ILLNESS OF MR. PIKE, RETURN TO CUTTACK. 195

sionaries, one with wife and two children, and a Church missionary; also a German baron and a coffee planter. At Colombo we received two more passengers with two children.

We reached Aden on the morning of March 6th, after a run of nine days from Colombo. I went ashore with several more, and visited the celebrated water tanks, one of which will hold above four million gallons of water. The only trees and shrubs in Aden are planted here. They are nicely laid out, and seem to flourish through being daily watered. There had been no rain in Aden for fourteen months, hence most of the tanks were dry. What a strange looking place Aden is! How distinct are the two races, Arabs and Africans, who form the bulk of the native population. Some of buildings are good, and the roads excellent. On returning to the steamer we found a regular bazaar on deck. Arabs with ostrich feathers; Parsees with Indian lace, toys, work boxes, &c.; Somulees with coral baskets, &c.; all zealously plying their trade, and making a deafennoise; while outside the steamer, in tiny canoes, were Somulee woolly-headed boys shouting out, "I dive, sir; I dive, sir; throw sixpence in sea.' It was indeed wonderful to see these boys jump from the top of one of our small boats (twelve feet above our deck) into the sea, and dive apparently almost to the bottom

after a coin which had been thrown in, and which they invariably secured.

We have passed several steamers the last two days, not less than fourteen, all outward bound. We were off Jeddah, the nearest port to Mecca, this morning. To-morrow evening we hope to be at the mouth of the Suez Gulf, and at noon on Wednesday at Suez. It is possible we may reach London on the 28th March, though I fancy it will be April before we arrive.

We have a service on the poop on Sunday morning, and prayers each morning. We have among our passengers every variety of character, though all are agreeable, and take pleasure in helping each other. Our captain is a general favourite, and does all he can to promote the comfort of those on board. I am wondering whether any letter is awaiting us at Suez. I shall feel greatly relieved to know that all our friends in India and England are well, and that the Sumbulpore party has reached safely.

I am thankful to say my dear wife, who has suffered much from sea sickness, is now feeling better; also Jessie. Fanny has kept up best. Edith and Florry Pike are well. I must now close until we reach Suez, where I hope to post this.

March 12th.-Now we are quite near Suez, and I fancy just where the Israelites crossed. It is quite cold to-day; thermometer 58°. All is bustle preparing for posting letters.

Illness of Mr. Pike, and Return to Cuttack.

THE following communication, relating to the serious illness of Mr. Pike, will be read with feelings of sorrow and sympathy. To him, as well as to friends at home, the present frustration of his ardent desires must prove a great disappointment; but trying as the event is we must believe that in some way it will turn out for the furtherance of the Gospel.

hear that our brother was suffering from what was supposed to be fever; but as

we

Under date of Feb. 25, Dr. Buckley, writing from Cuttack, observes : "Man proposes, but God disposes." Such seems to be the lesson of our present trials and disappointments. You will know that Mr. Pike left Cuttack for Sumbulpore a month ago, accompanied by Mrs. Pike and the two younger children; also by Mr. Heberlet, two native preachers, and two colporteurs. I am sorry to say that a serious attack of illness, which appears to have been congestion of the brain, has necessitated the return of our friends; and they reached Cuttack this morning. They went nearly a hundred miles on the way, when they were satisfied that it was the path of duty to retrace their steps. A few days after they left we were sorry to

soon heard of his being better, nothing serious was apprehended. Again we heard of unfavourable symptoms, which indicated something like a sunstroke. But an extract from a letter of Mrs. Pike to Mrs. Buckley will tell the story better than I can. "We found it quite impossible to travel on with my precious husband. After leaving the bungalow at Hada Bunga we got over three miles with great difficulty with the poor invalid, and, without knowing it, we pitched our tent close by a village that had just been deserted through cholera. We were obliged to use the

Writing on the 3rd of March, in reference to Mr. Pike's illness, Mr. Heberlet states:

WILD BEASTS AND

be always working, until I feared I should go mad. Indeed, one night I felt I could not be responsible for my actions, and called up Mr. Heberlet to keep Mrs. Pike company.

I fancy the anxiety in which I have been for several months past, owing to the uncertainty in my movements, the worry of very hastily breaking up home, and the parting with our dear children, the really hard work of removing, &c., has had something to do with my illness. Once on the boat we had rest, and then the reaction came.

Mr. Heberlet may not be writing just yet, so that I will mention a couple of interesting particulars, which I dare say he may mention again. At a spot, not very far from Banki, two of the native preachers came up with a small party (two or three) of pilgrims. One of them no sooner saw our books than he shewed himself extremely anxious to possess

them, and they speedily bought eight anna's worth, including a New Testament. They then remarked-in the district beyond Sonepur (but not in the Sumbulpore direction) if you were to take several gharry loads of these books they would all be sold. They may doubtless have exaggerated; but the least their assurance could mean is that in that district there is a considerable desire to read our books. The other particular of interest relates to a man who appeared to hold a good position under the Rajah of Narasingpore. He heard of us preaching in some villages and selling books, and having apparently seen some tracts or gospels before, came on his pony to the boat to buy. He, and one or two young people with him, bought one rupee's worth: a large type New Testament, six annas; and a selection of smaller books and tracts.

Wild Beasts and Snakes in India.

THE total number of persons killed in India in 1877 by wild animals and poisonous snakes, was 19,695 as compared with 19,273 in 1876; the total number of cattle destroyed was 53,197 against 54,830 in the previous year; the number of snakes destroyed was 127,295 against 212,371 in 1876; and the number of wild animals killed was 22,851 against 23,459.

