Missionary Observer. DESTRUCTIVE FLOOD ᎪᎢ KHUNDITTUR. BY REV. J. BUCKLEY. Cuttack, Sep. 1, 1862. some elevated spot of ground, where they had to stand without shelter amidst the fury of the storm. Our christian people did not suffer so much as many of their heathen neighbours. The Khursua overflowed its banks on Sabbathday, the 17th August, about eight o'clock in the evening, and the inundation was so great and so rapid that they had quickly to leave the village. They found shelter in the mission bungalow, which, being on higher ground, was quite dry; and, so far as I have heard, this was the only place in the neighbourhood which the flood did not reach; the Government bungalow, at a little distance on the other side of the road, was several feet deep in water; and a new bridge recently built by Government (though I think not quite finished) was carried away by the violence of the flood. They had some difficulty in getting from the village to their ark of refuge. The men had to swim, or to go through water nearly up to the neck. The poor women and children were conveyed in a little boat. Here they were safe; though too numerous to be very comfortable, especially as they had to stay till Tuesday afternoon. The water continued rising higher and higher till Monday, two o'clock p.m., when SINCE I last wrote we have been in danger of a flood; but it has pleased God mercifully to preserve us. I am sorry, however, to state that our poor christians at Khundittur are severely suffering from a more destructive flood than has ever been known in that region. The chapel there has been so much damaged that it must be entirely rebuilt. Some of the christian houses have been wholly destroyed, others partially so, while two or three of our native friends have escaped with comparatively little loss. It will require considerable expense to repair the damage done, but I hope local benevolence will be sufficient; if not, you may expect to hear from me again. Khundittur, as you know, is on the Khursua river, but the adjacent country is intersected by other rivers, as the Brahmuni, the Patooa, the Byturini, and the Solanda; and, when all these overflowed, the country for many miles was like a little sea. Communication was stopped. For five days we got no post from the North. Travellers waiting for a few hours" the floods of great waters came in government bungalows soon found the place of their sojourn three or four feet deep in water, and outside the flood so great that it was impossible for bearers to get on. I heard of one gentleman in these circumstances getting a boat, and pursuing his journey for about twenty miles by water, instead of by land, as he had expected. Nothing like it has been known in that part. Many of the natives suffered great privations. Some, when they fled from their falling houses, had to climb trees, and remain for a long time without food, while others with their wives and children sought nigh" their temporary dwelling place, and they began to tremble for their safety, then it pleased God that the waters began to subside. I am glad to state that their cattle were preserved. This is a great matter. But I fear the crops will be found to be much damaged. At Cuttack, God has been better to us than our fears. The river was higher than it has been for five or six years; and while it continued rising we were not free from apprehension, but we have to sing of mercy. Our noble river is a grand sight when it is full. The Kajuri (its principal branch) has not been so full this year as I have before seen it, owing, no doubt, to the skilful and well-directed measures of the engineers; but I have never before seen such a body of water in the Mahanuddi. I was particularly struck one evening with the scenery, as I walked on its banks near the burial ground. We had gone to meet our dear children, who, when the river is high, always expect a day's holiday. The rugged grandeur of the distant mountains from which these waters so rapidly flow, the mighty stream which is nere two miles across, the force of the current, the verdure of the trees seen here and there in the distance, above all the bright beams of the sun playing on the waters, presented a scene of beauty and splendour rarely witnessed; nor can I forget that a monster of an aligator was seen enjoying himself in his way at a little distance. As the monarch of day retired behind the western hills, the gorgeous splendour of the scene baffled description. Inspiring thoughts of Him 'who maketh the clouds His chariot," and "who measureth the waters in the hollow of His hand," impressed and overwhelmed the mind. The Jordan "overflowing its banks at the time of harvest" was an interesting and exciting scene to the chosen host in days of old; but the course of the Mahanuddi is more than three times greater than that of the Jordan. I may add that in October, 1834, when the river overflowed and inundated Cuttack our chapel was destroyed, the College was three feet deep in water, and it was computed that about two thousand houses in the town were destroyed. September 2nd. A comet is now nightly visible here in the northern part of the heavens. been unsettled, and the very night we reached Piplee there was a severe storm. As we heard the howling wind, the crashing thunder, and the pouring rain, we congratulated each other that we had good house shelter and were not left to the uncertain shelter of a frail flapping tent. With no wind a good tent will resist a heavy fall of rain. With no rain a good tent will resist a severe storm of wind. The two combined, however, are almost certain to prove fatal to tent shelter, for while the one softens the ground and loosens the pegs, the other brings the tent down on its helpless occupant. It was not our intention to stay beyond a day or so at Piplee, but, by the unsettled state of the weather, we were delayed four days. The time, however, was not all lost, as we were able to visit a market and to spend the Sabbath with the dear native christians who were without their under-shepherd. The Sabbath services were much enjoyed. In the morning we had a prayer meeting; in the forenoon I preached from, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves," 1 Cor. xiii. 5: and in the afternoon Jagoo preached from 'Grow in grace,' 2 Peter iii. 18. 