FOR JULY 1825. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. SUBSCRIPTIONS and DONATIONS in aid of the Funds of this Society will be thankfully received by the Treasurer or Secretaries, at the Mission-House, Austin Friars, London. DEPUTATION TO SCOTLAND. THE following ministers have kindly consented to visit Scotland, as a Depu tation from the Society, and are expected to arrive in Edinburgh by the first Sabbath of the present month, viz. :-Rev. ROBErt Winter, D.D., Rev. WILLIAM ECCLES, both of London; and the Rev. JAMES PRINGLE, of the United Associate Synod, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; whose Mission, we doubt not, will be marked with similar proofs of cordial kindness and liberality from our friends in the North, to those experienced by all preceding Deputations of the Society. SOUTH SEAS. Extracts of a Letter of Messrs. Tyerman and Bennet; Deputation from the Society to the South Sea Islands, &c.; containing a narrative of their voyage from the Islands to the Colony of New South Wales; dated Sydney, Nov. 12, 1824; addressed to the Secretary. Dear and greatly esteemed Friend and Brother,-AT length, through a kind and most gracious Providence, we have been permitted to erect our grateful Ebenezer on the shores of New South Wales, and rejoice while we confess, that hitherto the Lord hath helped us. Near midnight of the 19th of August, we came to an anchor in Port Jackson, and next morning we landed at the town of Sydney, in the enjoyment of our wonted health and strength, where we met with the kindest congratulations from numerous friends, though unknown to us before, who had entertained serious apprehensions for our safety. Our voyage from the Islands had been singalarly tedious, and the weather remarkably stormy, and the winds contrary. On the 7th of June we sailed from Borabora, and finally bid adieu to our esteemed friends the Missionaries, and the Islands, and from that time to the period above named, we were exposed to the most distressing weather, and not a few dangers, in the little schooner, Endeavour, which measures only 61 tons. But he who holds the winds in his fist, and who controls the VOL. III. ragings of the sea, permitted no real evit to befal us, nor did our little bark sustain any material injury from the tremendous gales and heavy seas which almost daily assailed us. When we indeed review the weather, the length of the voyage, and the smallness of the vessel in which it was performed, our safety seems little less than a miracle. O help us to render to God for all the kindness and mercy which he has shown us, from the moment we left our native shores, through all our perilous voyages to the present period. Departure from the Society Islands.—Occurrences at Harvey Islands. Previously to our sailing from Raiatea, we received on board two Native Teachers with their wives, and also two others who were unmarried men, all from the church at Tahaa, who were intended for different Islands which lay in one track. Mr.. Threlkeld and his eldest son were also with us, having taken a passage to the Colony of New South Wales. We sailed from: Raiatea on the 3d of June, and on the 7th left Borabora. On the 15th we made the Island of Mangeea, where we landed the two unwearied teachers who had been sent by the church at Tahaa to this island, with the hope of inducing the heathen inhabitants to abandon their idols, and to embrace the gospel. Mr. Williams had attempted to land two men with their wives here a year before; but the savage treatment which the women met with, 2 D rendered it essentially necessary to receive both them and their husbands on board again. On our approach to the island several canoes came off; but it was with difficulty we could prevail upon any of the natives to come near the vessel. Their appearance and behaviour indicated strongly their heathen condition, though a fine race of people, and exhibited a striking contrast with other islanders who have embraced the gospel. We took our leave of the two teachers whom we had brought them. Fearless, they landed in a canoe which we had brought for this purpose, and were well received by nu merous natives who covered the beach. We expected every moment to see their European clothing torn from their persons; but no injury was attempted, and they began to converse with the people. We stood off and on for some time, to see in what manner they were likely to be treated. One of them afterwards came off to us in a canoe which he had borrowed to take on shore some little articles of property which he had left, and spoke well of the treatment they had met with, and had not the least apprehension of any danger by residing among them. Leaving them in the hands of a gracious God, and fervently praying for their success, we proceeded on our voyage towards Mitiaro and Mautii, two islands which have lately received the gospel, to which the other two teachers, with their wives, were destined, to assist their brethren who were placed there by Mr. Williams, But the wind was so stormy and contrary, that it was impossible to reach them, though we approached the former island within four miles, under the lee of which we remained the night during a tremendous gale, and next morning shaped our course for the Island of Atui, which we made in the course of the day, (the 17th.) Teachers had been placed here about a year before, by Mr. Williams and Mr. Bourne; and the first tidings which were announced by a man in a canoe was, that the whole of the inhabitants had embraced the gospel, and thrown away their idols, and had built a large chapel. Another very important piece of information which he gave us, and which tended to excite the most lively joy in our hearts, was, that a boat belonging to