122 THE QUELPARTIANS. [NOV. never heard of the name of Jesus, and they are only one of many tribes and nations who are in like painful circumstances. It is this which we wish our readers to remember, and therefore it is that we introduce from time to time-not, we fear, as frequently as we ought-notices of tribes, whose very names numbers of well-informed persons are wholly ignorant of. It is well to be reminded of them, because we owe a debt to all men who are without the gospel, and it is necessary that we should be reminded how vast that debt is. "There is one thing needful." Shall we not communicate the knowledge of this one needful thing, without which man must perish? But how little has been done, how slow we are in our movements; and yet how often, in the little which is being done, we absolutely forget the much that remains undone ! We fix our attention on those parts of the world where Missionaries are at work. That becomes too frequently our Missionary world, and the tribes that lie beyond are to us as though they were not. Yet, are they not included in the "every creature to whom the Lord has commanded His Gospel to be preached? Do we not owe them a debt, the first instalment of which has not yet been paid? and when shall we begin? But where is the home of the Quelpartians? There is a peninsula, called Corea, which, jutting forth from the coast of Manchow Tartary, interposes between the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan, so that ships must pass from one to the other by the Straits of Corea, the channel which separates that peninsula from the islands of Japan. The king of Corea might well be styled the sovereign of 10,000 isles, the whole western coast of the peninsula being studded with islands of every shape. The largest and most southern of these islands is Quelpart, or Guilpat. It is about thirty miles long by fifteen in breadth, composed of numberless hills of various shapes and forms. It occupies a most commanding position, fitted to render it a great commercial entrepôt, standing off, as it does, in a south-westerly direction from the Corean coast, and intermediate between China and Japan. But the poor Quelpartians share largely in that exclusive spirit which has prevailed so extensively in that particular region of our earth-amongst the Chinese, Japanese, and Coreans, and which, to their great injury, has led them to refuse all intercourse with Europeans: we say, to their great injury, not that we are unmindful of the great evils inflicted by ungodly Europeans on heathen nations, but because, in adopting this system, they do not shut out the evil, while they do shut out the good. China, by pursuing this system, did not shut out the opium; but she has shut out the gospel from the vast interior-that gospel which would have armed her population against the opium and its seductions. The Japanese have hitherto pursued the same system, and have shut themselves in with their own vices. The house has been closed to the foreigner; but the pestilence of sin has been raging within. They are just beginning to draw back their bolts and bars, and look out upon us. But Corea and its dependencies remain inhospitably exclusive. It is very probable, however, that this is by no means the natural disposition of the people, but that which is enforced on them by an arbitrary and narrow-minded government. At Quelpart forts crown the summits of the hills, and batteries defend the landing-places; and when, some few years back, one of H. M. ships visited the island, lights were kindled up every evening, and an 1856.] AGO, IN THE YORUBA COUNTRY. 123 swered one another with astonishing rapidity. The principal town is on the western side of the island: it is surrounded with thick walls, in a square form, with parapets, batteries, and embrasures. The inhabitants are described as by no means prepossessing in their appearance, rude in their manners, and in their habits gross. They have the Tartar high cheek-bone and elongated eye. The crown of the head is closely shaved, leaving a circle, on which the hair is suffered to grow long, and is tied in a knot on the top of the skull. To keep this in its proper place, a net-work of horsehair is fastened round the forehead. Their hats are truly grotesque, the brim being about four feet wide, the crown resembling a sugar loaf with the top cut off, and so very small in diameter as to admit the top-knot of hair and nothing more. All ranks wear hats after the same form; the difference between the poor and rich consists in the materials, the one using felt, the other horsehair. As the broad brim must necessarily render these hats very susceptible of the action of the wind, and the top-knot within is not sufficiently tenacious of its hold to retain them on the head when a sudden gust comes, the mandarins secure them by strings of amber beads passed under the chin. As with the hats, so with the outer garment, a like fashion as to form pervades all classes: it resembles a long pinafore, slit up in front, behind, and at the two sides, with long and wide sleeves. When the late Rev. C. Gutzlaff visited Corea, in 1832, he found that the people of that peninsula could read the Chinese character, and that, although differently pronounced, it conveyed to them the same meaning as to the Chinese. He put into circulation among them many copies of the Chinese Scriptures. The Romanists, in their "Missionary Magazine," detail many martyrdoms in Corea of natives who, having embraced that corrupt form of Christianity, had suffered death, rather than renounce it, at the hands of the Corean authorities. In their accounts of these, which