66 Thus to meet with a few of God's people, after meeting with those who were the followers of only false gods, was indeed refreshing to our souls. We seemed to have got beyond the wastes of heathenism into the garden of the Lord; to have left behind those who were strangers and foreigners," and to have found those who were fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of faith.' 64 On Monday, January 20th, we left for NIMPURDA. In a straight line the distance would not be more than ten miles, but we did not reach our journey's end till seven in the even NOTES OF A PREACHING TOUR. ing, though we started at two in the BY THE REV. W. HILL. (Continued from page 399.) FOR several days the weather had afternoon. With the view of having our tent pitched and dinner ready by the time we arrived we sent the carts off early in the morning. Just as it was growing dusk, however, Notes of a Preaching Tour. we overtook the carts. They were in the midst of a vast rice plain and several miles still from their destination. The tent, which should have been ready for occupation, lay on the cart. The fowl which should have been ready for our dinner was cackling for its own. The cartmen looked completely exhausted and said they had not had time to cook; and to make matters worse still one of the poor bullocks was not exhausted simply but was lying down. Our prospects for the night, therefore, were not very bright; but as we had taken the precaution to have our beds carried, we knew that even at the worst we could sleep under a tree. Another servant also carried with him a loaf of bread and a little tea and sugar; so under these circumstances we felt that we could for once dispense with dinner. As we passed along we thought that our carts would be scarcely able to get at all, the rice being uncut and the fields under water. Some of the country lanes in England are bad enough, at certain seasons of the year, but they are capital roads compared with what we had. In fact we had no roads, but had to pass through one vast country of mud and water. On arriving at the place of our destination we were pleased to find a government bungalow, and in this we took shelter. We told the man in charge that he must go at once and bring us a fowl. How could he get a fowl at such an unseasonable hour? he replied. We told him, however, that a fowl we must have; and as in the course of an hour it was not only bought and killed, but cooked and smoking hot on the table, it will be evident that there was not much time lost. Thankful for our mercies we retired to rest. The carts came up in the course of the night, and though one had been upset our things sustained but little damage. Nimpurda is a town of considerable size. One of the principal land owners in Orissa resides here. He pays government an annual 435 revenue of rupees 132,000, or £13,000 sterling. His subjects by courtesy call him the "Great King." The morning after our arrival we sent him a note in Oriya to the effect that, if convenient, we should be glad to see him. A reply was returned saying that he would see us at once. We went between four and five to his cutcherry, or court. The announcement of our arrival having been made to the rajah, he gave directions that we were to come forward into his presence. We were conducted by his attendants into a small, dark, miserable room, where we found the rajah sitting behind a table. His two sons, one about twenty, and the other about fifteen years old, sat by his side, gorgeously dressed. A form was set for Mr. Bailey and myself on the opposite side of the table, and our native brethren stood behind us. The rajah proceeded to ask many questions about England. When, however, I told him of the size of London, of the number of inhabitants, of the number of births and deaths which take place annually, he quietly said, "It is all a lie!" He made many inquiries about the great Queen and about her children, and wished to know how it was that her husband was not the king. Only a few days before we had heard of Prince Albert's death. This information we communicated to the rajah when he replied, "Then the Queen will be in great distress." He was anxious to know about the telegraph and how it worked, but this seemed too wonderful for him to comprehend, or to believe. After a long conversation on general subjects we introduced religious questions; spoke to him of the importance of ruling in righteousness; and especially of paying the homage that was due to our great ruler, God. That, as it would be wrong of his subjects to pay the rent and homage due to him to another, so it was wrong to pay religious homage to any person or any thing save and except the only true God. We also spoke to his sons and expressed a hope that they would rule in righteousness and be- were pardoned, because there was come good men. After a brief dis- no wish superior to His." He was cussion of religious questions we informed that this pardon was not retired, presenting the rajah and unconditional, but that the coneach of his sons with a book. The ditions must be observed in order to next morning he sent us a present, secure it. When informed that the consisting of about a pound of sugar, conditions were laid down in the a pound of ghee, or clarified butter; Word of God, he inquired how it two quarts of milk, some flour and was that this Word had not been plantains. In the evening he came given to them as well as to others, in his carriage to see us, and we had and that inasmuch as it had not a long conversation about matters in been given he knew it was not the general. He inquired on this occa- Word of God. To this it was resion about France and Russia; and plied, that the Queen did not, when about the British army, the number she wished to communicate any. of soldiers the great Queen had, and thing to her subjects, visit every also about new kinds of warlike im- part of her dominions and commuplements. He seemed astonished to nicate it to each individual sepahear of the Armstrong guns, &c. rately, but