CHAPTER VII. First Toils. MY wanderings thou hast numbered; All in the folds Of thy large volume read. Psalm lvi. 8.-George Sandys. If our lives are preserved, and our attempt prospered, we shall next New Year's Day be in India. We shall no more see our kind friends around us, or enjoy the conveniences of civilised life, or go to the house of God with those that keep holy day; but swarthy countenances will everywhere meet our eye, the jargon of an unknown tongue will assail our ears, and we shall witness the assembling of the heathen to the worship of idol gods. We shall be weary of the world, and wish for wings like a dove. We shall probably experience seasons when we shall be " exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."-Dr Judson. WHEN Dr Judson wrote to his future wife the words just quoted, he did not know how terribly the prognostic would be fulfilled. He did not foresee the perils of the Burmese war, and the unimagined horrors of the death-prison at Rangoon. And it is well for us that there is no Agabus to reveal the tribulations through which each must pass to the Kingdom, or to set fully before us the dangers and hardships which attend a new undertaking. It was with a cheerful eye that Mr Williams and his comrades surveyed the scene of their projected campaign. But, as we have already said, they saw it to advantage. It was midsummer; and, as long as the ship remained in sight, the natives wore their summer faces, and appeared mild, and almost friendly. The voyagers arrived in health and vigour; and, in the excitement of strange circumstances, the perils and difficulties of their undertaking were materially disguised. It was on the 5th of December 1850, that the Ocean Queen cast anchor in Banner Roads; and, resuming Mr Williams' Journal, we shall now trace the first proceedings of the missionary pilgrims. "December 5.-At noon we proceeded in the ship's gig to a small island called Dothan, lying betwixt Garden and Picton Islands. Captain Gardiner had fixed on it as the site of our intended dwelling-house, thinking it capable of being made peculiarly secure, from its position and shape. Here we read an appropriate psalm, and offered prayer, and sang the doxology. The natives had followed us, and they stood gazing with wonder whilst we were so engaged. One passed into the centre of our circle, and now and then made an observation; and when we sang, they all joined heartily with us. We then took possession of the island, and cut away the trees for a place where to fix our tent; but afterwards, in the course of the day, upon more consideration given, we abandoned Dothan, and chose our site in Garden Island. Here, accordingly, the axe was industriously used, and some large timber was cleared away. In the course of the afternoon I shot a goose and a duck. In the course of the evening, what from being very tired and cold, and the rush of impressions being very great and forcible upon my mind, my whole body seemed to shrink from the hardships that were palpably before me; and my flesh, with a cowardly tremor, seemed to protest against the difficulties, the trials, and the dangers. Whilst I felt this, I knew it was but the weakness of the flesh, and although I could not, under its present weariness, quiet its alarms, yet I felt a firm and quiet resolution, if need be, to sacrifice the flesh to the cause of God and humanity. It was a trial and a war between the two; but the spirit within, strengthened by grace, offered the flesh upon the altar of sacrifice. Praise God, never did I feel more sensibly how God provides grace against the day of trial than in this instance. "Tuesday, December 10.-To-day the first opportunity presents, of recording the events which have marked our career. On Friday last, early in the day, having selected a spot on Garden Island admirably adapted for our purposes, we conveyed to it bedding, apparel, provisions, and cooking utensils, and engaged ourselves most actively in clearing away a spot sufficiently large for our tents. These we erected, and by nightfall had everything pretty comfortable. We had two tents—one for the men, another for ourselves—and between the two a cooking-house or kitchen, made of poles we had cut down and covered with oiled canvas. The floor of our tent was covered with cork; over this, oiled canvas, which thus made a dry place for our beds. We had also begun a fence around our tents, which, on the following day, by the assistance of some of our ship's company, we enlarged and completed, so as to be surrounded on all sides except an opening |