curves with the most perfect adroitness, and once making the figure 8, immense precipices on either side. So we got to Kurseong, and then got into a tonga for the last 18 miles to Darjeeling. Alas! that night the distant hills were all veiled in cloud. I got up at 3 A.M. It was piercing cold, moonlight on near hills, but the snows all hidden. But at 6 we got up, and the glorious view was stamped into us as in a moment. The sun rose on the snowy ranges from 40 to 45 miles distant, though a belt of cloud, perhaps 20 miles broad, lay betwixt us and them, and quite veiled the lower snow ranges. But there arose Chinchingunga, 27,000 feet high, and all her sister mountains, in unutterable glory. M-, Edward, and I walked to the Observatory hill, a mile away, first lost in wonder and delight, and there we had our morning prayer, and I read Rev. xxi. from my Greek Testament. More clouds came up, but the snow hills were in sight, sometimes more, sometimes less, all day. We got three ponies, and rode up the Senchall mountains about ten miles ride, and had a wonderful view of the nearer Himalayas; and the evening roseate lights upon the most distant snows glowed into fire after the sun was set. On Friday morning

I was out by 6. The moon was up, and not a single cloud
between us and the whole range of mountains. Edward and
M- soon came, and we can never forget the sight-it was a
pearl-like transparency, something so ethereal and tender it did
not seem of the world-but it might be the steps of heaven let
down to earth. The mountains are so much higher than
those in Switzerland, that you have to raise your eyes, and
find them where you do not expect to find anything but air and
clouds. Cowper's lines came continually to my mind-
"His are the mountains and the valleys his,
And the resplendent rivers-his to enjoy
With a propriety that none can feel

But who, with filial confidence inspired,
Can lift to Heaven an unpresumptuous eye,
And smiling say-'My Father made them all!'
Are they not his by a peculiar right,
And by an emphasis of interest his,

Whose eye they fill with tears of holy joy,
Whose heart with praise?"

We left Darjeeling most reluctantly at 10A.M., Friday; had another delightful day through the gorges and down the lower ranges by

tonga and tramway, travelled all Friday night, and reached our loving hospitable Bishop's home at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon, our hearts echoing Keble's words

"Thou who hast given me eyes to see,
And love this sight so fair,
Give me a heart to find out Thee,
And read Thee everywhere."

THE OPIUM TRAFFIC IN CHINA. T the time when the subject of the Opium Traffic in China is engrossing the attention of earnest Christian men it may not be out of place to give some reference to it in the pages of the GLEANER. Not from a political point of view, but simply as to its effect on missionary work. The terrible evils wrought by opium-smoking stare the missionary in the face, and frequently in his ministrations among the people he comes in contact with the strong feeling which exists in the national mind against the foreigners on account "Why do you Christians," they ask, "who profess to bring

us the Gospel which you say is for the good of the souls of men, bring us on the other hand that which destroys our bodies, poisons our sons, ruins our brothers, and leads us to beggar our wives and children ?" And no process of reasoning will convince them that the missionaries are not in some way identified with the traffic.

The Chinese have a proverb that the opium shops, that is, for selling, retailing, and smoking, are more numerous than the rice shops. There are regular public establishments in many parts of China, with opium pipes and the other necessaries for smoking the drug, in all parts of the suburbs and city, attended by gambling and licentiousness. According to an eye witness, "In entering these places we are accustomed to see the victims of this habit in their different stages of narcotism; some under the full influence of the drug, with a vacant expression and lifelessness; others with the glistening eye and excited expression; others in the intermediate states and stages." Besides these establishments, whither large numbers, especially of the poor, resort, it is to be remembered that in numerous families an opium pipe is kept for the use of the members of the clan or family,

and it is considered a mark of politeness and hospitality. Nor are the females exempt from the debasing and pernicious habit, although it is less common amongst them. In point of fact, opium-smoking is "a fearful, desolating pestilence, pervading all classes of people, wasting their property, enfeebling their mental faculties, ruining their bodies, and shortening their lives."

Nor is the habit confined to the heathen of the community. Again and again are the hearts of the missionaries saddened by their being compelled to suspend those of their flock who have given way under the temptation to indulge. And in the annual letters received from China this very year allusion is made to the falls and failures of Native agents whose powers of resistance have been unequal to the allurements of the drug. Any case of the kind is a pathetic one, and calls for the prayers of God's people that those who have once abandoned the habit may be kept steadfast.

To put a case which has actually occurred. An opium-smoker hears the Gospel and believes. Conscious that he "cannot serve God and opium," he throws away his pipe, and is baptized. He is brought to the training college, and afterwards sent forth as an evangelist to his countrymen. The opium cravings come on again, but he resolutely and prayerfully resists them. last in a moment of weakness, he yields. It is the first step in a rapid downward course, which ends in expulsion from the Mission ranks.

