the way to the cutchery: he did so. On entering the temple we were impressed with the grandeur of the whole, and particularly so with some of the courts and colonnades, which, though composed of materials inferior to those employed in many temples I had before seen in different parts of India, and not SO well executed, nor so magnificent, were yet of the most imposing kind. The quadrangular colonnade that encompasses the sacred apartments is upwards of one hundred paces in length, on its sides. Though denied entrance on the other side, by those who knew the true character of Christianity, we were here most politely received, and shown every thing that is accessible to foreigners. In the absence of the chief superintendent of the temple, we were introduced to a second in charge, who received us most courteously. Whilst talking with this person, and eliciting such information as we needed, as strangers in the place, we found ourselves all at once surrounded with the musicians of the temple, who with the horrible din of the tomtom, the shrill sound of their pipes, and the noise of the "sounding brass," quite deafened

us.

The musicians were instantly followed by the dancing-girls, who made their appearance in the style in which they usually perform in the festivities of their idolatrous services. Garlands of flowers were presented to us by those in attendance. We of course told the of ficers, that we were not desirous that they should continue this exhibition; and the company was ordered back into their inner apartments. Having made arrangements for landing next day, we went aboard the schooner to sleep.

3d. This morning we rose early, and as soon as a boat could be got alongside, conveyed our baggage to a choultry, where we had determined on taking up our abode during the short time we expected to remain. By the time we got to the place alluded to, hundreds of people were crowding to the beach, in order to perform the purifying ceremony of bathing at what is termed the Agni Teertum, "fire-expiation." The crowds of people thronging this way attracted to the spot numbers of religious mendicants, who practise various austerities, by which they obtain money, &c., from the credulous. The first that excited my attention was a man with his head and face entirely buried in the earth, the other part of his body extended on the ground. On his stomach a large earthen pot was placed, containing burning cowdung. His companion, who tended the fire, had spread a

cloth at the head of his devoted brother of the craft, and with varied expressions solicited alms from the passengers. Se. veral more of these worthless characters were engaged in the same way. Others were erectly fixed with the head buried in the ground, and their feet in the air. The people after having bathed in the sea, at least some of them, visited some other celebrated bathing-places. Of these there are twenty-four in Ramisseram, but the Agni Teertum, the Agastya Teertum, and the Lechumy Teertum are the principal. I witnessed the ceremony at the second place here mentioned, which is a deep puddle, into which the devotee descends, after having stood at the top with a blade of sacred grass on the finger, listening to the recitations of a boy, who mutters something in Sanscrit, as a preparation for the all-efficacious immersion. At this place we saw a considerable number of deluded creatures engaged in the senseless ceremony with the greatest veneration.

Though, as observed above, there are so many sacred places in Ramisseram itself, that are visited by the devoted Hindoos, for the purpose of accumulating meritorious deeds, and expiating the vicious actions of former births, yet the ceremony that rendered the present festival so auspicious was to be performed at a place called Setu, (dam or causeway,) which is a small channel, running through the neck of land that stretches from the peninsula to the island of Ceylon, called "Adam's-bridge." The auspicious moment was that, when the semi-diameter of the sun is above the horizon, at its rising; at which moment, certain other astronomical conjunctions happening, the ceremony is considered equally efficacious with any that can be performed at any of the sacred places in other parts of India. The festival occurs once in about sixty years.

Wishing to be present at the time of the ceremony, we determined on going to Setu, though it was at the cost of a five hours' walk, for the most part on a sandy track. The way leading to the place presented one of the most interesting sights I have witnessed for some time. For several miles the people kept along the sea-shore; and as that takes a circular sweep, the multitudes thronging the track could be seen for several miles at one view.

On the way we had a very interesting conversation with a young man from Combaconum, who joined our company. On the first introduction of the subject

sion here to show him, that such feelings were not to be trifled with, and that their existence must be attributed to the Holy Spirit. Perceiving him to be a man of great natural sagacity, well read in the Hindoo religion, and of some acquaintance with Christianity, and professing to be enamoured of the one, and inclined to the other, as being both of divine authenticity, I felt inclined to press the question,-How can two systems of religion, so diametrically opposite in their nature and tendency, emanate from one supreme authority? To this question he replied, that he considered that, as the soul, bound in darkness and misery, was like many other things that were greatly dissimilar in their circumstances, and yet under the government of the same Being, so souls, in their varied circumstances, might be emancipated by very different means, and that by the same Being; and that he could readily believe, that both Hindooism and Christianity were only different manifestations of the same grace of God, and that both were, in their respective ways, accomplishing the same gracious purposes. He considered that the soul could only be emancipated from moral evil by suffer ings and enjoyments; that all the circumstances therefore of life were the results of passion and action, which determined the peculiar conditions of souls in the present state; that these were under the ordination of God; and that Christianity might be a state of divine appointment, but it did not afford the clue to the arcana of divine knowledge, and was therefore a much lower state than the Hindoo system. It is thus that some are enslaved to their system of idolatry by false reasonings; and in many instances the stupidity is so great, that it appears like the result of judicial blindness.

I met with many pilgrims at the festival, from the north of India. I saw many from Benares; but as I was unable to speak Hindee, I could hold no intercourse with them. One with whom I met from Bengal was delighted to hear me address him in Bengalee. He said that he had not heard any one speak his vernacular tongue for months, and manifested the greatest surprise and delight to hold a conversation with me in his own language. He told me that he had come to be present at the great festival, under the impression that it would be beneficial to his soul.