they publish from time to time, they disagree with Mr. Gutzlaff as to the Chinese character, which they say differs very much from the Corean; while, on the other hand, Mr. Gutzlaff doubts the accuracy of these narratives of Corean martyrs. He and his companions were amongst these people for a month, and could not discover any trace of Christian knowledge or profession. At the conclusion of his account we find the following words-" We passed many islands, of every imaginable shape. The most southern Quelpoert is a charming spot. It is well cultivated, and so conveniently situated, that, if a factory was established, there we might trade with the greatest ease to Japan, Corea, Mantchow Tartary, and China. But if this is not done, could not such an island become a Missionary station. . . . . One thing is true, these islands are not inaccessible to Christianity." AGO, IN THE YORUBA COUNTRY. (Concluded from p. 113.) Jan. 26-Five days ago the so-called annual customs commenced. This is the time when the subjects have to pay personal homage to the king, besides paying their annual tribute. They have at this time to cut grass of a particular kind, which is very durable for roofs, and is used for the king's buildings, which consist not only of the palace but of 124 AGO, IN THE YORUBA COUNTRY. [NOV. several other compounds. During the year's cutting days, his servants and principal men keep awake with the king, and the nights are spent, in rejoicing with him that he has been spared another year, in feasting and playing. On the last day, when the grass has been brought in, the bashorun, who is the head of the business, takes a bunch of lighter grass into the grass field, which is a sign that the time is come when every one may burn the field ready to make farms, there being at the same time a strong harmatan wind blowing. This general burning all round the town, the heat and dust were intolerable, and it was in vain to attempt going out for any thing. On ths day the king comes out, never being seen out any other day in the whole year. He begged me to be present; and as there was no heathen rite going on, I gladly complied with his request, and well worth seeing it was, for a thing of the kind. The king was seated in one of the before-mentioned towers, concealed by a rich scarlet velvet curtain. In the front one was a window of white silk net work, which looked very elegant at a distance. I was called at half-past ten A.M. The court yard was already crowded with spectators, but every thing arranged in such beautiful order, by the sort of police force, that no one or any thing seemed out of place. On the sides of the court yard were gathered the immense crowd, but leaving a path or road of eight yards wide from the entrance gate, to the tower. All round the tower were his chief attendants, and many of his wives sitting, sixteen of whom, called queens, were distinguished by rich silk coverings, and with white caps, which reminded one of nuns; and at each side between them and the crowd were four immense state umbrellas constantly twirling in readiness for the king. I had my camp-stool not far from the tower, in the place appointed me. After a short time the front curtain was drawn up, and there sat the king on his throne, which was much decorated with rich coloured velvet, and over his head a red canopy. His majesty was dressed in scarlet and black silk velvet, with a crown of scarlet net work, round which strings of beads were suspended, which concealed his face. And now the salutations commenced. First came the representatives of Are, of Ijaye, who is the king's general; then twelve warriors of his own, called Igbouka; then the representatives of the Mahommedans, among whom was the most venerable-looking old man I have ever seen in Africa; and last some heathen priests. The first sentence of the salutation was a sort of "God save the king!" and then congratulating him on arriving at a period when peace commences; "but," added his own warriors and those of Are, "if war arises in one corner of the country here we are!" To me there was something of solemnity in it, though it was all carried on with a pleasant cheerfulness. After this, about twenty huge pots of cooked beef were brought, and placed in the centre of the wide pathway; about the same number of baskets of eko, a country food prepared of Indian corn; and so many pots of country beer; and then followed rather a ludicrous scene, in the dividing of the spoil. The head war drummer came first, and in a sort of stealthy manner examined the good things, and then he chose the meal pot: he took out a piece of the beef and gave it a bite, which was a sign that that was for him and his party; and by his followers it was put on one side for the purpose, and so with a basket of eko, and some of the beer 1856.] IDOL PROCESSION AT NINGPO. 