A DAY IN HARBOUR AT KARACHI

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diocese in such a way as would be least embarrassing or savouring of encroachment on the duty and jurisdiction assigned to an honoured and beloved successor. My health is still far from being perfectly re-established, still I think sea voyages in the Mediterranean and Red Sea have helped towards a measure of restoration, and I am mainly devoted to work among Arabs and Moslems. I have confidence in your brotherly sympathy with this temporary and too feeble fulfilment of plans long on my heart."

This letter did not reach Bishop Matthew before he had personally met with Bishop French at Karachi.

It was in some ways a real trial to French to be brought close to his old diocese, and feel that days of Indian work were past for him. He had registered a sort of vow not to set foot on Indian soil again on this occasion, so the first day till 4 p.m. was spent in writing letters in his cabin (second class), from two of which, to Mrs. Moulson and to Mrs. French, some extracts may be given.

To MRS. MOULSON.

Karachi, Feb. 4th (en route for Muscat).

It seems incredible and almost insufferably tantalizing to be writing to you, I will not say from Indian soil, except so far as it is dredged out of the harbour here, for I am not landing on shore for fear of discovery, but from an Indian port and capital, and one where so many of my happy working days as missionary and missionary-bishop have been spent, and to which now I must regard myself as one dead in human bodily personality, though not in sympathy and living, loving relation of sympathy and remembrance. . . . Arabs, Persians, and Hindus are my brotherpassengers, who cook their food as well as eat it in the saloon, and its scents at least are not savoury if its composites are: the chief advantage being that I hear Arabic spoken incessantly and loudly, and so a succession of moonshees keep me primed for my next preachings.

May you be comforted, as I have been to-day, with dwelling on the apostle's thought, "Let us run with patience, looking unto Jesus, the Author (dpxnyóv-first or chief captain or leader) and Finisher, perfecter, of our faith (reλern), lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, even as a father the son." These thoughts before dawn this morning seemed to bring our dear Saviour nearer to me and more as my own trusted friend, helper, counseller, than at most times I can realize it.

God bless you and yours with fullest richest blessing in all heavenly places and all earthly places which the changes and chances of life bring you to, until we reach the city which hath foundations which God Himself hath prepared.

To MRS. FRENCH.

(Same date.)

I get many little missionary-preaching seasons with Arabs on board, and for once again have had some Hindustani speaking and reading, as not a few on board were from India. . . It is a lovely day and all looks bright. Unhappily the beautiful church tower I admired so is out of sight. Mr. Maitland is gone on shore to look at it, and to get some Arabic and Persian prayerbooks, if practicable, for use at Muscat and Bushire. It saddens me to think of my young cousin, Florence Valpy, having passed away so soon 1. The officers of this steamer have been so extremely attentive and kind. They could not bear my being shut up with Arabs, and kept coming to inquire quite in a brotherly way how I was getting on. Mr. Maitland partly had my cabin for use, and partly moves about freely without being cribbed and cabined at all, which seems to suit him best. I believe he pays first-class fare for this, but he can't bear to think I should travel second and he first class. I am thankful his very popular and graceful manners and speech should be not lost to first-class passengers. He is so deservedly popular, with none even of the little stiffness of manner which made G. M. Gordon appreciated only by the more discerning.

...

My next, please God, will be from Muscat, if we are not prevented landing by consuls or otherwise. . . . I am afraid of Mr. Maitland getting starved there, for he wants more building up than I do; however, he seems determined to link himself a few weeks more to my fortunes. . . . Will you please send me by return to Muscat Mrs. Gardiner's Cookery Book? I expect Mr. Maitland and I shall have occasion to use it. Mrs. G. will be proud of being my professoress in that art, so I may add cookery to surgery in my small way! Not much of either, I suspect. . . . I wish Muscat had been more of a place to ask Lydia to stop at on her way home; but five little bairns would have found but poor accommodation I fear, and these Arab-laden steamers would not have suited!

