heavens were again darkened with clouds; the lightnings flashed, and the distant thunder rolled and murmured; awakening us to a more lively and awful remembrance of the dangers we had escaped.

We had some difficulty in fixing ourselves for the night: the ladies were accommodated with the master's apartment, if a small but clean division of the vessel, in which it was impossible to stand upright, may be dignified with the name; and the rest were left to choose their own quarters. The smoke of cooking deterred me from going below, till the cold and dew made me think shelter necessary. I then stooped into the interior of the vessel, and creeping over the cargo, which seemed to consist entirely of cocoa-nuts, thought myself fortunate in finding a narrow board, five or six feet in length, on which I stretched myself, putting a bundle of fire-wood under my head as a pillow. Alexander, who had attached himself closely to me since our misfortune, came and lay by me. In the night he roused me, to drink from a cup he held in his hand: it contained hot conjee or rice-water, not an unpleasant beverage at any time, but then peculiarly grateful to my parched mouth.

I slept soundly and rose refreshed; but should have been more so, had not one of the seamen, in searching for accommodations, after I had fallen asleep, chosen my head for his pillow, which before did not rest very easily on the bundle of sticks, and now, pressed by the weight of a sailor's scull, felt, when I awoke, as though it did not belong to me a bathe in sea water restored the circulation.

In the morning we again weighed anchor, and, in a few hours, came in sight of the flag-staff of one of the forts of the harbour of Trincomallee: the wind was unfavourable, and we could not get into the harbour; we therefore sent our smaller boat, with four of the best seamen and the purser, to give information of our circumstances. It was a good distance, and the men were weary; but within two

REACH THE SHORE.

13 or three hours, we discerned the beautiful boats of a man of war, then in the harbour, hastening towards us under crowded sail; next we could distinguish the naval uniform of the officers, and, as they drew nearer, could see the fine countenances of our countrymen beaming with interest and commiseration, as they gazed on us and directed their boats alongside it was one of the finest scenes I ever beheld; and will, I think, ever be depicted on my memory. My heart had been stout till that moment; but I then leaned against the mast, ready to burst with emotion, from the mingled feelings excited in my mind.

:

We soon stepped into the boats, answering the numerous and kind inquiries of the officers, and enjoying the slight refreshment of fruit, &c. they had brought with them. The men pulled hard at their oars: we soon entered the harbour, admiring its spaciousness and the beauties of its scenery; but admiring most of all, the wondrous dealings of that gracious Providence, which had preserved us in such unusual perils, and brought us to a place of rest and safety. We landed in the dock yard of Trincomallee, about 3 P. M. on Friday the 8th of September, 1820, being exactly sixteen weeks after our embarkation.

CHAPTER II.

SEPTEMBER, 1820.

Kind Reception-Trincomallee-Two Buddhist PriestsMission House and Chapel-Schooner Cochin-Voyage to Madras-Gazette.

CLOTWORTHY UPTON, Esq. His Majesty's Commissioner in the Naval Department in Trincomallee, already informed

of our circumstances, was waiting to receive us. We were taken into an apartment, where a number of small loaves of excellent bread and several bottles of wine, were set before us, for our immediate refreshment. The tidings of our escape and necessities, were soon promulgated, and the carriages of the British residents, came to the door, to convey us to their respective houses, each vying with the other in kindness and hospitality.

Meantime Commissioner Upton, looking at my colleague's black coat, had inquired if any of our party were ministers ; and immediately congratulated us, on the circumstance of our having a Mission on that station, observing, "Mr. Carver, your Missionary, is a most respectable man, whom I have known many years; he will be happy to receive you, and to supply all your wants." A message was sent to the Mission-house, and we soon found ourselves in the company of our excellent brethren, Messrs. Carver and Stead, who received us with open arms, uniting with us in thankful acknowledgments to the God of all our mercies.

