10

THE RURAL DISTRICTS OF CHINA.

[JAN.

power. The swift mountain stream was made to turn a wheel, by whose force large pestles were raised, and then, falling by their own weight, they bruised rice-corn in a large mortar. We had not seen any thing of the kind before in the country, though I had heard of the existence of such things. They used to be referred to by one of our teachers, when we would mention the mechanical powers of the West. This was the same man who pointed in triumph to a pair of very primitive candle snuffers as a proof of the progressive march of science in China.

:

A man here offered himself as our guide. He, however, led us out of our way a mile or two, which we did not afterwards regret, as we saw the different scenery of two routes: he led us over a plain filled with sand and stones, called sô-di, (" the sand plain"). This had suffered very much from heavy rains last summer. The part of it which had been reclaimed and got under tillage choked again with stones and sand. Since the summer, active labour had been employed to reclaim again parts, but it looked very desolate the path, in places, it was quite difficult to determine, and the way was very rough. After we had crossed this plain, we came to the foot of a hill, which we wound round, and gradually began our ascent of the mountain, where is the celebrated waterfall, and also a monastery not far off. We reached the part of the hill where the monastery and the fall are about noon, and were sorry that our time would not allow us to go further; for snow-capped hills yet above us, but requiring a walk of four or five miles to reach the summit, looked very tempting for a walk. We found out the fall, called "the precipice of the 1000 feet." It was most precipitous, and we lay down and crept to the edge, not without a sort of fear, as a slip would of course be certain death. The water rushed through a small gorge, and was quite dissipated into foam before it had completed its first leap. It then collected again, and formed several small streamlets, which again bounded down, until they formed into one rocky stream below, whose course we could trace all down the valley, and see the water of confluent streams which it joined in the distance. Not satisfied with viewing the fall from above, we descended the hill about a third of the way down, and, by scrambling along the side of the hill through brushwood, we had a good view of the water as it fell over the cliff, and wondered how we could have ventured to the edge of the tremendous precipice which we now saw. We were told that about twenty le (five miles) further on there was another fall, grander than this; and at the back of the monastery, which we had not time to visit, we saw a small fall. The place had evidently beauties sufficient to repay a week's residence to a lover of fine scenery.

Our return was by a more direct road, and so we saved the rough walking of the sandy plain. On reaching the place where the waterwheels are, we hired one of the rafts in use in the place, consisting of bambus lashed together, and turned up at the end by the action of heat: these, only drawing so much water as the thickness of the bambu, are very convenient for the transport of goods. We passed a great number on our way down, which were returning, loaded with the produce of the market, to their several localities. Our journey down on the raft was very interesting, though the scenery was hardly equal to that of yesterday. A distance of about ten miles was thus saved to our feet, and we reached our boat by half-past five

1855.] ELIZA BEAR—A NORTH-AMERICAN-INDIAN CONVERT. 11 o'clock. While waiting for this raft, I had a good opportunity of speaking to a crowd who gathered round; but there was too much of novelty in the foreigners dress and appearance to allow of a very quiet or patient hearing. We started off in the evening, and reached home the following morning.

When shall there be found, amidst the pleasant vales and on the lofty hills of China, Christian churches, with their chiming bells warbling forth the invitation to united prayer and praise, and the paths be covered with a population freed from the degrading yoke of idolatry and superstition, and happy in the worship and service of the true God? "I the Lord will hasten it in His time."

*

ELIZA BEAR-A NORTH-AMERICAN-INDIAN CONVERT. SURELY, and from diverse quarters, the great multitude is being gathered in, which at length shall stand triumphant before the throne. They come "from the east and west," from the north and the south, to "sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." Various are the ways in which the elect of God are being brought in; but the wondrous procedure is going forward, and amidst the trials and difficulties connected with Missionary work, it is our great encouragement that the Lord does condescend to use our feeble efforts for the accomplishment of His purposes of grace and love towards those "who shall be heirs of salvation." It is our privilege to record another instance of this, as communicated by the Rev. A. Cowley, in a letter dated Indian Settlement, Red River, June 14, 1854.

One death of considerable interest has recently occurred, viz. that of Eliza Bear. Eliza had been afflicted, apparently with consumption, for about eight years. When the Bishop of Montreal visited the station, she was carried and assisted into church to receive confirmation and the supper of the Lord. She lingered till May 27th, when it pleased the Lord to relieve her by death. At our Easter communion she could not be present, but lamented it much; and it was not till long after that I became acquainted with her. At my first visit I obtained but little satisfaction respecting the state of her soul, owing to my speaking Ojibwa, and she Cree, and having no competent interpreter. At my next visit Settee went with ine, and then I became satisfied that she relied for the hope of salvation only on the merits of our Lord, and had " no confidence in the flesh." I therefore agreed, at their request, to administer to her the holy communion of the body and blood of Christ, and Saturday the 27th was fixed for the occasion. In the afternoon of that day, Mr. Settee and I went up with the necessary preparations, and found several other communicants assembled together with her. addressed them in English, and Mr. Settee in Indian, and we afterwards celebrated the holy communion, of which all but one present partook. Our poor patient was fast sinking in death, and it was evident she could not now long survive. Her senses, blessed be God! were still active and strong for such a state, and what we could gather from her expressions.