At

On the other hand it is good to read accounts of the conversion of opium-smokers. Such a case is related by the Rev. Ll. Lloyd of Fuh-chow :—

I may re'ate the history of one of the men baptized here in October. It seems that towards the end of 1880, a man in a deplorable state of poverty, and clothed in a filthy sackcloth garment, came into our chapel and was remonstrated with by the catechist, to whom he was known as an opiumsmoker and idle, dissolute fellow, who had been cast out of his father's house in consequence of his evil doings. Much to the catechist's surprise, instead of speaking rudely on being reproved, he exclaimed, "Sing sang, I really do want to live a better life; will you teach me your doctrine, that I may be enabled to do so?" The catechist seems to have been convinced that he was in earnest, and promised to let him have a room in the house he occupied if his father was willing to clothe and support him, pointing out to him that God alone could give him strength to overcome his sins, and that he must pray to Him for help. The catechist then consulted one or two of the leading Christians on the subject, and they agreed to go with him to the young man's father, who is a respectable, well-to-do farmer. This they did, and made themselves answerable for his son's good behaviour. On these conditions the father advanced money and provided clothing for his son, and from that time till the present he has lived a changed life, and, best of all, has, we have every reason to believe, laid hold of the great truths of redemption and renovation by the death of Christ. He answered the questions I put to him before baptizing him very clearly, and we trust he may be a means of blessing to his, as yet, heathen family. Quite a crowd was present at the baptismal service, and before the service one of the members of the Chüng family gave a very good address from the latter part of the first chapter of Romans, a pas-age frequently chosen when speaking to the heathen, and containing allusions to sins with which, alas! they are only too familiar.

In conclusion, it need only be added that the missionaries of the various societies labouring in China are doing their utmost to alleviate the suffering which comes under their notice every day. The Church Missionary Society, for instance, has an opium refuge at Hang-Chow and a dispensary at Fuh-Chow, where clever medical men are devoting their best energies not only to restore to health the victims of the vice who apply to them, but also to warn others against the temptation.

MR. DARWIN ON MISSIONS. YOR. CHARLES DARWIN, the great naturalist, recently deceased,

MR. Researches, describes to le CNS.

Mission stations at which he sojourned when in New Zealand.

He says:At length we reached Waimate. After having passed over so many miles of an uninhabited useless country, the sudden appearance of an English farmhouse and its well-dressed fields, placed there as if by an enchanter's wand, was exceedingly pleasant. Mr. Williams not being at home, received in Mr. Davies' house a cordial welcome. We took a stroll about the farm; but I cannot attempt to describe all I saw. There were large gardens, with every fruit and vegetable which England produces, and many belonging to a warmer clime. Around the farmyard there were stables, a thrashing barn, with its winnowing machine, a blacksmith's forge, and on the ground ploughshares and other tools; in the middle was that happy mixture of pigs and poultry, lying comfortably together as in every English farmyard; and at a little distance a large and substantial water-mill. All this is very surprising when it is considerered that five years ago nothing but the fern flourished here. Moreover, native workmanship, taught by the missionaries, has effected this change. The lesson of the missionary is the enchanter's wand. The house had been built, the windows framed, the fields ploughed, and even the trees grafted by the New Zealander. When I looked at the whole scene I thought it admirable. Several young men, redeemed by the missionaries from slavery, were employed on the farm; they had a respectable appearance. Late in the evening I went to Mr. Williams' house, where I passed the night. I found there a large party of children, collected together for Christmas Day, and all sitting round a table at tea. I never saw a nicer or more merry group; and to think that this was the centre of the land of cannibalism, murder, and all atrocious crimes! I took leave of the missionaries with thankfulness for their kind welcome, and with feelings of high respect for their gentlemanlike, useful, and upright characters. I think it would be difficult to find a body of men, better adapted for the high office which they fulfil

Mr. B. mentioned one pleasing anecdote as a proof of the sincerity of some, at least, of those who profess Christianity. One of his young men left him who had been accustomed to read prayers to the rest of the servants. Some weeks afterwards, happening to pass late in the evening by an outhouse, he saw and heard one of his men reading the Bible with difficulty by the light of the fire to the others. After this the party knelt and prayed; in their prayers they mentioned Mr. B. and his family, and the missionaries.

New Zealand is not a pleasant place. The greater part of the English [ie, the colonists in those early days] are the very refuse of society, neither is the country itself attractive. I look back but to one bright spot, and that is Waimate, with its (Native) Christian inhabitants.

THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF DR. KRAPF,
The Pioneer-Missionary of East Africa.
TOLD BY HIMSELF.

