he asked, pointing to the north; and hearing he was not right, he pointed in the opposite direction, asking the same question. I pointed in the direction of London, wrote on a piece of paper, to aid him, "Strangers' Home, Limehouse, London ;" and having relieved his wants, I wished him God speed, telling him I hoped to see him again in London. With a nimble step he disappeared in the dark in the direction indicated.

me.

At Liverpool I found the Turkish frigate "Ruseed" in dock, with 450 Egyptians on board, together with some few Arabs, but the officers were Turks. I had with me a good supply of Turkish and Arabic tracts and Scriptures, but I asked myself "Will these Moslems, under the eye of their officers, accept them?" I determined to try. There was a long gangway leading from the shore to the deck, guarded by an Egyptian with fixed bayonet, and a notice was posted up, "No admittance except on business." Still I determined to make the attempt, and asked God to clear away all difficulties. I passed along the gangway, but was met by the guard, who held up his hand in a forbidding attitude, and then pointed me to the notice referred to. I presented him with a book, and called out in Arabic, "Arabic books." In a moment the musket was grounded, and the book was seized. Others near the gangway accepted of the same offer. My work increased till the guard was lost in the numbers that surrounded him, and an officer was attracted to the spot. He came with all the air of a zealous Moslem, seized the books right and left, and declared that they were prohibited. He then attempted to thrust them back upon I knew enough of Arabic to say to him in that language, "These are the Psalms of David, and the Psalms are not prohibited." I then in quired for the captain. How mysterious are the ways of God. An interpreter was brought to me. It was no other than my old friend Quadir, who had himself passed through the Strangers' Home. We shook hands, and conversed freely in Hindustanee. I was now introduced to the captain, to whom I presented the papers of the Home, and informed him, if he had men he wished taken care of we should be glad of them in London, or if he wanted men we should be happy to supply them. He exclaimed, 'A Home for Mohammedans in the Christian capital!' The fact interested him, which led me to ask him if he had a home for poor Christians in Constantinople, but he replied with a shrug of the shoulders. Having thus far interested him, I asked permission to visit the ship, which was given without hesitation; and Quadir was told to attend me as interpreter. Now the Lord had opened the way. The books and Scriptures were circulated by me all over the ship in a very short time. The officer who opposed my visit accepted the book of Psalms. What a pleasing sight it was! Seated on guns, coils of rope, and blocks of wood about the ship, were officers and men perusing Christian works. But they were not all supplied; and an invitation was given me to come again on Friday, as this would be their day of rest, and they would then be glad of another visit and more books; an invitation, I need scarcely say, that met with a suitable response on my part.

It would be a disgrace to the Christian people of Great Britain if so admirable an Institution were not well supported. And yet we find, that on the first day of the current year there remained in the hands of the Directors a balance of no more than 397. 8s.

dung sahigit THE TRIBES OF THE WHITE NILE, tioq bo THE Nile has

Victoria Nyanza sources in two great to

the

lakes, inland d seas, one th discovered by Captains Speke and Grant; the other the Albert Nyanza, discovered by Sir S. Baker. The first of these is on the

THE MURCHISON FALLS ON THE WHITE NILE.ort to abued October, 1867.

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higher level, being 3300 feet above the sea; the latter only 2720 feet. The Nile, rushing out of the Victoria by the Ripon Falls on the north shore, flows in a north-westerly direction, by a succession of rapids, until it reaches the Albert towards its northern extremity, where it is covered with a mass of vegetation, about three feet thick, and so tough and firm that a man can walk upon it, merely sinking above his ancles in the soft ooze. Beneath this scraw the water is extremely deep. The Nile enters the lake quite sluggishly, between banks of reed. In the channel, about half a mile wide, there is not at that point the slightest current perceptible. About eleven miles distant, however, from the lake, the channel contracts to about 250 yards, the reeds having been left behind, and the water becoming clear and deep. Soon a slight current is perceptible. As the stream is ascended, the channel grows narrower, the current increases, and the roar of a waterfall is heard. At this portion of the stream the crocodiles are numerous. On one sand-bank there were counted twentyseven of them, of large size, lying like logs of timber close together. The banks on either side had grown precipitous, rising to a height of 180 feet. "Upon rounding a corner a magnificent sight suddenly burst upon us. On either side the river were beautifully-wooded cliffs, rising abruptly to a height of about 300 feet; rocks were jutting out from the intensely green foliage; and rushing through a gap that cleft the rock before us, the river, contracted from a grand stream, was pent up in a narrow gorge of scarcely fifty yards in width: roaring furiously through the rockbound pass, it plunged in one leap of about 120 feet perpendicular into a dark abyss below.

"The fall of water was snow-white, which had a superb effect as it contrasted with the dark cliffs that walled the river, while the graceful palms of the tropics and the wild plantains perfected the beauty of the view. This was the greatest waterfall of the Nile, and in honour of the distinguished President of the Royal Geographical Society I named it the Murchison Falls, as the most important object through the entire course of the river.”

Above the falls, at some distance, lies the island of Patooan, about half a mile long by 150 yards wide. It is a mass of grey granite rock, from the clefts of which beautiful forest trees grow so thickly that the entire island is in shade. In the midst of this secluded spot lies a considerable village, thickly inhabited by refugees who had fled from the troubles of the mainland, and sought a refuge in the river islands.

