lately from Ava, was baptized. His name is Moung Shwa Youk. In the afternoon we celebrated the dying love of our Savior. There were fifteen of us present. The season was refreshing to our souls. May we not hope for greater things than these? Our church now numbers sixteen, including ourselves-six of whom have been baptized here; the other eight having been received by letter from the church in Maulmain. Ko Bike, who was baptized here, is now in Arracan endeavoring to preach the gospel. Course of missionary labor. school-have been approved by the church. The other is the wife of Ko Syke, the man who was baptized last January. She appears very well; but is timid and fears opposition. She is now rather halting, but we hope will have grace to come out from the world. One of the boys is her son, the other is the son of native Christians. They are about 14 years of age. Two of our assistants have lately made excursions into the country villages, and found several very interesting cases. Four influential men in one village were very attentive to their preaching, and professed to believe in the eternal God. It appears that they were in the habit of reading in a testament, and the Life of Christ, which we gave them about two years ago. May the Lord lead their minds into the truth! The people of this place do not seem to make much progress in searching for the truth; but we hope some are inquiring for the right way. Our schools still prosper. We also find that we need a bell. We have two native bells or gongs; but they cannot be heard throughout the village; and there are so many other gongs in the place, especially a part of the season, that ours cannot be distinguished from others. We will add enough to what we may be able to sell the gongs for, to make out 40 rupees, [nearly twenty dollars,) and if the Board think they cannot send us one without, we will make up 50 rupees. A good toned bell, weighing 100 or 125 pounds, will be sufficiently large. I am again suffering from dyspepsia, but am able to preach twice on the Sabbath, attend bible class with the native Christians, on Tuesday and Friday evenings; and prayer meetings every Saturday evening and every first Monday evening in the month. I occasionally go into the village to preach, besides attending almost daily to revising portions of the scriptures. I shall have the digest ready for the press in the course of six months, if nothing occurs to hinder. I think it best to preach in English, at present at least, not only in hopes of doing the hearers good, but on account of the beneficial influence it will have upon the natives to see that the officers and others who resort to this place during the hot weather, also worship the eterual God. We have native worship at nine in the morning, at which time all the school children (about 40,) and the native Christians, and frequently some others, are present. At 12 o'clock we have English worship. In Several benevolent individuals have the evening, if I am able, I meet with made up a sum of 95 rupees to the native Christians, if not, they have purchase books for prizes for the worship by themselves. We feel on school. The money is to be sent to the whole to take courage and press Calcutta for the books, and we hope - forward in our labors, hoping to see will be the means of adding new inthe salvation of God. Oh! that fervent terest to the school, besides furnishprayer might be offered without ceasing the children with books to read ing for the salvation of souls here. at home. We hope our school will We cannot be too sensible of our de- become a permanent means of doing pendance on God. We cannot be too good. importunate in prayer for his blessing. Jan. 4th. Yesterday we had the May the Lord assist all who are engag-pleasure of administering the ordied in this great work to labor for his nance of baptism to the two boys menglory, and hasten the time when the tioned above. Let Christians pray nations shall submit themselves to him! fervently for these converted youths, In another letter, dated Jan. 1, 1841, Mr. H. that they may be kept from falling, and may be thoroughly fitted for usefulness in the church. May the tokens of God's approbation which we are permitted to receive, increase our faith and zeal ! mentions, Candidates for baptism-State of the school. We have three applicants for baptism, two of them-boys from our Siam. JOURNAL OF MR. SLAFTER, AT BANGKOK Excursion to the interior-Canal and river navigation. Sept. 18th, 1840. At 11 o'clock this morning I left home in company with br. Buel of the Presbyterian Board, for the purpose of distributing tracts and other religious books in the country wastes of this uncultivated field. After parting with our families we commenced our voyage with favorable prospects, and passed pleasantly on under the smiles of our heavenly Father. We are snugly housed in a boat that I have had fitted up for such journeys, at an expense of some $40; and though it is yet an experiment, I think favorably of it. Our four men are able to make headway against almost any current, so that we are not obliged to lay by for tides, except for the men to rest. Some two miles above our place, at the residence of his highness Prince T. Momfanoi, we left the river, and entered a canal on the left, called Klong Bang Looung. The banks of the canal are thickly settled for some ten miles back, when we come to a low jungle, in the rear of which there are some rice fields. The only habitations, all along, are little clusters of houses, tenanted by Laos fishermen or Peguan wood-cutters. 