IV. ON THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA.
JAVING sought preparation for the long sea-voyage by prayer
and meditation, I set sail with my wife from Aden on the
11th of November, 1843, our destination being Zanzibar.
From the first the sea was very rough, and on the 13th
of November the wind blew violently directly contrary to

but no

our destined course, and we advanced but little, never losing sight of the mountains of Aden. But the 14th was a day of great distress, but also, thank God, a day of Divine deliverance to us, which we should keep in remembrance as long as we live in this woful world. The wind had been adverse all the preceding night. The moon arose at midnight; abatement of the wind attended her apperance. At the break of day, for which we ardently waited, the gale blew with fury. A formidable wave struck our bark, which forthwith sprang a leak. The only way of saving the boat and ourselves was now speedily to turn the vessel tward Aden. After the helm had been put about, the whole crew engaged in baling the water which forced its way through the leak. We were about sixty miles from Aden when the bark sprang the leak. My dear wife and myself repaired to our cabin, to unite ourselves in prayer. We recommended our bodies and sou's, our dear friends at home, the whole Mission cause, and especially our Galla Mission, to the gracious protection of the Lord. Having committed ourselves to the care of our invisible Friend and Saviour, we took our Bible, and a few other things, and made them up into a small packet, that we might save our greatest treasures in case we should be obliged to lower the li tle boat.

At five o'clock we could see Aden distinctly. But the wind, which had abated in the afternoon, died entirely away, and was soon succeeded by the land-wind, which seemed to drive us again toward the open sea. Night came on, and the land-wind prevented our muskets from being heard on shore. However, in the very nick of time a boat came close up to us. Soon after we had left our leaky vessel she overturned, the

mast lying in the water and the whole bark floating on the sea like a piece of wood.

I could not but see that the disaster of the first voyage was under Providence made serviceable to me; for had I made the voyage with the Arab captain of this first ship, he would have sailed direct from Arabia to Zanzibar, after the manner of his countrymen, without running into any port, and I should have lost the opportunity of personally exploring the places on the coast.

On the 28th of December we landed at Takaungu, as our captain had to return home with the ship in which we had come, and we were to proceed in a smaller one to Zanzibar. Accordingly we remained at Takaungu until the 3rd of January, 1841. The inhabitants were most hospitable to my wife and myself, giving us the only stone house in the village to lodge in. Here I met with the first mention of the country Jagga in the interior, to the south-west of Mombaz, as well as of the country of Usambara, and the inner African tribes of Uniamesi, in whose territory there is a great lake.*

On the 3rd of January, 1844, I left the hospitable village of Takaungu in a small boat, called a "daw" [dhow] by the Suahilis, which is the smallest sea-going vessel. In it you are but a few feet above the water; but have the advantage of being able to sail over rocks and sand-banks, and always close to the shore.

From Takaungu we reached the isle of Mombaz,† which has a harbour capable of containing ships of a tolerably large size. This island is several leagues in circumference, but is only very partially cultivated; yet mangoes and cocoa-nuts, oranges and limes, and in parts, the cinnamontree, are indigenous, whilst wild swine, introduced by the Portuguese, abound. The people here were well acquainted with the English.

At two in the afternoon of the 7th of January we dropped anchor in the safe and spacious harbour of the capital of the island of Zanzibar, where we were to repose for a time, after our long and fatiguing voyage, while I deliberated on my further plans and consulted my friends respecting them. We were hospitably received by Major Hamerton, the English consul, and until we could erect a dwelling we lived in the house of Mr. Waters, the American consul, who was a zealous friend to the Mission. He wished me to remain in Zanzibar, preaching on Sundays to its few Europeans; working amongst the Banians from India, of whom there are seven hundred in Zanzibar; founding schools for the instruction of the native Suahilis and Arabs; and preparing books in the languages of the mainland for future missionaries; but I could not abandon my original design of founding a Mission in the Galla land, which, so far as I know at present, extends to the fourth degree of south latitude.

On the second day after my arrival in Zanzibar I was presented by the English consul to the Sultan Said-Said, commonly called by Europeans by his other title, the Imam of Muscat. His palace lies outside the city. When the consul appeared with me at the entrance of the palace, the Sultan, accompanied by one of his sons and several grandees, came forth to meet us, displaying a condescension and courtesy which I had not before met with at the hands of any oriental ruler. He conducted us into the audience-chamber, which is pretty large and paved with marble slabs; American chairs lined the walls, and a stately chandelier hung in the middle of the room. The Sultan bade us be seated, and I described to

This was the first allusion by any traveller to the great lake now known as the Victoria Nyanza.