I

12

REVIVAL.

[JAN.

showed, that, although death was at hand, it was disarmed of its sting and terrors. Her mind seemed fixed on Christ, and one cannot doubt her "acceptance in the Beloved."

I had not long reached my home when tidings of her departure were brought me, in a request for a little calico in which to wrap her remains. I gave a piece which happened to be in the house, and which I suppose had been sent to the station by some of the pious persons at home, who, in this way, so bountifully administer to our wants, and so effectively relieve the necessities of our poor people, and for whom we and they have so much reason to bless God.

But for the Church Missionary Society, in all probability Eliza Bear might never have heard that blessed name, by which, as I trust, she is saved. We buried her remains on the morrow, "in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life," and in prayer that when we depart hence " we may rest in Him, as our hope is this our sister doth."

Surely this is another call to labour "while it is day," which seems also to say, "That thou doest, do quickly."

Yes, emblems there are in these bright things here,
In these beauteous things to us so dear-

Emblems there are of our own decay;
And we too, like them, shall pass away.

But where shall we look for tokens here

Of that glorious time when the mourner's tear
Shall be wiped from his eye away?

The barren trees, when touched by spring,

A fresher verdure forth will bring;

And the morning tints again arise

With lovelier hues to deck the skies;

And the flower again, in colours gay,

Will gladden the eye with its bright array;

And the dream that we dreamt in the passing night,
Though it fade away from our transient sight,

Will usher us in to the glorious light

Of a life that never fades!

THE INDIANS OF HUDSON'S BAY AND THE PRINTING PRESS.

THE American Indian languages are very peculiar in their construction. The words are bunch words. Word is added to word, until you have a group of words under the form of one word, and this complex word is expressive of a group of ideas. Take, for instance,

SURPRISE OF INDIANS AT MOOSE FORT ON SEEING THE PRINTING PRESS.

14

THE INDIANS OF HUDSON'S BAY

[FEB. the Ojibway word, "paibaizhikögazhi." Here you have first the word "paizhik," which signifies "one :" repeating the first syllable with a slight variation, thus, "pai-baizhik," it denotes several. "Oskuzh" is the horny part of the foot of beasts: from hence the syllable "gazh" is added to the growing word. The final i is from "ahwaisi," "a beast," and the marked ö is a connective, the whole signifying "the animal with solid hoofs" (horse).

We might introduce many other instances, but this may suffice to show that the Indian words, when written full, present a very lengthened appearance; and that to teach the adult Indian to read or write them alphabetically is a difficult and tedious work. Yet they need to be taught soon and easily. The Indians are obliged to be absent for many weeks together at their hunting grounds, providing by the chase the means of subsistence for themselves and their families. They are then far removed from all means of grace, and need something to keep in mind what they have learned at the station. To have with them portions of Scripture which they could read, and other books of prayers and hymns, would be to them a great blessing. This has led to the plan of writing the Indian words, not in letters, but in syllabic signs. Each sign represents a syllable, and a few of them put together express a long word. These signs are not many in number; they are soon learned, and easily written by the Indians, who have been in the habit, when at home, of transcribing their own books,' which they take out with them to the wilderness, and are thus kept in mind of what God speaks to poor sinners through His Son Jesus. Many a poor wanderer, amidst toil and want of food and wintry weather, has found comfort in these syllabic books, and has had his mind raised above pains and wants to better hopes and brighter prospects. syllabic system, however, though useful, is not a substitute for the ordinary mode of writing the language. That alone enables us to transfer it to paper in its integrity.

The

We will ask our readers to peruse the following letter from the Rev. J. Horden, our Missionary at Moose Fort, Hudson's Bay. We have there a picture of the wretchedness of these poor Indians while without the gospel, and therefore without God, and without hope in the world. The man who is without God is without hope -without the hope that burns brightest when the night is darkest; the man who is without hope is open to despair, and all the evil impulses of the enemy; and the man who is without the gospel has neither God nor hope. Yet, in contrast with the picture of desolation which will be found in part of Mr. Horden's letter, is to be placed the anxiety of these poor people to learn the words of life. In the extremity of their need they feel that the gospel of Christ can alone help and save them. They thirst for it. They labour with incredible zeal and earnestness to overcome the difficulties which prevent their reading for themselves those "Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."