The bishop was unable to preserve a strict incognito, for when on finishing these letters he went up for a turn on deck, 'whom should I encounter,' he said, but

·

1 She had been working with much devotion as a missionary under Dr. Bruce at Bagdad.

AN UNEXPECTED RENDEZVOUS

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Mr. Robert Clark and Mr. Bambridge, to whom the secret had oozed out somehow! No one confessed to be the guilty party, but so it was.' From them he learnt that the bishop was expected next day on visitation for a week before leaving for England, and at 2 p.m. that day, French having still resisted all pressure to make him land, some one said to him, 'Here comes the bishop in a small boat.'

He

'So I did my best,' he wrote to Mrs. French, 'to look innocent, and went down the ladder to bring him up; and I must say he was most kind and brotherly, and understood how I was circumstanced, and the great efforts I had made till the last moment to get straight across to Muscat, and how I had been thwarted. was only vexed with me, if at all, for thinking so much of form and ceremony in the matter; however, I felt most thankful for having kept my vow and not landed. He had to lecture in the evening, but stayed about three quarters of an hour in most friendly and affectionate chat, asking all about you and Agnes, and then about my plans, and telling me his own. He will send me instructions as I desired, and welcome me among his fellow-workers, which I told him was a special gratification to me, and so it is! Afterwards Mr. Clark came again with his daughter, and Mr. Bambridge bringing me some jams and biscuits for the journey, and again we had a long chat and prayer together. I gave them some tea also, and said farewell.

The bishop I thought looking well (but he hopes to run down and see you). . . . Evidently he has won all hearts, as I felt perfectly sure he would, please God. The senior chaplain, Mr. Gillmore, came with him, and seemed very happy to meet me again, which refreshed and cheered me. Mr. Maitland was almost the whole two days on land, and the change was doubtless good for him. . . . Mr. Clark begged me hard to come over soon, and have a series of missions through the Punjab stations; but I made no promise, and feel it most unlikely I should ever venture on anything so exciting, and requiring such delicacy of discretion to prevent all embarrassment.'

This was the bishop's farewell sight of India, the land of his devotion; and there is certainly something strange, almost dramatic, in the way in which he was so unexpectedly brought face to face on ship-board with his oldest missionary friend and colleague, with the bishop who had succeeded him, and had been like a right hand to him through his episcopate, with a comrade of his Persian

journeyings, and with a most attached member of the staff of the Punjab chaplains. There scarcely could have been so small a gathering more truly representative of his life interests than these few friends, as they thus met amid Hindus and Arabs on the steamer-deck.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE LONELY PIONEER.

'On to the bound of the waste, on to the city of God.' MATTHEW ARNOLD.

'Quod si deficiant vires; audacia certe

Laus erit, in magnis et voluisse sat est.'

'I long for the prayers of your little band of intercessors offering this simple request, that as the Arab has been so grievously a successful instrument in deposing Christ from His throne (for this long season only), in so many fair and beautiful regions of the East, . . . so the Arab may be in God's good providence at least one of the main auxiliaries and reinforcements in restoring the Great King, and reseating Him on David's throne of judgement and mercy, and Solomon's throne of peace, and, above all, God's throne of righteousness.'-BISHOP FRENCH, to 'Watchers and Workers,' Muscat, April, 1891.

WITH his farewell to India the last stage of the bishop's life is entered. He left Karachi on Thursday, February 5, and reached Muscat itself on Sunday, February 8, touching only at Gwadur by the way. The passage was not of the smoothest, and finding the Arab horse-dealers 'too overpowering' he was forced to transfer himself to the firstclass accommodation.

Before proceeding further with the narrative it may be well to recall the steps by which he had been led to make his final venture. When he was in England Mackay's appeal for missionary work in Muscat had made a deep impression on his mind, and a brief extract will show its force and cogency. Mackay had said :

'I do not deny that the task is difficult; and the men selected for work in Muscat must be endowed with no small measure of