19th. Last evening, at 11 o'clock, we re-entered the Tuchen river, at the village of Ma-há-chi (glorious victory), and anchored for the night about 25 miles from Bangkok. The Tachén is about two-thirds as wide as the Meinam, and is more shallow at the shores. It rises far back in the country, and empties into the sea a little way below this. Intending to examine the villages on our return, we only distributed tracts to the numerous boatmen on the river, and passed up three miles to the village of Tachen, which is about northwest from Ma-há-chi. This village is on the left bank of the river, chiefly on the right of a wide canal which we took, bearing nearly southwest. This canal, and fully half of the river's surface is thickly covered with a kind of floating herb, resembling lettuce, and is called "chalk." It is a great hindrance in propelling a boat. At 11 o'clock, P. M., we entered the river Ma-klong (mother of canals), and anchored for the night. Half a dozen miles from Tachen we had passed a large canal, bearing northwest, called Eram ta rang, and on the left were many other canals, passing down to From Tachen to this place the distance the sea, sed by salt manufacturers. is some 35 miles. In the first half of the way we counted some ten little villages, chiefly Peguan. The canal which we took at Tachén, after several miles, lessens down, until at length it proves to be but a serpentine creek. Then comes a reach or long canal, nearly straight; next is a canal the king had dug, a short time since, to cut off a large bend (this is called Má Haun); then on to the Makolng river. The canal, and the large village on each side of its mouth, are called by the same name as the river. The Ma-klong is similar in size and appearance to the Tachen river. Its mouth, where it empties into the sea, is said to be but an hour or two from this place. Distribution of tracts-Gambling shops -A music-master-State of the country. 20th, Sabbath. Besides our usual devotions with the servants, morning and evening, on board the boat, we have distributed tracts at the village to numerous boatnien, and to the people who are thickly settled along the shores of the river above, some five miles, to the village Bang chang. Here we finished our distribution for to-day, and had the painful opportunity of seeing some men the worse for a whiskey still which is kept in operation here. 21st. Near where we anchored last evening is one of numerous gambling shops in this country; and some persons, who spent a portion of last night there, gave us a call; but they only stole our rudder, and furnished us an opportunity to test the generosity of the country Chinese, who, I am happy to say, speedily prepared us a new rudder, and were not particular about pay. While here, a gentleman passing saw us, and stopped. After some inquiries, he invited us to call on him, as we passed, which we did, and were received as affectionately as though we had been brothers. He is a great music master by profession, and at our request gave us a touch upon his instruments, much to our satisfaction. was surrounded by attendants, and took his seat with them, while we were with him, and seated us much higher. Tea was brought; cocoanuts, plantains, &c., were furnished for our boat; He upward movement of the waters; and from the place where we slept last night, up the river, we had hard pulling; but we passed up only four or five miles, to the village of Racha-booree, or as the common people say, Rapree. This is as far as we had fully designed to go. Though the river, at Rapree, is nearly as wide as it is far below, yet the shoals on one side, and the strong current on the other, made our ascent difficult. Nor could we assist ourselves by towing from the shore, as others did, without a long rope, which we had not. The banks here are some nine or ten feet high, and throughout this country the banks of the canals and rivers are generally of a very uniform level. Our course from Ma-klong has generally been northwest. some little presents were exchanged, and we took our leave. Some two miles above Bang chang, on the left, is a canal which is said to pass round the mountains and come out at Rapree above. It is also said to be thickly studded with villages, all along its banks. From the mouth of this canal to the place where we have anchored for the night, some thirty miles, the country has presented a more and more lovely aspect. Instead of a wilderness of uncultivated jungle, we see a neatly trimmed grove of shade trees, fruit trees, and beds of herbs, and one or two beautiful mulberry orchards. The stately shade trees; the gray-headed fathers and mothers, and grand parents, surrounded by several generations of descendants; the ancient mansions, with their neat long-standing enclosures; the many buffaloes and cows feeding; their carts properly housed; and the neatly cultivated rice fields, just back of these lovely shores; all these things would seem not only to indicate the abode of industry and civilization, but that christianity may have long since found here a peaceful asy-shed, where many persons of respectalum. But alas for the people! Here and there an idol's temple and the numerous yellow-robed gentlemen, give us to understand that religion here is an offence to God. A large portion of the inhabitants, too, are slaves to the king; and from one to six months or more of each year, the men are required to spend at Bangkok, building wats; or in the forests, cutting timber; or something else; so that the beautiful rice fields are only made to produce what is necessary for their own immediate consumption. No lover of his country can converse with these poor Cambojians, Peguans, Laos, &c., without feeling his sympathies kindle in their behalf, as they, in an under tone, tell him the simple tale of their sorrows. Poor creatures! I verily believe they are ready to embrace the gospel, were there missionaries prepared to teach them in their own tongue. This is particularly true of the Peguans, of whom there are many thousands in Siam. We have found many on our way, and they are said to be numerous above this. The village of Rapree-Interview with a Siamese gentleman-Population. 