Our Oriental Missions.

I.

I

FROM NEW YORK TO CEYLON.

EMBARKED at New York on the 24th of

August, 1864, was safely borne across the Atlantic in the Persia, and landed at Liverpool on the 4th of September. Here I preached in one of the oldest churches of the Wesleyan connection, and within the walls of which the British. Conference authorized Dr. Coke to go out on his mission to Ceylon; a mission which he was not allowed to plant, as he died on the outward passage to the East. From Liverpool I proceeded to London, and preached at Lambeth Wesleyan Chapel. Engaging passage by the Messageries Imperiales I was soon on my way to Marseilles. Embarking here on board the steamer "Peluse," I had a pleasant passage across the

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Mediterranean, touching at Messina, and debarking at Alexandria.

From Alexandria we are hurried by railway to Cairo. Here we have an opportunity to see something of the capital of Egypt, its citadel, its celebrated mosques, the Nile, and those colossal monuments of ancient art, the Pyramids. From Cairo we are conveyed by railway through an unbroken desert, under a burning sun, seeing nothing but here and there a railway station, and off in the distance a caravan of camels, until we reach Suez. This is a small, miserable-looking place, with unpaved streets, and houses of undried brick, deriving all its importance from its being a port on the overland route to the East, and the terminus of the canal recently opened for small craft, which connects the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. It contains, however, a good hotel for the accommodation of European travelers, a narrow bazaar, and a few shops for the sale of European goods. It stands near the head of the Gulf of Suez, and not far from where the Israelites crossed on their exodus from the land of bondage. While the sun was setting, and the Muezzin was calling the faithful to prayers, we embarked on a lighter along-side the quay, and were soon off for the roadstead two or three miles distant, where the "Tigre" rode at anchor,

ready to receive us on our route to the distant East.

Shortly after sunrise on the following day we set sail for Calcutta. When we were barely under way two sailors, standing on a plank, fell into the sea. One, in falling, caught a rope, the other, while floating, a life-preserver, and, after a time, both were safe upon deck, though one was very much exhausted. The Red Sea is of dangerous navigation, in consequence of its numerous coral reefs and concealed rocks; and its passage is uncomfortable by reason of its excessive heat. The temperature of the air is seldom below 80° Fahrenheit at any season of the year. The temperature of the water is as high, and, sometimes, even higher. In November, 1856, when the air was 82° Fahrenheit the water was 106° Fahrenheit. The wind is S. S. E. from October to June, and N. N. W. from June to October. Sailing down in September we had but little wind; just about enough to cancel the breeze created by the passage of the vessel, and produce a perfect calm. Most of the time the air was at 92°, the water nearly the same. Many of the passengers slept on deck, but as the amusements were sometimes protracted till late in the evening, and the washing of the decks commenced at 4 o'clock in the morning, their

slumbers were short, unless they took a supplementary sleep after descending to their berths. Another objection to sleeping on deck arises from the heavy dews of the night. There is but little rain here, and the evaporation from the surface amounts to eight feet annually. Many perish, in their passage down this sea, from the excessive heat. I suffered very much myself, and though I took a bath every morning it did not afford me much relief.

Our first stop is at Aden, in Arabia. It is on an arid spot at the foot of rugged rocks, which, but for the tower, would present a picture of perfect barrenness and desolation. It derives its importance from being a coaling station for ships on the way to India, and a fort from which the British Lion can keep guard over the path to its most important colonial possession. Here are a few stores, a tavern, a post-office, and a multitude of laborers, some Arabs and some Somanlies and Abyssinians. You can here obtain a glass of water for a few cents, which, however, will hardly bear examination with the microscope, or even with the naked eye, and reminds us of the saying that water is a good thing for navigation, and machinery, and washing, but a poor thing to drink. A mile or two distant is a military station, where is a regiment of soldiers, a bazaar,

and a series of spacious tanks, made at immense cost, for receiving and preserving the rain which now and then falls down the mountain's side. The coolies here go nearly naked, and are very skillful in diving for silver coin which travelers sometimes throw into the water to test their abilities. Before we left the Gulf we passed within sight of the mountain range to which Sinai belongs, though we did not see the venerated summit from which the law was given. After leaving the Gulf of Suez we see but little of the shore, but wherever we do catch a glimpse of it it is mountainous.

Leaving Aden we are soon in the Straits of Babelmandeb. This is divided into two channels by the Island of Perim. We take the little strait, which is between the island and the Arabian shore. Perim is a black and barren rock, without water and almost without vegetation, but as it contains a good harbor, and commands the entrance to the Red Sea, the British have taken possession of it, and fortified and garrisoned it. They had no right to do so except the right of the strong, but they were induced to exercise this in consequence of the construction of the Suez Canal by the French. We are soon out of the straits, coasting along the Island of Socotra, whose bold shores, lofty mountains, and beautiful