Mr. Williams, of Raiatea, and which we had all supposed to have been lost within the last four months, with her crew of five natives, had reached this island in safety. They had been driven off their course by contrary winds, had been six weeks at sea in this open boat, with a few vi apples, cocoa nuts, and other trifles on board. The poor fellows were at length driven to such extremities, that they were obliged to subsist for one whole week, by dipping the fibres of the husk of the cocoa-nut into a little oil which they had, and then chewing it. When they reached the land here, they were reduced to mere skeletons, and were unable to stand; but every possible kind attention was shown them, both by the teachers and other natives, and they soon recovered their strength and health. When we asked them if they did not despair of reaching any land, after being so long at sea, they replied, "O no; we prayed to God." When they came, many of the people were halting between two opinions; but their arrival was the means of deciding in favour of the gospel the whole of those who remained idolaters. Thus God made this supposed calamity the means of the furtherance of the gospel. While we remained off the shores of this island, many of the natives came off to us in their canoes, and behaved in the most becoming manner. Two or three whalers had touched here within a few months of our arrival, the captains of which had left written testimonials, speaking most highly in their favour. There we landed the two teachers with their wives, who were intended for Mitiaro and Mautii. All these persons appeared well suited to the work to which they had been chosen, both by their piety and general intelligence. On the 18th we left Atui, and stood for the island of Rarotonga, (or Rorotoa,) which we reached next morning. This is an ele vated and beautiful island, whose general characteristic features resemble the Georgian and Society Islands. On approaching the shores, the teachers who had been placed here, accompanied by some of the principal chiefs, came off in their canoes, and came on board, and informed us that a principal part of the people had embraced the Gospel, with all the head chiefs; but that some still remained attached to, their idols; however, they were expected to receive the truth soon. The Christians were erecting a Chapel six hundred feet in length! and it was nearly half finished when we saw it. The people here also behaved in the most respectful and be coming manner during our stay, and all expressed the greatest joy on seeing us Indeed the change which has been operated in so short a time is almost beyond credibility, and requires nothing less than ocular demonstration to ensure entire belief. But a twelvemonth before our arrival, all these islanders were in the state in which we saw the Mangeeans, vages! But now, gentle, honest, and sa well-behaved, keeping the Sabbath with the greatest strictness, and attending with diligence to all the institutions of the Gospel, the same as in the Tahitian islands, making rapid progress in the arts of civilized life. They are all of the same family and colour as the Tahitians, and speak the same language, and not inferior to them in person. All these islands are populous, but it was quite impossible to form an idea of the number of the inhabitants on each; but on Mangeea, Atui, and Rarotonga, there are, we think, not fewer than 4,000 souls. The two former are comparatively low, though islands of natural formation, abounding with the fruits of these climates, but difficult of access from the rocks which extend along their shores, and which render it difficult at all times, and often impossible to land. They were all in perfect peace, and have had no wars since the reception of the Gospel. What has God wrought! These nations have been born as in a day, and may now be ranked among the trophies of the Redeemer. Departure from Harvey Islands-Arrival off New Zealand-Attack of the Natives at Whangarooa-Providential Deliverance of the Deputation and Crew. We left Rarotonga on the evening of the 19th, and having completed our work in these seas, we stood for New Zealand. We had to encounter the most tempestuous and distressing weather, and adverse winds; and did not make New Zealand till the 9th of July, off the Bay of Islands, into which we hoped to enter the next morning; but a heavy gale blowing from that bay, remtlered it impossible to reach it, and the captain resolved to abandon the hope of reaching the shore, and to proceed on his voyage for the colony-but here the winds opposed us again-and after beating about off the northern extremity of that country for nearly a week, and finding we could make no head against contrary winds, and becoming short of water, fire-wood, vegetables, &c., we determined to put into some port in New Zealand, and reached the harbour of Whangarooa, on the 15th, where we came to an anchor, with the intention of spending a week or ten days there. At the head of this beautiful and capacious bay, the Wesleyans have established a Mission, about twelve miles from the entrance of the harbour. Not knowing the perils which here awaited us, we were apprehensive of no danger; having no means of defence, we took no precautions to guard against any attack. So soon as we came to an anchor, several canoes came around, many natives came on board, and all behaved well, and left us at the setting of the sun. Early next morning, a considerable number of canoes of great size, and containing multitudes of people surrounded us-and soon our main deck' was crowded by men, women, and children, bringing with them various articles for sale, and we were busy buying their curiosities, &c. when a scene of almost unparalleled horror immediately