"Mary and I did not see Mr. Faye again before dinner-time (we dined at two o'clock), but he seemed to feel much better then, and he talked a great deal while we were at dinner, and afterwards when we were out. For he went into the garden with us, and we also took the short walk through the village and back by the fields. I asked a few questions about that part of the country where he lives, not far from Lake Michigan, (first indeed I asked where he lived, as Mrs. Darwell did not mention the place), and then he told us a great deal, describing the different places where he had lived, and the wide tracts of country he has travelled through as a missionary amongst the scattered settlers. What he told us then was chiefly about the country itself—the wonder. ful differences of scenery in different parts, and the effects of the great changes of climate they have-almost a tropical summer sometimes, and an arctic winter, and the beautiful autumn, (the "Indian summer") between, of which he said such a day as yesterday a little reminded him. He has travelled a great deal over the prairies, and spoke of the great varieties of beautiful wild flowers in some parts of the prairie state of Illinois. This re minded me of what we have read of the Russian Steppes, which the prairies must resemble a good deal. He described one of the terrific thunder storms they have, which overtook him once when he was alone in one of these great plains, miles from any shelter, and when he felt himself to be in the greatest danger. And then the wonderful contrast between these plains and the deep solemn shades of the forest, or the dismal swamps, which have to be crossed sometimes by only a narrow courseway,

"I thought how small every thing must look in Eng. land after scenes like these, and yet, oh! how much rather (if one might choose) one would live amongst these quiet, smiling English scenes that look so full of homes! And still more I thought so in the evening, when I heard all that Mr. Faye said in talking to Mr. and Mrs. Clifford. He told them a great deal about the sad state of things in the far west, as to religion and the Church-the number of emigrants constantly pouring in is so great, and the number of clergymen so small.

Sometimes the clergymen have such a wide district to travel over, that they can only visit the same people two or three times in a year. He told us of some of his visits where he had been welcomed with tears of joy, and of families sometimes met with, where the Prayerbook had been constantly used, and the principles of the Church remembered, though there had never been an opportunity even of having the children baptised. And then, when the services of the Church could at last be performed in such places (sometimes, perhaps, in little log cabins, or sometimes in beautiful spots out of doors, reminding one of that poem, you know, by Mr. Cleveland Coxe), there were scenes such as repaid the clergyman for all the toil and hardship he often had to gothrough, only it was so sad to have to leave the people again without any help, and in the midst, often, of the wildest sort of error, such as we have no idea of in England. (What a long sentence I have made of this!) Mr. Clifford said it almost made him wish to go out to those parts, and Mr. Faye said he wished he would.

"Their great hope for a supply of clergymen seems to be in the College in Illinois, and this has already been the means of very great good. Mr. Faye says they hope soon to have a Bishop in Iowa-"wild lowa's woods." I liked to hear the names mentioned, that are in Mr. Coxe's "Western Missions." But besides all this, there was a good deal of very amusing talk about the country and the people, and about the way in which the Americans and English often laugh at each other, and seem to dislike each other, and yet are almost always such very good friends when they actually meet.

"There are certainly some differences, such as one can see even in a day, between American and English manners, but I should think that really good and welleducated Americans would not be wanting in any essential part of good manners, so that one ought not to mind little differences. I thought too, of yesterday itself, and how we ought to feel bound together when we remembered that one communion and fellowship;' and then Mr. Clifford spoke of that very thing, and said what I liked so much hear to about it, and Mr. Faye looked

as if he felt it almost too much to speak what he thought.

"Mr. and Mrs. Clifford stayed till nearly nine.

"Little Walter was in the room a short time after tea, and was very good, though too shy quite to make friends with Mr. Faye, who said he was just the age of his youngest child. He has five children. When we had prayers, I thought it was so pleasant to hear Mr. Faye read the beautiful evening lesson, and then the collect, especially after what had been said about it before.

