part with those sloping sides, is included in the PRESIDENCY of MADRAS. On the eastern slope lies the Bay of Bengal; on the western, the broad Indian Ocean and on the north of the Presidency are situated Orissa, Hydrabad, and the Presidency of Bombay. The Presidency naturally divides itself into three great districts. On each side there is a narrow slip of plain close to the sea, varying generally from ten to eighty miles in breadth; in the centre is a broad and undulating plateau, three thousand feet high; this includes the Provinces of Mysore, Coorg and the Ceded Districts. Ranges of hills, called Ghauts, run along the country on both sides, between the low plain near the sea, and the higher land of Central India: they are called the Eastern and Western Ghauts respectively. These natural physical divisions of the country are accompanied by somewhat similar divisions of the people and of their languages. The Eastern sea-coast and plain are inhabited by two different nations; the Telugus, who occupy the district from Orissa to Pulicat: and the Tamils who possess that which extends from Pulicat to Cape Comorin. The high central province contains the pure Canarese population: the Western strip of sea-coast is possessed by the Canarese people in the north, whence the province is called Canara; and by the Máleális* in the south. The Máleális occupy the province of Malabar, with the districts of Tellicherry and Calicut; also the little kingdom of Cochin, and the chief portion of Travancore. Thus Telugu is found in the north-east ; Tamil in the south-east; Canarese in the centre and north-west; and Máleálim in the south-west. The Tamil and Mále álim of course meet near Cape Comorin.

The MISSIONS of the Presidency may be also divided on the same principles being much separated from each other by the difference of tongue. Beginning along the Bay of Bengal, after passing Orissa and the town of Puri, we find Missions among the Telugus at Vizagapatam, Masulipatam, Guntoor, Rajmundry, Nellore and Cuddapah. Passing through their country, we come to the Tamil Missions at Madras; at Tranquebar; Tanjore and Trichinopoly. Farther south, they are flourishing in the districts of Dindigul and Madura: and next in Tinnevelly, and at Cape Comorin. In the centre of the Presidency, Bangalore is the head of the Canarese Missions which have been also established at Bel

*This word is usually written in the form Malayalim; a form which both suggests a wrong pronunciation, and some connection with the Malay people; with whom however it has nothing to do. Each a is accented and pronounced as a in hard. The name is connected with Mala-bar.

lary, Goobee and Mysore. On the West coast the Basle Society has Canarese Missions at Dharwar, Honore, Mangalore and Cannanore: and chief stations in the Máleálim country at Tellicherry and Calicut. The Jews at Cochin speak Máleálim: so also do the Syrian Christians of North Travancore, to whom the Church Missionary Society has for many years preached the gospel. Each of these groups of Missions I propose to notice in the course of these lectures, adopting the following order: The Telugu, Canarese and Tulu Missions.

The Tamil Missions in Madras, Tanjore and Madura.

The Shánár Missions in Tinnevelly and South Travancore.

The Syrian Christians in North Travancore.

I also add Lectures on subjects of a similar kind, and of great interest; The Romish Missions in South India :

The Government Mission among the Khonds:

The CLAIMS of the Madras Presidency for more missionaries.

THE WRITER'S JOURNEY.

To describe in full the numerous incidents of the writer's journey through so large a portion of the Madras Presidency, is not the purpose of these lectures: but, in order to shew the authority upon which many statements are made, and many descriptions offered, it may be useful to give a mere outline of the course which that journey took, and the places which I visited.

In going down the Bay of Bengal towards Madras, the ship stayed a week at Vizagapatam. I thus had the opportunity of examining the oldest Telugu Mission in the country, and of receiving from Mr. Gordon the oldest missionary, and from his brethren, much information concerning the progress of other missions since established. After a short stay in Madras, during which I saw almost all the missionaries of that city, I set out on my journey into the interior. In order to make the best use of my limited time and to prevent the necessity of going over the same ground twice in certain places, I proceeded in the first place straight westward into the very heart of the Presidency, to Bangalore: visiting on the way the town of Arcot and the celebrated temples at Conjeveram. At Bangalore I met all the missionaries both of the Wesleyan and London Societies, and visited their chapels, press and schools. Thence I went south to Mysore, where there is a Wesleyan Mission; went over the palaces of Hyder and Tippu at Seringapatam: saw the gateway

