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by threatening to tie my arms, but finding || and I rose to go towards it. But Oh,

who can describe my sensations! shackled like a common felon, in the care of hangmen, the offscouring of the country, turned like a dog into his kennel, my

me ready to submit to any thing, they betrayed their want of any warrant to use me roughly; and changing their line of conduct, immediately began to treat me uncommonly well, and actually car-wife, my dear family, left to suffer alone ried an umbrella over me to guard me from the rain, all the way to the government house. Arrived here, the great man said I was called for to be asked some

questions he supposed; the real cause he knew not, but we must repair to the Court House.

Put in irons and imprisoned.

Hand in hand we proceeded to the Yong dau or Court House, where I was delivered over to the Ava town clerk, and heard the laconic order, "P. and J. catch, and put in prison." My heart sunk at the appaling words-still they seemed repeated; again and again I repeated them to myself, till the town clerk roused me from my reverie, by diving into my pockets, and securing every thing moveable, about me. The head executioner now received a wink, which authorized him to seize me rather rudely by the shoulder, and caused me to descend without the trouble of seeking the stairs. I was now led at a quick pace across the street, ushered into a small erowded compound or yard, and ordered to sit. I made towards a bench, but was pushed off it. I then seated myself

For

on a small stone slab, which I soon found
was meant for another purpose.
while undergoing an examination as to
my name, place of abode, occupation,
&c. a man with his hands full of irons,
came forward and rudely shoving me off
the stone, seized one of my legs, and be-
gan knocking on one pair of fetters after
another, until I thought he was never
going to stop.

all the rudeness such wretches are capable of. The worst however was yet to come; for making the best of my way up the high step, I was ushered into the grand apartment; horror of horrors, what a sight! never to my dying day shall I forget the scene ;—a dim lamp in the midst, just making darkness visible, and discovering to my horrified gaze, 60 or 70 wretched objects, some in long rows made fast in the stocks, some strung on poles, some simply fettered; but all sensible of a new accession of misery, in the approach of a new prisoner. Stupified, I stopped to gaze till goaded on; I proceeded towards the further end, when I again halted. A new and unexpected sight met my eyes. Till now I had been kept in ignorance of the fate of my companions; a long row of white objects, stretched on the floor in a most crowded situation, revealed to me however, but too well their sad case, and I was again urged forward. Poor old R. wishing to retain the end of the bamboo, made way for me to be placed along side of Mr. J. "We all hoped you would have escaped, you were so long coming," was the first friendly salutation I had yet received; but alas, it was made by friends whose sympathy was now unavailing.

Here side by side we were allowed the only gratification left, of condoling (in the Burman language) with each oth

er.

"Now you are arrived and our number is complete; I suppose they will proceed to murder us," was the first thing suggested, and no one could say it was My heart now died within me. I look- improbable. To prepare for a violent ed around, all was gloomy and dark and death, for immediate execution, was our silent, except the dull clanking of chains. consequent resolution. And now we beFour or five young women in a like pre-gan to feel our strength, our strong hold, dicament, manifested some pity, but all our deliverer, in this dark abode of miselse was savage unfeeling complacency.ery and despair. He who has said, I My three chains were no sooner well will never leave you nor forsake you, -fastened on, than I was ordered roughly manifested his gracious presence; a calm to go in. A little bamboo door opened, sweet peace succeeded to our hurried

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minds, and alternate prayer and repeating || most, to find ourselves again on our feet,

of hymns, soon brought our minds to a state of comparative gladness and joy. We became lifted above our persecutors; and the hymn containing the words,

Let men of spite against me join,

They are the sword, the hand is thine;

to be able to move our limbs, shackled as they were. Ye who ride for pleasure, believe me when I assert, you never enjoyed an hour worthy to be compared with these few minutes; and then to get out into the fresh air! the rain, the mud, we heeded not, our enjoyment was pure; but, alas! like all things here below, soon to cease. Again we were turned in, and notwithstanding our remonstrances, again obliged to take our station as before. The arrival of our breakfast afforded another short interval of relief; but we were not allowed to communicate with our people who brought it, and hence, still kept ignorant of the situation of our dear families; our appetites being not very keen, were soon satisfied; and our dishes sent away, we relapsed into our former reflection, What is to be done with us? The night was inconvenient to have us executed; no doubt the day will be fixed on for the purpose. Every thing around us was alarming-we were in the worst prison, in the worst part of it, and the most rigorously treated. Our crime too admitted of no advocate, the populace even seemed to join in cursing

us.