22d. This being the rainy season, the current is so strong that, though at flood tide the river rises a little, many miles above Ma-klong, yet there is no Rapree is a village of no great importance. Along the right bank of the river there is a small fort, and some one hundred houses; and back, out of sight of the river, is a high wall, enclosing something like a quarter of a mile square. Inside, there were two or three dozen huts and a business ble appearance were evidently attending to government business. But they allowed us to claim their attention long enough to supply them with tracts. Near the river we found another gentleman engaged in overseeing some customary celebrations. These closed just as we came up, and taking a seat with him, at the request of his servant, all the people soon after seated themselves on the floor, in evident expectation. Seeing the gentleman apparently waiting for us to introduce our business, we first gave his servant a number of each kind of our books, with instructions to give them to our friend. He did so, and soon the gentleman selected a couple of copies, saying to me “The other numbers I have had before. I have a large pile laid up. I obtained them at Bangkok." He then spake of a foreigner who passed there a short time before, and tried to give his name. It was, doubtless, Dr. Richardson, the English ambassador, who came over from Burmah to this place in 1839. On being interrogated, he informed me that the surrounding country embraces many villages and a numerous population. He said that in Rapree and vicinity—embraced within a day's journey-there were about ten thousand Siamese men, one thousand Chinese, three or four thousand Cambojians, and Peguans in great num bers-"about how many I cannot say | interview with Choom, our friend, we right"-besides many Laos people. He farther informed us that, some days' journey above, there were forks in the river, one branch coming from the north and the other from the Burman empire, on the west. We then gave books to all the men present, and took our leave. After this interview, the people treated us more respectfully, and we soon supplied all the village with religious reading. Some three or four miles west of the village is a moderate sized mountain, which here looks like the two humps on a camel's back. Between these humps is seen a building, which is said to be a place of worship for these idolaters. Perhaps they have there an artificial Phra Bat (holy foot). A priest gave us the names of many villages above, but I hope to see them, and will not give their names now. passed down to Ma-klong, and travelled about through most of the villages, giving tracts and numbering the houses, leaving a part of our boatmen to go up the canal with the boat. Perhaps one-third of the inhabitants are Chinese. The banks here are about as high, if not higher, than at Bangkok. The fort, the wats, the swine by hundreds, and large fat ducks by thousands, and the pens and yards of the swine and ducks, among, under, behind, and in front of the closely jammed houses—an arrangement which occasions no small annoyance to any sensible olfactories -are things that will attract some attention. But this is not all. One Chinaman takes his book and reads on, in the crowd, as though he expected something of moment would therein be revealed; while numerous Siamese will get as many books as they can succeed, by deceptive plans, in obtain Cambojia-Another visit to the musicmaster-Domestic economy of the Si-ing, and then, stowing them away, will amese. pass the time in remarks about you and your boat, &c., if they do not laugh at you. Then comes a respectable The Cambojians, some years since, lost their national independence, and being located between Siam and Co-woman with an old tract, saying, "The chin China, they have been a bone of contention between the two nations ever since. At present one half are ruled by this country and the other by that; but the division line is now the particular subject of dispute. Soldiers are being enlisted in great numbers here, to check the advancing army of the Cochin Chinese. We are inform ed that, some sixteen years ago, and at several later periods, many thousand Cambojiaus were taken prisoners, and brought to this country. Those who first came are said to reside together above Rapree, and west toward the mountain, and number more than the late comers by many thousands. About three o'clock we left Rapree, and dropping down with the current, anchored for the night against the music master's house. Here we spent the evening in explaining the Christian religion to as attentive a company as ever listened in America; and to close, we called our boatmen-read in English and translated the ten commandments—sung and prayed with them-we then took our leave for the night. May the Holy Spirit follow up what may have been effected upon this man's mind, by the tracts he has from time to time read, and by what he has now heard! 