In the month of January, 1812, I presented a petition to the Right Honourable the Governor General in Council, requesting permission to reside on the Island of Java. To this petition His Lordship replied in substance as follows: "That His Lordship did not interfere in the affairs of Java, but that His Lordship had no objection to my coming hither, as he felt assured, that I should conduct myself with strict conformity to the rules of the established Government."

This, Sir, I considered a sufficient authority for my coming hither, and such I hope it will be considered in the opinion of Government.

This reply of His Lordship, I am sorry to say, was burnt in the fire which consumed the Mission Printing Office, or I should have been happy to have enclosed a copy of it for your inspection.

1 remain, &c.

I have had an attack of the fever for these last six days, but am now, through mercy, recovering. My hands and head are both too weak to write much. W. ROBINSON.

I remain, &c.

BOMBAY MISSION.

No news from brother C. C. Aratoon.

Miscellaneous Intelligence,

AND

BRIEF NOTICES,

RELATIVE TO

'INDIAN LITERATURE, MANNERS, &c.

་

Extract of a letter from brother Thompson at Patna. Self-Immolation.----On the 12th instant, (November), I was an eyewitness of a lamentable and murderous transaction, the drowning of a leprous Hindoo woman in the deepest part of the river. On the above day, at one o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. D. came running to my house, and gave me intelligence of her going by, amidst the noise of drums, trumpets, &c. and accompanied by vast numbers of natives. I instantly accompanied him to the great road, and beheld the hapless woman seated in a box, or palankeen, made of slit bamboos and paper variously coloured, and borne upon men's as well as women's shoulders. She appeared to be in great pain during the procession. Mr. D. brother Smith, and myself, went off to Pat'hri ghaut, where a boat was in waiting for her; in twelve or fifteen minutes she arrived. I sent her a message by one of her attendants, desiring to talk to her; she hesitated a moment, and then desired her palankeen to be brought near me. I approached within hearing, and after she bad saluted me, I asked her, “Is it of your own accord you thus act?" Ans. "Of my own accord." "How long have you been afflicted ?" "Three years." "How long have you had an intention to act thus?" "Three months." "What is your name?" "Shyama." "Where did you reside?" "Kajee-baug.' "Have you any near relations surviving?" "No, none.' I then said, If I had before known that such was your intention, I should have endeavoured to turn your mind from------- : here I was interrupted by the women standing by, who replied, "Ah! No Sir, not so." The woman added, "This is no act of theirs; I have prevailed on them, after three months intreaty, to bring me hither; and now do not prevent me." When I asked her, what were her expectations in thus destroying her life? She made no satisfactory reply, but by what she said, she indicated great ignorance of a future state. This circumstance made me plead with her the cause of God and her own soul; I set before her the wrath of God, and the love of the Saviour; the propriety of submitting to the will of God in all things, remembering our deserts, and the awfulness of provoking divine justice in the manner she was about to do. She seemed to hesitate at this, and hung down her head, which, her attendants perceiving, they cried out, "God has called her, let her depart." She then, with a degree of backwardness, added, "Do not dissuade me; give me leave," and im

mediately she was hurried to the boat, while I stood accusing the instigators of this horrid deed, and assuring them and the woman (who was still within hearing) that they should all see me at the general judgment, and have to answer for the murder.

The boat rowed off quickly to the opposite stream, and we in a little time perceived it behind some sand banks. I hereupon procured a boat, and proceeded in it with brother Smith to join the above boat; but, when we were about 400 yards distance, we saw the boat stop a while, and the unfortunate woman with the box (or palankeen) let down into the water. I distinctly saw her before she was drowned, and fixed my eyes on her (half a minute) till she disappeared; and in half a minute afterwards the box was seen floating down the stream.

The woman appeared to be upwards of fifty, or at least not much under, and was very ill with the leprosy. She resembled the poor woman who died of the same disease in the chapel-yard at Calcutta.

Tyger hunting ---- Yesterday a tyger appeared in the town, half a mile distant from my house on the way to Old Balasore. The gentlemen, the troops, and natives, to the amount of about one thousand men, went to hunt it. The tyger was killed by half a dozen balls. He had wounded nine persons; some of them are in great danger; amongst whom are three European soldiers. To-day, one of the nine persons, a Musulman, died, Another, a she tyger, with a young one, is still in the town; this came from the jungle across the river; she was making a noise last night. Extracted from a letter from bro. J. Peter, dated Balasore, Sept. 1, 1813.

