Some years ago, when travelling in In- meant, his respects to me. I was thinking dia, I had occasion to descend the Ganges how the old beggar could be satisfied, when for several hundred miles, during the rainy I heard, from the other side of the building, season, when the river is very high, the moans as of a person in great pain. I went to current strong and rapid, and a boat goes the spot, and saw, extended on the cold hard a great many miles in a day. earthen floor, with no covering of any kind, a young man of apparently 18 or 19 years of age, of very interesting appearance.

even a cup of cold water, or to speak one word of sympathy or kindness.

I sailed in a boat called a Budgerow, and drew near the station to which I was going; when, early one morning, the wea- His sufferings seemed very great; death ther became suddenly very stormy. The was evidently approaching; but here, my waves rose like waves of the sea, and the dear young friends, was no soft pillow bebudgerow was tossed about with great vio-neath the head-no kind friend near to give lence. I had little confidence in the skill of the boatman, (or mangy, as he is called,) and I sent for him to beg he would anchor, (or lagon,) as soon as he could. He said he feared he could not do it, but he would try; at the same time, I perceived he would rather proceed in spite of the storm. The result proved it would have been our best plan to have gone forward.

When you are sick, dear children, you have kind friends to watch and tend you, and a soft pillow on which to rest your head; but ah! how different was it with this dying heathen?

I stooped down and spoke kindly to him. I inquired about his sickness, and in what After a good deal of difficulty, however, way I could best serve him. He was too we got to the bank of the river, and, as it ill to reply. He gazed earnestly at me, was still early, when the sun is not dan-but answered only by his piteous moans. gerous to Europeans, I went with my little As I stood considering what I ought to do, baby and servants, to take a walk by the the chowdrie of a neighbouring village river side. came up, with his attendants. From him I had gone only a short way, when II learned that the poor sufferer was a saw, on a rising ground, near the road, the ruins of a heathen temple, and curiosity directed my steps towards it.

bearer, who had fallen sick by the way, and been left here to die. The chowdrie added, that having no pice, (money) the The roof remained, but the sides of the young man was dying as much from want building was falling to decay, so that it as from disease. I well knew, however, could be but a poor shelter from wind or from the dishonesty of the natives, that if rain, and I did not suppose any one could he had any money when left where he was, live in such a wretched place. As I it must have been stolen, as he was too ill came up, however, I saw something move to offer any resistance; and as any money within, which I soon discovered to be the I might give would just be stolen whenever figure of an old fakeer-a religious beg-I left him, I wished to help him now. I gar, covered with some dirty tattered pieces of blanket.

On seeing me, he rose up and began to beg very importunately. I can fancy I still see the old shrivelled creature, and hear the shrill peevish voice calling to me in Hindostanee, "Bu bu sahib salam't kurra. Bu bu sahib salam kurra," which

asked if he would eat food prepared by my servants, and was told he would, being too near death to care about losing caste.

Before returning, however, to the budgerow for some rice and a bowl of tea for the sufferer, I bargained with the old fakeer for some of his blanket, to put below the young man, agreeing to pay him for it.

With the help of the servants I got this ting too powerful to stay longer with safedone, and made him rather more comfort- ty, and there I expected to get time and able than I found him. quiet to make arrangements for his reI hastened to prepare the food, and re-moval. I found my mangy, with the rest turned with as little delay as possible. of the boatmen, in great alarm. The budJudge of my surprise and indignation as I gerou, owing to her being brought to the ascended the eminence to see the old fa- bank, had sprung a leak, and was rapidly keer dragging away the picce of blanket filling with water. My luggage and furnifrom under the helpless and unresisting ture had to be removed immediately no sufferer; at the same time, in harsh and shore, and I had to take shelter in a shed bitter terms, scolding him as if he had in- by the river side, till I could procure bearjured him very much indeed! I suppose ers to carry me dak, (as it is called,) the the fakeer had thought I would not return, rest of my journey. for he seemed confounded when I came up The young man was carried on board and found him in the very act of torturing of the servants' boat, and, had he lived to the agonized body of his dying countryman. reach the station, I would have done all Ife instantly quitted his hold of the pitiful that lay in my power to alleviate his sufferrags, and began to beg again with his pre-ings. But, alas! my help came too late. tended respect. "Bu bu sahib! Salamit Ere the boat reached the station his spirit kurro!" and so on; but I assured him he had returned to God who gave it; and ah! had forfeited all claim on my charity and my young friends, dreary as were his dying compassion. I would not now buy the hours, hard as was his dying bed-darker, blanket from him, as I was sure, although and more dreary was the state of his poor I paid him for it, as soon as I was gone, he soul; and harder the bondage of sin under would take it back again. which Satan had held him. He was unkindly treated by his fellow countrymen ; but had he and they exchanged places, they would have just been treated so by himfor, alas! the tender mercies of the heathen A. A. C.

