 
 
 NOTES ON THE TANJAB 
 
 Tiiis mode of government probably suits Ran- 
 jit’s acquirements better than any other. As he 
 can neither read nor write, it would be trouble- 
 some to examine the usual forms and records of 
 proceedings; while now he holds comparatively a 
 few persons responsible for certain, specified sums. 
 Yet it is obviously liable to great abuse. Some of 
 the Sardars, or chiefs, have large revenues. One 
 or two have each about twelve lakhs of rupees 
 yearly, equal to six hundred thousand dollars; 
 another, seven lakhs; another, five, <fcc., but the 
 greater part of them are much less powerful. The 
 chiefs are all Sikhs, 1 believe; but many holders of 
 jaglurs are Hindus and Mussulmans. There seems 
 to be no law, in the Panjab; though there is, in 
 regard to many things, long established custom. 
 By all accounts, justice would seem to be regard- 
 ed as a thing to be bought and sold. Punishment, 
 even for murder, is said to be rarely inflicted, 
 when a sufficient sum of money can be offered by 
 the criminal. Fines are the most common pun- 
 ishment. 
 
 Ranjit Singh is certainly a man of superior 
 mind, and of no ordinary character. All his mea- 
 sures, and all his conversation, evince great sa- 
 gacity, prudence, and acquaintance with the strong 
 points of the subject under his consideration. He 
 is much superior to many of the prejudices and 
 jealousies so common among the Hindus, and 
 seems anxious to imitate those things in the policy 
 or the customs of other people which are better 
 than his own. Thus, he has introduced the manu- 
 facture, amongst his people, of various foreign im- 
 plements of war, of several fabrics of cloth, &c. 
 But the most striking illustration of this remark is 
 probably the change he has effected in the military 
 
AND TIIE SIKHS. 
 
 171 
 
 force of ihe Sikhs. Formerly, every Sikh was a 
 horseman, and no other kind of force was in exis- 
 tence than this rude cavalry. Ranji't took into 
 his service several French officers, followed their 
 advice after carefully comparing it with the English 
 inode of warfare; and now he has a large and 
 pretty well organized and disciplined army of in- 
 fantry, with the usual proportion of artillery. He 
 was, in his younger days, of dissipated habits, the 
 effects of which he now feels severely. He is of a 
 licentious disposition; fond of display, yet avari- 
 cious; very inquisitive; inclined to pay a supersti- 
 tious reverence to holy men, even though of a dif- 
 ferent religion; passionately fond of fine horses; 
 very anxious to please the English; about sixty 
 three years of age. What a confused account of 
 his character, you will be ready to say ! So it is; 
 yet it is not more miscellaneous than the character 
 itself. 
 
 It is understood, that he is anxious his grandson 
 should succeed himself in the chief rule. But 
 there is no particular bond of union, excepting the 
 personal reputation and force of Ranjit himself, 
 to prevent the political affairs of the Panjab from 
 relapsing into their former anarchy. The moment 
 ltanjit dies, it is highly probable that all this 
 region of country will be in confusion, and a dozen 
 of chiefs will declare themselves independent. 
 Perhaps such a state of things will then follow as 
 will bring the Panjab under British protection, and 
 make the Indus, instead of the Sutlej, the frontier 
 line. Such a change would be fraught with bles- 
 sings to the people.* 
 
 * This ruler has been called hence by death. His ob- 
 sequies were celebrated with great parade and expense, 
 and a dreadful tragedy was witnessed in the self-immola- 
 
172 
 
 NOTES ON THE PANJAB 
 
 6. Religion . — The great majority of the people 
 of the Panjab are Hindus, especially of the lower 
 classes. The Mussulmans are treated with less 
 forbearance and favour than the Hindus ; and form, 
 perhaps, a fourth or fifth part of the inhabitants. 
 The Sikhs are said not to constitute more than a 
 twelfth or fifteenth part of the population. They 
 evidently are much more allied to the Hindus than 
 to the Mussulmans in their worship, and in their 
 customs. — The system of caste prevails, more or 
 less, among all these sects ; though, in regard to 
 the Sikhs and to the Mussulmans, it is not enjoin- 
 ed by their religion ; or rather, it is contrary to 
 their creed; especially to that of the Sikhs; but 
 throughout India custom is all-powerful. It is 
 supposed that this detestable system has less hold 
 on the affections of the people in this part of India, 
 than in most other regions of the country. Hin- 
 dus, when they become Sikhs, do not renounce 
 caste, except as it bears on one or two inferior 
 points. In the more important matters of food, 
 and of matrimonial connections, they adhere as 
 rigidly as ever to the requisitions of their caste. 
 
 The Sikhs are divided into two general classes, 
 the Sikhs , and the Singhs — the disciples and the 
 lions, as the terms literally import. The latter title 
 is given to the followers of Guru Govind Singh, 
 
 tion on his funeral pile of no less than eleven women ! 
 Four of his wives and seven concubines cast themselves into 
 the flames which consumed his body, and miserably per- 
 ished! — The Panjab continued for some time inaquiet state 
 under his sons, who succeeded to the throne, but recent 
 accounts represent that country as in a most unsettled 
 condition. The opinion expressed in the text, about the 
 extension of the British power over the Panjab, seems 
 now, 1842, likely soon to become a matter of history. 
 
AND THE SIKHS. 
 
 173 
 
 who infused a military spirit into the Sikh religion. 
 The term Singh does not exclude, however, the 
 use of the common appellative, Sikh; but is rather 
 employed as a part of individual names; while the 
 other title is given to all the followers of that re- 
 ligion. There are some points of difference in the 
 faith of the two classes; but they relate chiefly to 
 the more military spirit of the followers of Govind 
 Singh. Hamilton remarks in his Gazetteer: 
 
 “The religion of the Sikhs is described as a 
 creed of pure deism, blended with the belief of all 
 the absurdities of Hindu mythology, and the fables 
 of Mohammedanism. Nanak Shah (the founder 
 of this religion) professed a desire to reform, but 
 not to destroy the religion of the sect in which he 
 was born; and endeavoured to reconcile the jarring 
 faiths of Brahma and Mohammed, by persuading 
 each to reject particular parts of their respective 
 belief and usages. 
 
 “The earlier successors of Nanak taught nearly 
 the same doctrine; but Guru Govind gave a new 
 character to the religion of his followers by many 
 material alterations ; more especially by the aboli- 
 tion of all distinctions of caste. The pride of de- 
 scent might still remain and keep up some distinc- 
 tion ; but in the religious creed of Guru Govind 
 all Sikhs, or Singhs, are declared equal. The 
 admission of proselytes, the abolition of caste, the 
 eating of all kinds of flesh except that of cows, the 
 form of religious worship [having no idols or re- 
 presentatives of God] and the general devotion of 
 the Singhs to arms, are all at variance with the 
 Hindu theology.” 
 
 Again. “The Sikh Hindu converts continue 
 all those civil usages and customs of the tribe to 
 which they belonged, that they can practise with- 
 
174 
 
 NOTES ON THE PANJAB 
 
 out infringing the tenets of Nanak or the institu- 
 tions of Guru Govind. They are very strict respect- 
 ing diet and intermarriages. The Mohammedan 
 converts, who become Sikhs, intermarry with each 
 other; but are allowed to preserve none of their 
 usages, being obliged to eat hog’s flesh, and to 
 abstain from circumcision. The Sikhs, or Singhs, 
 are forbidden the use of tobacco; but are allowed 
 to indulge in spirituous liquors, which they all 
 drink to excess. The use of opium and bang is 
 also quite common. The military Sikhs never 
 cut their hair, nor shave their beards,” and are re- 
 quired to wear steel, in some shape, as a badge of 
 their sect. 
 
 The religious people of the Sikhs, or rather, 
 of those Sikhs who are followers of Guru Go- 
 vind, are called Akalis, that is immortals ; or more 
 frequently by the natives Nihangs. They for- 
 merly directed the national council when it was 
 assembled, the Guru-mala; but there has been no 
 meeting of that body since 1805, and there will 
 not probably ever be another. I have not been 
 able to learn that they have any particular duties 
 to perform as ministers of religion. I should 
 think they correspond rather to the religious men- 
 dicants of the Hindus. Their number is various- 
 ly estimated. Perhaps, including their families, it 
 may amount to thirteen thousand persons, or some 
 three or four thousand men. They receive their 
 support chiefly from offerings made to the Sikh 
 temples; particularly at Amritsir, where it is said 
 there are nearly two thousand of these Akalis. 
 Others, however, hold small jaghirs from the Gov- 
 ernment. Their character is exceedingly bad. 
 They are a lawless and desperately depraved set 
 of men. Some of the most shameless things I 
 
AND THE SIKHS. 175 
 
 have ever heard of have been done in open day- 
 ij light, in public places, by some of these people. 
 The common remark is, that they are the worst 
 people in the land. They always go strongly 
 armed ; and as they are quite fanatical, persons of 
 other religious sects have much to fear from their 
 approach. In 1808, a large body of them attack- 
 ed the English Ambassador, then in the Panjab, 
 who was obliged, with his guard, to fight for his 
 life. They have even insulted Ranjit Singh; but 
 he has, within a few years, imposed some re- 
 straints on them ; and they are now regarded as 
 less dangerous, though not less depraved, than they 
 were formerly. There is, perhaps, reason to hope 
 that the very wickedness of these people will con- 
 tribute much to cut short their sway, and to render 
 men more willing to receive the teachers of our 
 mild and pure religion. 
 
 Amritsir is the chief place of religious resort ; 
 but, in addition to the sacred reservoir at that city, 
 there are several other places of religious notoriety; 
 as the birth place of Nanak, &c. Some of the 
 Sikhs make pilgrimages, also, to the great Hindu 
 place of worship at Hardwar. At Amritsir there 
 are a number of gurus, or religious teachers, 
 whose business it is to read and to explain the 
 Granth, their sacred book. Some of them are 
 very respectable looking men. 
 
 Concerning the expediency of forming at that 
 time a mission establishment in the Panjab, the 
 following extract from a letter of March 26, 1835, 
 will show the opinions formed after making this 
 journey. 
 
 “ I have been much impressed with the impor- 
 tance of having an efficient mission in this field — 
 in the first instance at Lodiana, and perhaps at 
 
176 
 
 NOTES ON THE PANJAB 
 
 some other places on the British side of the Sutlej, 
 but eventually to operate directly in the Panjab. 
 
 “ In these regions there are dense multitudes of 
 people; not at all inferior in body or mind, natu- 
 rally, to any other that I have ever seen, and far 
 superior to the great mass of Hindus — being ener- 
 getic, inquisitive, and sagacious; occupying, also, 
 a tract of country that is immediately connected 
 with several other countries in which nothing has 
 yet been attempted in making known our Saviour’s 
 gospel. The claims of the people of the Panjab 
 themselves, are very great on our benevolence, and 
 require an extensive and efficient effort to meet 
 them; and they assume still greater importance 
 when we consider that these are just ffie people, in 
 character and in geographical situation, to carry the 
 knowledge of our salvation throughout Central 
 Asia. They have not now either knowledge or 
 inclination to do so. They are themselves dark- 
 minded and depraved. But I trust our little mis- 
 sion is the morning star that is to precede the full 
 day of gospel light and influence among this inter- 
 esting people. 
 
 “ I am not prepared, however, to say, that it 
 seems expedient to attempt forming a branch of 
 our mission on that side of the Sutlej at present, 
 though it might be practicable to do so. We had 
 better occupy first some of the important places 
 Avhich are open to us in the part of India under 
 English rule or direct influence, where we are not 
 so liable to capricious interruption, and where we 
 can enjoy some advantages from the intercourse, 
 and in some instances, from the friendship of 
 Europeans. There are several places on this side 
 of Benares, where it would be extremely desirable 
 to have such a mission as that of our American 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 177 
 
 brethren in Ceylon, there being ample scope for 
 the largest efforts.” 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 LODIANA TO SIMLA; THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 Arrival of the Rev. Messrs. Wilson and Newton at Calcutta 
 — Leave Lodiana for Simla — English Society — Notes on 
 the Protected Hill States — Face of the Country — Snowy 
 Mountains — Productions, Animals, Climate — Population, 
 Agriculture — Religion, Language — Character of the Peo- 
 ple — Valley of Kanaur. 
 
 After reaching Lodiana, on my return from La- 
 hor, I had the great satisfaction of receiving letters 
 from my missionary brethren, the Rev. Messrs. 
 John Newton and James Wilson, just arrived with 
 their wives at Calcutta, and accompanied by Miss 
 Davis. Though so far distant, and so many months 
 would intervene before they could reach Lodiana, 
 I could not but feel most grateful that ihey were in 
 the country, thus relieving me of a responsibility 
 which should never rest on one man, that of lay- 
 ing the foundation of a system of efforts for the 
 conversion of multitudes; and at the same time 
 giving the best assurance that the mission now 
 partially established would be extended and carried 
 forward by the Church. Often, in hours of de- 
 pression, I had been ready to give way to discour- 
 agement, fearing that our efforts must be suspended, 
 if not altogether abandoned. The prospect now 
 appeared far brighter. 
 
 16 
 
178 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 Messrs. Wilson and Newton reached Calcutta 
 on the 25th of February, 1835, after a very favour- 
 able voyage of one hundred and ten days, in the 
 ship Georgia, from Boston. Stopping at Calcutta 
 until the 25th of June, they then commenced their 
 voyage up the Ganges in a pinnace, a larger boat 
 than a budgerow, intending to proceed in tents 
 after leaving the river at Futtehgurh, and expecting 
 to reach Lodiana about the 1st of November. Miss 
 Davis afterwards became connected in marriage 
 with the Rev. Mr. Goadby, a worthy Baptist mis- 
 sionary from the province of Orissa, south of 
 Bengal. 
 
 In the meantime, following the doctor’s advice, 
 
 I had gone up to Simla to spend the hot and rainy 
 seasons of the year. This is a station to which 
 many Europeans resort for health, its Elevation 
 making the temperature pleasant even in the hot- 
 test days on the plains. The houses are built 
 around the sides of what is called Mount Jakko, 
 perhaps five hundred feet below the summit of the 
 mountain, which is about eight thousand feet high. 
 Many of the houses stand in the midst of the 
 forest trees, detached from each other; and they 
 have a singularly wild prospect, as the descent 
 below them is precipitous and deep, into the nar- 
 row valleys that lead off in different directions, and i 
 the sublime snowy ranges can be seen in the dis- j 
 tance. The number of natives at Simla is not , i 
 large ; in the winter it is almost deserted; but dur- u 
 ing the six or seven months that Europeans spend n 
 there, many petty shopkeepers, of different kinds, t 
 bring their articles of trajfic from the plains, and il 
 give to the Simla bazar rather a lively appearance. 
 The whole native population never exceeds, pro- 
 bably, a few hundred. Of English people, during m 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 179 
 
 the summer of 1835, there were from one hundred 
 and thirty to one hundred and fifty, including a 
 number of ladies. This was a larger number, I 
 was informed, than had visited the station at any 
 previous season. 
 
 Of the Europeans some were decidedly religious 
 people, and I should suppose nearly all were re- 
 spectful towards religious institutions ; the attend- 
 ance on our service on Sundays often amounted to 
 eighty, which was considered a good number, as 
 some were often absent on tours into the interior, 
 and others were in poor health. It has seldom 
 been my good fortune to meet with so many intel- 
 ligent and agreeable people out of so small a com- 
 pany; and those with whom I was less acquainted 
 I am not disposed to think less interesting. Of the 
 more religiously inclined visitors 1 cannot speak 
 too highly. I admired the character of their reli- 
 gion, which f thought unaffected, teachable, and 
 cordial, and at the same time well informed and 
 cheerful. Of the ladies it becomes me to speak 
 with due reserve, and yet thankfulness for their 
 kindness must be my excuse for paying my willing 
 tribute to their agreeable manners and their un- 
 affected excellence. I thought them in manner, 
 accomplishment, and intelligence, very similar to 
 ladies of our best society at home. Many very 
 pleasant and well-spent hours were enjoyed with 
 these Christian friends. The remembrance of 
 them is still fresh, and must ever be sacred. And 
 now widely separated from them, and they from 
 each other, my fervent prayer is that we may here- 
 after meet in a better world. 
 
 During this summer I endeavoured to obtain 
 accurate information concerning the Hill States, 
 making tours into the interior for this purpose, and 
 
180 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 consulting with English gentlemen who had lived 
 in them a number of years. The following notes 
 were made out shortly after leaving the Hills ; 
 they present the result of the summer’s inquiries 
 and observations in regard to a peculiar region of 
 India, and a simple minded and primitive people. 
 
 The people, who inhabit the hilly region which 
 lies between the snowy Himalaya mountains and 
 the Plains of India, are divided into numerous 
 small states, under their own chiefs; and, as they 
 have been under the protection of the British power 
 for several years, they are usually called “ The, 
 Protected Hill States .” The information concern- 
 ing them, which the following notes contain, has 
 been collected chiefly from intercourse with vari- 
 ous persons, European and Native, and from per- 
 sonal observation during seven months’ residence 
 in the hills. 
 