was peculiarly applicable and refreshing. Now ye, scoffers, say what you will, here is a triumph you cannot attain. Religion! Oh, the sweets of religious communion with God! Let them now, even now come, we said, "we are prepared for the worst you can do; you cannot deprive us of our hope in God, our sweet peace of mind." Thus we whiled away the hours of that night. Nature shuddered, but the soul was unshaken; our confidence was in the Rock of ages. We were not left, however, without many a pang; for ever and anon the situation of our dear families, presented itself to us, and the thought of what they might even now be suffering on our account, and in their own persons, was like racks and tortures to our hearts. Still we reflected, they too are in the hands of a merciful God; they too may be now enjoying a portion of that support which we ourselves feel, and we concluded to commit them to his Almighty keeping, and our minds were much relieved. The night was rainy, and we were much incommoded by the circumstance; the stench of the place was almost intolerable; we had no bed but the greasy filthy floor of our prison; and unable to move our bodies for the bamboo, which passed between our legs, our situation became exceeding ingly distressing, when at length the morning dawned upon our sleepless eyes. For a long time we were doubtful of the day light The rain continued to descend in torrents, and no window or door was there to the room. At length the bamboo wicket was opened, and a figure approached us of a most terrific appearance, and a horrid countenance. He jocularly saluted us, hoped we had slept well, and in reply to our repeated requests, said he would order us to be let out for 5 minutes. He was as good as his word. And now commences the history of our luxuries. First and fore-applied with a proper present to procure

Among our fellow-prisoners, few sympathized with us, and it was the invariable custom of the country, that such as we should not be permitted to live. Many groans were uttered, and many tears shed, before this weary day passed off. Poor old --thought it a very hard case he should have served the king of Burmah 40 years, and be rewarded thus at last.

Mr. J., Mr. G., and myself, spent the day in as composed a frame as could be expected, considering our noisy company, want of rest, and uneasy situation. The night passed off tolerably well; tired nature's sweet restorer, cast in over us the mantle of a temporary oblivion.

Mitigation of Sufferings offered for
Money.

The next morning, Mr. J. was called out early by some man of consequence, who wanted to know if he meant to stay inside forever; asked why he had not

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what the threats of the others could not and to relieve her people, Mrs. J. opened a wicket and threw out to them six or seven handkerchiefs, on which they desisted from further violence; keeping up nevertheless a most deafening noise the whole night. In the morning the head of the district came to see her; to whom she complained of the conduct of his people. On which he reprimanded them severely, ordered them to give back the handkerchiefs, and in a day or two re moved them entirely from the house : when Mrs. J. was left quite at liberty to go where she chose; of which liberty we often, very often reaped the benefit; for although her house was full 2 miles off, she almost daily walked this distance to alleviate our miseries and complain to the proper authority when the under

the liberty of the yard? Which would
have saved him the trouble of calling at
this time to offer him the choice of pay-
ing 300 ticals, (400 S. R.) or of being
still more rigorously treated. Mr. J. told
him it was an exorbitant demand; that
he was a priest, and ought not to be
compelled to pay money at all. On
which the man, who proved to be the
town clerk, assumed an air of high au-
thority; said he would go down to his
house and see for himself whether he
had the ability of paying or not; or-
dered him immediately to give in a true
account of all his effects, and by no
means to leave out an article; at the
same time using very abusive and threat-
ening language. This unauthorized
conduct excited the indignation of a wo
man present, (Ma Cathai) who sharply
interposed, and the examination was stop-strappers used us ill.
ped. I was then called out, and the same
demand was repealed, to which I made the
same reply. Highly exasperated, he called
for the old jailer, and ordered me back to
be more tightly kept (kyat kyat 'tah.) Mr.
J. was also ordered in, and a hint given
that if 100 apiece were given, we should
be let out of the close room. Mr. G.
and Mr. R. were let out this morning on
the payment of about 400.

Interview of Mr. and Mrs. Judson in

Prison.

Just after breakfast a meeting took place between Mr. and Mrs. J. of such a nature as to affect even to sobbing our hardened keeper who was also a fellow prisoner. We were now informed for the first time, that immediately after Mr. J.'s departure, the house was surrounded with guards, every thing in the yard broken or destroyed, or carried away, and at length she was obliged to suspect them of intending the same thing in the house. She accordingly retired within, and having fastened all the doors remained quietly to wait the event. Soon the demons appeared at the door, and ordered it to be opened, threatening to break it down. But not obtaining their purpose, they seized on the cook and consumer, tied them by the feet, and hoisted them towards the ceiling. The cries of these poor wretches effected

Mitigation of Sufferings.

On the day she first visited the prison, we had a most grateful proof of her assistance; for so soon as she witnessed the scene of our sufferings, she rested not until she had procured on the same day, the enlargement of us both. The day following, Prince Tharawottee sent and ordered the enlargement of Capt. L. The remaining two were relieved the next day, no money being obtained from them.

Being all seven now placed in a comfortable room by ourselves, we began to take that enjoyment, which so great a change in our circumstances was calcu lated to produce. Mr. G. even proposed sending for chairs, and tables, &c. that we might have every thing in as good style as possible.

Torture of a Criminal.

While we were quietly consulting on these matters, a crowd of people thronged into the prison, bringing a man who was accused of robbing jewels to a very high amount. He was confronted by the accuser, a woman who affirmed him to be the man who had put a dagger to her throat, and prevented her crying out for aid.