The only serious increase in the number of persons killed is due to deaths by snake-bites. Sixteen thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven persons were killed in the year 1877 as compared with 15,946 in the preceding year. Rewards were paid for the destruction of snakes during the past year in the provinces of Bombay, Bengal, the Punjab, and to a very small extent in the Central Provinces and Mysore.

The Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces (in which Sumbulpore is situated) said "It is impossible to consider the appalling loss of human life caused by snakes, without re-opening the question of rewards payable for their destruction, especially as an occasion for remark presents itself in the fact that the Saugor Municipality pays rewards for their destruction. Most district officers have either altogether ignored the matter or have passed it by with an expression of regret that rewards have of late years been withheld. The main reasons for their withdrawal were, first, that it was difficult, often impossible, to distinguish between venomous and harmless snakes; secondly, that the instinct to kill snakes was generally so strong that they would be killed whether rewards for their destruction were given or not; thirdly, that to offer rewards might lead to an increase of deaths by people incautiously poking after them; lastly, that snake-killing might become a profession, and snakes be bred for the sake of the reward granted for their destruction.

The view taken by the Lieutentant-Governor of Bengal, Sir Ashley Eden, that deaths from snake-bites occur mostly in and about human habitations, derives much confirmation from the figures of the past two years, which show that while tigers kill twenty times as many cattle as they do persons, snakes kill nearly twenty times as many persons as cattle. Under these circumstances it is obviously useless to pay large sums in rewards to professional snake-catchers who catch snakes in the jungles and bring them into head-quarters. But the President in Council is of opinion that rewards for killing snakes in towns and large villages may with much advantage be given by municipal bodies, with or without help from the Local Government; and the matter is recommended to the earnest attention of Local Governments. By means of such rewards the common people may gradually be brought to destroy, instead of venerating, the snakes that haunt the roofs and purlieus of their dwellings.

Letter from Mr. Vaughan.

THE following letter from Mr. Vaughan has hitherto been crowded out of the Observer. As it contains information of interest, and refers to a somewhat new department of Christian usefulness-the Zayat, or Christian Book-room-our readers will be glad to read it. Mr. V. remarks:

Pleasant Reminiscences of Amos Sutton.

DEAR MR. HILL,-In the Religious Herald of Richmond, Virginia, for March 6, is one of a series of papers headed "The recollections of a long life. By the Senior Editor," which reports the Baptist Triennial Convention, held at Richmond, in 1835. The chief feature of the paper is the record of the visit of Rev. Dr. Cox and Rev. Jas. Hoby, who attended as delegates from the Baptist Union of England, and whose chief object was to represent English Baptist sentiment on the slavery question, after the emancipation of West India Slaves. The report of their proceedings is very interesting, and might well be copied into the Baptist or Freeman, especially as the conduct of the delegation was questioned on their return.

Our dear, ever-memorable AмoS SUTTON, and other missionaries, were there; and the famous Dr. Jeter, the Senior Editor of the Herald, says: "The addresses of Drs. Cox and Hoby, Rev. Mr. Sutton, and brethren Jones and O-ga-na-ye, were excellent, and awakened a profound interest. The speeches of Mr. Sutton, especially, were among the most touching and persuasive of any that I have heard from returned misssionaries; and it has been my privilege to listen to many."

I post to you the Herald from which this is extracted.

Bradford, March 20, 1879.

Yours very truly,

What is Zenana Work?

THOS. COOK.

THE question is frequently asked, "What is Zenana work, or what does Zenana mean?" The word is of Persian origin, and signifies the apartments of the women, and means the same as harem in Turkey. As soon as a woman among the higher castes in India is married, custom requires that thenceforward she shall no more go outside the walls of her home, only on very special occasions. Her marriage takes place when she is still quite a child. From the age of eight or nine years, the women of the higher and middle classes are doomed to a life of seclusion and ignorance. In the outer life the Zenana woman has no part, no recognized position at all. She has no knowledge, nor cultivation. She has nothing to do, so the dreary hours are spent in sleeping or cooking, or making garlands for the gods, or looking at her jewels, or braiding her hair. Many of these women are very religious and extremely bigoted and superstitious. Över one hundred and twenty millions of females now are in India.

By Zenana work, we mean work among the women secluded in their homes; carrying to them, what they cannot come forth to receive, a sound Christian education, with all the blessings which follow. It is telling to these inmates the "sweet story of old," which brings life, light, and liberty. This work must be done by women; the missionaries cannot do it, because they cannot be admitted. This task is given us to do. Formerly it was a difficult matter to get into these homes, but now they are open to the lady missionary. She wins the confidence of these women, and then teaches them to read, and sometimes shows them how to do various kinds of fancy work, which enables them to pass their time pleasantly. Zenana work is one of the most important missionary agencies, for here in these homes is the stronghold of Hindooism. Some of these women are earnestly desiring knowledge. Doors are opening every day. Let us make haste to open them, and give Christian training, and carry comfort to hearts that are without it.-Women's Foreign Missionary Society, New York.

CHATTERIS.-The Annual Foreign Missionary Meetings were held on March 23rd and 25th. Two sermons were preached on the former day by the Rev. J. F. Makepeace, of Bluntisham, and on the eve of the latter day, the annual meeting was held, the pastor (Rev. F. J. Bird) presiding. Addresses were delivered by the Revs. E. Abraham (Wesleyan), W. Hill (Secretary to the Missions), J. F. Makepeace, and the Pastor. Total amount contributed to the funds of the Society, over £11. F. J. B.