 1. As already intimated, the snowy mountains 
 and the level plains of upper India are the two 
 chief Boundaries of this region. Between them, 
 and extending in a direction parallel to those moun- 
 tains, that is, from North West to South East, 
 these hill states are situated. The river Sutlej (Sut- 
 lege) forms the dividing line between them and 
 the similar regions belonging to Ranjit Singh, the 
 Ruler of Lahor. In the opposite, or South Eastern 
 direction, the west branch of the river Gogra sepa- 
 rates them from the territories of Nepal. 
 
 The length of this region is probably between 
 one hundred and fifty and two hundred miles ; and 
 the breadth may be stated at from fifty to seventy 
 or eighty miles. Yet this estimate must be re- 
 garded as not very definite, since it is modified by 
 the character of the country in particular places. 
 The valley of Kanaur, for example, belongs to one 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 181 
 
 of these states. It is almost entirely surrounded 
 by the regions of snow, and extends towards Chi- 
 nese Tartary perhaps not less than one hundred 
 and fifty miles from the nearest part of the Plains. 
 
 2. The Face of the Country is extremely irre- 
 gular and hilly as the name df the chiefdoms im- 
 plies. Yet the term hills can be used to describe 
 these mountainons regions only for the conveni- 
 ence of having some word to distinguish them 
 from the snowy regions, as the peaks and ridges 
 of these lower mountains rise to an elevation of 
 from two thousand to upwards of six thousand feet 
 in height, and not a few eight thousand, nine thou- 
 sand, &c. In many parts of the world such eleva- 
 tions would be accounted lofty mountains ; and 
 might be so considered here, were it not that the 
 snowy regions are always seen towering up to 
 such a height, that these mountains seem but hills 
 in comparison with them. These mountains re- 
 semble a large number of high, irregular peaks 
 and ridges jumbled together in every kind of con- 
 fusion, or at any rate, of variety. But frequently, 
 one peak or short ridge perhaps, may be seen 
 rising considerably higher than its neighbours; 
 and often, an irregular ridge may be traced for 
 several miles, leading, in many instances, from 
 one of these high peaks to others. Thus Jako, 
 the mountain around the sides of which the Sta- 
 tion of Simla is built, is about eight thousand feet; 
 and from Jako a lofty but crooked ridge runs ten 
 or twelve miles eastward to Mahassu, a mountain 
 nearly nine thousand feet high. In no part of these 
 regions do the mountains run in regular ranges, 
 with level valleys intervening, like our Allegheny 
 Mountains. Indeed between the peaks or the 
 ridges there is seldom any level ground at all; 
 
182 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 but their sides decline at varying inclinations from 
 the top to the bottom. The sides are frequently 
 quite abrupt or precipitous, and commonly very 
 irregular. At the bottom, or foot of the mountain 
 in the Ivud, as it is called, a water channel usually 
 forms the boundary between one mountain and its 
 adjoining neighbour. The northern sides of these 
 mountains are sometimes covered with dense pine 
 forests ; but the southern and south-eastern sides are 
 commonly destitute of any kind of trees, and pre- 
 sent a barren and cheerless aspect, possessing little 
 interest, except where the people have been able 
 to cultivate them. It may be owing to the effects 
 of the rains, during the rainy season (which beat 
 with greatest violence on the south-east sides of the 
 mountains.) that there is so marked a difference 
 between their different sides. 
 
 The great defect in the scenery of these moun- 
 tains is the want of water. There are but few 
 streams; and such as do exist are commonly very 
 small, except during the rains when every valley 
 has its foaming torrent. At other seasons of the 
 year, a person may travel “ up and down hill” all 
 the day without seeing a brook, or even a spring; 
 unless he ascends some of the highest peaks, or 
 descends quite to the bottom of some of the val- 
 leys. 
 
 3. Concerning the Snov:y Mountains , it is not 
 necessary to attempt giving any particular descrip- 
 tions, except as their appearance from these Hill 
 regions seems to deserve some notice in an account 
 of the latter. In clear weather, those stupendous 
 mountains are seen indistinct and interesting view 
 from all the higher parts of the Protected Hill 
 States, that is, from all the places where the view 
 is not obstructed, as it is in the valleys. They 
 
 
 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 183 
 
 may also be seen very distinctly from many places 
 in the Plains of Upper India, when the atmos- 
 phere is clear, and especially after there has been 
 rain. There is an extremely fine distant view of 
 them from Lodiana , although that city cannot be 
 less than from one hundred to one hundred and 
 fifty miles distant from the mountains. From 
 Simla the nearer ranges of snow-covered moun- 
 tains are not distant in a direct line more than 
 thirty or forty miles probably. 
 
 The view of those mountains, as seen from 
 several places in these Hill States, is extremely 
 grand. I have looked at them for hours from the 
 summit of Hatu, and also of Kupar; the former 
 ten thousand six hundred feet high; the latter 
 eleven thousand feet. These mountains, them- 
 selves covered with snow during several months of 
 the year, are not distant probably more than fifteen 
 or twenty miles from the regions of perpetual 
 snow ; so that, in a clear day, the view is perfect- 
 ly well-defined, and beyond description imposing. 
 The peaks and ridges, viewed from this side, seem 
 to have nearly all of them a slight inclination to 
 the north-east. They appear much less varied in 
 shape than a person may suppose they would ap- 
 pear if deprived of their snowy covering. The 
 snow, no doubt, conceals many an irregular pro- 
 jection, and many a frightful chasm, and gives an 
 air of uniformity to the outline of the whole. The 
 valleys are generally much filled with snow, which 
 sometimes rises almost to the summits of the 
 ridges, and must be of immense depth. In so 
 near a view, the snow which fills the valleys can 
 often be distinguished from that which rests on 
 the ridges and peaks, by its inclination, and by its 
 more settled or dense appearance. But most of 
 
184 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 the peaks and ridges are themselves quite covered 
 with snow. They are very irregular: some are 
 formed into long ranges ; others shoot up in sepa- 
 rate elevations of almost every shape, looking 
 sometimes like immense battlements and towers, 
 and sometimes like lofty piles of vast dilapidated 
 buildings. At a distant view in the afternoon, 
 they look not unlike great masses or embankments 
 of white clouds, brilliantly reflecting the rays of 
 the sun. Sometimes a dark, rugged peak projects 
 above the snow, being probably too vertical to ad- 
 mit of the snow’s resting upon it, and affords a 
 striking contrast to the pure and peaceful appear- 
 ance of the surrounding snow. The difference of 
 their appearance before and after the rains is con- 
 siderable as much of the snow becomes melted, 
 leaving the summits, especially of the nearer and 
 lower ranges, more naked and dark. The heights 
 of a number of the most elevated peaks have been 
 carefully ascertained. Not less than seven are up- 
 wards of twenty-two thousand feet high; one of 
 which, Dewalagiri, is about twenty-seven thou- 
 sand feet, and three others about twenty-five thou- 
 sand feet. These loftiest parts of our globe, though 
 distinctly higher than other parts of the Himalaya 
 ranges, are yet not very prominently so. 
 
 The snowy mountains may sometimes be traced 
 at one view from the north-west towards the south- 
 east for several hundred miles. There is some- 
 thing adapted to awaken deeply serious feelings in 
 one’s mind, to look at peak after peak stretching 
 away in the distance, and then to invest each suc- 
 cessive elevation with the well defined but cold 
 majesty which seems to repose on the nearer 
 mountains. These snow-covered mountains cer- 
 tainly awaken feelings quite different from any I 
 
LODI ANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 185 
 
 have ever been conscious of when looking at other 
 mountains. These seem too pure for earth ; too 
 unchanging for time. A person is ready to look 
 on them as • if they were regions commencing 
 another world. They are certainly adapted to 
 elevate the thoughts and feelings to a higher world. 
 They bear their solemn testimony to God’s un- 
 changing greatness with a force that mere words 
 could never impress on the mind. The Chris- 
 tian’s mind is rendered deeply reverential. It is 
 filled with thoughts and feelings like those of the 
 Psalmist when surveying the heavens : “ Lord, 
 what is man that thou art mindful of him !” 
 
 Considering the blinding influence of our de- 
 praved nature on the mental perceptions, it is 
 scarcely wonderful, that the poor Hindu should, 
 in all ages, have raised to these snow-covered 
 mountains “ an eye of religious veneration.” “ In 
 the Hindu Pantheon, Himalaya is deified, and de- 
 scribed as the father of the Ganges and her sister 
 Ooma ; the latter being the spouse of Mahadeva, 
 or Siva, the destroying power.” But we may hope, 
 as well as pray, that the glorious light of the Gos- 
 pel shall soon spread over India. Then the Hin- 
 du shall raise his eye to those lofty summits only 
 to aid his mind in elevating its thoughts to the 
 throne of the great Creator, there to render the 
 homage of humility and of adoration. 
 
 4. There are few Rivers of any note in the 
 Protected Hill regions; though both the Ganges 
 and the Jumna take their rise in them. The Sut- 
 lej runs nearly a hundred miles of its course in the 
 country protected by the British, and then forms 
 the boundary, as already mentioned, separating 
 that country from Ranjit Singh’s possessions. It 
 is not at all navigable in the Hills. During the 
 
186 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 greater part of its course among the mountains, 
 the descent of the water is very great, and the cur- 
 rent is extremely rapid and tumultuous. There 
 are several small streams, sometimes called rivers, 
 of which I have seen only one deserving of notice 
 — the Girt. At probably twenty miles distance 
 from its source, and thence fifty or sixty miles to 
 its junction with the Jumna, it is about twenty 
 yards wide, with an average depth of two feet; 
 having a current of from four to six miles an hour. 
 Its water is remarkably clear, and runs over a 
 rocky or pebbly bed, sometimes descending con- 
 siderable declivities with great noise. A few fish 
 are caught in this stream. Commonly, the streams 
 of water in these hills are quite destitute of fish. 
 
 5. Among the Trees and Productions of these 
 regions, the pine is the most common; of which 
 there are five or six species. The larch and the 
 cedar are most frequently met with. The former 
 resembles our American white pine; and the lat- 
 ter, the species which in some places is called 
 “spruce pine.” One variety of the pine in the 
 interior bears a small, oblong, and rich fruit, of 
 which most persons are quite fond. It is called 
 pneoza pine. There is a species of oak; but small 
 in size. On the sides of the higher mountains the 
 maple, birch, horse-chestnut, &c. are seen. The 
 Rhododendron is every where common. It grows 
 to the height of the locust or sassafras trees of 
 America, and presents an extremely fine appear- 
 ance in the months of March and April, when cov- 
 ered over with its large and gorgeous scarlet flow- 
 ers. The apricot is common, and bears an excel- 
 lent fruit. Peaches do not come to maturity, in 
 consequence of the rains. The apples are loler- 
 bl e, though found only in one or two of the val- 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 187 
 
 leys. They would become very good, a person 
 might suppose, if proper care were employed in 
 grafting. Black currants are abundant in some 
 parts. In Kunaur . one of the valleys, there are 
 several varieties of the grape, which form a good 
 part of the subsistence of the inhabitants, being 
 dried for that purpose. They are not made into 
 wine; though sometimes a strong and very intoxi- 
 cating liquor is manufactured from them. Walnut 
 trees and wild pears are often seen. Plantains, 
 oranges, mangoes, &c. are found in the valleys 
 near the Plains. 
 
 No precious Metals , lead, coal, nor salt, have 
 yet been discovered. In a few places iron ore is 
 found. The natives have very small and simple 
 furnaces, in which they make an inferior kind of 
 iron. The most common rock is the mica-slate. 
 On the highest elevations gneiss is the usual spe- 
 cies. Quartz is often seen with both the mica and 
 the gneiss. Granite is rarely met with. Other 
 varieties are sometimes found. 
 
 The Soil seems to be very poor, except near the 
 bottom of the valleys, and in the forests on the 
 sides of the mountains. In the former it is enrich- 
 ed by the deposites brought down from the higher 
 ground by the rains. The decay of vegetable mat- 
 ter accounts for the fertility of the ground where 
 there are forests. 
 
 The fanners cultivate various kinds of grain ; 
 among which are wheat, maize, buckwheat, bar- 
 ley, and several kinds of native grain. Among the 
 latter the batu makes a very beautiful appearance in 
 the fields when almost ripe. Ij is a plume-like 
 stalk, containing a great many seeds resembling 
 timothy seed ; which are ground into flour by the 
 natives, the red covering or husks serving as food 
 
188 
 
 THE HILL TBIBES. 
 
 for the cattle. Some rice is cultivated in the val- 
 leys. Potatoes have been introduced by the Eng- 
 lish, and grow very well. The poppy is cultivat- 
 ed in order to make opium; of which considerable 
 quantities are manufactured. Some tobacco is 
 grown, and occasionally patches of cotton may be 
 seen. Large pumpkins, cucumbers, onions, peas, 
 &c. are to be had; but the latter, with carrots, 
 beans, and strawberries, are seldom cultivated by 
 the natives. 
 
 6. Animals <$•<:. Among the wild animals is a 
 species of leopard. Jackals are common. Foxes 
 are sometimes seen; monkeys more frequently. 
 There are a few snakes, which are seldom seen, 
 however, except during the rains. Lizards, toads, 
 and frogs, seem to be much pleased with this cli- 
 mate, if a person may judge by their numbers. 
 Among the birds, crows, hawks, and kites, are 
 always seen in large numbers in the vicinity of 
 towns and villages, though they are not so very 
 numerous as in other parts of India. The golden 
 eagle may be often observed proudly sailing over 
 the valleys, and above the highest mountain sum- 
 mits. They sometimes measure ten feet from tip 
 to tip of the wings. The cuckoo, swallow, spar- 
 row, jay, and a variety of other small birds, are 
 common during certain months of the year. None 
 are at all remarkable for sweetness of note ; though 
 some of them have beautiful plumage. The house- 
 fly, and his enemy the spider, fleas, and some 
 other not more agreeable insects, are too common 
 for a person’s comfort sometimes. The bee is quite 
 common, and honey is good, plenty, and cheap. 
 
 The farmers commonly have one or two buffa- 
 loes; or, if not, small cows instead. The cow is 
 quite a sacred animal. At one place, the natives 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 189 
 
 refused to milk them into our vessels ; though it 
 seems difficult to imagine how the holiness of cows 
 could be contaminated by doing so. There are no 
 horses, except such as belong to the lianas, or 
 chiefs. Ploughing is always done by bullocks or 
 cows. Mules are sometimes used for the trans- 
 portation of merchandise. Sheep and goats seem 
 to thrive well. The former all have short horns, 
 both male and female. Fowls might be kept with 
 the greates tease, but for the Hindu prejudices of 
 the natives. 
 
 7. Climate. The degree of heat or of cold 
 depends chiefly on the elevation. In the narrow, 
 precipitous valleys it is tolerably hot during the 
 summer. At Simla, (seven thousand five hundred 
 feet) the thermometer, in the house, rose to 80° 
 and 82° last May; but fell to 64° and 66° during 
 the rains. In the latter end of October there were 
 hard frosts on the ground in the mornings. In the 
 winter, there are frequent falls of snow at Simla, 
 which, however, is soon melted. 
 
 The rains commence early in June, and con- 
 tinue until the middle or latter end of September. 
 They are very heavy indeed ; and are attended 
 sometimes with lightning and thunder, especially 
 about their commencement and termination. The 
 worst feature of the rainy season is the dense fog 
 or mist, which prevails very much for two months. 
 These fogs I have not seen in the Plains. They 
 are very dense. Indeed, they seem to be literally 
 clouds, heavily charged with moisture, and often 
 so dense that objects of the largest size cannot be 
 at all seen at the distance of half a dozen yards. 
 They often rise suddenly, and from no conceivable 
 cause of a local nature ; and continue sometimes 
 for a few hours; at others, for days, and almost for 
 
190 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 weeks. They do not usually settle lower down 
 than six thousand feet. At high elevations they 
 remain during all the rains. They are very oppres- 
 sive to persons of weak lungs, or who are troubled 
 with difficulty of breathing. The heat of the sun 
 is very great throughout the year, not less than in 
 the plains. I have been obliged, on a high peak, 
 to use an umbrella to protect myself from the heat 
 of the sun, when the air and the wind were so cold 
 that it was necessary to wrap myself as comfort- 
 ably as possible in a winter cloak. 
 
 With the exception of the sun’s rays, and of the 
 fogs for six weeks or two months on the higher 
 Hills, this climate is considered very much better 
 than that of the Plains for persons coming from 
 colder latitudes. There is something refreshing 
 and bracing in the pure mountain air. A person 
 feels here some of the elasticity of mind which he 
 enjoyed in his own country. He rises in the morn- 
 ing refreshed by his sleep, and not languid, fever- 
 ish, and spiritless, as during the hot season at any 
 rate in the Plains. I believe the climate of these 
 hills is considered favourable to persons whose 
 system has become enfeebled by the heat of the 
 Plains; to those who are recovering from fevers; 
 to persons subject to derangement of the functions 
 of the liver, in cases not constitutional and invete- 
 rate. It is probably favourable to most kinds of 
 disease in India. The higher elevations, however, 
 where the fogs prevail, can hardly be salutary to 
 persons subject to rheumatic affections, or labour- 
 ing under pulmonary complaints. 
 