"He was obliged to go away by the eight o'clock train this morning, as he had an engagement in London; so that we had prayers and breakfast very early. I always think it is a treat to have breakfast by candle-light-which was necessary, though it was a beautiful November morning, and the moon was still bright.

But

About ten minutes before Mr. Faye set off, papa came home, and I was so glad that he did come in time to see him, though they had only those few minutes. papa begged him to come again as soon as he could, and to make our house his home and resting-place as long as he can, and he seemed very willing to promise to do so. He said he had had a very happy day here, and I was so glad that he thought it so. It was so very happy to

us.

"There are many more things that I should have liked to tell you, but I must not make this letter any longer, I think. I did not write all this at once, but am writing on Thursday morning, after Mary and I have finished our lessons. Mary enjoyed the day yesterday, I think, just as much as I did.

now,

"We are so glad that you will soon, we hope, be at home again, and that aunt Emily is coming with you. We send our kindest love to her and to you, and I am, dear mamma, your most affectionate daughter,

"FLORA DOUGLAS."

"Mary has just asked me if I have told you that Mr. Faye had often seen both wolves and rattlesnakes."

419

A JOURNEY ON LAKE ERIE,

THE following passages are from an account of a long and dangerous journey in winter, taken by Bishop Chase in his first going to Ohio. He was accompanied part of the way by a gentleman, with whom he accidentally met. After a perilous drive in the dark, in a sleigh, over part of Lake Erie, where the ice was covered with deep water, the travellers stopped for the night at a log cabin. "The next morning was cold but clear; no wind, and the day promised to be mild and pleasant. A large, good-travelling horse was put before a one-horse sleigh, large enough to accommodate two and the driver. It was sunrise ere we set off. In getting out on to the lake, we had to pass between several mounds of ice, and sometimes to climb over large cakes which had been thrown up together by the force of the winds and waves. But the driver knew the way, and our horse was rough-shod, and the sleigh was strong and well-built. The scene before us as we came out from among the mounds of ice, was exceedingly brilliant and even sublime. Before us was a level expanse of glassy ice, between two ranges of ice mountains, all stretching parallel with the lake-shore, and with one another, till they were lost in the distance. On this expanse, and on these mountains, and on the icicles which hung in vast quantities and in an infinite variety of shapes, from the rocky, lofty, and sharp-angled shore on the left, the rising sun was pouring his beams. Light and shade were so distinct, brilliancy and darkness were in such proximity and yet so blended, as to produce an effect of admiration and praise to the great Creator, never before experienced.

"What added to the adoring gratitude to God, for having made all things with such consummate skill and splendour, was what appeared as we rode along between these mountains of ice, manifesting God's providential goodness, which went hand in hand with His power and wisdom. The bald-headed eagles sat on these mountains of ice, each with a fish in his elaw, fresh and clean, as if just taken from the limpid lake. 'What noble birds! How delicious their repast! Whence do they obtain these fish at this inclement season?' said the writer. They get them,' said the driver, from the top of the ice. These were thrown up and deposited by the winds and waves, in the storms of last winter, and being immediately frozen, have been kept till this spring, when the sun thaws them out for the eagles and ravens, who at this season have nothing else to feed on.""

"As the driver told this simple story of the fish, and the storms, and the eagles, how clearly appeared the providential goodness of God! And will not He who feedeth the eagles and the ravens which He hath made to depend on His goodness, feed, and support and bless, a poor, defenceless, solitary missionary, who goeth forth, depending on His mercy, to preach His holy word, and to build up His Church in the wilderness?' There was an answer of faith to this question, more consoling than if the wealth of the Indies had been laid at his feet." As the travellers advanced farther, they found that the ice was giving way, and becoming very unsafe in consequence of the wide cracks which continually appeared in it.

"The cracks in the ice became more and more visible, and continued to increase in width, as we drove rapidly along. Nothing, however, was said. The horses having trotted without injury over the small cracks, became soon accustomed to leap over the wide ones; but none were so wide as to let in the runing lengthwise, and we blessed God silently, though heartily, for every successful leap. At length the