CEYLON MISSION.

THE arrival, reception, and stations of Messrs. Lambrick, Mayor, Ward, and Knight, were stated at p. 41, of the "Survey." In the month of July, of last year, Mr. and Mrs. Mayor proceeded for Galle, Mr. Knight for Jaffnapatam, and Mr. Lambrick for Kandy. Mr. and Mrs. Ward were detained at Colombo, by Mrs. Ward's confinement, till nearly the end of September, when they left for Calpentyn, near Manar.

Advices had been received from Mr. Lambrick, Mr. Mayor, and Mr.Ward, respecting their Stations.

On Mr. Lambrick's situation and prospects at Kandy, his Letter, and that of Governor Brownrigg, which were printed at pp. 276 and 277 of the Number for June, are given in the Report.

Of Galle and Calpentyn, the following particulars are stated.

Galle.

Mr. and Mrs. Mayor reached Galle on the 5th of July, and were received with great hospitality and kindness by the Chaplain at the Station, the Rev. J. M. S. Glenie, and Mrs. Glenie; and feel themselves under great obligation to them for their unwearied attention.

Mr. Mayor has communicated much information concerning the scene of his labours.

His view of the state of the people is not very encouraging.

"It is not their readiness," he observes, "to welcome the light of the Gospel, which must be your inducement to send out more labourers into this extensive field; but their great need of instruction, and the Nov. 1819.

positive duty of a Christian Nation to Saviour to all its subjects. We have free communicate the knowledge of the only access to them, and their prejudices against Christianity are not deeply rooted: they are willing to have their children taught to read, and these children have an intellect capable of the highest cultivation: the Europeans and Headmen are favourable to the labours of the Missionary. These are encouragements to persevere, had we not the sure word of Prophecy, that all the ends of the world shall remember and turn nations shall worship before him. unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the The ignorance, insensibility, and indifference of the people, though they ought not to make us less active in obeying a positive command, would, of themselves, much diminish our expectation of success."

Of the sphere of his labours, Mr. Mayor writes

"In the Station which I occupy, there is abundant work for, at least, ten zealous

and self-denying Missionaries; and five well-qualified Schoolmasters, who might be employed in establishing and disciplining Schools.

"There are upwards of 3000 Mahomedans in Galle, who speak Malabar, At present, no attempt is made to lead them from the paths of error into the way of truth and peace. They are persons of very quick understanding; but so engrossed in trade, that Missionaries have hitherto been discouraged from using any means to instruct them. Several of them have called on me, desiring me to educate their sons in English. A considerable number attended daily at my house, together with several Cingalese and a Budhist Priest."

In the latter part of October, Mr. Mayor explored the villages on the banks of the River Gindra, to a distance of thirty miles from Galle, which led to the establishment of various Schools among them. His intercourse on this occasion with the Natives throws much light on their state of mind. 80.

Mr. Mayor's. communication on this subject is printed in the Appendix.

The Report states—

It may be proper, before the Committee proceed to the next Station, to notice a correspondence with the Chaplain, Mr. Glenie.

On Sir Alexander Johnston's leaving Ceylon, Mr. Glenie addressed a Letter to him, with the view of its being laid before the Committee; and also wrote a Letter to the Secretary on the same subject, which was received about the time of the arrival of the Society's Missionaries in Ceylon. In these communications, Mr. Glenie called the attention of the Committee to the want of Institutions in the island for the education of European Children, particularly those of the Soldiers; the Regimental Schools not being adequate to the necessity of the case. Mr. Glenie suggested three separate Establishments-a Boarding School for the Sons of European Soldiers, another for their Daughters, and a third for destitute Burgher and HalfCaste Children. He calculated that 100%. per annum would support, clothe, and purchase books for twenty children; and that a Master, a married man of exemplary character, at 1007. per annum, would be required for each School. Galle being a very healthy situation, such Soldiers as should wish it might send their children thither from other Stations. It might be hoped that many of the Scholars would become, by the blessing of God on Christian Instruction, useful and zealous Labourers in the service of the Society.

The Committee transmitted this proposal to the Society's Missionaries; desiring them to confer thereon with Mr. Glenie, and to report their opinion.

Calpentyn.

Mr. Bissett favoured the Missionaries with the following information; which led them to exchange Trincomalee for Calpentyn, as the Station of Mr. Ward.

"On the West Side of the island, nearly opposite Trincomalee, is a tract of country, inhabited by a Malabar Population, which has been much neglected. From Putlam to Manar, a distance of nearly seventy miles, there is no resident Christian Mi nister, of any kind.

"Manar, or Calpentyn, would be a most favourable spot for the establishment of a Mission. There would be, along the coast, and in the Islands at no great distance, a most extensive field opened to the labours of a zealous Missionary. The inhabitants

are almost all Malabas Natives: but few

understand any European Language; and they are at a great distance from any considerable European Settlement. These are, at once, the reasons why they have been hitherto neglected by Missionaries, and why I would strenuously recommend them to the notice of your Mission. I think there is no part of the island, where, upon the whole, greater opportunities are offered to Missionary Exertion: and I would strongly advise, that the Member of your Mission who was destined for Trincomalee should be transferred to Manar or Calpentyn. It would give me great pleasure to see a Station, so highly promising and so long overlooked, first occupied by a Mis. sionary who is a regularly ordained Cler gyman of the Established Church."