 There are three or four places in the Hills to 
 which English invalids resort for their health, and 
 where some medical men are commonly to be met 
 with among the other residents, at least during the 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 191 
 
 hot months. Of these, Simla and Mussooree are 
 the two chief places of resort; the latter station 
 being in the Hills north of Meerut. At eacli of 
 these stations perhaps from one hundred to one 
 hundred and fifty persons reside for several months 
 during the summer. But few remain during the 
 cold season. It is deemed strange by some, that 
 the stations for invalid soldiers are not established 
 somewhere in this region. The climate would 
 certainly be more pleasant and salutary for them 
 than that of the plains. There is at Mussooree a 
 school for English children, where many branches 
 belonging to a respectable education are taught, 
 under the superintendence of a gentleman and his 
 sister. It is well spoken of, and affords advantages 
 not ordinarily met with in India, to the families 
 who prefer a residence at that station, when they 
 are obliged to go to the Hills. Sabalhu, on the 
 route to Simla, is the station where one of the 
 Political Agents in these Hill States, and where 
 also a medical officer permanently reside. It is 
 only four thousand feet high, and is not much 
 resorted to by invalids. Sabathu is one march, 
 (fifteen miles) from the plains, and two marches 
 from Simla. 
 
 8. The entire 'population in these regions under 
 British protection, I have heard estimated at two 
 hundred and fifty thousand persons. There are 
 few towns of any size. Sabathu is one of the 
 largest in the Hills, and yet, including the vicinity 
 of eight or ten miles, it does not contain more than 
 twelve thousand people. Rampur, on the Sutlej, 
 contains about one thousand inhabitants. It is the 
 place where the chief mela, or fair, in the Hills, is 
 held. On that occasion, several days are devoted 
 to buying and selling, to religious duties, &c. It 
 
192 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 is commonly held in the month of October or No- 
 vember, and is resorted to by some thousands of 
 natives from all parts of the Hill country. 
 
 Usually, the Hill people dwell in small villages 
 and hamlets of from half a dozen "houses to twenty 
 or thirty. In a single valley, or rather on the sides 
 of the two mountains which form the valley, nu- 
 merous villages may be seen, generally subject to 
 the same chief, and all accessible without much 
 difficulty, after a person has succeeded in reaching 
 one of them. I have counted between twenty-five 
 and thirty villages at one view, thus situated on the 
 sides of the neighbouring mountains; and I should 
 think that a missionary might visit all on one of 
 the sides in the course of a few days, spending 
 several hours at each, to make known the Gospel, 
 and pitching his tent at night at a few miles dis- 
 tance from his camp in the morning. The valley 
 of Jubal is said to contain not less than fourteen 
 thousand people, dwelling thus in villages, the 
 greater part of which are visible at one view from 
 some high peaks in the vicinity. All of these vil- 
 lages might probably be visited by a missionary in 
 a fortnight or three weeks. If a person could 
 speak the language with freedom, and possessed 
 the patient devoted spirit of Neff, he could not 
 desire a finer field for serving his Saviour in, and 
 for doing good both to the bodies and souls of his 
 fellow men. 
 
 The population of these States must be regarded 
 as very great, when the character of their country 
 is considered. Probably not more than one-third 
 of the actual surface of these regions admits of 
 being cultivated. The proportion may be larger 
 on the lower Hills; but it is much smaller on the 
 higher. 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 193 
 
 9. Agriculture, fyc . — The Hill people are nearly 
 all employed in cultivating the soil. As there is 
 scarcely any level ground, they are compelled to 
 form the surface of the Hills into irregular terraces. 
 These are usually very small, and are shaped ac- 
 cording to the circumstances of their situation. 
 They are seldom more than a few rods broad, 
 often only a few feet; and their length is very 
 various. They are supported by low walls of 
 stones, piled up without any mortar or cement. It 
 is no uncommon thing among the lower Hills near 
 the plains, to see terraces of this kind reaching 
 from the bottom to the top. Often, on the higher 
 Hills, these rude terraces extend as far up as the 
 nature of the soil, or the coldness of the climate, 
 admits of cultivation. Rice and other productions 
 of warm climates, may be seen at the bottom, while 
 some of the hardier kinds of grain are growing at 
 the top. These little fields on the mountain sides 
 look very beautiful in the spring months. When 
 the green grain is springing up, it requires little 
 aid from fancy to regard the mountains as cut into 
 irregular flights of steps, and covered with nature’s 
 newest carpeting. 
 
 The implements of agriculture in common use 
 are simple and rude; but the plough is better than 
 the kind of plough used in the plains, and the har- 
 row is not worse. The houses of these people 
 are comfortable for Hindus. They are much more 
 substantial than those of farmers in the plains, 
 being usually built chiefly of small-sized stones, 
 with timbers, six or eight inches square, placed 
 along in the walls at distances of two or three feet 
 apart. In the interior of the Hills, the houses are 
 commonly two stories in height, the upper story 
 having a porch, partly enclosed, along the entire 
 17 
 
194 
 
 THE HILE TRIBES. 
 
 front side, from which a door opens into the apart- 
 ments of the family. The lower story is merely 
 a stable for their buffaloes or cows. The roof is 
 composed of flat stones, sometimes of slates, and 
 projects so far on the front side as to afford a cover 
 to the veranda or porch. It is seldom that these 
 houses have any windows. Chimneys seem to be 
 unknown throughout India, in native houses, the 
 fire being kindled and kept in little clay fire-places, 
 and the smoke being allowed to make its escape as 
 best it can. Some of the richer farmers among 
 the Hill people have houses so large and well-built 
 that they would be quite respectable even in Ame- 
 rica, having verandas on all sides, and being con- 
 structed of stones and timbers which have been 
 carefully hewed and prepared. A good Pahari 
 house for the ordinary class of inhabitants will cost 
 about one hundred rupees. In the plains, the cor- 
 responding class of people live in houses of clay, 
 which cost twenty or thirty rupees. 
 
 10. The Temples, or places of religious charac- 
 ter, are of various orders of architecture. Most 
 commonly, they are of one rather low story in 
 height, constructed of the same materials as ordi- 
 nary houses, but having their roofs modelled more 
 like the Chinese roofs, or with a slightly curved 
 inclination from the cone to the eve. Often these 
 temples are made entirely of wood. Sometimes a 
 part of the building is of open structure, showing 
 at one view all the idols and their ornaments. In 
 other instances, there is no opening of any kind, 
 except one small door. Some of the temples are 
 more lofty than these, and have a veranda on all 
 sides, at about two-thirds of their height, which, 
 as it is often enclosed, gives them a singular ap- 
 pearance. Some few consist of little more than a 
 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 195 
 
 platform of stone, and four posts, or rude pillars, 
 which support the roof. Some have a kind of low 
 circular tower, rising above one end. 
 
 Their sites are often worthy of attention. They 
 are seen from a great distance, on the top of some 
 peak, or at the extremity of some ridge, standing 
 solitary. Others break suddenly on the view of a 
 traveller, as he passes through some forest, stand- 
 ing in its most dense recesses, and surrounded and 
 overshadowed by lofty trees. Near the villages, 
 they stand generally alone, a space being reserved 
 between them and the dwellings of the people. 
 They all seem adapted to exert a cheerless influ- 
 ence on the minds of men, an influence quite in 
 accordance with the spirit of the Hindu system. 
 Yet it must be acknowledged that their situation 
 and appearance are not destitute of impressiveness. 
 The idols in these temples are rude sculptures of 
 wood and stone, and are most commonly devoted 
 to the goddess Kali, though the trident of Siva is 
 sometimes seen over their most holy place. To 
 the former, goats are frequently sacrificed. For- 
 merly, it appears from uncontradicted testimony, 
 human victims were offered at her bloody shrine. 
 There is a mountain, very distinctly seen from 
 Simla, called Shalt , on whose summits in former 
 days there was a famous temple to this goddess. 
 It is commonly believed that human beings were 
 killed for sacrifices at that temple; but no instance 
 has occurred since 1809. Since these regions have 
 come under English control, this practice, as well 
 as that of infanticide, in a great degree, has been 
 abolished. A person cannot but wonder that it 
 should ever have existed among a people so mild, 
 and apparently kind-hearted as these Paharis are. 
 But the depraved heart of man, when unchanged 
 
196 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 and unrestrained by Divine influence, is susceptible 
 of entertaining and of perpetrating any evil, how- 
 ever heinous in itself, or however horrible in its 
 consequences. 
 
 At some temples, incense is offered in a rude 
 earthen censer. In ascending a mountain, one 
 morning, with a Christian friend, we were much 
 struck at seeing the ceremony performed. The 
 person officiating was kneeling a short distance 
 from the idol. In one hand he held a censer, with 
 the incense burning, which he waved backwards 
 and forwards, while with the other hand he was 
 ringing a little bell. It was a melancholy sight to 
 see that kind of worship thus paid to a piece of 
 wood, which, in our associations, is hallowed with 
 the solemn temple of the Jews in honour of the 
 only living and true God. I never saw any in- 
 stance of the kind before; and my companion said 
 it was equally new to him, although he had been 
 fourteen years in various parts of India. 
 
 It is very common, in the immediate vicinity of 
 these hill temples, to see a great number of rags 
 sticking on the bushes and low trees around. 
 They are of every colour and texture, and are 
 usually in the shape of narrow and rather long 
 strips. They seem to have been torn off from the 
 clothes commonly worn by the people, and are 
 said to be intended as pledges by worshippers, 
 that they will fulfil the vows which they make. 
 This custom seems to be quite peculiar to these 
 hills ; at least I have not heard of any similar usage 
 elsewhere. 
 
 11. The Religion of these people, as may be 
 inferred from what has been said about their tem- 
 ples, is exclusively the Hindu. There are no 
 Mussulmans, and scarcely any Sikhs among them. 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 197 
 
 They seem to be chiefly of one caste of Hindus; 
 or perhaps it would be more correct to say, that 
 they do not pay much regard to the distinction of 
 caste; so that a person does not see, as in the 
 plains, half a dozen of fire-places, to cook the din- 
 ners of half a dozen of people. There are but 
 few brahmans among them, nearly all the people 
 belonging to the class whose distinct duty, accord- 
 ing to Hindu notions, is to cultivate the soil. 
 
 12. The Language seems to be principally Hin- 
 du!. Of the very few that I met with who could 
 read, all read the Hindu! in the Devnagar! charac- 
 ter. An English gentleman, who is an excellent 
 Hindustan! scholar, informed me, that he could 
 scarcely make himself understood by the Paharis, 
 while a friend of his, who is well acquainted with 
 the Hindu!, got along much better in his inter- 
 course with them. Yet their mode of pronuncia- 
 tion is so very singular, that few Europeans can 
 understand them. There are but very few books 
 of any description among ihem; and perhaps not 
 
 I one person in every thousand is able to read and 
 write. I never heard of any school of any sort 
 among them, excepting one or two established and 
 entirely supported by English people. Yet there 
 are generally a few persons in each small state, 
 who are able to read, and to keep the few records 
 in writing that the administration of their affairs 
 requires to be thus preserved. As to the alphabet 
 used by those who are able to read, I ought per- 
 haps to add, that I have been told that there are 
 three or four different alphabets, which are made 
 use of in different places. 
 
 13. Character of the People , &c. In the man- 
 ners of the hill people there is a frank and inde- 
 pendent bearing, which is much more pleasing 
 
198 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 than the sycophancy and servility towards supe- 
 riors so common throughout India. They seem 
 to be very ingenuous, or rather unsophisticated, in 
 their mental operations. They might be charac- 
 terized as a simple-minded people, who are little 
 encumbered with artificial distinctions of wealth 
 and rank. Their chiefs have commonly but little 
 power; their subjects, territories, and resources, 
 being all, for the most part, very limited. Hence, 
 there is among them the absence both of the polish 
 of address, and of the specious but deceitful inge- 
 nuity of mind, which are found among the subjects 
 of more powerful and wealthy native rulers. This 
 absence of artificial usages may be partly owing, 
 also, to the fact, that there are few persons among 
 them of overgrown wealth. On the other hand, 
 there are but few among these Paharis who are 
 absolutely poor, or compelled to beg for their sub- 
 sistence, the people being commonly in moderate, 
 but comfortable circumstances. In their personal 
 habits and dress they are offensively dirty. When 
 an article of clothing is put on, it seems to be 
 allowed to stay on until it wears off. The girls 
 are betrothed at an early age, and their hair, it is 
 said, is then plaited, and remains undressed (it is 
 further added) ever afterwards. 
 
 As to morals, they have a much greater regard 
 to truth and uprightness in dealing, than is shown 
 by the people of the Plains. Much greater con- 
 fidence can be reposed in their word, and in their 
 honesty. But they are spoken of as much addicted 
 to licentiousness; yet the female sex does not ap- 
 pear to be so degraded as in the Plains. At any 
 rate, they are not so much secluded, which is some 
 proof of their being held in higher estimation and 
 of their enjoying greater confidence. In one or 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 199 
 
 two sections of the Hills, it is said that polyandry 
 is common. A Christian friend informed me, that 
 he had seen one family, where there were only 
 two women. One was the aged mother, the other 
 was the wife of ten men! 
 
 In their disposition or temper there seems to be 
 a great deal of kindness of feeling, prompting them 
 to take aji interest in the sufferings of others, and 
 to render assistance to others when it is not too 
 inconvenient to do so — a remark which admits but 
 a very limited application to Hindus generally. 
 These Hill people seem to be patient, contented, 
 easily satisfied, and greatly attached, (as all moun- 
 tain tribes are,) to their own country. Consider- 
 ing their character and circumstances, 1 am quite 
 disposed to adopt the opinion that there is a greater 
 probability of their conversion to Christianity, if 
 suitable means were employed, than there is in re- 
 gard to any other people in India, so far as my 
 information extends. A missionary, who would 
 go among them in a kind and quiet manner, en- 
 deavour to promote their temporal comfort, as well 
 as their spiritual welfare, and exemplify before 
 them the peaceful and pure spirit of the gospel, 
 might hope, if favoured with the Divine blessing, 
 to secure their warm affection for himself person- 
 ally, and to see many of them embracing the gos- 
 pel of the grace of God. 
 
 There are no difficulties or obstacles to hinder 
 immediate Christian effort for the conversion of 
 this people, excepting such difficulties as will con- 
 tinue to exist, so far as the people are concerned, 
 until the gospel itself removes them by its holy 
 influence. Under the existing authorities of the 
 country, and among so peaceful a people, every 
 judicious and prudent missionary would enjoy pro- 
 
200 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 tection and peace; while the climate and its incon- 
 veniences will ever remain, of course, in a great 
 degree unchanged. It was remarked previously, 
 however, that the climate and the country are un- 
 doubtedly more favourable to the health of Euro- 
 peans and Americans than the greater part of India 
 and of south-eastern Asia. 
 
 The first establishment of a mission family might 
 be made at Sabathu, which is convenient to the 
 Plains, has the advantage of a resident medical offi- 
 cer, of post office communications, &c. At that 
 place a comfortable house could be either pur- 
 chased or rented, at a low rate. It would admit 
 of convenient intercourse with the mission station 
 at Lodiana, and from this latter place the books 
 and tracts, which will be requisite in the prosecu- 
 tion of missionary labours, might be easily obtain- 
 ed, and it would afford a comfortable retreat for 
 any of the missionaries from the Plains, when 
 health might become impaired. The distance be- 
 tween Lodiana and Sabathu is about one hundred 
 miles. 
 
 In regard to the mountainous and isolated valley 
 of Kanaur, referred to in the first paragraph of the 
 foregoing notes, the following memoranda will be 
 considered valuable by the reader; they were 
 taken from a work, then printed but not published, 
 which has been lately reprinted and published in 
 London. Captain Gerard, from whose book these 
 notices were taken by permission, had made 
 several tours to the valley, and had spent some- 
 time in it. 
 
 Kunaiir, (Koonawur,) a part of the Protected 
 Hill States, lies on both sides of the Sutlej river, 
 from Lat. 31° 15' to 32° 4', and from Long. 77° 
 50' to 78° 50'. It runs from N. E. to S. W. the 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 
 
 201 
 
 habitable part seldom exceeding eight miles in 
 breadth. It is secluded, rugged, mountainous, and 
 almost entirely surrounded by mountains covered 
 with snow. On the East it is separated from 
 Chinese Tartary by a lofty ridge, through which 
 are several passes at high elevations. 
 
 Population. — There are seven large divisions, 
 subdivided into twenty smaller, containing alto- 
 gether rather less than ten thousand inhabitants. 
 Rampur , the chief town of Basehar, the state or 
 chiefdom of which Kunaur forms a part, contains 
 one hundred and ten families. In Kunaur, Ma- 
 rang contains eighty-seven families, and Riclang, 
 seventy-five. These are among the most popu- 
 lous places in Basehar. The villages are situated 
 from seven to twelve thousand feet above the sea. 
 