I determined, on having the poor young man, if possible, removed to my servants', or cooking boat, and brought down to the station to get medical advice. I had now to return to the boat, as the sun was get-arc cruel.

THE FRENCII CANADIANS.-No. II.
TO THE SABBATU SCHOLARS OF GREAT BRITAIN.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-As I mentioned before, Canada was at first a French colony. The person who discovered it was named Jacques Cartier. If you take the map of the world upon Mercator's projection, you will be able to trace his route. Setting out from the north coast of France in the spring of 1534, he sailed westerly till he came to the island of Newfoundland, where he arrived on the 10th of May, and as soon as the ice was melted, he sailed through the straits of Belisle, and across the gulf,

till he came to land and a bay, which he named Baic Des Chaleurs, or the Bay of Heat. After having sailed westerly to Gaspé' Bay, he landed and took possession of the country in the name of the king of France, who had fitted out the two ships which he commanded. Soon after this he returned to France, but came back next year, and because he arrived on St Lawrence day, he gave the name of St Lawrence to the gulf and river. If you will now look at the map in your last paper, his

route up this mighty stream will be traced. were then at the height of their power, Sailing between the Labrador Coast and established missions in different parts of the barren island of Anticosti, which has the country among the Indians, and showed since proved the last resting place of many a great zeal to convert them to Romanism. a shipwrecked sailor, he came to the mouth The Jesuits as well as the St Sulpiciens, of the Saguenay, which, although only a another order of priests, received large tributary river of the St Lawrence, can be tracts of land from the French governsailed up for sixty miles by the largest shipment to enable them to carry on their that can be made to float. Early in Sep- work of converting the Indians; but the tember 1535, he arrived at Stadacona, the wars and the same brandy that the French residence of Prince Donacona, and near are forcing on the people of Tahiti, togewhere Quebec is now built, and was hos- ther with the absence of that renovating pitably entertained by the natives. Hav-influence of the truth upon the heart ing secured his ships for the winter, Cartier sailed up the river in boats about 180 miles to Hochelaga, the site of the present city of Montreal. Here he was received by about 1000 of the natives, male and female, bringing presents, singing and dancing, and making every signs of joy.

which Popery is unable to bestow, left the
labours of the Romish church among the
savage tribes without fruit to the glory of
God. In 1638 a convent of nuns was es-
tablished at Quebec by a lady of high rank,
and many others distinguished for their
birth, with self-denial raroly shown by
those who, with a purer faith, ought to
surpass them,-devoted themselves to the
instruction of the settlers and the natives.
I do not mean, however, to go more intò
detail, but will conclude this sketch of the

the conduct of the successors of Champlain in the government of Canada, till its conquest in 1795, was in general base and tyrannical, and that the colony was almost continually in a state of warfare with the Indians, or with the English settlers, who inhabited the country now forming part of United States.

During winter twenty-five of Cartier's men died of scurvy, and in spring the ships returned to France. He again came back in 1540, and the country was from time to time visited, but no permanent settlement took place till about seventy years after-early history of Canada by remarking, that wards, when Champlain, in the year 1608, founded a settlement where Quebec now stands. Champlain obtained a commission from the French government, as lieutenant of New France, (by which Canada was then known,) and the country began to assume the appearance of a regular colony. Unhappily Champlain and his successors interfered in the wars of the Indian tribes, and brought upon the French settlers the vengeance of the Iroquois and other tribes, which, during a period of sixty years, that war continued without interruption between them, led to the perpetration of many deeds of horrid cruelty on both sides. In this the French found the truth of the Saviour's declaration, that "all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."

In 1615 four Recollet priests arrived in Quebec, and soon after the Jesuits, who

There is no question that the temporal condition of the French inhabitants was greatly bettered by their becoming British subjects, for the experience of history shews the French to be bad colonizers ; and as to the spiritual advantages of the conquest, let us labour and pray that these may be abundantly secured to them. They were recently in a state of rebellion; let us teach them to "fear God," and they will then "honour the king."

In my next letter I purpose giving you some account of the country, with the state

and manners of the people. I would only | for their success; and if any of you wish remark, that the committee of the French to aid the Society, your and my much Canadian Missionary Society are endea- valued friend, the Rev. C. H. Bateman, vouring to erect a Normal School to train up will take charge of your contributions. one hundred youth, and I hope you will pray Montreal. J. C.

THE ONE LEAF.

parts of the deserts are white with the parched bones of those that have thus been left to die.

