seen the desolated village, and why so many died, I marvelled only how any human beings lived in an atmosphere so poisoned. Surely every means should be tried to rouse public attention to so important a subject. The fact that a branch Social Science Association already exists here, leads to the hope that the enlightened and scientific men of Kishnaghur will never let the subject drop, until they have provided at least pure air for the inhabitants.

The hospital and various public offices appeared here, as elsewhere, to be well cared for. The educational institutions of this city I had heard spoken of highly; but, unfortunately, I had no opportunity of judging of them, as this was holiday time. The college buildings are, however, admirable in the accommodation they contain, as well as in their external appearance. They are an ornament to the town, and must be a convincing proof to the inhabitants of the interest of the British Government in their improvement. May the time come when it shall feel prepared equally to make efforts to aid in the elevation of the other sex! The progress which has already been made in female education in Kishnaghur indicates a strong aspiration after better things. The managers of the schools gladly accepted the offer of visits to them from the accomplished daughters of my host, and several families expressed a desire to receive instruction at home from them. want of female teachers here, as elsewhere, is strongly felt by the natives, and one excellent mother of a family expressed her wish to be the first subscriber to such an institution as would provide them. All things are ready for an onward movement: if it is guided by wisdom, patience, and the dictates of experience, it will surely succeed.

The

An afternoon ride in a very extensive park in the neighbourhood which is secured to the public, was a pleasant change after some of the scenes of the morning. There are splendid groves of teak-trees, with their majestic trunks and large leaves. Occasionally I saw a bare white trunk and branches of a tree which appeared dead: it was the cotton-tree-still alive, only slumbering to refresh its energies, and enable it to throw out in some two months splendid scarlet blossoms, which precede the leaves. Monkeys abound in these parts; I saw very large ones gambolling over the fields. They have, in fact, at times committed such ravages on the crops intended for the food of the inhabitants, that, notwithstanding the strong objection to destroy animal life in general, and monkeys in particular, it has been found necessary to put a price on the heads of the devastators, and encourage wholesale slaughter.

The country in this district appeared to present numerous objects of attraction, which I regretted being unable to visit.

And now the moments of the departing year were numbered; the last day of its existence was drawing to a close! It had been a very eventful one to me: it had bestowed on me the crowning privilege of my life. After our very interesting evening meeting, above referred to, I rejoiced to close it in prayer and thanksgiving to the Giver of all good, with my kind missionary friend and his family.

CHAPTER VII.

FAREWELL TO CALCUTTA-RETURN TO MADRAS-CALICUT.

CALCUTTA, Jan. 1, 1867.-The dawn of the new year rose brightly upon me. Every morning is generally a glorious one in India-it is expected as an ordinary occurrence, and does not usually elicit the mutual congratulations which are common in our duller climate. This morning-the first of the opening year-was full of joy and gratitude in all our hearts, but it was somewhat shaded with the thought that it was to be our last together. The good pastor inscribed in my book some treasured words, together with a verse in Anharic, the dialect of Abyssinia. He had been a missionary in that country, but now had given his heart to India; he and his whole family had devoted their lives to this land of his adoption.

It was a pleasant surprise, after taking farewell of these friends, to find that the doctor had paid early visits to his patients, with the kind intention of accompanying me to the station, and that Mr. Sen was prepared to do so too. This was, then, a very happy morning; for each had much to say about future progress, and we parted with the mutual promise to mark permanently this New Year's day in the note-book of our

memories.

Farewell to Calcutta itself was to be the next

parting, and for this much preparation was to be made.

My first care was to complete the work for which I had traversed the empire-to lay before the highest authority in it that result of my observations, which had been asked for by the Government of Bombay, but which, I perceived, concerned not one presidency, but the whole of India. I requested permission, therefore, to present to his Excellency the Viceroy the observations which my experience had enabled me to make, aided by the facilities which had been so kindly afforded to me, on female education, reformatories, jails, female convicts, and prison discipline generally. These were graciously accepted, with the promise that they should be laid before the different departments. These observations and suggestions will appear in a subsequent part of this volume.

The provisional committee of the Social Science Association held its final meeting at my rooms, and I had the pleasure of believing the Society now an absolute fact, and of paying the first subscription to its funds.

One more school had to be visited, for it was supported and managed by native gentlemen, who desired my presence there. It did great credit to their zeal. I had also a pleasant interview with the ladies of their families, all anxious to show me their progress in learning.

Another proof was given me of the efforts which are being made by one section of the native community. A deputation from an existing society presented to me a beautiful volume, consisting of the numbers of a journal printed in Bengali, for ladies, and containing many contributions by them. Diagrams illustrating

subjects connected with astronomy, natural history in its various branches, and botany, indicate the instructive nature of the contents. The following address, presented with it, shows the views of the Society and its methods of action :

'Madam,—We, the undersigned members of the "Bamabodhini Shova," a society established in 1863, for the improvement of the women of Bengal, heartily welcome your arrival in India. We cannot sufficiently express our gratitude and admiration to you for having exposed yourself to countless dangers and sacrifices only for the good of India, and especially for the good of Indian females. We feel we are bound to you in deep obligation, and therefore venture to hope that our humble expressions of thankfulness may not be unacceptable to you.

'The suffering women of this land do, indeed, deserve your sisterly sympathy and care, and we expect much benefit to them through the exertions of a lady of your rank, experience, and exemplary character. We do sincerely believe that you have been sent by Providence on a sacred mission, and doubt not but your labours will be successful. You can look for little encouragement indeed from the quarter you have come to enlighten; perhaps, on the contrary, you should expect some opposition. But we are aware your wishes are too hard, and your affections too deep, to be affected by the influence of any external obstacles. We observe with great delight and astonishment the warmth and enthusiasm of youth in a life loaded with years, and the labours and energies you have shown during your short stay in this country, inspire our hearts with sanguine hopes for the regeneration of the females of India. May the all-merciful Father sustain your health and strength, and enable us to receive all the good that we expect from you! We humbly beg to present you with a set of our monthly journal, called the "Bamabodhini Putriku," published in Bengali by the Bamabodhini Society for the Improvement of the Women of Bengal. We hope you will be delighted to