 Climate. — This depends upon the elevation, and 
 the location, of the particular place. Rampur is 
 so hot, during a good part of the year, as to be 
 almost uninhabitable by Europeans. Other places 
 are so cold, as to be unhabitable by any human 
 beings. Between these extremes there is a great 
 variety of temperature. 
 
 Valleys. — The valleys of the Sutlej, of the 
 Baspa, of the Pabar, and of one or two other 
 small streams, are the only parts which admit of 
 much cultivation. Arable spaces occasionally are 
 met, varying from one hundred yards to half a mile 
 in width. 
 
 Rivers. — The Sutlej is more like a torrent than 
 a large river, descending sometimes one hundred 
 or one hundred and fifty feet per mile. The water 
 looks turbid, from the particles of sand, or of the 
 rocks, worn off by attrition, which are held sus- 
 pended in the stream. It runs two hundred and 
 eighty miles in the snowy mountains, one hun- 
 18 
 
202 
 
 THE HILL TRIBES. 
 
 dred more in the hills, or lower range of moun- 
 tains, and one hundred and thirty more in the 
 plains, to its junction with the Bias. It breadth 
 varies greatly; its depth in the hills can seldom be 
 ascertained, owing to the rapidity of the current, 
 which is often fearfully great. 
 
 The Sutlej receives several mountain-streams as 
 tributaries, of which the chief is the Spit'i, which 
 is nearly one hundred miles in length. The others 
 vary in length from ten to forty-five miles. They 
 are all much swollen by the rains, and by the 
 melting of the snow. These rivers and streams 
 are passed by sangos, or wooden bridges, by 
 j hulas, or rope bridges, and by sagams, or twig 
 bridges. The second is made of several cables 
 stretched from bank to bank, from which a noose 
 is suspended, in which the passenger places him- 
 self, and he is then drawn over by cords attached 
 to the noose. The third kind of bridge is formed 
 of twigs twisted, ropes, &c. 
 
 Passes . — There are various passes, over which 
 travellers cross the mountains. Of these, six lead 
 to Chinese Tartary, and several into Thibet. 
 
 Productions, $’C. — Barley, buckwheat, and 
 wheat, are common. The potato has been intro- 
 duced, and grows well. Among the trees are six 
 kinds of pine, oak, birch, maple. Wild fruits are 
 abundant, as black and red currants, gooseberries, 
 strawberries, neoza,* pears, apricots, &c. Many 
 varieties of grapes flourish very well in good situa- 
 tions. Eighteen kinds are mentioned, which seem 
 almost incredibly large. They sell at sixty or 
 seventy pounds to the rupee. Apples are but 
 
 * The neoza is a small, rather long, partly conical, fruit, 
 tasting not unlike the filbert or hazel-nut, and produced by 
 a species of the pine. 
 
LODIANA TO SIMLA. 203 
 
 indifferent — could they not be grafted? Peaches do 
 not ripen well. 
 
 The Animals are cows, sheep, goats, asses, 
 small horses, dogs, &c. There are some wild 
 bears, and some species of tiger-cat, or panther. 
 Among the birds are pheasants, hawks, eagles, 
 crows, pigeons, &c. Fish are not abundant. There 
 are some snakes, frogs, flies, fleas, &c. The com- 
 mon bee is every where met with, and there is 
 plenty of fine honey, particularly in the autumn. 
 
 The people are dark-complexioned, and muscu- 
 lar. Their stature is from five feet four inches to 
 five feet nine. They are frank, active, hospitable, 
 and highly honourable, reverencing the truth, <fcc. 
 
 Their Religion is Hinduism, but with less re- 
 gard for the subdivisions of caste than the people of 
 the plains feel. They erect temples to the Devtas, 
 or gods, in their villages, and piles of stones on 
 the summits of the hills. Kail is chiefly worship- 
 ed. Human sacrifices were offered before the 
 British became rulers; and female infanticide was 
 common. Their language is a dialect of the Hin- 
 du!. Few persons can read or write. The dia- 
 lect called Milchan is said to be the most common. 
 
 Diseases are few, as the climate is salubrious 
 and bracing. As there are no periodical rains in 
 Kunaur, there are few vapours, <fcc. The swelled 
 throat, or goitre, is frequently met with; but it is 
 not supposed to be owing to their drinking snow- 
 water; because many who drink nothing else for 
 months are not troubled with it. 
 
204 
 
 LODIANA TO NEW YORK. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 LODIANA TO NEW YORK. 
 
 Meeting with Messrs. Wilson and Newton — English school 
 at Lodiana — Mission station at Sabathu — Other fields of 
 labour — Station at Lodiana — Leave Lodiana — Meeting 
 at Calcuta with the third company of Missionaries — 
 Reach New York. 
 
 Leaving Simla about the 17th of November, I pro- 
 ceeded to join my missionary friends, the Wilsons 
 and Newtons, now on the land-part of their jour- 
 ney to Lodiana, and on the 23d of that month we 
 had the high gratification of meeting at a small na- 
 tive village about thirty miles north-west of Delhi. 
 Years had passed since we were students together 
 at the Allegheny Seminary, and in this period 
 changes of the deepest interest had taken place; 
 the broad ocean had been crossed, the hand of 
 death had taken away more than one whom we all 
 loved, and who had expected to be present at this 
 meeting, and we were now truly strangers in a 
 strange country. How thankful and joyful that we 
 were again together! With the warmest gratitude 
 did we at once unite in offering fervent praise to 
 God, “for all the way by which he had led us 
 along.” Our meeting was a time of the most ten- 
 der and refreshing communion, such as language 
 can but feebly describe. 
 
 After reaching Lodiana, we had the satisfac- 
 tion of spending about six weeks together. Dur- 
 ing this time the history of our mission in all its 
 details was brought under review, and its prospects 
 carefully examined. Various plans of usefulness 
 
LODIANA TO NEW YORK. 
 
 205 
 
 were considered, and our united and fervent prayers 
 were often made that the blessing of the great 
 Head of the Church might crown our feeble under- 
 takings. On a review of all our affairs, we could 
 notbut “ thank God, and take courage.” — I may 
 here insert some extracts from a letter, written a 
 month or two afterwards, but referring to the state 
 of things in January, 1836. 
 
 The English School. It was at first establish- 
 ed under the auspices and generous support of 
 Captain C. M. Wade, the political agent at Lodi- 
 ana; and, for some months before I reached that 
 place in November 1834, it was taught by Sha- 
 hamat Mi, a native young man, of considerable 
 promise, who had acquired some knowledge of 
 our language at the governmental college, or school, 
 at Delhi. 
 
 One of the first subjects that required our con- 
 sideration after we arrived at Lodiana was that of 
 our connection with this school. Captain Wade 
 was its founder, and it has always been chiefly 
 owing to his deep interest in its success, and to 
 his generous patronage, that it has thus far pros- 
 pered so well. He wished, however, to sustain 
 towards it a somewhat different, though not less 
 friendly relationship. And between making another 
 arrangement, and making it over entirely to us, 
 we, of course, could not feel as indifferent specta- 
 tors; especially as the other arrangement would 
 have involved the giving up of all religious books 
 and instructions in the school, and, consequently, 
 of our connection with it. After free and repeated 
 conversations with Captain Wade on the subject, 
 marked on his part by a most kind and considerate, 
 as well as liberal disposition, it seemed best that 
 the school should be altogether made over to our 
 
206 
 
 LODIANA TO NEW YOBK. 
 
 mission. Capt. W. will, however, continue to 
 manifest an entirely cordial interest in its welfare, 
 and is still the patron of the school. It now contains 
 about forty-five boys and young men. This num- 
 ber is as large as could be expected, when it is 
 considered that but few, if any, of the natives of 
 this country are yet influenced by a desire of 
 knowledge from disinterested motives ; and that the 
 number of situations is but limited in which a 
 knowledge of our language would be advantageous 
 in a pecuniary point of view. Indeed, it may be 
 said of most places remote from Calcutta, that the 
 most weighty motive to a native’s mind for seek- 
 ing a knowledge of our language is the hope of 
 pleasing his European superiors, and of deriving 
 some sort of advantage from their favour. This is 
 a good deal the case at Lodiana; though I am glad 
 to think that some of the boys are influenced by 
 higher and better motives. But, whatever may be 
 the character of the motives which influence any 
 of the natives in their efforts to become acquainted 
 with our language, it matters little to us, as to our 
 duly. To us it is simply a question between en- 
 deavouring to avail ourselves of their wish to know 
 our language by consenting to teach them, and 
 w 7 atching opportunities to make them acquainted 
 with useful and Christian knowledge, and neglect- 
 ing to do so. If we choose the latter plan, we lose 
 many and precious opportunities, direct and indi- 
 rect, of exerting useful influences, of communicating 
 important knowledge, of correcting evil habits, of 
 witnessing a Christian example; and we permit a 
 most interesting class of the community to acquire 
 that knowledge of our language which will make 
 them by far the most influential in their genera- 
 tion, without any, or with but imperfect acquaint- 
 
LODIANA TO NEW YORK. 
 
 207 
 
 ance with the truths of our religion. The desire 
 to know our language is awakened in their minds; 
 it will be gratified ; those who learn our books will 
 be looked up to by all the people; they will oc- 
 cupy many places of important influence among 
 their countrymen; but whether they will exert an 
 influence favourable to Christianity, or not, is a 
 different and most important matter. Mere gene- 
 ral knowledge will never make them sincere Chris- 
 tians ; though it may, and most probably will 
 make them infidels from the religious systems of 
 their fathers. We have yet to learn whether in- 
 fidelity in India is any better than infidelity in 
 America or Europe.* 
 
 Another subject, that has received a good many 
 of our thoughts, is the distribution of our number; 
 having a reference as well to those who are to 
 come as to those now here. Lodiana seems to 
 need the services of two missionaries, one printer, 
 and one schoolmaster. Ambala, about seventy 
 miles on this side, is as large a town, or perhaps 
 larger; but, at present, it does not appear to be 
 
 * This English school has not ceased to be an object of 
 prominent interest. It is now under the superintendence 
 of the Rev. W. S. Rogers. A new and more eligible 
 building has been erected for its use; the number of pu- 
 pils continues about the same. Though subject to con- 
 siderable, changes, partly from the parents’ early with- 
 drawing their sons to occupy stations of business, thereby 
 greatly hindering the highest usefulness of the school; 
 yet it cannot be doubted that a good influence has been 
 already exerted through its agency. And I would ask 
 the reader’s attention to its importance, from its position 
 in reference to surrounding countries, and from the dif- 
 ferent languages spoken by its pupils, as a means, if the 
 blessing of God be granted, of diffusing far and near the 
 knowledge of the way of life. 
 
208 
 
 LODI ANA TO NEW YORK. 
 
 advisable to attempt forming a branch of our mission 
 there. Ferozpur, about seventy miles down the 
 Sutlej from Lodiana, is a place of ten or twelve 
 thousand inhabitants, and of great prospective im- 
 portance. Y et it is not quite prepared, probably, 
 for becoming the station of a mission family. Sa- 
 bathu, one hundred miles from Lodiana, in the 
 Protected Hill States, is a very good place at which 
 to have one missionary and one schoolmaster sta- 
 tioned. These are the places now under direct 
 British control. There are many large towns be- 
 longing to native Chiefs, on both sides of the Sut- 
 lej, within one hundred miles, and many within 
 fifty miles of Lodiana. Within the latter distance 
 is Patiala, said to contain sixty or seventy thousand 
 inhabitants, southward from Lodiana; Sirhind, 
 containing probably fifteen thousand, eastward, or 
 south-eastward, from Lodiana, on the road to Am- 
 bala: Jhalandar, forty thousand, thirty miles; and 
 Paghwarah, fifteen thousand, twenty miles. Both 
 of these are on the other side of the Sutlej, on the 
 road to Amritsir and Labor. Besides these large 
 towns, there are a good many of some thousand 
 people, and a great many of some hundred inhabi- 
 tants. But in regard to towns which are entirely 
 under native rule, it may be regarded in general as 
 scarcely advisable for a mission family to settle at 
 them before a knowledge of the language is attain- 
 ed ; and perhaps even then it will be better to 
 occupy first those large towns and important places 
 which are under British rule exclusively. There 
 will be less probability of meeting with any inter- 
 ruption in one’s labours. It is quite practicable to 
 visit towns under native rule ; and perhaps cir- 
 cumstances might occur which would make it 
 appear advisable to reside at them. This would 
 
LODIANA TO NEW YORK. 209 
 
 be the case, were any of their rulers to become 
 Christians. But, at present, it might be attended 
 with uncertainty as to being free from trouble, or 
 rather, as to obtaining the consent of the Chiefs. 
 At any rate, it would be attended with much delay 
 in regard to getting suitable houses prepared, so 
 that it does not seem expedient that any of our 
 Ifcethren should attempt at once to take up a per- 
 manent residence at a native town. 
 
 Besides, great changes may be anticipated, and 
 perhaps troublous times, on the other side of the 
 Sutlej ; for the health of the chief ruler, Ranjit 
 Singh, is in a very precarious condition. Though 
 he may live for years, yet he might die any night. 
 It seems hardly proper to think of forming any 
 station on that side of the Sutlej until there is a 
 better prospect of quietness and of a settled govern- 
 ment. 
 
 We came very satisfactorily to the conclusion 
 that we should commence a mission in the Hill 
 States as soon as practicable. We have felt our- 
 selves justifiable in making preparation for a mis- 
 sion family to reside there, and have purchased a 
 stone house at Sabathu for that purpose. This 
 we thought it would be expedient to do, because 
 it was offered at a low price, and because the op- 
 portunity might be lost, if neglected 
 
 You will perceive that Lodiana and Sabathu do 
 not afford sufficient work to employ all our breth- 
 ren permanently. Shall they all go to those places 
 until they learn the language, and then go wherever 
 the Lord directs? Or would it be advisable for some 
 of them to stay at Farrukhabad, or at some other 
 place in the Doab, or level country, between the 
 Ganges and the Jumna? The latter is a region of 
 country teeming with large towns and multitudes 
 
210 
 
 LODIANA TO NEW YORK. 
 
 of people, for whose souls no man seems to care. 
 It affords a greater prospect of concentrated exer- 
 tions than do the regions to the northwest. It is 
 entirely under British rule. It is easy of access 
 by water from Calcutta, and would afford a “ half- 
 way house” to the missionary brethren going on 
 to the northwest. We want some missionary fami- 
 lies in Calcutta, where our missionaries wouM 
 land at first ; who would find as much work to do 
 as they could accomplish; who would meet with 
 a most cordial reception from all the Calcutta 
 brethren; and who could relieve these brethren 
 from commissions and cares which even now must 
 be troublesome, though they are too kind to admit 
 that they are so, but which, in future times, will 
 be too numerous for them to think of attending to, 
 when we have some fifty or a hundred mission- 
 aries in the upper regions of India. And then 
 we want many American missionaries throughout 
 Upper India; of whom some could be stationed 
 at Furrukhabad, to receive and forward over land 
 the brethren, and their commissions, to the remoter 
 stations. There is a large unoccupied field in the 
 Doab. Would it be desirable for two of our breth- 
 ren to stay somewhere in it? If it is not so for 
 them, I trust you will soon be able to send others 
 to take possession of that fertile and populous 
 country. 
 
 If they should go on to Lodiana, they might, or 
 future missionaries might, prepare themselves for 
 going either to Cashmere, or to Afghanistan, by 
 learning the language of those countries, from the 
 natives, of whom there are many at Lodiana. 
 
 During the spring of 1834, through the kind 
 attention of Capt. Wade, a portion of ground was 
 allotted to our mission, which is in many respects 
 
LODIANA TO NEW YOKE. 
 
 211 
 
 very eligible, being about a quarter of a mile east of 
 the city, and containing a tract of rather low ground, 
 suitable for a garden; as well as some high ground, 
 suitable, and sufficiently large, for two or three 
 houses. You would have thought the higher point 
 of it a dreary, barren spot, if you could have seen 
 it three or four months ago. It was just like the 
 sandy-looking plains east and south of it. Yet it 
 has always been cultivated; and we may hope that 
 it will hereafter possess a peculiar interest, as the 
 seat of extensive moral influence, and as the home 
 of two or three families of the Lord’s beloved 
 people. It is intended that Lodiana shall become 
 a walled town, and measures are in progress which 
 seem to promise that the native city shall extend 
 eastward quite to our ground. According to the 
 plan of the city, a single street separates our little 
 tract from the wall of the great city “that is to be.” 
 The time had now come when I should direct 
 my way homewards. After obtaining the best 
 medical advice, and after much and anxious con- 
 sideration, and many free conferences w'ith my 
 missionary companions, it was agreed by us all 
 that a return to the United States was decidedly 
 advisable, as the only means of recovering from 
 the combined influence of the climate and of 
 chronic disease. Deeply as I regretted to leave 
 a post of so much importance, and a mission whose 
 brief history had been so fraught with deeply pain- 
 ful, but also with most encouraging interest, and 
 sorrowful as we all were at the necessity of part- 
 ing, the path of duly appeared plain, and we 
 acquiesced in what we believed to be the will of 
 God. For myself, I consented the more readily 
 to the measure, as I hoped to be so much benefitted 
 by the voyage, and by spending a year or two in 
 
212 
 
 LODI AN A TO NEW YORK. 
 
 a colder climate, as to return to the sphere of duty 
 I was now about to leave — a hope I have since 
 been constrained to abandon. 
 