IN the East and in Africa, as you have no doubt often heard and read, people frequently travel in large companies across sandy deserts and dangerous parts of the There was once such a caravan crossing, country, that they may have the advantage I think, to the north of India, and numof each other's help in case of difficulty, bering in its company a godly and devoted and each other's protection in case of an Missionary. As it passed along, a poor old attack from robbers. Such great com- man was overcome by the heat and labours panies, consisting sometimes of thousands of the journey, and, sinking down, was left of persons, accompanied with many camels, to perish on the road. The Missionary and horses, and mules, pass across the saw him, and kneeling down at his side, deserts of Africa and the deserts of Arabia, when the rest had passed along, whispered and many districts towards Persia, and the into his ear, "Brother! what is your hope?" north of India. These companies are called The dying pilgrim raised himself a little caravans, and consist frequently almost to reply, and with great effort succeeded in entirely of religious pilgrims going up to answering,-" The blood of Jesus Christ some noted place, as Mecca, where Maho- cleanseth from all sin!" and immediately met is said to be buried, or of merchants expired with the effort. The Missionary and travellers who are journeying either for was greatly astonished at the answer, and, business, or health, or pleasure. Others, also, in the calm and peaceful appearance of the often join them, and were you and I going man, he felt assured he had died in Christ. in the line of one of these caravans, it would" How, or where," he thought, "could this be our best way, if we wished to travel man, seemingly a heathen, have got this safely, to join ourselves to it, and travel hope?" and as he thought of it, he observed in its company. Sometimes in this way, a piece of paper grasped tightly in the hand good and holy men may be found in these of the corpse, which he succeeded in getting caravans, a true Christian, a Missionary, out. What do you think was his surprise and perhaps, or some humble but devoted saint. delight, when he found it was a single leaf As the countries through which these of the Bible, containing the first chapter caravans pass are generally very hot, of the first epistle of John, in which these it often happens that persons connected words occur. On that page the man had with them become exhausted by the way found the gospel. Perhaps he had heard and faint. If these persons are very old and some Missionary preach, and from him had very poor, and if the caravan would be in- learned who Jesus was, and what he had volved in danger by staying at all to attend done to save him, but of that we do not to them, they are often left behind upon know. All we know is, that he knew that the sandy waste there to perish alone and which saved his soul, and that which gave unbefriended, and become the prey of the him peace in death. vulture and the jackal. Indeed, some

Dear children, has Jesus' blood cleansed

you from sin? Can you look to death, plete, entire; many, many leaves, every one and feel that it has lost its terrors, because of which is filled with truths about youryour soul is cleansed from sin, and Jesus' self, a sinner, or Jesus Christ, a Saviour. blood is pleading with Jehovah? If not, Let me then send you to that Bible, and how will this poor man, with his one leaf, from that Bible to that precious blood, that rise up in judgment against you? You all your sins may be for ever washed away, have not one leaf, but a Bible-full, com- and your soul for ever saved.

YOUR OWN CHAPTER.
WHAT BECAME OF NOAH'S CARPENTERS ?

66

1. They were not in the ark. That is clear from Gen. vii. 7, where we are told, Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him ;" and from 1 Peter iii. 20, where the number is exactly given, "Wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." Here you see were none of the carpenters.

"NOAH's Carpenters!" You say, "Who were Noah's carpenters ?" Let us see. You have read about Noah and the flood, that swept the ungodly away in his time, and the ark by which he escaped, and was borne up so safely above the floods. That ark took 120 years to build, and was by far the largest vessel that ever floated on the waters. You have read or seen some 2. They were not nicely housed in some of our line-of-battle ships, capable of carry- cave where the waters could not come, nor ing above 1000 men, with 100 pieces of safely placed on the summit of some hill cannon, and stores for six months' voyage. which the waters did not reach. For we Noah's ark was nearly twenty times as big, are told again that none were so protected; and could have carried 20,000 men and" And the waters prevailed exceedingly 1800 cannon. Many trees must have been cut down to build it, and many hands, besides Noah's, engaged in putting it together. Very likely the people often laughed at Noah for building such a vessel on dry ground, when it was clear there was no means of floating it, and very likely he got the character amongst them of being little short of a madman. Still on he worked, and they worked too, till the vessel was finished, and the flood was sent. Then they saw its use; and as it rose upon the waters, bearing up all that had taken refuge in it, they must have owned and felt that Noah, in all his folly, was a wiser man than they.

"But who were Noah's carpenters ?" Why the men that helped to build the ark. These were Noah's carpenters. "And what became of them ?" That is what we have now to find out.

upon the earth; and all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered." Gen, vii. 19, 20. Here were no carpenters left upon the hills.

3. Where then were they? It is but too plain they all were drowned. "And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark," Gen. vii. 23. Here were the poor carpenters all drowned, and drowned, too, after helping to build the very ark in which they might have found a refuge.

And now for the use I intend to make of the fate of Noah's carpenters.