23d. This morning, after another man of the house has sent me for a new tract, as he is pleased with them." Anon you are teased by a half drunk, half crazy man, whose noise will gather around him a multitude whose need of cultivation, and whose spiritual wretchedness will oft cause a feeling missionary to sigh as he passes among them. Not but that there are those who are bright and somewhat intelligent and well behaved; but alas! idolatry and tradition have thrown their dark mantle over everything but the pure religion of Jesus. And hence, "this new religion! what is that to me?" Leaving Ma-klong when the water was low, we found some difficulty in passing through the canal, but at length we reached Má Haún, the point where the tides of the two rivers meet. Here is a Hin-La (a fine, tile-roofed shed for travellers). Here we dined, and then our boatmen pulled against tide till evening, when, between sleeping, fighting musquitoes, and rowing, they at length chose the latter; and about two o'clock in the morning we reached Tachen, where the breezes on the river soon relieved them of their unwelcome intruders. Scenery of the country-A Siamese fort. 24th. Last night we passed the Peguan villages without exploring them, which I was sorry to do, but hope to | Ma-klong; or they let us pass without pass that way again. This morning, very early, we travelled through the village of Tachen, supplying those we met with tracts, and counting the dwellings. We had some half a dozen asking for Chinese books, and two Burmans. Tachen having somewhat elevated banks, and the jungle below not being very high, the sea breezes are felt here and make it rather a pleasant place. On the eastern bank we saw many monkeys sporting. A great bend in the river prevents Tachen from being seen at Ma-ha-chi. At Ma-ha-chi we stopped for breakfast. Meanwhile we walked out with our little gifts. There are no houses west of the river, against the village, but some few miles below there is said to be a large Chinese settlement. On the east side of the river is a little Peguan settlement, and below, a fort. There are said to be about sixty Chinese here. The banks here, too, are higher than at Ma-klong, and the fort occupies a lovely spot. It is on high and level ground, and there is near it a road thrown up in American style. Though not Macadamized, it is yet a treat to a Bankok missionary to see such, outside the city walls. It is, however, used only by foot people, and was made, doubtless, as a kind of appendage to the fort. Another advantage I should prize is the view of the western mountains, which, though some forty or fifty miles distant, are, nevertheless, to one long shut out from such view, a lovely sight. The houses of this place are not so dense as at Tachen, and are, consequently, the more pleasant; but the same moral gloom hangs over all the otherwise delightful villages. From the guard-house, some came for tracts, but said nothing about our going or coming. Government toleration-Safe return to Bangkok. any inquiry, except for a book. But to ask the prah klang to let us take up our residence in some of these villages at present-though he would not hinder our travelling on our own responsi bility-would be but to get a prohibition to settling, if not even to travelling at all. He would, no doubt, avoid the responsibility himself, but if he were to ask the king we should most assuredly have a prohibitory law passed at once. I bless God that now we may freely travel and publish the truths of the kingdom, and make a beginning among these perishing millions. Between this and the suburbs of Bangkok we found numerous boats, as has been the case most of our way. To the occupants of these we gave a supply of tracts; and in this way we have sent them far and near, in all directions. Our books being all spent we had only to seek our homes, which we reached in safety this evening, about 9 o'clock, and found all our friends well and happy. I have, I think, materially improved in speaking Siamese; and I hope, too, that the books which we have scattered with our own hands, may prove the heralds of mercy to many idolaters. As we have many books on hand, and now have liberty to scatter them abroad, and as several other desirable objects are to be gained, I think it will be my duty, as soon as the cold season comes on, when the tide sets high up the rivers, to take several such journeys as that I have now made; and I trust I shall meet the wishes of the Board in so doing. In a postscript dated Oct. 27, Mr. S. addsI have the pleasure to say that my trip to Rapree has given me much assistance in making myself understood in the Siamese. I am now able to read, sing, and pray with my domestics so as to be quite intelligible; and I think my interest in this people increases as I am more able to address them understandingly. I have recently been ill a few days, as have many others here; but am now quite well, as is also Mrs. Slafter. We feel quite assured that some vessels from America must have been lost, for few are the letters we receive. Our last from nearest friends are now nearly two years old. We recently welcomed br. Goddard and his lady and son here, in tolerable health. Br. Dean is better. We long to see br. |