 Arrangements were soon made for a journey to 
 Calcutta by dak, and on the 21st of January, I 
 bade farewell to many kind English friends at Lo- 
 diana, to the scholars of the High School, and to 
 my missionary brethren — we commended each 
 other to God, and to the word of his grace, and 
 then parted, they to pursue their missionary labours, 
 and I to make another long and solitary journey. I 
 reached Calcutta on the 11th of February, after 
 four or live days’ delay on the road. 
 
 I was anxious to proceed on the voyage without 
 delay, as the hot season was now drawing nigh, 
 but I met with unexpected and trying disappoint- 
 ments about getting a passage directly to the United 
 Slates, and was at length obliged to decide on re- 
 turning by way of England. This delay, how- 
 ever, proved the means of my having a glad meet- 
 ing with the third company of missionaries, who 
 arrived on the 2d of April, in the Charles Whar- 
 ton, from Philadelphia, after a safe and pleasant 
 voyage. This party consisted of the Rev. Messrs. 
 J. R. Campbell, and J. McEwen, and Messrs. J. 
 M. Jamieson, W. S. Rogers, and J. Porter, with 
 their wives. The three last mentioned gentlemen 
 had completed their studies at college, and they 
 have since been ordained as ministers of the gos- 
 pel. We all regarded it as a favourable ordering 
 of providence, that I should have been delayed 
 until they arrived. I was able to be of use to 
 them in making their arrangements for proceeding 
 up the country ; and it was highly gratifying to see 
 so many chosen men and women thus far on their 
 way to a scene of labour, where, two years before, 
 
A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY, ETC. 213 
 
 every thing appeared so discouraging. I left India 
 with a lighter heart, after spending a few days 
 with these missionary friends. 
 
 Of the voyage to England, and thence to New 
 York, I need not give an extended account. Both 
 were unusually long and severe, but we were 
 favoured with all necessary comfort. After stop- 
 ping a week at the Cape of Good Hope, our ship 
 arrived at London about the end of September, and 
 embarking at Portsmouth early in November, I 
 had the great satisfaction, on the 28th of Decem- 
 ber, of stepping on the shore of my native country, 
 the more beloved as I had seen the more of foreign 
 lands. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE MISSIONS. 
 
 Lodiana — Sabathu — Saharunpur — Allahabad — Futtehgurh 
 — Presbyteries formed — Summary View. 
 
 Here my account might end ; and yet, as I venture 
 to hope that the reader will desire to learn the fur- 
 ther progress of the mission, I shall add some 
 notices of the station at Lodiana, and the stations 
 that have been subsequently occupied. These are 
 Sabathu, Saharunpur, Futtehgurh, and Allahabad. 
 
 At Lodiana, the Rev. Messrs. Wilson and New- 
 ton took charge of the English school, two or 
 three common schools, a weekly service in Eng- 
 lish, and a printing press. The latter had been 
 procured at Calcutta, in part with the help of some 
 
214 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE 
 
 liberal donations from our kind friends at Simla. 
 After Messrs. W. and N. had made further pro- 
 gress in learning the native language, they made 
 several tours into the adjacent country, to preach 
 to the natives, and distribute the Scriptures, and 
 other religious books, amongst those of them who 
 could read. This kind of service is performed by 
 the missionaries of all the stations to a greater or 
 less extent, and is the means of conveying the 
 knowledge of the gospel to thousands who would 
 not otherwise receive it. Two dwelling-houses, 
 a school-house, and a printing-office were erected. 
 
 On the arrival of Messrs. Rogers and Porter, of 
 the third company of missionaries, it was thought 
 advisable that one of the newly arrived should be 
 associated with one of those who had now acquired 
 some experience in that part of India, and accord- 
 ingly, Mr. Porter took up his abode at Lodiana, 
 with Mr. Newton; Mr. Wilson proceeding with 
 Mr. Rogers to one of the new stations. Soon 
 afterwards, a boarding-school was opened for or- 
 phan children, but the number of scholars never 
 exceeded above a dozen, and in 1840 they were 
 transferred to a similar school at Saharunpur. In 
 the beginning of 1838, Mr. Rogers came down 
 from Sabathu to this station, and took charge of 
 the High School, which has continued under his 
 efficient superintendence; and Mr. R. Morris, a 
 printer, having arrived about the end of the year, 
 with another press, this department of labour could 
 now be superintended to much better advantage. 
 Two additional dwelling-houses were built in 1839, 
 and the printing-office was much enlarged. In 
 the next year a neat Church was erected for native 
 Services, the first Presbyterian, and the first Mis- 
 sion Church erected in that part of India. The 
 
HISTORY OP THE MISSIONS. 
 
 215 
 
 missionaries had organized themselves into a 
 Church in 1837, and they have since had the great 
 satisfaction of admitting several hopeful native con- 
 verts as members of the visible Church of Christ. 
 
 One of the letters already quoted mentions the 
 selection of Sabathu, in the Protected Hill States, 
 as a second station. The Rev. J. Wilson, and the 
 Rev. W. S. Rogers, were the first missionaries, 
 having gone there in the beginning of 1837. After- 
 wards it was considered expedient that Mr. Wilson 
 should go down to Allahabad, and that Mr. Rogers 
 should reside atLodiana, and they were succeeded 
 by the Rev. J. M. Jamieson, the missionary now 
 at this station, his wife’s health having suffered so 
 severely on the plains as to make it necessary to 
 remove to the hills. The Rev. J. H. Morrison 
 is at present at Sabathu on account of his health, 
 and it is not improbable that he will make the Hill 
 States the place of his future labours. 
 
 Schools both for boys and girls, have been 
 opened at Sabathu, but the attendance has varied, 
 owing to the changes among the native soldiers, 
 who, with their families, form a large part of the 
 population of this town; the general prospects of 
 these schools have not been very encouraging. 
 The missionaries have made frequent tours among 
 the Hill tribes, and have gone down, during the 
 cold season, to the plains, for the purpose of mak- 
 ing the gospel more widely known among the 
 people. Mr. Jamieson has given much attention 
 of late to the language of the Thibetan people, a 
 number of whom find their way across the snowy 
 mountains. The readers of the Missionary Chron- 
 icle will have observed in that periodical, frequent 
 notices of these Hill tribes, and of the proceedings 
 of the missionaries among them. 
 
216 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE 
 
 Saharunpur was made a mission station at the 
 same time with Sabathu. It had been brought to 
 our notice by a gentleman of the Civil Service, 
 then stationed at Saharunpur, who gave every kind 
 and efficient aid to our missionaries, in their settle- 
 ment and labours at that place. A dwelling-house, 
 large enough for two families, was purchased in 
 1836, of which, early in the following year, the 
 Rev. Messrs. J. R. Campbell and J. M. Jamieson 
 took possession. On Mr. Jamieson’s removal to 
 the Hills, Mr. Campbell was left alone until joined 
 in 1839 by the Rev. J. Caldwell, who had arrived, 
 with his wife, in the ship Osage, from Philadel- 
 phia, after a comfortable passage, and Mr. J. Craig, 
 a teacher, and his wife. Besides studying the 
 language, and making daily efforts to proclaim the 
 gospel among the natives, an English school and 
 a boarding-school were opened. The latter has 
 proved a very interesting and useful institution, 
 containing about twenty scholars, all of whom are 
 orphans rescued from starvation. A church has 
 been organized, containing, in 1841, twelve mem- 
 bers. 
 
 Much sickness was suffered by nearly all the 
 missionaries at this station, before it was discovered 
 that it was probably owing to low, marshy ground 
 in the vicinity, which was not sooner perceived 
 because concealed from view by a dense under- 
 growth of vegetation. Mrs. Campbell was brought 
 very low by fever, and Mr. and Mrs. Craig also, 
 while it pleased God to take unto himself Mrs. 
 Caldwell, who died on the 8th of November, 
 1839. She had formerly lived at Pittsburgh, Pa., 
 and afterwards at Wheeling, Va., and was re- 
 garded with warm affection, and with the highest 
 confidence, by those who knew her worth. Few 
 
HISTORY OF THE MISSIONS. 
 
 217 
 
 women have engaged in the service of Christ, 
 among the heathen, who appeared better fitted for 
 usefulness. Her early removal was not only an 
 overwhelming loss to her husband, but a most 
 serious calamity to the mission. How often are 
 we reminded that the Lord’s ways are not as our 
 ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts ! 
 
 In 1840 the missionaries removed to the oppo- 
 site side of the city, where two dwelling-houses 
 have been built, and a school-house, and where 
 they enjoy much better health. During this 
 change, the English school, which contained about 
 forty boys, was suspended, but it has since been 
 re-opened on the new premises. The present 
 labours of the missionaries are abundant, and their 
 prospects highly favourable. 
 
 This station is one hundred and thirty miles 
 south-east from Lodiana, towards Calcutta, and 
 contains perhaps forty thousand inhabitants. It is 
 surrounded by a populous country, and is within 
 thirty or forty miles of Hardwar, where the Gan- 
 ges issues from the mountains, a place of great 
 resort by pilgrims, so that the missionaries have 
 the opportunity of preaching the gospel to great 
 multitudes of people. Some of their number com- 
 monly visit Hardwar for this purpose during the 
 annual fair, when myriads of people come from all 
 parts of India, partly to bathe in the Ganges, and 
 partly for purposes of traffic. The number of 
 these pilgrims and visiters is seldom less than two 
 hundred thousand, and every fourteenth year the 
 multitudes are greatly increased. 
 
 Allahabad, at the junction of the Ganges and 
 Jumna, was first occupied in 1836, by the Rev. 
 J. McEwen, who was led by providential circum- 
 stances, after having proceeded as far as Cawn- 
 19 
 
218 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE 
 
 pore, to return to this station, thereby complying 
 with the earnest request of some Christian friends. 
 He immediately undertook several English ser- 
 vices, and a school of about forty scholars, of whom 
 several were boarders, was collected under the 
 care of his excellent companion^.Mrs. McEwen. 
 These labours were continued with much encour- 
 agement until Mr. McEwen’s health failed entirely, 
 and a removal to another climate seemed to offer 
 the only hope of saving his life. In the meantime 
 a church was organized of persons speaking the 
 English language, and the general prospects of the 
 station were so favourable that it was only from a 
 conviction of its necessity that Mr. McEwen con- 
 sented to leave in 1838. 
 
 Arrangements had been made for the Rev. J. W. 
 Wilson to take charge of the station, and he re- 
 moved to Allahabad in the beginning of this year. 
 Some occurrences of a painful nature shortly after- 
 wards took place in the conduct of one or two of 
 the assistants, which led to the breaking up of the 
 school; but afterwards it was resumed with better 
 prospects. Mr. Wilson devoted much of his time 
 to preaching the gospel among the natives, for 
 which purpose Allahabad affords opportunities to 
 a very wide extent, as in the estimation of the 
 Hindus it is only less sacred than Hardwar or 
 Benares, and great multitudes of pilgrims resort 
 thither every cold season for purposes of religious 
 ablution and other observances. 
 
 At the end of May in this year Mr. Wilson was 
 joined by the Rev. J. H. Morrison, of the fourth 
 company of missionaries, consisting of himself and 
 the Rev. H. R. Wilson, Jr., Mr. R. Morris, Jr., a 
 printer, designated to Lodiana, and Mr. J. Craig, 
 a teacher, appointed to Saharunpur, with their 
 
HISTORY OF THE MISSIONS. 
 
 219 
 
 wives, who had arrived at Calcutta on the 7th of 
 April, in the ship Charles Wharton, from Phila- 
 delphia, after a safe voyage. Before they could 
 leave Calcutta, they were called to mourn over 
 the sudden death of Mrs. Morrison, of the cholera. 
 She was taken to her rest on the 28th of April. 
 She was a daughter of Dr. E. D. Ward, of Bloom- 
 field, New Jersey, and a woman of great excel- 
 lence of character and devotedness to her work. 
 None could be more deeply lamented by those 
 who had the pleasure of knowing her worth. Her 
 remains now rest in the Scotch burial groud, be- 
 side those of her missionary sister, who in 1833, 
 was called first home from her Lord’s work in 
 India. 
 
 Mr. Morrison afterwards proceeded in advance 
 of his companions to Allahabad, where he relieved 
 Mr. Wilson of the English services, giving his 
 attention also to labours among the natives. 
 
 The Rev. Messrs. J. E. Freeman, and J. Warren 
 and their wives, and the Rev. J. L. Scott and wife, 
 appointed to Futtehgurh, composing the fifth com- 
 pany of missionaries, reached Calcutta about the 
 1st of March, 1839, in the ship George Gardner, 
 from Boston, after a good voyage; and the two 
 first named of these gentlemen joined the Allaha- 
 bad mission in the same year. They had brought 
 with them a printing press, which is placed under 
 Mr. Warren's care, as he had formerly been a 
 practical printer. Another printing press was sent 
 to this station during the last year, and the estab- 
 lishment is considered an effective and very impor- 
 tant means of doing good. A school for orphan 
 children was formed, and now contains about fifty 
 pupils. A native church was organized in 1841, 
 under circumstances of much interest, and several 
 
220 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE 
 
 natives have been admitted to church-fellowship. 
 A church has been erected for native services, 
 through the liberality of R. Montgomery, Esq. of 
 the Civil Service, and other English gentlemen; 
 and a valuable property has been purchased on 
 favourable terms on the banks of the Jumna, where 
 most of the mission families now reside, and have 
 their printing establishment and schools. 
 
 The Rev. J. Owen, of the sixth company of 
 missionaries, reached Calcutta on the 25th of De- 
 cember, 1840, in the Eugene, from Boston, after a 
 favourable voyage. The Rev. Messrs. J. C. Ran- 
 kin, and W. A. McAuley, with their wives, and 
 Miss Vanderveer, who arrived in the same vessel, 
 proceeded to Futtehgurh, while Mr. Owen, agree- 
 ably to a previous arrangement, remained at Alla- 
 habad, where he arrived in the early part of last 
 year. 
 
 On the 13th of September of last year, the Rev. 
 Messrs. L. Janvier and J. Wray, and their wives, 
 being the seventh company of Missionaries to the 
 Upper India stations, embarked at Philadelphia for 
 Calcutta in the ship Washington, the former desig- 
 nated to Lodiana, and the latter to Allahabad. 
 Allahabad is situated at the junction of the Ganges 
 and Jumna rivers, about five hundred miles north- 
 west of Calcutta; it contains a large native popu- 
 lation, and is probably the most important station 
 in Upper India, as the seat of various courts, and 
 the place of residence of many important officers 
 of the Civil Service. Its celebrity in the estima- 
 tion of the natives for its holiness has been already 
 adverted to. 
 
 Futtehgurh, on the Ganges, about seven hun- 
 dred and fifty miles north-west from Calcutta, was 
 recommended in connection with the large city of 
 
HISTORY OF THE MISSIONS. 
 
 221 
 
 Furrukhabad as an eligible place for missionary 
 labour, by the Rev. Messrs. Wilson and Newton 
 on their journey to Lodiana in 1835. Mr. Wilson 
 then wrote as follows — 
 
 “ While in the neighbourhood of Furrukhabad, 
 I wish to make a few suggestions to the Executive 
 Committee respecting this place as a promising 
 field for a missionary. It seems to have been over- 
 looked by those who have had the distribution of 
 missionary labour in this part of India. It is an 
 ancient and very populous city. No certain data 
 are available as to the present population. The 
 Baboo, a native gentleman, who called on us 
 last evening, supposes the population about one 
 hundred thousand. It is entirely a native popu- 
 lation, free from the hinderances which the pre- 
 sence of Europeans sometimes throws around 
 those who labour for the religious instruction of 
 the natives. Judging from the manufactures ex- 
 hibited in the shops, and the lively business-tone 
 that pervaded the whole, I take it to be a place of 
 considerable native trade. The people appear to 
 be cheerful, active, and interesting in a high de- 
 gree Who can estimate the good which 
 
 might be accomplished by the missionary who 
 could take his station every day in these thronged 
 streets, to preach and distribute the glad tidings of 
 the kingdom! Furrukhabad lies about six miles 
 back from Futtehgurh, which is a small military 
 station at the head of navigation for large boats on 
 the Ganges. It is the point at which a great part 
 of the goods, and also the travellers to the upper 
 provinces leave the river. It would, therefore, be 
 a very convenient intermediate station and medium 
 of transmission from Lodiana to Calcutta, or any 
 of the stations down the river. If the Society 
 
222 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE 
 
 should find ils resources sufficient at any nearly 
 approaching period, it appears to brother N. and 
 myself that it might be a very eligible station for a 
 branch of a mission. The nearest efficient mis- 
 sionary station is Chunar, nearly three hundred 
 miles below, and Delhi , half that distance above. 
 Here is indeed a wide field.” 
 