where Tippu was killed, and visited their celebrated tombs. Crossing "the valley of death," a jungle twenty-five miles deep, resembling the pestilential Terai at the base of the Himalaya, I entered the Nilgherry Hills on the north side, and spent two days at Ootacamund. Four miles from Ootacamund at Kaity, the residence of the late Mr. Casamajor, I saw the German Mission which he established and the villages of Badagas for whom it was specially designed. Descending the Nilgherry Hills on the east side by the splendid Pass of Konoor, I came down into the eastern plains to the London Mission at Coimbatoor, being the first missionary from Bengal that had ever visited those parts. I then passed through the great gap in the Ghauts, at Palgaut, to the West coast of India, and reached Trichoor the most northerly station of the Church Missionary Society among the Syrian Christians of Travancore. Thence I sailed down the Backwater' to Cochin, passing on the way numerous Roman Catholic Churches, in the island of Verapoli and its neighbourhood. In Cochin I visited the Jewish synagogue with Mr. Laseron its missionary and also his Jewish school. Thence I proceeded to Cottayam, the head-quarters of the Syrian Mission, and saw its handsome Gothic Churches, its excellent schools and useful press. I visited also Mávelikári, one of the most flourishing stations, and thence proceeded to Quilon. In these parts, I travelled close to the western coast, often along the sea beach itself, looking over the broad waters of the Indian Ocean which stretch away without interruption to the coast of eastern Africa. Leaving Quilon which has been for thirty years a station of the London Missionary Society in Travancore, I proceeded to Trevandrum, another station, the residence of the Raja of Travancore, who sent the ivory throne to the Great Exhibition: thence I went to Pareychaley, a third station of the London Mission, and concluded the first portion of my journey by arriving finally at Nagercoil, the head-quarters of the mission, a few miles from Cape Comorin. I spent a fortnight among these interesting missions, visiting all their chief stations in turn; and greatly enjoying the society of the missionaries in whose charge they lie. After a visit to Cape Comorin I set out on my return to Madras by coming up the east coast, and through the Tamil country. I first spent twelve days among the many stations in Tinnevelly; and then went on to Madura, Dindigul and other stations of the American Mission. Thence I proceeded to Trichinopoly where Swartz lived and Heber died; and to Tanjore, where Swartz is buried. I next visited Negapatam and saw both the Wesleyan Mission and Jesuit College: and thence continued

my journey to the oldest Mission in India, that at Tranquebar. Passing the temples of Chillumbrum; the old Mission at Cuddalore, founded by Mr. Kiernander; the Jesuit College in Pondicherry; and the Seven Pagodas at Mávalipuram, I proceeded to Madras, which I reached after an absence of twelve weeks. In this journey I travelled thirteen hundred and sixty miles; including Madras, I saw altogether FIFTY Missionary STATIONS and ninety MISSIONARIES. [As an illustration of the extent to which Missions are now carried on in Hindustan, I may state that I have myself seen and spoken to no less than one hundred and ninety-four living Indian Missionaries: in addition to twenty-seven others, who have died or left the country.]

I cannot conclude this short sketch of my interesting and delightful journey without gratefully recording the kind and hospitable manner in which I was everywhere received. The missionary brethren of all Societies welcomed me with the utmost cordiality, and in many cases, though personally a stranger, seemed to regard me as an old friend. This kind reception arose probably from the correspondence I had previously had with them when compiling my missionary statistics in previous years. They entered readily into my enquiries and gave me much information concerning the history, condition and prospects of their different spheres of labour. We were able to compare notes on the character and difficulties of missionary work in different parts of Hindustan and to derive therefrom mutual instruction and mutual encouragement. I was also greatly pleased to hear the cordial manner in which they spoke of each other's labours. Though belonging to many Societies they know each other personally, join in common labours and make use of each other's works. This cordial union is nothing new in India, but I mention it as a patent fact which struck me both as excellent in itself, and as a token of the future success of their common labours. The pleasure of my visits to so many of the labourers in the Lord's vineyard, and the impressions which they made upon my heart will, I trust, abide with me as long as life lasts.

THE TELUGU MISSIONS.

THE Country entirely occupied by the TELUGU nation is the narrow strip of sea-coast on the Bay of Bengal, which stretches from Ganjam to Pulicat. It is about six hundred miles long, and varies in breadth from ten to eighty miles. It is bounded on the western side by a broad chain

C

of Ghauts, the undulating country above which is also inhabited by the Telugu people far back into Hydrabad. Near Ganjam these Ghauts come down close to the sea, and continue to throw off spurs towards the coast as far as Coringa. It was a great treat to those of us who had lived for some time in the flat plains of Bengal, as we sailed along the Telugu coast, to see these hills following one another in quick succession, clothed with jungle to their very summits. In the highest of all, the hills of GOOMSUR, we remembered that once the Meriah sacrifice so widely prevailed among the Khoonds; though that cruel rite has now, through the efforts of Government, been almost entirely extinguished. The level country is fertile and from it the peasants raise abundant crops of corn. Indigo, sugar and cotton also are found among its productions. It is well watered by numerous smaller streams, but numbers also the Kistna and Godavery among its rivers. The population is large; though in some of its districts, especially in Masulipatam and Guntoor, immense numbers, reckoned by hundreds of thousands, were swept away in the great famine of 1833. Owing to the abundant population we find throughout the country flourishing towns and villages. Vizagapatam, the headquarters of the Military Division in the Northern Circars, contains now 50,000 people; having increased from 20,000 in about forty years. Vizianagram the residence of a Raja, numbers 28,000. Masulipatam, a pretty town nearly two miles square, built in the usual Indian style and containing about twenty pagodas, has 90,000. Rajamundry, Guntoor, Nellore and Ongole are also large and important places. To these must be added the town and district of Cuddapah.

The first effort to extend the gospel to the Telugu people was made by Dr. Schultz, one of the early Tranquebar missionaries, who founded a mission in Madras. Finding among the Madras population a large number of Telugus, (then called Gentoos) he began to translate the Bible into their tongue; and established, and maintained for years, Telugu classes in his schools. There is reason to believe that his Telugu Munshi died a true Christian, the first fruits to Christ of that great nation. Dr. Schultz completed his translation of the Bible; but having no means of printing it, took it to Halle on his return to Europe; and it has never since been heard of.

The first settled Mission to the people in their own country was established by Messrs. CRAN and DESGRANGES of the London Missionary Society, who proceeded to Vizagapatam in 1805. Like others of their day, they began their ministerial work with religious services among