occurred. The captain had been informed that they were stealing whatever they could reach, and had broken open a trunk of clothes, and had taken most of them off; he became indignant, and resolved to remove them all from the deck. In the confusion, a native fell overboard into the sea, and the rest supposing that he had been struck and injured, immediately rose upon us-many of them had axes-others spears, and the rest armed themselves with billets of fire-wood-the whole were armed in a few seconds, the women and children were removed into the canoes,' into which many of the men threw their their war songs, accompanying them with mats, prepared for action, and commenced all their horrid gesticulations and gri maces. Their faces, rendered hideous by their tatauings, became by anger more hideous, and the whole had more the appearance of infernals than men. Our crew fled to the rigging, while we waited our doom upon the quarterdeck. They surrounded us, placed thenselves behind us with their weapons up lifted, ready, so soon as the signal might be given, to strike the blow-and we expected nothing else but to be instantly killed, baked in their ovens, and eaten by these dreadful cannibals. They handled our persons to see what sort of food we should be for them, and behaved in the most rude and insolent manner. At one moment, the captain had four spears pointed at his breast. We used every effort to hide our fears, and prevent them from perceiving that we were apprehensive of danger. But this was impossible -for we were entirely in their hands. What aggravated our misery and apprehension, was the recollection that the ship Boyd, Captain Thomson, about fifteen years before, and in this very place where we were at anchor, had been ent off, the captain, crew, and passengers, in all nearly one hundred persons killed and eaten! The wreck of the ship was within our view. But we cried to the Lord in our distress, and he heard and delivered us. They were restrained by an invisible hand, while we remained in this condition of undescribable horror for about an hour and an half. At length our boat which had been sent up to the Missionary settlement the night before, hove in sight at the distance of about a mile. This threw a ray of hope over our desponding minds-and we waited its arrival with the greatest anxiety-but expected to be despatched before it could possibly reach us. But God was better than our fears. At length the boat came alongside, and we found to our inexpressible joy that she had brought Mr. White, one of the Missionaries, and George, a Native chief of great power and influence here. It was the very chief who instigated the cutting off of the Boyd-but he was sent by a kind Providence to be our deliverer. They immediately came on deck. So soon as they learnt what had happened, Mr. White addressed the people, and George became highly indignant with them, and spoke to them with great vehemence on the evil of their conduct;he soon cleared the deck, the people fled to their canoes, and a good understanding was restored. It was indeed like life from the dead- and we began to sing of mercy as well as judgment. Owhat shall we render to the Lord for all his goodness! Our extremity was his opportunity. The wrath of man was made to praise him-and the remainder he restrained. Never shall we forget this great deliverance. A few days ago, a vessel arrived in this colony, whose Captain, with his boat's crew of six men in another part of New Zealand, had been cut off and killed soon after the affair happened in Whangarooa which we have described. However it is but just to say, that we do not believe the people had any bad designs when they came on board; and that what happened, arose from the accident of the man's falling overboard. By various presents we succeeded in detaining this chief on board the vessel so long as we remained in the harbour as the only means of her safety. Visit to the Wesleyan Missionary Settle ment. So soon as this difference was adjusted, and peace was restored, we accompanied Mr. White to the Missionary Settlement, where we met with the kindest and most affectionate reception from Mr. Turner, the other Missionary, and Mrs. Turner, and Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Stach, two pious young men, who are artisans. We were highly pleased with this little Missionary family, who possess much of the spirit of their high office, and who, we rejoice to say, reside in safety in the midst of a large tribe of these poor cannibals, with hopeful prospects of usefulness among them. They have made good progress in acquiring the New Zealand language, which is, in fact, a dialect of the Tahitian, and have two houses in which they keep schools and preach to the people, some of whom attend. This settlement is in a sequestered but beautiful situation, at the head of a deep and romantic valley. The tribe consists of about four hundred individuals. We deeply regretted not being able to see the Church Mission at the Bay of Islands-but were happy to hear the Wesleyans speak favourably of its present state and prospects. After spending a truly pleasant and profitable night with our much esteemed friends here, we returned on board next morning, accompanied by our kind friends, Mr. White and Mr. Hobbs, to whose affectionate attentions we feel much indebted, and who remained with us till we sailed next morn ing, without meeting with any further difficulties from the people. Departure from New Zealand—Arrival at Sydney. After leaving Whargarooa and New Zealand, we again met with the most trying weather, and daily gales, and were five tedious weeks in reaching this harbour, though the voyage is often performed in ten or twelve days. When we made the coast of New Holland, we