 It was not, however, until the latter part of 
 1838, that Futtehgurh became a mission station. 
 The interesting circumstances under which the 
 Rev. H. R. Wilson, Jr. was led to commence 
 missionary efforts at this place are set forth clear- 
 ly in the following extract from his letter to the 
 Board, of November 19, 1838. 
 
 “ This subject was discussed by us at Allahabad, 
 and it was there decided unanimously, that Capt. 
 W. should be written to for information, and [in 
 case of certain circumstances occurring] that one 
 of our party, and that one myself, should stop 
 there, and commence a mission, at least until the 
 next reinforcement should arrive. 
 
 During our stay at Cawnpore, Dr. Madden, of 
 the civil service, a devotedly pious man, who had 
 a large and flourishing school for orphans at Fut- 
 tehpore, almost fifty miles below r Cawppore, arriv- 
 ed with his wife in the last stage of disease. On 
 account of her ill health, he had made arrange- 
 ments for dismissing his school, and for leaving 
 the place permanently. He offered me his whole 
 property, which he had fitted up at a great expense 
 for the convenience of the school, and which he 
 estimated at seven thousand rupees, together with 
 the ,school-books, apparatus, &c., if I would go 
 and settle at Futtehpore as a missionary 
 
 While we were casting in our minds what we 
 ought to do, I received a very friendly letter from 
 
HISTORY OF THE MISSIONS. 
 
 223 
 
 Capt. W., offering every encouragement to my 
 coming here. I submitted this matter not only to 
 the brethren here, but also to those at Allahabad, 
 Saharunpur, Lodiana, and Sabathu. Whilst the 
 brethren above expressed a desire that I should go 
 on to Lodiana, still they heartily assented to my 
 stopping here, if such seemed to us to be duty. 
 The brethren Craig, Caldwell, and Morris, were 
 even more decided than I was with regard to the 
 path of duty. As Capt. W. had sent all the or- 
 phans under his care to the missionaries at Ben- 
 ares, and as those under Dr. Madden’s care had in 
 some measure been weaned from their heathenish 
 practices, and had received some religious instruc- 
 tion, it was concluded that I should take half of 
 them, twenty-five boys and twenty-five girls, to 
 Futtehgurh, for the formation of an orphan asylum 
 and the nucleus of a Christian colony there. 
 
 The mission thus auspiciously commenced has 
 continued to enjoy manifest proofs of the Divine 
 favour, of which not the least was the obtaining a 
 well educated and pious native, Gopinath Nundi, 
 as an assistant missionary. The number of orphan 
 children has been enlarged to upwards of one 
 hundred, all of whom are receiving a Christian 
 education. Many of them are learning the carpet- 
 making business, and it is proposed to settle them 
 in a village by themselves under Christian regula- 
 tions. The Government in 1840 generously placed 
 a valuable tract of land at the disposal of the mis- 
 sionaries for this purpose. 
 
 In 1839, the Rev. J. L. Scott and wife, reached 
 this station, and a school was opened in Furrukha- 
 bad for teaching Persian and English, which is 
 now attended by about seventy pupils. In 1841, 
 the Rev. Messrs. J. C. Rankin, W. H. McAuley, 
 
224 
 
 A SKETCH OF THE 
 
 and their wives, and Miss Vanderveer, reached 
 Futtehgurh. A church was shortly to be organized 
 by the last accounts received. 
 
 These stations are classed in three Missions, 
 called after the names of prominent cities, the 
 Lodiana Mission, embracing Lodiana, Saharunpur, 
 and Sabathu; the Furrukhabad Mission, having as 
 yet but the station of Futtehgurh; and the Allaha- 
 bad Mission, with but one station yet formed, that 
 of Allahabad. Eacli of these Missions is distinct 
 from the others, and they report directly to the 
 Board, whose seat of operations is in New York. 
 
 The missionaries at Lodiana were formed into 
 a Presbytery in 1836, which was recognized by 
 the General Assembly in 1841, and is called the 
 Presbytery of Lodiana, embracing the ministers at 
 Lodiana and Sabathu. The same General Assem- 
 bly constituted the ministers connected with the 
 Furrukhabad and Allahabad Missions into Pres- 
 byteries, known by those names respectively; and 
 these three Presbyteries are connected together as 
 the Synod of North India. The Presbytery of 
 Lodiana, at their first meeting, received two na- 
 tives under their care as candidates for the holy 
 ministry, and the Presbytery of Furrukhabad have 
 also taken under their care a native convert of 
 much promise for the same sacred office. The 
 missionaries at Saharunpur are of the Reformed 
 Presbyterian Church, and have also been organized 
 into a Presbytery by the Synod of their Church. 
 
 To present at one view a summary of these 
 missions, the following statistics are given. 
 
 There are now three missions, five stations, 
 seventeen ordained ministers of the gospel, one 
 printer, one teacher, nearly all of whom are mar- 
 ried men; several valuable native assistants ; three 
 
HISTORY OF MISSIONS. 
 
 225 
 
 schools, containing nearly two hundred orphan 
 children, who are supported and brought up by 
 the missionaries as if they were the children of 
 Christian parents; three English schools, with 
 about one hundred and fifty scholars, and several 
 common or day schools ; two printing establish- 
 ments, with book-binderies; and four churches, 
 whose members comprise the families of the mis- 
 sionaries, and a number of native converts, besides 
 the orphan children, who have all received the or- 
 dinance of baptism. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 The northwestern provinces not occupied with Missionary 
 institutions — Urgent wants of adult Heathens — Encour- 
 agement of Christian effort — India open for Missionary 
 labours — An interior movement now in progress — The 
 Hindus in a transition state ; shall they become Chris- 
 tians or Infidels? — Religious movements en masse — The 
 kind of men required as Missionaries. 
 
 It certainly deserves our devout thanksgiving, that 
 so large a mission establishment is now planted 
 and exerting an effective influence where, a few 
 years ago, there was but a solitary pioneer, or 
 rather where but a year or two before, the wants 
 and even the names of those provinces, and their 
 millions of people, were little known to our 
 churches. A beginning has been made, a number 
 of faithful labourers are engaged in their Lord’s 
 work, schools have been formed, the Sacred Scrip- 
 20 
 
226 
 
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 tures printed and circulated widely, churches and 
 Presbyteries constituted, and the work of convert- 
 ing' grace displayed, and still in progress; this is 
 surely the Lord’s work, and it is marvellous in our 
 eyes. We cannot but regard the past history of 
 those missions as presenting a strong inducement 
 to enlarged efforts, and as holding out good en- 
 couragement of final success. 
 
 That success should be devoutly prayed for in 
 these endeavours, no one can doubt, who considers 
 how lamentable is the condition of men not enjoy- 
 ing the light of Revelation, and how far above all 
 price are the benefits conferred on those who sin- 
 cerely embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every 
 motive that induces Christians to set a high esti- 
 mate on their religion, should persuade them to 
 use all proper means to extend its blessings to 
 those who are destitute of them. Nor is this duty 
 left to their choice. Its performance is made bind- 
 ing by the command of Christ. The generous 
 promptings, however, of their benign faith, not 
 less than the beautiful example of their blessed 
 Lord, should constrain them to offer a free and 
 ready service on behalf of those who are repre- 
 sented in Sacred Scripture, with touching sim- 
 plicity, as “ sitting in darkness and the shadow of 
 death.” 
 
 The entire north-western part of India, above a 
 line drawn between Benares and Allahabad, may 
 be regarded as specially open to our missionaries. 
 There are many important places below that line 
 where they might be well employed, indeed where 
 the services of missionaries are most urgently re- 
 quired ; and they would be made welcome by the 
 missionaries of other branches of the. Church of 
 Christ, now employed in the lower provinces, their 
 
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 227 
 
 numbers and resources being altogether inadequate 
 to the work in which they are engaged. But in 
 those north and north-western parts of India, there 
 are no other missionaries from the American 
 Church, and but few from the English Societies. 
 The entire number of European missionaries is 
 probably under a dozen, nor is there a prospect of 
 this number being much increased. There is am- 
 ple room, therefore, for the employment of many 
 morfe missionaries from this country. Those upper 
 parts of India, from Allahabad to the Indus, and 
 from the mountains so far westward as to include 
 the Raj-put tribes, comprise the provinces of Alla- 
 habad, Agra, and Delhi, part of Malwa, and the 
 whole of Rajputana, the kingdom of Oude, the 
 Protected Hill and Sikh States, and the entire 
 kingdom of the Panjab, including Cashmere, con- 
 taining in all a population of perhaps thirty mil- 
 lions. And besides these, the provinces of Scinde, 
 on the lower waters of the Indus, the countries of 
 Beloochistan and Afghanistan, west of the Indus, 
 and Thibet, on the north-east, can all be reached 
 from this part of India, perhaps better than from 
 any other quarter. In all these countries there is 
 no mission establishment whatever. 
 
 Now although we grant the position already ad- 
 verted to incidentally, that one great object of 
 missions is to prepare the natives for becoming 
 themselves preachers of righteousness to their 
 countrymen, yet we cannot doubt the extreme im- 
 portance of all labours that look to the conversion 
 of adult heathens. And these must be made by 
 foreign missionaries, if our benevolence shall reach 
 the generation now on the stage of life. In a few 
 years more, they will go down to the land of 
 
228 
 
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 the work of training up native youths, and sending 
 them forth on this high errand of mercy, to their 
 fathers and older countrymen. It may justly be 
 said, that the Christians now living must put them- 
 selves in communication with the heathens now 
 living, and that chiefly by their direct efforts, if 
 the latter are made to know the true God, and 
 eternal life, which is through his son Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. And beyond all question, the followers 
 of Christ are responsible, and will be held to a 
 strict account in the great day, for the fulfilment of 
 this duty, according to the measure of their means 
 and opportunities, 
 
 If to any it should appear a hopeless work to 
 preach Christ, and him crucified, to adult heathens, 
 confirmed in evil habits, and surrounded with tem- 
 poral interests, altogether adverse to their believing 
 on the Son of God, let it be remembered that 
 there is the same encouragement now as in the 
 first ages of the Church. A minister of the gos- 
 pel has the same reasons to expect the Divine 
 blessing on his ministrations among the Hindus, 
 that encouraged the apostle Paul to preach in the 
 city of Ephesus. In both cases, it is by the fool- 
 ishness of preaching that God is pleased to save 
 them that believe. In both cases, it is the power 
 of God that must overcome the otherwise insupe- 
 rable difficulties that would hinder and utterly pre- 
 vent the conversion of any pagan, either in ancient 
 or modern times. And that power shall not be 
 withheld, when the followers of Christ sincerely 
 seek its aid, and employ the appointed means 
 through which that aid is given. On this principle 
 rest the whole foundation and superstructure of 
 Christian Missions. And it is a principle of per- 
 fectly established firmness. 
 
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 229 
 
 In India, the way is made ready for the employ- 
 ment of these appointed means. That country, 
 and its multitudes of inhabitants, are now under 
 the control of a Protestant government; and Chris- 
 tian ministers, without receiving any special favour, 
 which indeed they need not desire, are protected 
 as citizens, and may spend their entire strength in 
 the fulfilment of their holy vocation, no man hin- 
 dering them, nor making them afraid. After 
 learning the language, they may preach the gospel 
 to the natives, not often in congregations statedly 
 assembling in one place of worship, but as oppor- 
 tunity offers, in the midst of large crowds, or to a 
 few villagers, gathered around the shady peepul 
 tree; or to the solitary inquirer who comes like 
 Nicodemus, at night, to their houses, to ask, how 
 can these things be? or in the midst of a school- 
 room, day after day, to a number of hopeful 
 youth. They may translate the Sacred Scriptures, 
 and place them in the hands of those who are able 
 to read. They may teach those converts who 
 possess suitable gifts, the way of God more per- 
 fectly, and then send them forth in their Lord’s 
 name. Thus is there an open door set before the 
 Church, by the good providence of God, and the 
 voice of providence, no less than the teaching of 
 revelation, instructs the Church touching her duty. 
 
 Besides this outward door open, there is an in- 
 terior movement of most deep interest now in 
 progress among the Hindus, which must not be 
 overlooked. Various influences are at work un- 
 dermining the existing fabric of superstition. The 
 administration of the government by foreigners, 
 who, while they protect all in their common rights, 
 bestow special favour on no exclusive class, and 
 grant no immunity in crime, not even to a brah- 
 
230 
 
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 man, though shielded by all the special enactments 
 of the Shastras, has a silent influence on the minds 
 of the people against their religion ; and if this in- 
 fluence be almost unseen, it is nevertheless as 
 steady and as mighty as the flowing of the tide on 
 the ocean. The advance of knowledge, on com- 
 mon subjects, is not less directly hostile to the 
 Hindu religion. The peculiar opinion, according 
 to which their books on most branches of know- 
 ledge are accounted sacred, has been already point- 
 ed out. And it leads to most important results. 
 These books, at least many of them, are filled 
 with the grossest error, not merely on religious 
 subjects, but on topics which every well informed 
 person would be ashamed to be ignorant of — such 
 as the shape of the earth, the position of its moun- 
 tains, rivers, &c., the cause of eclipses, the influ- 
 ence of the planets on human affairs, the manner 
 of curing diseases, &c. Their belief in the most 
 absurd notions on these subjects, is based on the 
 same authority which has peopled their heavens 
 with millions of gods and goddesses, and which 
 has appointed their priests, and manifold ceremo- 
 nial observances. Let them see that in the former 
 class of things they have been altogether mistaken, 
 and it will not be long before they discover the 
 groundless claims of the latter. Both stand or fall 
 together. The former are now falling. European 
 science, and correct knowledge, are supplanting 
 the fables of the East. Many of the more influ- 
 ential classes, and of those who will become in- 
 fluential, are now abandoning the silly legends of 
 the Hindu Shastras, and their number is constantly 
 increasing. And commonly, if not always, these 
 Hindus abandon at the same time the religious 
 faith of their country. For a while they may 
 
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 231 
 
 comply with its outward forms, yet will they stop 
 in the midst of their prayers, to tell you that they 
 are merely conforming to what is customary. In- 
 deed, to a great extent, the Hindu religion may 
 now be characterized as a religion of usage, and not 
 of reverence or feeling. It was never a religion 
 of love, and therefore its hold on its votaries can 
 be the more easily broken. Besides all this, mul- 
 titudes of youth are now forming such habits of 
 accurate mental study, of ascertaining truth by 
 induction and severe reason, as would lead them 
 to reject the visionary religious revelations of the 
 Hindu sacred books, even were their instructions 
 on profane topics less erroneous. In short, the 
 Hindus may be regarded as now in a transition 
 state. They are leaving the false and dangerous 
 moorings of Hinduism, and setting out on the tide 
 of new opinions, impelled by a self-trusting and 
 reckless spirit, without chart or pilot — where shall 
 their voyage end? Certain it is, that they will 
 not continue pagans many generations longer — 
 shall they become sincere worshippers of the true 
 God, or madly follow the vain imaginations of 
 the natural mind into the heartless regions of scep- 
 ticism? This question can be answered satisfac- 
 torily, if the Church employ Christian agencies in 
 a right spirit, and to a suitable extent. And it is 
 for her encouragement to know, that all these 
 general influences, now gradually working such 
 mighty changes, are but doing a part of her work. 
 They are disabusing the minds of the people of 
 error; let the servants of the Church stand by and 
 fill their minds with truth. Let them build up the 
 walls of Zion among the Hindus, while the for- 
 tresses of the great adversary are falling in ruins. 
 
 There is another view of India as a missionary 
 
232 
 
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 field, which cannot be surveyed without inspiring 
 the mind with hope, not unmingled with anxiety. 
 So intimately bound together are the Hindus in 
 their respective castes, and so terrible are the con- 
 sequences oflosing one’s place in the sect of which 
 he is a member, that it is not strange that so few 
 have forsaken Hinduism; the wonder is rather 
 that so many have become Christians. These 
 bonds of caste will keep men from embracing a 
 different religion as individuals, separately, but 
 they will also lead to large masses of people mak- 
 ing that change together. The motives which are 
 sufficient to influence the mind of one man will, 
 before they have led him to any final decision, 
 have become the motives of hundreds more of the 
 same sect; they will then forsake their old reli- 
 gion together, and they will strengthen each other 
 in their new faith. Years ago reflecting observers 
 predicted this result. And within the last two 
 years, a most striking example of the correctness 
 of their opinions has been witnessed in Krishna- 
 ghur, a district of Bengal, about sixty or seventy 
 miles north of Calcutta, where large numbers of 
 the Kurta Bhojas, one of the smaller sects, have 
 been received into the Christian Church, under the 
 labours of the English Episcopal Missionaries. 
 This movement extended to thousands of that sect, 
 while surounding sects were hardly at all impres- 
 sed. Thus it probably will be throughout India. 
 Such is our hope. Our fear is that when these 
 movements shall take place, the Church may not 
 be prepared, with her servants and their native co- 
 labourers, to point the minds of the inquiring multi- 
 tudes to “ the Lamb of Cod that taketh away the 
 sin of the world.” What could the four mis- 
 sionary brethren and their two native assistants 
 
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 233 
 
 accomplish at Futtehgurh, if the people of Fur- 
 rukhabad, a city a few miles distant, of more than 
 one hundred thousand people, should now arise 
 en masse, renounce their idols, and seek a new 
 religion ? It may be said that these changes cannot 
 be expected until the means shall have been em- 
 ployed to produce them, and then those means 
 shall serve to give them a safe direction. But 
 may there not be light enough to show them their 
 danger, and yet not enough to point out also the 
 way of escape ? Besides, this remark at best only 
 postpones the time of these great and general reli- 
 gious movements, the arrival of which every Chris- 
 tian should be anxious rather to hasten than retard. 
 And moreover there are, as has been shown, 
 causes now at work to produce such changes, 
 though a large part of these causes are purely se- 
 cular ; and unless Christian efforts are combined 
 with them, their result will prove any thing else 
 than favourable to the religious benefit of the peo- 
 ple. 
 