In conformity with this recommendation, Manar was thought of as Mr. Ward's Station; but, in order to a final determination, he visited the place, during Mrs. Ward's confinement at Colombo, and ascertained the expediency of settling at Calpentyn, which was accordingly fixed on as his place of residence.

He will have access, from this Station, to Three Districts, extending more than 100 miles along the coast, with a population of upwards of 40,000 persons, destitute, at present, of proper religious instruction. Mr. Ward presses earnestly for assistance; as it will be impracticable for one Missionary to exercise any adequate superintendence over a population scattered along such an extent of country.

There is a good prospect of establishing Schools in the different villages connected with this Station; and a very prevalent desire among the Natives to learn the English Language. Mr. Ward proposes to train up some Schoolmasters, from among the Natives, in the knowledge of the Na tional System. A Malabar School, of forty-four Boys-Protestants, Roman Catholics, Mahomedans, and Gentoos-is under his superintendence; the Master of which is on the Government Establishment: it might soon be increased to 100. Boys. Mr. Ward had opened an English School, in his own house, for the instruc tion of children of the higher castes. Mrs., Ward hopes to succeed, in time, in the establishment of a Female School: at pre- : sent, the people smile at such an unusual proposal!

Calpentyn is about 90 or 100 miles from, Colombo, and the same distance from Jaffnapatam. There are some Protestants. among the inhabitants; but the greater part of the people are Roman Catholics,. Mahomedans, and Gentoos. On Sunday,

April, 1817. They were accompanied by Six Natives of New Zealand, some of whom had been at Parramatta a year and a half.

- Several head of horned cattle were sent over, the advantages to be expected from which were stated in the last Report. Milk, butter, beef, and labour," Mr. Marsden says, "these cattle will soon produce to the inhabitants; and if the number of Settlers should be increased, they will greatly promote their support and comfort."

Fruit-trees, of various kinds, have also been sent over by Mr. Marsden. The Settlers have peaches in perfection. He thinks vines will succeed; and will send over, from time to time, plants of different sorts, in order to the future benefit of the Setdlers and Natives.

In May, of last year, Mr. Marsden was about to send a person to New Zealand, in order to make a trial of salting and curing fish. Great advantage to the people may be expected thereby, from the abundance of fish on their shores.

Mr. Marsden wished to visit the Settlers again; and intended, when he should be able to accomplish his design, to examine more fully than he had done into the productions and population of the country, particularly in the interior,

We shall extract the whole of the statement respecting the Schools:

Mr. Kendall and Mr. Carlisle have paid every attention to the education of the Native Children which circumstances would allow.

The School was opened in August 1816, with thirty-three children in September, there were forty-seven; and in October, fifty-one. In November and December, there being no provisions for the children, they were scattered abroad in search of food. In January, 1817, the number was sixty; in February, fifty-eight; in March, sixty-three; and in April, seventy. These are the latest returns of numbers which have arrived.

At first the Girls were double in number to the Boys; but, latterly, they became nearly equal. The age of the children was generally from seven to seventeen. Among them were seventeen Orphans, and six Slaves which had been taken in war. Se veral Sons of Chiefs were among the Scholars; and one of them, Atowha, son of the late Tippahce, began, after a few months, to act as Assistant in the School. The regularity of attendance depends much on the supplies of food at the disposal of the Settlers for the use, of the

Scholars. At the close of 1816, when they were obliged to repair to the rivers and woods, in search of fish, cockles, and fern-root, they would have gladly dispensed with this labour; for when supplies unexpectedly arrived toward the end of December, "the welcome news," says Mr. Kendall, " was soon published throughout the neighbourhood, when the Native Children assembled together, and manifested their joy by singing and dancing. They immediately repaired to the School House; where they remained day and night, repeating their lessons with cheerfulness, and content with what was given them."

Mr. Kendall's kindness and patience had, therefore, by this time wrought manifest improvement in bis vagrant Scholars. He draws a singular but very natural picture of, their wild habits when he first gathered them out of the woods :

"While one child," he says, "is repeating his lesson, another will be playing with my feet, another taking away my bat, and another my book; and all this in the most friendly manner. I cannot be angry with them; but it requires some study, how best to introduce a salutary discipline among them.

"During the first four months, my little wild pupils were all noise and play." We could scarcely hear them read, for dancing. The first month they were their incessant shouting, singing, and brought to repeat their lessons in the School-house very well; but we soon had to follow them into the woods. I had no command over them, at that time; having neither provisions. por rewards to give them. Since I received these, my authority and influence have been greatly augmented, and I can.command their attention.”

The children rise at day-light, according to the general custom of the Natives. They finish their morning lessons at an early hour. The children of the Settlers are instructed in the middle part of the day. In the afternoon, the Native Children come to School again. They ge nerally receive, when there are provisions for them, a handful of potatoes each, twice: a-day, which they cook themselves, as they please; and are occasionally served with fish.

The Girls make their own apparel, after their country fashion; and the Boys. make fences, and do other useful work:: a few of them learn to dress and spin. flax. A number of mats for clothing, made of the flax of the country, the first manufacture of the Female Scholars,