Refusing to confess, his torture commenced, to which we were obliged to be unwilling spectators, for besides

a sight, we only anticipated in every contortion and groan of the unhappy man, the state we might soon be in. He was first jirked suddenly by the hair of the head, from the floor of the hall, and landed on the ground; next his hands were tied very tight behind him, and drawn up to a high pole, so as almost to dislocate the shoulder. Last of all, his knees were bound fast together, and two handspikes put in the figure of the letter X between his thighs, when with an immense advantage of power, the two levers were brought, each to a perpendicular, like the letter H, the hip joints almost or quite dislocated; and the wretched sufferer uttering a horrid shriek, fainted away. After using means to recover him, he || was ordered into five pair of fetters, as an incorrigible culprit, and turned into the prison.

that we were all naturally averse to such || put us to death to day, along with the new prisoner? The latter seemed the most probable, and our minds were again filled with unspeakable anxiety, and sleep departed from our eyes. At 8 A. M. the town clerk came in and informed Mr. that the king had sent to inquire after his watch. He said it was at his house" and the key of his strong box?" it was also at home. Now said Mr. —, I am sure they will kill me on account of my property. I shall never survive this day. He became much agitated, requested me to pray with him once more, which I did, with many tears. He then gave me particular messages to be delivered, if ever I escaped to his surviving friends. "O, tell them above all," said he, "that I die in faith and hope, Christ is my portion, my Saviour, I die happy?" My heart was ready to burst. I promised nevertheless every thing that was required, little hoping however, that I should ever live to deliver them; and reminded by the very circumstance of the reason I had myself of making the samepreparation.

Arrival of a strange Prisoner.

On Saturday evening June 12th, we were informed that Rangoon was surrounded by the Burman troops, and that they were only waiting orders, whether to catch the white men alive, or kill them at once-also we were told for our satisfaction, that some great man, a general, perhaps, or more likely the king himself, had been taken prisoner, and was nearly arrived at Ava. Each began to imagine the probability that he should be forced to behold in the new

made prisoner, some bosom friend. It may be Mr. H. or Mr. W. it may be Mr. S. or Mr. A. or Mr. T.; there was no end to our fruitless conjectures. At length the celebrated prisoner arrives about 12 at night, each of us looking out on the rack of intense curiosity; but he was brought in covered with a cloak, and no one could satisfy his mind on the interesting particular. At 3 o'clock, A. M. an order came to put us all inside again. Oh what a prospect now presented itself," that no faith should be kept with heretics" Was this the cause of our being put again inside, when they had promised us the outside, and taken an enormous sum of money from us on this express condition? Or were they about to

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cause.

village 10 miles below Calcutta, there
reside several fishermen, who on their
way to their fishing ground down the
river, have frequently called at a Chris-new and redoubled diligence.
tian place of worship. The consequence
is, that they have renounced idolatry ||
and embraced Christianity, and the
whole village is in a state of commotion,
and the current of feeling is quite in favour
of the gospel. The people have already
torn their idol from its temple, and pre-
sented it to Rev. Mr. Trawin; and they
are about tearing down the temple, with
the intention of erecting a Christian
chapel of its materials on or near the
same spot.

All these things look encouraging, and it appears to me, we have much cause to engage in our work with

Brother Wade and myself with our beloved companions expect to leave Calcutta in six or eight weeks, to join brother Judson. As Rangoon is not retained by the British, we do not think it best to re-commence the work there, but rather to settle in some of the towns which are, by treaty, ceded to the English. New Martaban is the place where we shall most probably settle, and we expect the Burmans will resort thither in great numbers to avoid the heavy taxes which his Burman Majesty will impose on account of the late war. The members of the Church in Rangoon are collecting togeth⚫ er, and will probably go with us.

We have also heard that in the district of Palamcottah, near Cape Comorin, two Church Missionaries have|| been greatly blest in their labours, so that in the course of the last two years, eleven hundred families have renounced || idolatry and embraced Christianity. Not all these persons have been actually converted; but many of them have been, if we may judge from the firmness and constancy with which they have endured persecution and imprisonment on account of their new religion. Even women have visited the prisons where their husbands were confined, to per-riod. suade them to fidelity in the service of their new master.

We need much divine direction. We consider the present an important crisis in the affairs of the mission. If we go to New Martaban, we can doubtless have as many schools as our wives can superintend. The minds of the people in America, we are persuaded, are strongly in favour of Female Schools, and we have every reason to expect that they will devise liberal things at this interesting pe

We have great reason to be thankful for the health we enjoy. We long to proceed to Burmah and engage in the de

The Baptist Church in Circular Road is also in a very flourishing state. Thir-lightful work before us We hope God's teen young men have been baptized there strength will be made perfect in our since Mr. Lawson's death in October weakness. last, and several other persons are desirous of being baptized. Some others are under deep convictions of sin, and the members of the Church are remarkably united and engaged in their Master's

Mrs. B. unites in most affectionate regards to yourself, Mrs. J. and family, Mr. and Mrs. F., Mr. and Mrs. B.

Yours in the gospel of Christ,
GEO. D. BOARDMAN.

POETRY.

The following Lines were written before the recent intelligence from the Missiona ries in Burmah.

Prayer for the Deliverance of the Missionaries at Ava

REMEMBER, Lord, thy servants dear,
Who for thy sake have suffer'd loss
On Burmah's distant shores, to rear
The sacred standard of the cross.

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