 These considerations, if we do not greatly mis- 
 judge, will be regarded by the reader as clearly 
 showing that India is truly a most important sphere 
 of missionary labour. “ The harvest truly is plen- 
 teous, but the labourers are few.” 
 
 I shall only add in reference to Upper India, 
 that this important field for Christian efforts was 
 brought to the attention of that part of the Church 
 by which these missions are supported, at the time 
 that she was beginning to move forward as a dis- 
 tinct tribe in Israel in the great missionary work. 
 It is not presumptuous for us to believe that in this 
 there was far more than a merely casual co-inci- 
 dence — Let those, who have “understanding of 
 
234 
 
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 the times to know what Israel ought to do,” con- 
 sider to what important results this connection 
 should lead. 
 
 The question has been asked, what kind of men 
 are needed for missionary service in India? It is 
 obvious that in so large a field of labour, there 
 must be room for the employment of men of very 
 different and unequal gifts. Among the apostles, 
 the earliest missionaries, usefulness was not limited 
 to the labours of the highly gifted Paul, but Thomas 
 also, a man of far less talent and learning, has left 
 traces of his success in his Lord’s work, in places 
 further distant from Jerusalem than Paul ever 
 travelled. 
 
 While there is ample scope for the full employ- 
 ment of talents of the highest order, men of mode- 
 rate abilities should not be discouraged from enter- 
 ing on the missionary field in India. It is highly 
 desirable, however, that our missionaries should 
 be talented, wise, learned, and practical men; the 
 stronger in these respects they are, the better; if 
 only they have such a degree of excellence in their 
 religious character as shall guard them from self 
 confidence and other evils, to which talented men 
 of little piety are exposed. I would insist far more 
 on matured and deep religious attainments than on 
 talents and learning in a missionary. He should 
 have such convictions of his own unworthiness, 
 such views of his Lord’s glory, and such desires 
 for the salvation of the heathen, as would make 
 him at once humble, zealous, and constantly patient 
 and laborious in his sacred calling. A self-willed 
 man ought not to be a missionary, especially if he 
 is to be associated with others; nor should one 
 who desires to have the preeminence. Even in 
 
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 235 
 
 the Church at home, a man who cannot bear con- 
 tradiction without impatience, but must have his 
 own way or none, who is anxious to be known as 
 the principal agent, and to hear his own proceedings 
 conspicuously set forth ; who can allow himself to 
 speak harshly and contemptuously of his breth- 
 ren; who has a suspicious temper, readily takes 
 offence, and is slow to forgive ; especially if he 
 have more than common ability, or is supported by 
 any thing peculiar in his family connections, or in 
 his position in the community, — such a man is 
 sure to be both the cause and the occasion of trouble 
 and dissension, though he is here surrounded by a 
 thousand counteracting and regulating influences. 
 To make a minister of the gospel of such a man, 
 is a very doubtful service to the Church of Christ; 
 to make a missionary of such a man would be a 
 severe trial to those who might be compelled to 
 associate with him, and would probably contribute 
 little to the establishment of the gospel among the 
 heathen. I am thankful that 1 have never met 
 with such a missionary, and I have drawn the 
 sketch only to present at one view various evil 
 traits, which should be guarded against with all 
 care. The seeds of these evils are found in the 
 corrupt nature of man. Religion alone can effec- 
 tually restrain and correct their influence. Where 
 missionaries are so few in number, so closely con- 
 nected together, and so dependent on each other, 
 there should be special care to exclude every thing 
 that would hinder theirhappiness or their usefulness. 
 No one should expect special deference to be paid 
 to his views, every one should be willing to sub- 
 mit himself to his brethren in the Lord, and all 
 should aim to excel in humility of mind, in the 
 
236 
 
 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 
 
 study of whatsoever things are lovely, and in a 
 sacred devotion to the great object of their mission. 
 Let a sufficient number of such missionaries be 
 employed, and let the Church support them with 
 her gift6 and her prayers, and the time shall not be 
 long distant when the praise of the most high God 
 shall ascend from the millions of India. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 i. 
 
 ON THE CONDITION OF THE HEATHEN. 
 
 Referred to on page 40. 
 
 Many are ready to say, “ God is infinitely mer- 
 ciful, and surely will not condemn to everlasting 
 punishment the myriads of creatures whom he 
 has made — especially as they are in such great 
 ignorance concerning what he requires of them.” 
 This opinion is often maintained ; and it is still 
 more generally felt, as a vague apprehension, not 
 clothed in words, and yet exerting a decided influ- 
 ence on the feelings and conduct of many who 
 have, probably, never been at the trouble of ex- 
 amining its correctness. 
 
 One thing is quite obvious — if the heathen do 
 not need the Gospel in order to their salvation, 
 Christians may rvell forbear to make the sacrifices, 
 which are essentially necessary to the spread of 
 our religion in heathen countries. These sacri- 
 fices are not only distressingly severe in some of 
 their forms, but they are uncalled for. — Another 
 inference from this opinion is equally plain and far 
 more important — if the heathen do not need the 
 Gospel, let Christians by no means attempt to 
 send it to them ; nay more, let them order home 
 every missionary, and if possible call back every 
 Bible that has been put in circulation in heathen 
 lands. Without the Gospel and the means of 
 
238 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 grace, according to this opinion, they are safe ; 
 but with them their responsibility would be like 
 our own, and all who reject the offers of mercy or 
 neglect this great salvation, would go down, like 
 the finally impenitent among ourselves to an aggra- 
 vated condemnation. Let us, as compassionate 
 men, avoid whatever would lead to this result as 
 the greatest of all calamities to our heathen neigh- 
 bours, and let us leave them in their ignorance, 
 which, if not the means of direct happiness, is at 
 least their security from positive suffering. Still 
 another consequence from the opinion stated at the 
 beginning of this paper is, that if the present gen- 
 eration of the heathen do not need the Gospel, no 
 more did our own forefathers need it. They, too, 
 were heathens, as ignorant and degraded as most 
 heathen people of the present day. And if the 
 former generations of the heathen were as little in 
 need of the Gospel as those who live at the pre- 
 sent day, then why did our Saviour come into our 
 world and die on the cross ? His salvation is not 
 necessary to the well-being of the present race of 
 the heathen ; it was not necessary to the former 
 generations — it might have been withheld, it was 
 a work of supererogation! Such is the impious 
 conclusion to which we are conducted, by easy 
 steps, from the opinion under review. 
 
 But it will be urged, that it is on account of the 
 death of Christ, that the heathen are not in the 
 hopeless condition in which they are sometimes 
 represented to be; and that in some way, to us it 
 may be unintelligible, God, in his infinite mercy, 
 will save them. In this modified form, the opinion 
 is entertained by many. Christianity, if its amia- 
 ble and elevating influences were diffused gene- 
 rally among the heathen nations, would prove a 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 239 
 
 great blessing, but without its direct instrumen- 
 tality they may be partakers of the grace which 
 Christ died to procure for the children of men. 
 
 This opinion, even in its modified form, is 
 exposed to the entire force of the two former infer- 
 ences already stated ; and we believe that it is in- 
 consistent with the clearly revealed will of God. 
 We shall quote but one passage: 
 
 “ Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord 
 shall be saved. How then shall they call on him 
 in whom they have not believed ? and how shall 
 they believe in him of whom they have not heard? 
 and how shall they hear without a preacher?” 
 Rom. x. 13, 14. 
 
 Hearing, believing, calling upon God, are here 
 represented as necessary alike to the Jew and the 
 Gentile, in order to their being saved. If the 
 apostle had been constructing an argument ex- 
 pressly to refute the opinion referred to above, 
 could he have selected stronger terms? 
 
 We must form our belief concerning the condi- 
 tion of the heathen, as of other men, from what 
 we know of the character, government, and will 
 of God, and also from what we know of the 
 character and conduct of the heathen. 
 
 Now, in examining this important subject, we 
 admit and fully believe that God is infinite in 
 mercy, “ not willing that any should perish, but 
 that all should come to repentance and belief of the 
 truth that the atonement of Christ is of infinite 
 value, and therefore amply sufficient for the salva- 
 tion of all the millions of our race; and that it is 
 the pleasure of God, as certainly known from his 
 express commandment, that the offers of salvation, 
 and the means of grace, should be given to all 
 men. 
 
240 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 But whether all men, or whether any men, 
 without those means of grace which have been 
 divinely appointed, can be saved, is a question not 
 at all determined by these great truths. We know 
 that “ the angels which kept not their first estate 
 are reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, 
 unto the judgment of the great day” — and yet God 
 is infinite in his mercy. We know that “ Sodom 
 and Gomorrha, and the cities about them, in like 
 manner giving themselves over to fornication, are 
 set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance 
 of eternal fire” — and yet salvation by faith in the 
 Messiah to come was the blessed portion of many 
 in their day. There is the same difficulty pre- 
 cisely in reconciling their destruction with the 
 mercy of God and with the grace of Christ, which 
 is assumed in regard to the heathen of the present 
 or of any other age. Indeed, if these general views 
 of the mercy of God and of the compassion of 
 Christ be alone appealed to, we do not see in what 
 way the belief of the Universalists can be avoid- 
 ed — that all men shall be saved. 
 
 But there are other most important and most 
 clearly revealed truths to be considered here: — All 
 men are under the righteous government of God, 
 and are accountable to him for their conduct ; and 
 he “will render unto every man according to what 
 he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” It is 
 preposterous to maintain that the accountability of 
 men is taken away by their ignorance; because 
 that ignorance itself is the result of sin which has 
 blinded their minds; and moreover, it is a wilful 
 ignorance, not complained of by them. The go- 
 vernment of God cannot be set aside by the sinful 
 ignorance of his creatures ; sin cannot be admitted 
 as an apology for itself under any government. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 241 
 
 The authority of even human laws is not to be 
 subverted, nor can their claims be satisfied, by the 
 contented ignorance of those who are subject to 
 them. This very blindness is a proof that the 
 authority of the Divine government will be enfor- 
 ced, for it is partly of a judicial character. (See 
 Rom. i. 28.) 
 
 Again: God is just no less than merciful. 
 
 Mercy cannot be exercised at the expense of any 
 other perfection of the Divine character ; and the 
 claims of justice must be satisfied either by the 
 death of the sinner, (Rom. v. 12. Gal. iii. 10.) or 
 by the atoning blood of Christ, in which an inte- 
 rest is to be obtained only by faith, (Rom. iii. 25. 
 Gal. iii. 13.) These are truths which all Chris- 
 tians believe. 
 
 Once more: God is holy; and “without holi- 
 ness it is impossible to see God.” The pure in 
 heart are blessed; for they, and only they, shall 
 see God. Into “ that great city, the holy Jerusa- 
 lem, there shall in no wise enter any thing that 
 defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, 
 or maketh a lie.” “ Without are dogs, and sorce- 
 rers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idola- 
 ters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” 
 
 Now let the character and conduct of the hea- 
 then nations be compared with these truths. Con- 
 sider that, like all men, they are “ by nature chil- 
 dren of wrath,” descendants of fallen parents; and 
 then examine the description of heathenism which 
 is contained in the first chapter of the epistle to the 
 Romans — an account which is abundantly true, 
 according to all testimony, of the heathen nations 
 of the present day. Look at the multitude of sins 
 against God and against man, of omission and 
 transgression, of heart and of conduct, of which 
 21 
 
242 
 
 APPENDIX.' 
 
 the heathen are guilty. In the view of their de- 
 praved character and sinful conduct, if they do not 
 obtain an interest in the blood of Christ which 
 cleanseth from all sin, can they be suffered to go 
 free from punishment? If they may, then all our 
 views of the sovereignty of God, of the righteous- 
 ness of his laws, of his jealous regard for the jus- 
 tice, purity, and truth of his throne, must undergo 
 an entire change. If they may escape the displea- 
 sure of God and may be received into his favour 
 when they die, not only would the Divine govern- 
 ment and character be dishonoured, but the strange 
 result would be that murderers, adulterers, idola- 
 ters, and criminals of every grade, would be seen, 
 ( not in robes of white) walking in the streets of 
 the golden city. If they may, with all their de- 
 praved dispositions and evil habits unchanged, then 
 would they be saved without salvation : for salva- 
 tion greatly consists in making those, who are par- 
 takers of it, new creatures in Christ Jesus. And 
 if even all this could possibly be admitted, would 
 those poor, depraved creatures then be happy in 
 the presence of God infinitely holy, and of the 
 holy angels, and the spirits of the just made per- 
 fect? Heaven itself would be no heaven to them. 
 
 The conclusion which forces itself on the mind 
 from these considerations is one of great solem- 
 nity. We are constrained to believe that the hea- 
 then are “ without God and without hope in the 
 world.” There are, it is true, some alleviating 
 circumstances which we would not willingly over- 
 look: — they will be judged according to the degree 
 of light which they enjoy; they will not expe- 
 rience those most terrible of all sufferings among 
 the lost, punishment for rejecting the crucified 
 Saviour, and remorse of conscience for having 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 243 
 
 known what was duty in regard to him, and yet 
 having refused to perform it; the “servant that 
 knew not his Lord’s will, and did it not, shall be 
 beaten with few stripes;” and they are in the hands 
 of the Judge of all the earth who doelh right. Our 
 minds may rest perfectly satisfied as to the equity 
 of his dispensations towards them. 
 
 Yet these are but modifications of the view 
 which we must take of their condition. It is still 
 true that they must give account to God for all the 
 deeds done in the body, whether good or bad; and 
 that God cannot permit sin to go unpunished. We 
 may forbear to dwell in our thoughts on the degree 
 of positive suffering which they may have to en- 
 dure; but is it not a great and most melancholy 
 truth that they are unfit to dwell in heaven, and 
 must be for ever prevented from enjoying its calm 
 repose, and holy light, and heartfelt joy ? that they 
 cannot hold communion with the Father and with 
 his Son, Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit, 
 and with all that is good and lovely in the uni- 
 verse? Is it not a fearful part of the prospect 
 before them, that their associates and companions 
 shall for ever be the devil and his angels, and the 
 spirits of wicked men whose society will be 
 scarcely less insupportable? Is it not a necessary 
 part of their great loss and ruin as sinners, that 
 they must be for ever abandoned to their own evil 
 passions, corrupt propensities, depraved habits — 
 ever restless, ever craving indulgence, ever con- 
 flicting with each other, ever unsatisfied? With- 
 out adverting at present to the thousand evils which 
 form a part of their condition as heathen in this 
 world, or to their want of the manifold and great 
 blessings which crown our lives in this Christian 
 land, is there not in the condition and prospects of 
 
244 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 the heathen, as immortal beings, all that should 
 awaken our deepest sympathies for their misery, 
 and our most sincere and zealous efforts for their 
 relief? Would that Christians, dwelling on the 
 high places of Zion, and richly favoured with the 
 blessings of providence and of grace, did but sur- 
 vey the misery of their heathen neighbours with 
 some measure of that compassion, and of that 
 readiness to seek their welfare, and of that willing- 
 ness to make sacrifices to promote their salvation, 
 which the Lord Jesus Christ, our great Exemplar, 
 displayed when he looked down from heaven upon 
 the ruins of our race, and then came down to earth 
 to suffer, and die, and rise again, that we might 
 live for ever ! 
 
 II. 
 
 ON THE RELATION OF MISSIONARIES TO EURO- 
 PEANS IN INDIA. 
 
 Referred to on page 44. 
 
 It may appear to some a matter of small moment 
 what the position of missionaries might be towards 
 other foreigners in India, but perhaps such persons 
 have not duly considered the duties, which grow 
 out of circumstances materially different from those 
 in which they have themselves been placed. Cer- 
 tain it is, that the Apostles adapted their manner to 
 the different classes of people amongst whom they 
 fulfilled their ministry. 
 
