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natives, who were much pleased with the attention, being in fact one which no European of high station in Calcutta had previously paid to any of them. Hurree Mohun Thakoor observing "what an increased interest the presence of females gave to our parties," I reminded him that the introduction of women into society was an ancient Hindoo custom, and only discontinued in consequence of the Mussulman conquest. He assented with a laugh, adding, however, "it is too late for us to go back to the old custom now." Rhadacant Deb, who overheard us, observed more seriously "it is very true that we did not use to shut up our women till the times of the Mussulmans. But before we could give them the same liberty as the Europeans they must be better educated." I introduced these Baboos to the Chief-justice, which pleased them much, though perhaps they were still better pleased with my wife herself presenting them pawn, rose-water, and attar of roses before they went, after the native custom.

April 24.-The Cholera Morbus is making great ravages among the natives. Few Europeans have yet died of it, but to all it is sufficiently near to remind us of our utter dependance on God's mercy, and how near we are in the midst of life to death! Surely there is no country in the world where this recollection ought to be more perpetually present with us than India. All persons experienced in this climate deny that any of the country fevers are contagious. A very blessed circumstance, whatever may be its immediate cause.

June 10.-The time that has intervened since

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the 24th of April has been spent in a very painful manner. I have had to deplore the death of my excellent friend Sir Christopher Puller, and for a considerable time had also to apprehend that it would soon be followed by those of his widow and son; but it pleased God to bless with success Dr. Abel's medical skill, and they embarked for England in the same vessel, which, six weeks before, had brought them out with a husband and father,-all happiness, and agreeable anticipation! May God protect and comfort them!

During the greater part of last month the weather was intensely hot and very sickly, though a temporary relief was afforded by a few north-westers, accompanied by heavy showers, thunder, and lightening. These storms were some of them very aweful at the time, but as they increased in frequency their fury abated, and recently the weather has not been unlike a close damp rainy autumn in England. The change which these storms produced, both on the animal and vegetable creation, is great. The grass and trees, which always indeed retained a verdure far beyond what I could have expected, have assumed a richer luxuriance. A fresh crop of flowers has appeared on many of the trees and shrubs; the mangoes and other fruits have increased to treble and quadruple the bulk which the first specimens exhibited; the starved cattle are seen every where greedily devouring the young grass, which young as it is, is already up to their knees; the gigantic cranes, most of whom disappeared during the drought, have winged their way

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back from the Sunderbunds (their summer retreats); the white and red paddy birds are fluttering all over the Meidân; and the gardens, fields, and ditches, (and the ground-floors of some of the houses too,) swarm with the largest and noisiest frogs I ever saw or heard. One of these frogs I saw, about as large, I think, as a good sized gosling, and very beautiful, being green speckled with black, and almost transparent. Some of the lizards (also green) are very beautiful, but they are less abundant now than they were during the hot season. I have as yet seen in Calcutta neither snake, scorpion, nor centipede, nor any insect more formidable than a long thin starveling sort of hornet, or rather wasp, which has now disappeared. Of the fruits which this season offers, the finest are leechees, and mangoes; the first is really very fine, being a sort of plum, with the flavour of a Frontigniac grape. The second is a noble fruit in point of size, being as large as a man's two fists; its flavour is not unlike an apricot, more or less smeared with turpentine. It would not, I think, be popular in England, but in India it may pass for very good, particularly when the terebinthian flavour does not predominate. When not quite ripe it makes an excellent tart.

June 14.-I have had a very interesting and aweful ceremony to perform in the ordination of Christian David, a native of Malabar, and pupil of Schwartz, who has been for many years a Catechist in the employ of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge in Ceylon, and now came to me, recommended by Archdeacon Twistleton, and quali

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fied with the title of a Colonial Chaplaincy by Sir Edward Barnes, the Governor of the island. David passed an exceeding good examination, and gave much satisfaction to every body by his modesty, good sense, and good manners. He was ordained Deacon on Holy Thursday, on which day also I held my Visitation, and had a good attendance of Clergy, and a numerous audience, notwithstanding the early hour at which it was celebrated. On Trinity Sunday I had the satisfaction (though by me it was felt at the same time, in some degree, a terrible responsibility,) of ordaining him Priest. God grant that his ministration may be blessed to his own salvation, and that of many others! He was lodged during his residence in Bengal in the Bishop's College, and received much attention and kindness from Lady Amherst, and many others. He preached on Thursday evening at the old Church, and it was proposed to publish his sermon; but this I thought it best to discourage.

CHAPTER V.

CALCUTTA TO SIBNIBASHI.

Departure-Pinnace-Bengalee boat-Hindoo Fanatics-North-Wester -Chinsura-Ranayhát—Sibnibashi—Ruins—Raja Omichund—Dur

bar-Decoits.

JUNE 15.-This morning I left Calcutta for my Visitation through the Upper Provinces. This excursion, to which both my wife and I had long looked forwards with delightful anticipations, will now become a dreary banishment to me, as the state of her own health, and the circumstance of her having an infant, are considered as insuperable obstacles to her undertaking such a journey. Accompanied by my domestic Chaplain, Mr. Stowe, I embarked on board a fine 16 oared pinnace for Dacca, which was to be the first station on my Visitation. After about two hours squabbling with the owner and navigators of the vessel, we got under weigh, with a fine south breeze and the floodtide. Archdeacon Corrie, with his wife and children, accompanied us in a budgerow, and we had two smaller boats, one for cooking, the other for our baggage. We advanced to Barrackpoor that night, and in order to make up for lost time, I urged the boatmen forwards a good while after it was dark, the river being familiar to us all. The lights in Serampoor and Barrackpoor, the tall massive