† Mombasa (the Portuguese form; Krapf calls it Mombaz) was, in the 17th century, one of the chain of settlements linking. Africa, Arabia, Persia, and India, which were established by the Portuguese traders. The fortress bears an inscription, put up by Xeixas de Cabreira, the governor, in 1639, giving 1635 as the date of its erection. In the middle of the 18th century many of these settlements came under the dominion of the Arabs of Oman. The chief Arab ruler was known to Europeans as the Imam of Muscat, and one of these Imams, Said-Said, who reigned fifty-two years (1804-1856), established his power over large portions of the East African coast and of the shores of the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. Mombasa, to prevent its falling into his hands, was in 1823 offered by its inhabitants to England. A surveying squadron under Captain Owen was then on the coast, and to him the application was made. He eagerly accepted the offer, and a convention was signed accordingly; but in 1826, on Said-Said putting in his claim, the Government at home di avowed the annexation and withdrew the agents in charge, and the place then fell into the Imam's hands. At his death, his dominions were divided between his three sons, one of whom took Zanzibar and its dependencies. This son was succeeded by another son of Said-Said, the present Sultan. When Krapf arrived on the coast, Suid-Said was at the height of his power, and had lately transferred his cap.tal from Muscat to Zanzibar.

him in Arabic, his native language, my Abyssinian adventures, and plans for converting the Gallas. He listened with attention and promised every assistance, at the same time pointing out the dangers to which I might be exposed. Although advanced in years he looked very well, and was most friendly and communicative. Sultan Said-Said ascended the throne in 1807, and lived at Muscat up to the year 1810, when he removed the seat of government to Zanzibar, chiefly on account of its trade.

I remained in Zanzibar from the 7th of January to the beginning of March, 1844, hearing, seeing, and learning much. On Sundays I preached to the English and American residents, and during the whole period of my stay cultivated the acquaintance of Arabs, Banians, and Suahilis, gathering from them information respecting the coast and the interior. At the period named I resolved to leave my dear wife at Zanzibar, and to proceed to the island of Lamu, and thence to penetrate among the Gallas and found a missionary station. I took with me a letter of recommendation from Sultan Said-Said addressed to the governors of the coast, and couched in the following terms:-" This comes from Said-Said, Sultan; greeting all our subjects, friends, and governors. This letter is written in behalf of Dr. Krapf, a German, a good man who wishes to convert the world to God. Belave well to him, and be every where serviceable to him."

On the 13th of March I arrived at Mombaz, where I was hospitably received by the governor of the city, Ali Ben Nasser, who had been twice in London as representative of the Sultan of Zanzibar, on a political mission to the English Government. In the streets of Mombaz I saw some heathen Wanika, who had come from the neighbouring mountains. The inhabitants of Mombaz, too, visited me in great numbers and were very friendly. Then, all at once, the thought came upon me that for many reasons Mombaz would be best suited for the establishment of a missionary station. I was strengthened in my growing conviction by the friendliness of the people and officials of Mombaz towards Europeans, especially the English; by the proximity of this place to the neighbouring pagan tribes, a proximity so close that a missionary can visit their villages during the day and return to Mombaz at night; and by its healthiness and the conveniences which it offered in the way of living and residence. I resolved, therefore, to return to Zanzibar for my dear wife, and then to take up my abode in Mombaz, studying the Suahili language, making excursions among the pagan Wanika, and becoming acquainted with the condition of the interior, where I intended to preach the Gospel as soon as I was master of the language.

After I had engaged a teacher of the Suahili and Kinika languages I quitted Mombaz on the 18th of March, some of my fellow-passengers being natives of Arabia and India, and among them a Hindu of the Rajpoot caste, who had attended a missionary school at Bombay. The acquaintance of this person convinced me that a great influence is exerted on the characters of heathens by attendance at our schools, even although it may last but a short time and they do not at once become Christian. When I spoke to him about the idol-worship of the Indians he said: "There is only one Creator of heaven and earth, who is everywhere present, and sees and knows everything, even the thoughts of the human

heart."

I reached Zanzibar on the 24th of March, and returned to Mombaz with my wife at the beginning of May, where I had to put up with several personal annoyances more or less trying. My greatest difficulty, however, lay in my want of a knowledge of the Suahili language, and in the absence of any help in the study, neither a grammar nor a dictionary of it having yet been compiled by any European. With the aid of Arabic, I surmounted this hindrance by degrees; but found in it, however, peculiarities which at first gave me immense trouble, but which also were converted into a source of delight, when I was at length able to cry "Eureka!"

On the 8th of June, 1844, I began the translation of the First Book of Moses with the aid of Sheikh Ali Ben, Mueddin of Barava, who was the Kadi (Judge) of Mombaz. I always considered this day as one of the most important of my life; but scarcely had I commenced this important work, and began to congratulate myself on the progress of my missionary labours, when myself and family were subjected to a very severe trial. On the 1st of July I was attacked by the fever; on the 4th I was somewhat better again, but the next day my wife