The number of people in attendance from distant places was great, amounting perhaps to upwards of thirty thousand.

We met with several Brahmins of considerable learning from the continent. They were exceedingly respectful. We met also with a woman of great talent, and had a long conversation with her. She was one of the most fluent speakers I ever heard, and had read several of the most esteemed authors in the Tamil language. She stated that she had travelled to most of the sacred places of Hindoostan, as Benares, Juggernaut, &c. We were well supplied with the publications of the Ceylon Tract Society, and put some thousands of them into circulation.

JOURNEY TO BATTICALOA.

BEING appointed by the last DistrictMeeting to visit Batticaloa, I proceeded thither in April. My journey was interesting and speedy. I saw a good deal of the district of Batticaloa, by availing myself of the opportunity of travelling by night in a boat in which I was able to sleep. Some of the villages are populous and interesting, and the population generally is in such a state of simplicity, and so comparatively free from Brahminical influence, that apprehend a sufficient supply of Christian labourers would meet with but little opposition, and might with the divine blessing expect great success. The following is the population, made from a census recently taken: I am told that the increase within the last ten years has been very rapid :number of villages, 180; male population, 19,479; female ditto, 18,866; total, 38,345.

In the course of a few days I hope to send you an account of the population in the province of Jaffna.

In my journey in the interior, I visited a celebrated temple, of which the Headman of the village gave me some notices. The temple, which is dedicated to Siva, is called "the self-originated temple;" for it is stated that the temple originally rose into existence of itself. The temple stands in the midst of a grove of trees, and several sacred trees are growing in the walls. One is shown as of a remarkable character. I was informed that on the eve of very auspicious events, the bark bursts, and milk exudes; and that on the approach of inauspicious events blood exudes! The man who gave me this information maintained that he himself had witnessed these phenomena. There is an idol-car connected with the temple carved in the finest style. Some of the figures are of a very disgusting description. The annual income of the temple, situated as it is in one of the

most obscure villages in the district, is £45.

The specific object of my visit was to give direction respecting the chapel which is in course of erection. But as I was anxious to see the district, and to have an opportunity of judging of its merits as a Missionary station, I visited most of the principal places. The result of my observation was favourable. Its population is scattered, generally, but in some places sufficiently condensed to form very good centres of usefulness. About twenty-six miles south of the island, where the Missionary residence is, and the civil establishment, there is a most favourable spot for the residence of our Assistant or Catechist. If he were located at Samanturre, a village in itself containing nearly two thousand souls, he would be able to embrace, in a day's walk, villages containing nearly eight thousand inhabitants, a number more than four times greater than that he has on the island where the Missionary resides. To make the station what it ought to be, we ought to have a European Missionary at Batticaloa, at the head of the station, with an Assistant resident with him, and a Catechist at Samanturre. The school institutions of this station are in the most inefficient state it is possible to conceive; and these, therefore, should be placed under the superintendence and direction of an active Assistant-Superintendent of Schools; and an English school, on a large scale, should be established at the head of the station, under the immediate care of the Missionary. When at Batticaloa application was made to me to bring to Jaffna one or two youths for the purpose of enjoying the benefits of our superior means of education at this place; but the difficulty of furnishing board for them prevented me from yielding to the pressing solicitation. I could not receive the youths in question as theological students, being unfit in every respect for that situation; nor could I make provision for them on the Mission premises, I hope the parties, however, will be able to send the youths in question, as the advantages they would obtain would be of great value not only to themselves, but to the station to which, of course, they would ultimately return.

I am sorry to say that Mr. Hunter was not able to get the roof of the chapel put on before the rain commenced. The building is, however, advanced; and it is to be hoped that it will be completed within the next monsoon.

STATE OF THE JAFFNA MISSION

SOCIETY AND CONGREGATIONS.

HAVING furnished this extraneous matter, which is more connected with other places than with my own immediate sphere of duty, I shall now proceed to present a connected view of the state and prospects of the Mission on this station.

No great numerical alteration has taken place in the society during the past year. There is, however, a small addition, and an increase of interest manifested on the part of some; and I have reason to believe some members of the society have made advancement in knowledge and piety. The classes are, I feel assured, in a more healthy state than they were a year ago. At the love-feast held on Christmas-day, nearly the whole of the members were present, and many gave pleasing testimony to the power of divine grace. I am persuaded that if a greater degree of pastoral attention could be given to the population generally, and to the juvenile part of it particularly, we might reap a greater amount of advantage. My engagements are so various, and the attention demanded from me so unceasing with regard to the general supervision of our numerous operations, that I can do but comparatively little in the way of pastoral visitation. Mr. Kats applies himself to this duty; but still there is an influence about the pastoral efforts of the regular Missionary himself, that is more effectual than that of an Assistant, however well qualified he may be for the duties of his office.

Not only might we anticipate advantages to the Society from greater pastoral care, but our congregations would doubts less be much improved by such efforts, On the whole, the attendance at the different places of worship is encourag ing, and especially so in the English and Tamil departments of labour. As observed in my former communications, not only are the European descendants generally very desirous of hearing the word in English, but also the natives, many of whom are becoming able to understand a sermon in our language. On some occasions I have thirty or forty adult natives among my hearers, besides the youths who are under instruction in the English schools. The labours there, fore in this department do not terminate on the few English who are resident here, but extend to the Burgher population generally, and are to a considerable extent made beneficial to the native population.

Of the native congregations, that in