Mr. Stead gave up his room to Mr. and Mrs. Mowat, and Mr. Carver, I believe, slept on the ground during our stay, to afford us the better accommodation. Mr. Stead initiated me into the modes of living and acting in a tropical climate: both shewed us attentions, honourable to their feelings and their hearts, and which have left an indelible impression upon ours. They have never been repaid, except in the satisfaction of their own minds: for a full recompense, they must wait till the resurrection of the just.

One of our fellow passengers was entertained with us, at the Mission-house ;* the other passengers and the officers of the ship, were received by different gentlemen on the

* Alexander, the Singhalese, was also kindly received by Mr. Carver, at the Mission-house, and supplied with a few books, clothes, and other things immediately necessary; he had not landed with Adam at Batticaloa, from an intention of proceeding with the vessel to Calcutta, where he hoped to

station, and the sailors found suitable accommodations, on board one of the hulks in the harbour.

Notwithstanding our anxieties, our exposure to rain and sun for forty-three hours, with the total want of food and water for a considerable time, and afterwards only a scanty supply of such aliment as we had been unaccustomed to; our passengers generally, after a day or two's rest, were in tolerable health and spirits. Some of the seamen became unwell, and two of them, very fine strong men, were carried off by the cholera morbus, the third night after we landed.

Our kind brethren opened their stores so liberally, and used their influence with their neighbours so effectually, that we were soon supplied with several changes of clothing, suitable to the climate; and were able to walk out, morning and evening, to see the town and neighbourhood.

The scenery of Trincomallee is picturesque and beautiful; none more so, I am informed, in the whole Island of Ceylon. The extensive harbour, with its forts, and its islands rising high out of the water and covered with verdure to the top, and the shipping and public buildings, give a richness to the varied prospect, truly pleasing to the eye; and which the clear atmosphere of the Island, enables one to enjoy to perfection.

The public buildings of Trincomallee, are magnificent; the native town is extensive, but the houses mean and small, and I thought the inhabitants had an appearance of great poverty and wretchedness: this might be owing to

receive ordination from the Bishop. He subsequently came to Madras, soon after we arrived there; but, within a few days, returned to Ceylon, where, I believe, he still resides.

Adam, I have been informed, is now one of the Proponents, or native preachers, employed by the Colonial Government of Ceylon, in the southern part of the Island.

These young men received from Sir Richard Otley and ourselves, every attention during the voyage, but manifested no disposition, to connect themselves with us, as members of our society, or to engage in any department of our Mission.

their comparative nakedness, and to my not being accustomed to black skins, or to seeing so much of the body exposed, as is common among the native inhabitants of hot climates. The two most respectable-looking natives I saw in Trincomallee, were at the Mission-house: one of them, a venerable old man, the schoolmaster, who presented himself every day, with his ola, or palmyra-leaf book, to make his report to Mr. Carver: he was a Christian, and has since died in the faith and hope of the Gospel: the other was a young man, a Christian also, in the service of Government.

The cattle and animals of all kinds, appeared to me, very small, the pasturage, poor; and the land, from the long drought that had been then experienced, presented an appearance of barrenness.

The Mission-house in Trincomallee, like most houses in Ceylon and India, is only of one story; but has rooms sufficient to accommodate a family, or two single Missionaries; Mr. Carver having made many additions and improvements, which were not then completed. I there first admired the beautiful light given by lamps of cocoa-nut oil: the lamp is of glass, in the form of a tumbler, with a foot fitting into a candlestick, and having a cotton wick on a wire, standing upright in the middle of the lamp: the doors and windows of the house being generally open during the evening, and the wind blowing strongly, a cylindrical glass shade, fifteen or eighteen inches in height and about six inches in diameter, is placed over the whole, allowing the lamp to burn with a bright and steady flame. on the table, when retiring to rest, I inquired how I must extinguish it, and was informed, that it was intended to burn the whole night. I afterwards found, that it is the practice throughout India, to burn lights in the chambers, or immediately within reach, to prevent the approach of noxious insects or serpents; or to procure immediate relief and satisfaction, if annoyed with them during the night.

Finding one of these