Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

On Monday morning, November 5th, Mr. Hunter called for me in a barge, and took me to the schooner in which I was going to Singapore, and which was lying outside of the bar. The schooner was chartered by him, and through his influence and the kindness of captain Norris, I was again laid under obligations for a passage without its expense.

The vessel was less than a hundred tons in measurement, and four of us were obliged to stow away in a very small cabin. Nothing peculiar occurred on the passage, except that we came near getting on a lee shore, through the inattention of the helmsman. Supposing that we were running in a line with the peninsula, we descried land immediately before us, and were obliged to beat some time against a head sea, before we felt it safe to

Had the wind been powerful, and the sea high, or had we not enjoyed the advantages of daylight, the result would have probably been disastrous. November 23d.---Visited a Borneo proa, in compa

.a ny with Mr. Thomsen, to obtain information respecting that island, and to distribute books.

The princi

bear away

pal man with whom we conversed, proved himself intelligent, and communicative. He belonged to Benjar-Massin, about which place and the other Dutch settlements, Sambas and Pontiana, he manifested much knowledge. He represents the Dyaks residing near the settlements, and in the interior, as exceedingly numerous. Formerly they were all very ferocious; but the character of many of them has been in a measure meliorated by intercourse with foreigners, and perhaps by some little sense of fear, as well as of profit resulting from this connection. This applies principally, if not exclusively, to those who reside near the station. He speaks of thousands of Chinese in the vicinity of the mines, which abound in the interior,--a fact fully confirmed by Europeans who have visited these places.

On Wednesday, November 28th, Mr. Thomsen and myself left Singapore for Rhio, in the ship Dedierika, captain Townsend; who went out of his way to accommodate us, and would receive nothing for our passage. Owing to calms, we were nearly three days in accomplishing what we expected to perform in fourand-twenty hours. Our object was to visit Mr. Wenting, the Dutch missionary, and distribute books among the Malays and Chinese. We found a few thousand of each class residing in Rhio and its neighborhood.

Mr. W. occupies a small island by himself, which, with others in the vicinity, was formerly infested by pirates. It was given by the Dutch authorities to the Netherlands' Society, on the condition that their missionaries should make it their abode. The house is situated on its highest eminence, commanding an en

[ocr errors]

chanting prospect, and exposed to every cooling breeze. The islet contains about one or two hundred acres of land. Beside the variety of its own surface, checkered with lofty trees and native dwellings,—the touches of culture, and the wildness of the jungle,-you behold stretching beyond it, an expanse of water, bounded on the whole horizontal range, with the exception of one opening, by numerous islands,--here retiring behind each other so as to disclose merely their promontories,--and there stretching in bold continuity to an immense extent,-in some places so near that almost every object may be defined, and in others so distant that you can discern nothing but their azure outline. About eight miles from you appears the small town of Rhio, with its few European buildings, and its hill-crowned fort,-on one side of which is a Chinese settlement, on the other a Malay campong, and in front, the harbor with ships and native proas. The only part of the horizon not bounded by hills, is the usual passage through which vessels enter and leave the harbor of Rhio, and pass and repass from Batavia, Singapore, and other places among these islands.

On the island there are about thirty Malays, whom Mr. Wenting teaches in a little airy chapel, built on another hill. We spent our time principally at Rhio, and were very hospitably entertained by one of the Dutch officers attached to the military. From the hill at Rhio, where the Europeans reside, the prospect is nearly equal to the one described. Among the pe

. culiarities of the vegetable kingdom, we found the sensitive plant, mimosa, running wild upon the hills. A sweep of the hand or foot among its luxuriant tendrils, scattered apparent death around,—but a few moments showed it to be mere appearance, for life and beauty were soon restored. We returned to Singapore in one of the small government vessels, manned with natives, and fitted up to guard the sea from pirates.

January 18th, 1833.-Yesterday, at half-past nine in the morning, I had the mournful satisfaction of witnessing the departure of my beloved Christian brother, the Rev. Robert Burn, chaplain of Singapore. I feel thankful for the privilege of attending his sick bed for about a month and a half, and for receiving and endeavoring to communicate such lessons, as fit the dying to depart in peace, and the surviving to live with profit.

Mr. Burn was an ornament to the ministry. In him were united some of the rarest qualities of intellect and heart. In the private circle and in the pulpit, he often manifested such efforts of genius and judgment as are seldom combined. His views of divine truth were uncommonly expansive and consistent, and what gave them a double charm and impressiveness, was the tenderness and humility of spirit which they had produced in himself. His judgment was too unbiased, and his experience too comprehensive to consider important those trifling points which divide into parties the Christian church. He had his peculiar views and predilections, but in his intercourse with those of other sects, they were never obtruded, and in his ordinary conversation they were seldom mentioned. Wherever he saw the image of Jesus, he acknowledged a brother. Missionaries of every name

and from every country were welcomed to his house, and while he gladly co-operated with them in their missionary labors, he availed himself of all their aid in his own sphere of duty.

“Such Christian magnanimity how rare," and yet how conducive to the interests of all parties,--the salvation of a world, the glory of an undivided Savior.

But there was another peculiarity in this beloved brother, which not only won the hearts of all who knew him, but perhaps more than anything else improved those other traits of character in which he excelled. He was not simply an Apollos in the Scriptures, but an Israel in prayer. Before I had the pleasure of his acquaintance, he was described to me as one who appeared ready under all circumstances to “fall upon his knees before God;" and the first time and the last, and every time I heard him give utterance to the sanctified impressions and desires of his own heart, exceeded every expectation I had formed. Şuch a fervor and confidence of spirit,-such power in employing the arguments which a covenant God has furnished, and which He cannot resist,—such a tender concern for all his friends, his scattered brethren in Christ, and his perishing fellow-sinners in every place, I believe is rarely exhibited, -scarcely ever surpassed, The admiration of all who ever heard him pray, is uniform. God grant that many such spiritual wrest: lers may adorn and bless the church.

In his own estimation he was below all things,-none so unqualified for his office, so unfaithful in the discharge of its responsible duties.

He could weep and tremble when this was the theme, and wish that

« AnteriorContinuar »