Brother D'Cruz writes, that he has recovered from an attack of the dysentery, and that the Muhesha-poora and English-bazar schools have been reduced in number by the ravages of death.

Cutwa,

Very dear Father,

Cutwa, Dec. 9, 1813,

I have been waiting a long time to get the jour nals ready, and have the pleasure now to send them.

About a month ago, I sent Kangalee and Kanta to Beerbhoom and Bankoora, where I find they have been received in a pleasing manner; great numbers heard the word, both rich and poor. The school there is coming on pretty well. Some persons, about forty miles from Beerbhoom, have sent desiring a school to be set up amongst them, but as it is at such a great distance from this I could not give them an answer, Here the people still continue to pay good attention to the word.

I am glad to hear of the wish of Jabez to engage in the work of the Lord. I shall be very glad to hear what the brethren have decidedTM about Amboyna; I haye been thinking a good deal of late about it.

I should have taken a journey to Lakra-koonda some time ago, but the least exposure to the night air brings on my cough; which has pre◄ vented my going to a distance.

Last week, a jackal bit about forty persons at Dewan-gunj, of which number, I hear, six are already dead. Two nights ago, a mad jackal bit eighteen persons in Cutwa, and then came to our garden, and bit a person, who was once a member of the church; he caught the jackal and I killed it; but I fear the poor man will not live.

Yours affectionately,

W. CAREY, jun.

My dear Father, Cutwa, Dec. 26, 1813. Kangalee, on his return, brought me the pleasing news of seven or eight more at Beerbhoom who are enquiring the way to Zion. Our brethren, you will find, have been to Bankoora, where they have been enabled to preach the word with boldness to great numbers. I have just sent off another brother to settle at Elembag, where Mr. E. lives. It is a very large place; and I have no doubt of Mr. E's being a friend to him. W. CAREY, jun.

Yours affectionately,

Labours of the Native Itinerants.

During the month of October, Vishnuva visited the villages around Cutwa; also Dewan-gunj, Shioori, and Kalapapuri. The congregations at Dewan-gunj were numerous. In November, this brother visited Cutwa market, and other villages, and had frequently persons coming to his house for christian instruction.

Mut'hoora, in his journal for November, mentions, that while at wor ship on the 1st of the month, a man present said, "I have a great desire to join you." He visited another person, who had sent for him to come and instruct himself and family. He also visited Bhuri, and during the latter part of the month talked with numbers in those parts.

Kangalee, in his journal for Nov. says, 5th. Set off for Beerbhoom; arrived at a village at night where numbers heard the word. 8th. Got to Bhuri, where I enquired into the distress of the brethren; from thence I went to Bankoora. On my way, had conversation with great numbers. 10th. Arrived at Bankoora, and after waiting some time, had a great deal of conversation with the people of the court. Some contended a good deal, but all confessed that this was the right way to God. I gave them a description of the spread of the Gospel; told them of the glori ous death of Christ, and of the purifying nature of this way of salvation. 19th. Set off from Bankoora, and arrived at Ram-krishna-poora, where I conversed with some about the Gospel; from hence I went to Bhuri again, and remained about ten days speaking of the things of the kingdom.

Kanta, in his journal for Nov. says, 4th. Went to the gunj, and had some talk with a few. 5th. Set off for Beerbhoom. On my way had much discourse about Christ at almost every village. 9th. At Bhuri I had a good number, to whom I spoke of Christ. From Bhuri Lwent to BanKoora, and on the way spoke at places where the blessed word was never heard before. Some agreed to all that was said, and invited us to come again. At Parush-poora, I spoke to a good number, which made a great noise in that village; numbers of rich persons sent for me, and asked about what I had said: I spoke to them a long time. 20th. At the school at Bhuri, a great number of people came together, to whom I made known the word of life. 21st. Went to Shimla, and had many to hear. 24th. Again set off for Bankoora, and on my way met with some who heard me with attention. 26th. At Bankoora met a rich man of Punchakotą, to whom I spoke of the death of Christ. He wished some of us to go to his place, and make known the word of life.