It is remarkable that the tribes on the north side of the river, in the direction of Gondokoro, are far more degraded than those on the south side, so much that the river "appeared to be the limit of utter savagedom." This is easily explained: the countries to the north are harrassed by the razzias of Turkish slave-dealers. The atrocities of the WhiteNile traders are dreadful. The tribes are at variance between themselves, and plunder each the cattle of the other. A tribe, in order that it may prevail over another tribe, brings in the Turks as allies, and they come and plunder both. Side by side with the cattle razzias flourishes slavehunting, with its accompanying murders.”~

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To the south of the river the tribes are clothed, which is not the case northward. The improvement in this respect is marked. Not only are

they decent in their clothing, but they have their manufactures. Their blacksmiths are exceedingly clever. They have also their earthenware, They do not, like the more savage tribes, confine themselves to the use of the gourd, but, using it as their copy, make extremely pretty earthen bowls and bottles. "Their huts are very large, almost twenty feet in diameter, made entirely of reeds and straw, and very lofty, looking in the interior like large inverted baskets, beehive-shaped, very different to the dog-kennels of the more northern tribes." Speaking of Unyoro, the country immediately south of the river, Sir S. Baker observes-"They are particularly neat in all they do; they never bring any thing to sell unless carefully packed in the neatest parcels, generally formed of the bark of the plantain, and sometimes of the inner portions of reeds, stripped into snow-white stalks, which are bound round the parcels with the utmost care. The natives prepare the skins of goats very beautifully, making them as soft as chamois leather: these they cut into squares, and sow them together as neatly as would be effected by a European tailor, converting them into mantles, which are prized far more highly than bark-cloth, on account of their durability. They manufacture their own needles, not by boring the eye, but by sharpening the end into a fine point, and turning it over, the extremity being hammered into a small cut on the body of the needle, to prevent it from catching." The country is described as "thickly populated, and much cultivated with sesame, sweet potatoes, beans, Indian corn, and plantains," &c.

But amongst these southern tribes, although less degraded, there is no rest. Wars are continually occurring: murders are so frequent, that they cause no sensation: they are a matter of course.

The tribes of the White Nile are indeed in a pitiable state: it is a portion of the world where Christianity has never penetrated. When shall they have light

MISSIONARY WORK IN THE NIZAM'S TERRITORY. AND who is the Nizam, some readers of the "Gleaner" may be disposed to ask, and where are his territories His territories are in India, and in that portion of it which is called the Deccan. The Deccan is properly the peninsular portion of India, which is divided from the North-west Provinces and valley of the Ganges by the high tract known as the Vyndhya chain.

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The Nizam is the dynastic name given to a succession of princes, who, during the last 150 years, have ruled over a portion of the Deccan. The founder of the race, Nyam-ul-mulk, had been a minister of one of the Mogul emperors. When that kingdom fell into decay, the Nizam set up a kingdom for himself, and his descendants, now tributaries to the British Government, continue to exercise this kind of limited sovereignty to the present day..

Aurungabad is one of the cities in the Nizam's territories. It is situated near the north-western frontier, where it touches the Bombay Presidency. The river Doodna, a tribute of the Godavery, flows past the town. As the traveller approaches from the east, the view is pleasing,

trees being interspersed among the houses, and a tall mausoleum rearing its dome and minarets above the other buildings. This structure, resembling in some measure the famous Taj Mahal of Agra, although greatly its inferior, was built by Aurungzebe, to receive, it is said, "the remains of a favourite daughter. The town is supposed to contain some 60,000 inhabitants."

Here we have a Missionary stationed. His principal work is among some villages, at various distances from Aurungabad, where a spirit of inquiry has shown itself, and some few converts have been gathered lin. It is as yet but a day of small things; but it is the first movement in favour of Christianity which has shown itself in this part of India, where millions of people have long been sitting in darkness, and in the shadow of death. Small beginnings, if carefully tended, with God's blessing on the means used, not unfrequently lead to great results. At any rate it is our duty to do the best we can with them, for it may be truly said, that he who despises a little opportunity is unworthy of having a great one placed before him..

At

One of these villages is called Budnapur, twenty-eight miles east of Aurungabad, where, including children, there are sixty-one baptized persons. Another village, Ambelohol, lies twelve miles to the west of Aurungabad, and here there are twenty-four baptized persons. Valoonj, and the villages in its vicinity, lying south and south-east of Aurungabad, there are thirty-three baptized persons; and at Saigaum, eight miles from Budnapur, there is a recently gathered congregation of twenty-three baptized persons.

The classes of people from whom the converts have been gathered are the Mhars and Mangs..

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There are to be found dispersed, throughout India, and more especially in the forests and mountains of the country, fragments of aboriginal tribes, who have never been proselyted to Brahminism, or, at least, have been only partially so. The condition of these tribes ought not to be a matter of indifference to us, for, as has been urged by an eloquent writer, "whatever tends to render our acquaintance with any portion of our species more accurate and profound, is an accession to the most valuable part of our knowledge."

In the Bombay Presidency, and adjoining it, are to be found, of such tribes, the Waralis, Katodis, Nayakadias, Kolis, Bhils, the Mahars or Parwaris, the Mangs, &c.

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Connected with all the villages and towns of the Maratha country, but generally residing outside the walls, are to be found families of Mahars. They are the attendants of the Patel, or headman of the village; they are the messengers of the township; they wait on strangers, and clean the Cheewari, or place of public meeting, and perform many other menial offices.

In return for these services certain fields are given them to cultivate, and, claiming all dead cattle as their perquisites, they eat the carcases, even of the cow and buffalo, when not much injured by disease. They are a stronger and taller people than the Marattas, but not so cleanly in their persons. In some respects they resemble the Pariars of South India, and although not so degraded, yet do they turn aside on the