 Viewed with reference to our future usefulness, 
 we regarded it as kindly ordered, that we should 
 meet with no embarrassment as missionaries, from 
 our social position, but on the contrary, that all 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 245 
 
 our way should be marked with the favour of those 
 who had the influence greatly to hinder or to ad- 
 vance our object. This, though not more than we 
 were entitled to expect from our standing as clergy- 
 men, at home, was perhaps unusual in North 
 India, and at any rate it was one of those things in 
 which we thankfully acknowledge the favour of 
 God, in prospering our way. In regard to this 
 subject, it has seemed to me desirable, that our 
 missionaries among the Hindus should be known, 
 in some sense, as a separate caste ; they are neither 
 Churchmen nor Dissenters; they should by no 
 means be out of the pale of society, and yet they 
 should not be expected to comply with all its 
 usages, as observed among Europeans in India; 
 but if they may be regarded as a separate people, 
 respectable for talents, well educated, intelligent, 
 and devoted to the single object of converting the 
 Hindus to Christ, then will they enjoy, I doubt 
 not, the confidence and the co-operation of other 
 foreigners in that country, to every needful extent. 
 
 It is not only in social intercourse, however, that 
 the position of missionaries should be considered. 
 They have duties to perform, as subjects of the 
 government whose protection they enjoy. On 
 this point I shall quote a part of the Instructions of 
 the Executive Committee, addressed to the Rev. 
 Messrs. Freeman, Scott, and Warren, in 1828, 
 as exhibiting the principles recognized by the 
 Board. 
 
 “ You will bear in mind, dear brethren, that 
 you go to build up a kingdom that is not of this 
 world. With the civil government of India, and 
 all the secular matters that may agitate any portion 
 of its community, as missionaries of the cross, you 
 have nothing to do. As you will receive the pro- 
 
246 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 tection of the laws, yield to the government a 
 cheerful and peaceful submission, and where it is 
 required, a cordial support. It may be that in the 
 laws and regulations of the British authorities in 
 India, and in their administration, some things may 
 appear strange to you, and some things objection- 
 able and wrong. But there are several considera- 
 tions worthy of regard here. First, you may not 
 for a long time be very competent judges of these 
 matters. The condition of the United States and 
 that of India are at this time very different. The 
 degree of liberty, and the laws and usages to which 
 you have been accustomed, may be very unsuitable 
 for India; and yet, having enjoyed, as your birth- 
 right, all the privileges of your own country, it 
 would not be strange if you deemed them the best 
 for every other people. Again, the legislation 
 and the administration of the government of India 
 are in the hands of able and enlightened men. 
 Some of the first of British statesmen have been 
 engaged in this service; among them are many 
 who fear God, and who have devoted much of 
 their time and thought, and property, to advance 
 the best interests of the people; and you may 
 safely leave to them what so properly belongs to 
 them, without anxiety as to the result. — Finally, 
 let us suppose, what is no doubt the case, that 
 some of the laws and usages are wrong, and ought 
 to be corrected. What other country is free from 
 the same charge? Certainly not our own, not- 
 withstanding the blessings and privileges we enjoy. 
 Evils often do exist in governments, requiring 
 both time and the exercise of great wisdom to 
 correct, without producing greater evils. Leave 
 all these matters, therefore, as not belonging to 
 you ; it is not to interfere with them that you are 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 247 
 
 sent to India, but to preach the gospel to the hea- 
 then there, and to persuade them to be reconciled 
 to God. It is the earnest desire of the Board that 
 the Presbyterian Missionaries in India may estab- 
 lish such a character as will ensure to them not 
 only protection, but also the confidence and esteem 
 of those entrusted with the government. Let all 
 your teaching, all your intercourse with the natives, 
 ail your schools, and every thing you print, be 
 open at all times to the inspection of the civil 
 officers : let it be seen that you attend only to your 
 appropriate work, and soon you will convince all 
 that you are indeed the missionaries of the Prince 
 of Peace. These things are not written in distrust 
 of you, or of the brethren in India, nor with any 
 reference to the past history of that mission — 
 which, we are happy to acknowledge, has received 
 the full protection, and shared largely in the kind 
 and generous feelings of the Europeans who ad- 
 minister the authority of that country; but we 
 have noticed them as being of themselves impor- 
 tant ; and that there may be no mistake as to the 
 principles by which we are governed.” 
 
 III. 
 
 REASONS FOR EXPECTING SUCCESS IN THE WORK 
 OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONS. 
 
 Many persons consider the object of the mis- 
 sionary enterprise impracticable. They point to 
 the nature of the end proposed, to change the reli- 
 gion of nations — giving to them the strict doctrines 
 and precepts of the Bible, for a lax ritual that falls 
 in with the course of human nature; a foreign, 
 modern, unknown system for the religion of their 
 
248 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ancestors, venerable for it associations not less than 
 for its antiquity, familiar in its rites and duties, and 
 inseparably connected with the employments, in- 
 terests, usages, language, and the almost entire 
 life of its votaries. They then refer to the feeble 
 means employed to accomplish so great a change: 
 — what can a few hundred foreigners effect among 
 so many millions, differing from themselves in 
 their language, dress, manners, and mode of life; 
 and regarded as the advocates of a strange and un- 
 acceptable religion? What, they will ask, could fif- 
 teen Persians or Hindus, however enlightened and 
 zealous, do towards changing the religion of the 
 fifteen millions of our American people? They 
 will further appeal to the sacrifices which this 
 cause requires; and they urge that it is too much 
 to expect men and women to leave their friends 
 for ever; or if young and ardent minds can con- 
 sent to make such a sacrifice, yet surely their 
 parents know too well what is involved in such an 
 undertaking to give it their approval ; or if those 
 who are less favoured as to wealth and family 
 standing may be induced to go as missionaries, yet 
 certainly the higher classes, (as some of these ob- 
 jectors proudly consider themselves,) can never 
 yield to such extravagant enthusiasm; or if some 
 must go, it is most unreasonable to ask that all 
 should feel that concern on the subject which is so 
 often enforced as the duty of Christians. And 
 they will then appeal to the results, and ask with 
 an air of triumph — What has been done? Where 
 are the converts? What nation has given up its 
 gods? The question is thus, in many forms and 
 with painful impressiveness, forced on the atten- 
 tion of the friend of missions — Is this a practicable 
 enterprise? Is it a work which can be done? or 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 249 
 
 is this object too great and too good to be achieved ? 
 are these efforts misplaced? these sacrifices unavail- 
 ing? these labours unsuccessful? Let us “con- 
 sider this matter.” 
 
 What, then, is the missionary enterprise ? What 
 does it propose to do, and in what w'ay or by 
 what means ? Its object is to make known to all 
 men the grace of God, as revealed through Jesus 
 Christ in his Gospel. It regards all men as sin- 
 ners, and teaches them the only way in which 
 forgiveness can be obtained, and reconciliation 
 with God effected, and preparation for the enjoy- 
 ment of his presence secured. It proposes sim- 
 ply to bring before the minds of men, in all coun- 
 tries, the true knowledge of these vitally im- 
 portant subjects. Whether they will receive the 
 truth, and believe and be saved, is to be deci- 
 ded by themselves. The Church is responsible 
 only for the sufficient, immediate, and faithful 
 making known of these great things. 
 
 In order to make them known, some Christians 
 must go and live among the heathen, acquire their 
 language, and instruct them, by precept and ex- 
 ample, in the great truths of the Christian faith. 
 It does not appear to be practicable, nor would it 
 probably be the best mode, if it were, to send from 
 the church a sufficient number of missionaries to 
 do all this work themselves, — to send, for example, 
 thirty thousand missionaries to India, so that there 
 might be one minister to every five thousand peo- 
 ple ; — but it is perfectly practicable to send and to 
 support a number sufficiently large to establish, 
 superintend, and carry forward such efforts as shall 
 secure the object in view in another and better 
 way. If the army cannot be sent with all its rank 
 and file, the officers can go, and enlist recruits, 
 22 
 
250 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 and organize a force in the midst of the heathen, 
 which shall be more effective than all the forces 
 that could be sent from Christendom. Thus the 
 sacred Scriptures can be translated, Schools form- 
 ed, the Gospel published, the natives instructed, — 
 so that they may become instructers of their counj 
 trymen. All this can be done; all this is now 
 doing; all this is practicable. 
 
 It will now be easy to say, why we believe in 
 the certain success of this enterprise. 
 
 1. The means are adapted to the end in view. 
 It is true in the kingdom of grace, as in the ordinary 
 affairs of nature, that an inseparable connection 
 exists, in general, between the employment of suita- 
 ble means and the obtaining of the end for which 
 they are employed — “ He that plougheth should 
 plough in hope, and he that thresheth in hope 
 shall be partaker of his hope.” So in the things 
 of religion; where the Gospel is faithfully preach- 
 ed to men, and where the blessing of God is sought 
 by fervent prayer, it always proves to be “ the 
 wisdom of God and the power of God unto salva- 
 tion.” The provisions of the Gospel are adapted 
 to the character and wants of the heathen. The 
 word of God can remove their ignorance, by ma- 
 king known to them the character of the one living 
 and true God, whom they ought to worship in- 
 stead of their multitude of vain idols; and the 
 grace of God can impart peace to their consciences, 
 through the atonement and intercession of Christ, 
 instead of their painful self-inflictions, or weari- 
 some pilgrimages, or vain repetitions of the names 
 of gods that have no existence. And so of all 
 other things, — not an evil exists among the hea- 
 then nations which the Gospel is not precisely 
 adapted to remove. Let this Gospel, therefore, be 
 
APPENDIX.' 
 
 251 
 
 made known to the heathen, let the blessing of 
 God be sought by the importunate prayers of his 
 people, and we have the same warrant to expect 
 the desired results, which the husbandman has to 
 look for the fruits of his labour in the time of 
 harvest. 
 
 2. Success has already attended the employ- 
 ment of these means. It is true that the full mea- 
 sure of success has not hitherto been enjoyed; in 
 some countries little direct good appears as yet to 
 have been accomplished, and in most heathen na- 
 tions the results have not assumed that prominent 
 character, which would command acknowledgment 
 from all observers. It is true however, that from 
 some heathen nations thousands have been gather- 
 ed into the visible church of Christ; and in nearly 
 or quite all cases of missionary effort among the 
 heathen, in the midst of much that calls for the 
 exercise of faith and patience, there is much also 
 that is encouraging to Christian hope. The eye 
 of the skeptic or of the mere worldly man may see 
 nothing but what meets with contempt, or at least 
 is regarded as a decided failure ; but the Christian 
 observer, looking more closely, and considering 
 the progress of effort from the beginning, will be 
 grateful for the foundation laid, and the footing 
 gained, for the Holy Scriptures translated, for pre- 
 judices removed, for light diffused abroad, for in- 
 quiries that have issued in conviction, and convic- 
 tions that have resulted in hopeful conversion to 
 God. These results do indeed belong to the day 
 of small things, yet are they the earnest of that full 
 measure of success which shall before long be seen 
 of all men. If one instance has occurred in which, 
 through the efforts employed by the Church, the 
 true conversion of an idolater has been effected, 
 
252 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 we may dismiss all our fears as to what shall be 
 the final result of these efforts. Because, not to 
 insist that such an instance must be regarded as 
 the seal of God’s favour and the evidence of his 
 blessing, we must recollect that the first cases of 
 conversion are ever attended with far greater dif- 
 ficulties than subsequent ones. The means em- 
 ployed are then imperfect and feeble; heathen pre- 
 judices and associations are then in their strength; 
 the sacrifices to be made are then often most se- 
 vere. But conversion once effected, the convert 
 becomes a witness to the power of the grace of 
 God, and at the same time he is himself a mis- 
 sionary. The influence of his exertions is added 
 to that of those already in operation, successive 
 converts, in numbers ever enlarging, join the army 
 of the Prince of Peace, and the cause of the Re- 
 deemer moves forward with continually increasing 
 speed and strengthening force. 
 
 3. The dispensations of Providence in our limes 
 are generally favourable to this enterprise. This 
 is too large a subject to present fully. If, however, 
 our readers will recollect what was the condition of 
 most heathen countries fifty years ago, and what 
 was the interest taken in the salvation of the heathen 
 at that period, in connection with the limited faci- 
 lities then enjoyed for spreading abroad the Gos- 
 pel, they will see the bearing of this remark. How 
 many millions of men have become fully acces- 
 sible, in these latter days, to the efforts of the 
 Church for their conversion! What extensive and 
 complete advantages are now enjoyed for “run- 
 ning to and fro,” and for increasing knowledge! 
 If some countries are still closed against the living 
 teacher, let it be remembered that a far larger part 
 of the heathen world is now open for the most 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 253 
 
 free employment of Christain agency, than the 
 Church has yet cultivated; and if discouraging 
 events have been witnessed in the progress of 
 missionary undertakings, let it be considered that 
 the agents employed in these works are men who 
 need to be sanctified, to have their faith tried and 
 strengthened, and their'zeal chastened and rendered 
 more steady. The general course of events among 
 the nations of the earth, it may be confidently 
 affirmed, has been such as to show the hand of 
 God upon this enterprise for good. 
 
 4. The Word of God authorizes our largest 
 hopes of success. No reader of the Sacred Volume 
 can doubt that there are numerous prophecies 
 which foreshow the extension of the Redeemer’s 
 kingdom, and no student of history will contend 
 that these prophecies have as yet been fulfilled. 
 The gospel shall be preached to every creature. 
 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the 
 Lord, as the waters cover the sea. The nations 
 shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and 
 their spears into pruning-hooks : nation shall not 
 lift up sword against nation, neither shall they 
 learn war anymore. The Lord shall utterly abolish 
 the idols. The heathen shall be given to Messiah 
 for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the 
 earth for his possession. And though blindness in 
 part is happened unto Israel, until the fulness of 
 the Gentiles be come in, yet all Israel shall be 
 saved. These, and many similar passages of Sa- 
 cred Scripture, assure us of a coming time, when 
 ignorance, and vice, and crime shall not prevail 
 amongst the nations; alas, that these evils should 
 in all ages have held an unbroken sway over nearly 
 all people, and that even now they are so generally 
 
254 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 prevalent! But a brighter day shall shine on the 
 earth. The wickedness and the wars of men shall 
 give place to peace, and truth, and purity, and the 
 thousand social and civil advantages which flow 
 from the gospel. The knowledge, institutions, 
 influences and hopes of the religion of Christ shall 
 pervade every dark corner of the earth, meliora- 
 ting the temporal condition of men, and placing 
 within their reach the blessed portion of the people 
 of God, the enjoyment of his favour through ever- 
 lasting ages. And a great multitude, which no 
 man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and 
 people, and tongues, shall stand before the throne, 
 and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, 
 and palms in their hands; and shall cry with a 
 loud voice, Salvation to our God which sitteth 
 upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 
 
 The work of Christian missions is directly con- 
 nected with all these prophecies, and tends cer- 
 tainly to bring to pass these blessed results. It is 
 only through the use of the divinely appointed 
 means of grace that we are authorized to expect 
 the fulfilment of these prophecies. It is only by 
 the preaching of the gospel that these inestimable 
 blessings shall be conferred on our fallen race. 
 And it is the object, the characteristic feature, of 
 the missionary enterprise to establish these means 
 of grace in the midst of every heathen people. 
 Hence missionaries are sent forth, the Bible is 
 printed and circulated, and schools are formed to 
 bring the minds of the youth more fully under 
 Christian influence and instruction; and as the re- 
 sult of all, through the blessing of God upon these 
 means of his own appointment, it is confidently 
 expected that the minds of multitudes of the hea- 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 255 
 
 then shall be enlightened, and they shall turn to the 
 hope of Israel for salvation. Christian institutions 
 will then be established and supported by them- 
 selves. Pastors and teachers shall be trained up 
 among themselves; they will no longer need sup- 
 port from foreign countries, but the gospel, once 
 planted, shall be watered from on high, and yield 
 the fruits of eternal life through all future ages. 
 
 This work of Christian benevolence shall be 
 successful, therefore, because it is the w r ork of 
 God. His strength and grace shall first dispose 
 the followers of Christ to preach the gospel to 
 every creature, and then his promise shall be ful- 
 filled that “ as the rain cometh down, and the snow 
 from heaven, and returneth not thither, but water- 
 eth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, 
 that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the 
 eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of 
 my mouth, it shall not return unto me void, but it 
 shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall 
 prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” And then 
 shall all the ends of the earth see the salvation of 
 God. 
 
 This review of the grounds for expecting suc- 
 cess to attend the work of Christian missions, 
 should admonish those who may have opposed 
 this sacred work, to take heed lest they be found 
 opposing Him, against whom all opposition is 
 vain and shall be turned to confusion. It should 
 rebuke, also, the indolence of many professed fol- 
 lowers of Christ. If they share not in their Mas- 
 ter’s toils and trials, can they expect to share in 
 his rewards and triumphs? They may stand aloof, 
 but this cause shall move steadily onward. Let, 
 then, the humble and faithful Christian rejoice in 
 
256 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 the assurance of his Lord’s approval while he is 
 engaged in this work of mercy, and in the certain 
 fulfilment of all that he has been taught to expect 
 by the spirit of prophecy. His “ labour shall not 
 be in vain in the Lord.” 
 
 THE END. 
 

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