that she communicated We told him that it was predicted with her ministers, and they with in our Holy Pook that the time others, and so on throughout the would come when the nations should extent of her dominions. So it was learn war no more, and when peace said God had communicated His will should everywhere prevail. "Yes," to His ministers, and they were comhe said, "when some king becomes manded to proclaim it to every all-powerful, then there will be creature in every land. By degrees peace.' "Look," said he, "there our friend waxed warm, and at is peace in this country now, because length, denying that there was either no one has power to contend with heaven or hell, beyond what is exthe great Queen." We assured him perienced in the present world, he that the only king who would bring became angry and walked away. peace to the world was King Jesus, and that He was the "Prince of Peace." He spoke well of the British rule on the whole, but the Income Tax was a fly in the ointment. We reminded him, however, that by paying a few thousand rupees annually he obtained many advantages; that it gave him a security he could not provide himself for ten times the amount; and that if any foe invaded his dominions thousands of soldiers would be sent, if necessary, to drive out or destroy the aggressor. This he said was quite true. Thursday, January 23rd. This morning we rode on to GOPE, six miles distant. The following afternoon we rode to KANARACK. Within a few hundred yards of this latter village there is a temple dedicated to the sun, and known to Europeans as the Black Pagodah. It stands on the sands of the sea shore and is a landmark to ships. It was built in the twelfth century but is now one mass of ruin. The high tower is reduced to a heap of stones simply, over which jungle is growing. Until fourteen or fifteen years ago there was one corner standing, but this was brought down by a severe storm which occurred at that period. The front part of the temple still stands and is a considerable height, but from this many stones have fallen. The principal entrance is faced with black stone, but the large stone which topped the doorway, and on which the nine planets are beauti fully sculptured, has fallen down. Notes of a Preaching Tour. 437 mystery, though we were told that when the temple was built the sea was close at hand, and the stones conveyed by water. The nearest point to the sea now, however, is more than a mile. Returning from Kanarack on the Saturday afternoon we remained at Gope till Monday morning. On the Sabbath we preached in Gope market but it was very thinly attended. We also divided ourselves into two parties and visited some half dozen villages. It rests on an iron beam which appears to have preceded it in the fall. The beam is of wrought iron, is twenty feet long, ten inches square, and weighs about one and a half tons. Strong, however, as it appears to be, it is bent. This seems to have been done by the monster stone which lies upon it and which is said to weigh ten tons. The part of the temple standing had a double roof, but the inner one has given way and is all in a confused heap. The stones are of an enormous size, and others equally large appear ready to fall. On Monday morning we left for We went just within the doorway BONAMALIPORE to attend a large fesbut were afraid to enter the temple tival on the Wednesday and Thurslest the tottering stones should fall day. Not being able to go the whole upon us. The place is literally given distance in a day we did not reach over to the bats which were flying Bonamalipore till Tuesday morning. about in all directions, the stench As it was market day we preached from which was most disagreeable. in the market on Tuesday, and in Scores of black-faced monkeys were the festival on Wednesday and Thursscampering about the ruins, and day. On the latter day, especially, bears also take up their quarters in many thousands of people were asthe temple. With sculpture the sembled. All were dressed up in walls quite abound, but though the their best attire and the scene preworkmanship is of a superior kind sented by the congregated thousands the figures are of the most obscene with every colour of dress was very description. I observed to Jagoo striking. The brahmins, like so many that the carving displayed a great showmen, were busily engaged in amount of skill and was pleased to enticing and duping the people. Here hear him reply that, "while it dis- they were bestowing holy water for played man's skill, it displayed even a few pois or cowries, and there they in a more striking manner the were exhibiting the dwelling place wickedness and obscenity of the of one god, and the death place of human heart." They that make another. Here was a woman dancing them are like unto them. Within a on a board upheld by men's shoulders, few yards of the temple there is a and there were men and women covhouse or two in which a few ascetics ered with blood, with knives in their reside. We spoke to them of the hands threatening to cut themselves folly of trusting to themselves or to if charity were not bestowed. One their gods for salvation, instancing woman held a little child which she the temple and the gods which shared declared she would stab if help were a common ruin. One old man told us not given. It was of course intimi that he had resided there for sixty dation only, but what with violent years. What with the ruinous temple, gestures, horrid noises, and more the absence of houses, and the waste horrid looks, the people were glad of sand, never did I see a more to give them a trifle to get rid of striking picture of desolation, while them. Knowing what scamps they the ocean's roar gave additional so- were, I offered a man eight annas to lemnity to the scene. The temple cut his throat. He said he would if is said to have cost many many I would give him the money. No! thousands of pounds, and this we I said, first cut your throat and then can easily believe. How the monster you shall have the money. He laughed stones were ever conveyed to the as much as to say you are up to the midst of this waste of sand is a trick, and then walked away. |