125 pots. The next was one of the twelve warriors, who are considered the greatest and cleverest robbers in the war, and really acted a robbery, coming just like a fox stealing through the crowd, with a little boy under his cloth to help him to take away what he should choose. It was so cleverly done one could not help laughing. After that came others for their share, and then the fragments were scrambled for by boys, &c. Soon after this the king walked down his court yard under the huge umbrella till he disappeared in some private apartment, and so all ended, and the crowd dispersed. The king, through his beads, kept looking at me, and seemed mightily gratified that I was there. As the result of this visit, the king gave to Mr. Hinderer an extensive piece of ground, within the wall, on which a station might be commenced; and as Mr. Hinderer promised to write for an European Missionary for Ago, he added a convenient native compound, near the palace, for the use of the white man when he should come. Meanwhile a native Christian visitor has been left there. How many the opportunities of doing good-how few the labourers to take advantage of them! www "I WILL SAVE THY CHILDREN." AT a Meeting of the Committee of the Church Missionary Society on the 10th of October, the Rev. T. Green, incumbent of Friezland, near Manchester, related a very interesting anecdote. Some months ago, at the request of the Committee, Mr. Green took charge of a baptized Burmese youth, William Shwey Too, who had found his way to London in the hope of obtaining such full instruction as might qualify him for teaching his countrymen in Burmah. A short time since, two of Mr. Green's children fell into the water, just.where the deep gorge of large reservoir led the stream under a mill wheel. William, from early habits an expert swimmer, plunged in and rescued the two little girls from their perilous position. In relating the circumstances Mr. Green happily said-"Obededom, the Gittite, welcomed the ark of God into his house; and the Lord blessed Obededom and all his household. I welcomed the Missionary cause into my heart and house; and the Lord has blessed me and my house. But for this, two out of the three dear children the Lord has given me would have been in their graves." "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." IDOL PROCESSION AT NINGPO. OUR account of this scene is taken from the letter of May 19, 1856, from the wife of one of our Missionaries, referred to in our last Number A great idol procession has occupied the attention of the inhabitants of Ningpo almost exclusively for several days past, as well as attracted many strangers from various parts. It takes place annually, and this "Way," as it is called, is designed to propi tiate the "god of the plague.' As the Chinese have a greater dread of 126 IDOL PROCESSION AT NINGPO. [NOV. this Busah than any other, the decorations and arrangements for his festival are on an unusually gorgeous scale. It would be useless to attempt to describe, even had we seen them, all the flowery devices and gay spectacles which this procession affords, in the shape of flags, lanterns, palankins, dressed-up figures, &c.; but the principal and sad part of the whole is the carrying under canopies of the five gods representing the five Chinese elements-metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The first is painted white, the second dark green, the third black, the fourth red, and the fifth yellow. All these are supposed to have the control of this most dreaded of all diseases, the plague. This festival is continued for four days, and, starting from different points, the procession traverses various quarters of the city. Heavy rain providentially prevented its continuation on Sunday, but on Monday last our immediate neighbourhood was one constant scene of excitement and confusion, as the Chinese military exercising ground, on the borders of which our house stands, was the place of meeting. The sound of gongs and Chinese music, from morning till night, was almost deafening. Close to our back wall stages were erected for the display of theatrical performances; and as we were sitting quietly in the evening we heard such a sudden and confused noise, that our old teacher remarked, with characteristic Chinese coolness, "probably a stage had come down, and precipitated the people into the canal." This, however, happily proved not to be the case. The disturbance was created by some pickpockets getting into the crowd, and secretly cutting the cords which fastened some elevated seats on which one or more women were seated, causing their occupants to fall, and thus affording an opportunity to the thieves to rob them of their armlets, the gold pins in their hair, and other valuables. This put an end, however, to the evening's amusement. We have since learned that the sufferers were members of a very rich family, upon whom I called some time ago, with my female teacher, as neighbours; that they were the chief promoters of the theatrical entertainment; and that it was the heads of this family, two brothers, who called upon my husband last week to request him to subscribe towards the affair! My husband's challenge to them to prove to him the benefit likely to result from such an expenditure of money, saved him the trouble of any further refusal. They confessed that it was all a vain and empty thing; and afterwards listened quietly whilst he endeavoured to bring the truth before them. I ought to have added, when speaking of the carrying of the five idols in procession, that the women and children were bowing, with clasped hands, on all sides, as they passed, as an act of worship. We are rejoiced, on all accounts, that the "way" is over for this year. My children, many of whom were kept away from school while it lasted, are now assembling again as usual, in satisfactory numbers. The old teacher, to whom I alluded above, was with my husband during nearly the whole of his former residence in China, and has lived in our house since we came. He is a truly trustworthy old man, and one to whom we feel really attached, and long greatly for his conversion. He is thoroughly conscientious, and seems to have a real liking for the truth. We know that he reads his Bible; but the one thing he cannot give up is ancestral worship, one of the great hindrances in China, and specially so in such cases as that of Loh Seen-sang (the teacher's name), |