were in hopes of entering Port Jackson the next morning; but a violent_gale set against us, and drove us from the coast, and five days more elapsed before we regained our lost ground, and came to an anchor. We will not mention the inconveniences which we suffered by being confined for nearly eleven weeks in so small a vessel, where seven persons had to live and sleep in a small cabin; we will rather speak of that surprising goodness and mercy which we daily experienced, and to which we feel ourselves so peculiarly indebted for our breath, and being, and all things. On reaching this colony, we had the high gratification of meeting with letters both from the Society, and from innumerable friends in our beloved country, the reading of which afforded us a joy which we cannot express. ULTRA GANGES. MALACCA. Extracts of a Letter from the Rev. Samuel Kidd, Missionary at Malacca, dated 4th of December 1824; addressed to the Secretary. Rev. and Dear Sir,-HAVING safely arrived at the station to which I am appointed by the Directors, I embrace the first opportunity of writing to them. Mr. Massie, I believe, has already informed you of our reaching Madras on the 30th of September, in good health. We had upon the whole a pleasant voyage. Capt. Brodie was remarkably kind and attentive to us; and always allowed us the privilege of public worship on the Sabbath, when the weather was favourable. Indeed from what we saw of him, and from what we have heard of others, we are ready to conclude, that there are few captains with whom passengers in general, and missionaries in particular, can be more comfortable. Although our passage was taken to Calcutta, the advice of the brethren at Madras, and our own anxious desire to be as little longer on the water as possible, concurred in leading us to inquire about a vessel bound for Malacca. We accordingly engaged a passage in the Helen, Capt. Tawle; and sailed from Madras on the 18th of October. Here also we were kindly treated; but having parted with Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds, whose society had rendered our former Voyage exceedingly pleasant, and being in a small inconvenient ship, we became still more desirous of reaching our place of destination. In fifteen days after our second embarkation, we reached Pinang, where we found the Rev. Messrs. Beighton and Ince in tolerable, though not very good health, particularly Mr. Beighton. We remained with them about a week, during which time we experienced much kindness, and saw with pleasure their mode of operation, and prospects of usefulness, both in the Chinese and Malay mission. On the 13th of November we left Pinang, and arrived at Malacca on the 21st. The brethren are quite well, and actively employed. I am much pleased with what I have seen in this place. The college and the schools are highly encouraging as to numbers; and I understand also, as to the attainments of the students and scholars in Christian know. ledge. -As my attention is to be directed to the Chinese department of the Mission, I made a commencement in the language on board ship, by getting the characters denominated radicals fixed on my mind, and by translating several chapters of the New Testament. On the 26th of November, I begun to study the Fokëen dialect, as being most generally, and indeed almost exclusively spoken amongst the Chinese in Malacca. I am fully convinced, that without close application, and a great deal of hard labour, I shall never acquire sufficient of the Chinese language, either to speak it well, or to write it intelligibly. I do therefore resolve, in humble dependance on divine grace, to devote all my time and strength to its acquisition, so that if I do not eventually succeed, the failure may be ascribed to a want of ability, rather than a want of inclination or attention. Having been conducted across the ocean in peace and safety, 'by the good hand of my God being upon me,' I would fain hope I am brought hither for some useful purpose, and trust I am deeply concerned, that in me the Missionary Society may find an efficient instrument for carrying on the great work of promoting the glory of God in the salvation of the heathen. Many difficulties present themselves; but that promise, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world," inspires me with the hope, that they will not all prove insurmountable. Mrs. Kidd and I enjoy good health, and like this climate very much. Hoping for an interest in your prayers. I remain, Dear Sir, &c. (Signed) S. KIDD. P.S. Messrs. Humphreys and Collie desire their respectful regards. EAST INDIES. CALCUTTA. Account of a Suttee, by an Eye-witness, in a Letter to his Father in England. Calcutta, 16th of Dec. 1824. My Dear Father,-LAST Thursday I witnessed, for the first time, one of those sacrifices to Moloch, of which we have all heard and read so much in England-the burning of a widow on the pile of her deceased husband. One of the most terrible parts of this terrible whole, is the shocking heartless apathy respecting such murderous scenes which has taken possession of the whole Hindoo and Mussulman population. It was announced to the children of a neighbour of mine, as a Tomasa, (show, or spectacle ;) my friend inquiring the nature of the show from the servants, learned the horrid reality, and immediately sent down to me, in order that we might go together, and use our united efforts to prevent, if possible, the self-immolation of the unfortunate and deluded victim. Before a woman can be burned, it is now necessary that the intention be announced to the district magistrate, who, thereupon, is bound to send an officer to see the woman, and learn from herself, whether she wishes, and is decided of her own accord, to become a suttee, 4 |