Nain

112 Baptized

Okkak 146 do.

Hopedale 104 do. 48 Com.

130 Congregation

179 do.

135 do.

The communication with Labrador is still kept up by a regular trading vessel, on which the missionaries are entirely dependent for supplies. Considering the extreme danger of navigating in that world of ice, it will at once be seen that they must constantly live by faith. It is worthy of remark while so many vessels are lost, that the vessel, on which they depend, has now supplied them more than fifty years, without once failing them. In 1816, for the first time, she was prevented reaching Hopedale by the ice and storms. The emotions with which they greet her arrival are well described in their letter from Okkak, in 1813.

"The 1st of this month was the joyful day, on which, about 6 o'clock in the afternoon, we saw the Jemina approaching in full sail from behind the distant mountains. Our hearts overflowed with thanksgiving, and our eyes with tears of joy; and we could not help exclaiming, 'This is not the work of man, it is God alonewho protects and safely leads this little bark through all the dangers of the sea, and the enemy, across the stormy ocean. Our joy was soon increased by discovering the white flag with the olive branch of peace, flying from the mast head. No one is able to express or conceive what an impression this sight made on us.”* The missionaries have within a few years undertaken a translation of the whole New Testament; and that noble institution, the British and Foreign Bible Society, have agreed to be at the expense of publishing it. The gospel according to John was printed about six years ago, and the other three gospels two or three years after. When the former was distributed among the converts, they expressed their sense of its value in the most affecting manner. Some burst into a flood of tears, some pressed the little book to their bosoms and seemed Period. Acc. Vol. VI. p. 49.

to enjoy a foretaste of Heaven; and some expressed their gratitude in letters addressed to the missionaries. They now take it with them when they go in search of provisions, and they spend their evenings in their tents, or snow houses, reading it with great delight.

CHAPTER VII.

TARTARY AND NICOBAR ISLANDS.

Mission established in Tartary-Sarepta built-Visit to the Tschecks-Five Tartar girls baptized-Nicobar Islands---Attempts to plant a Colony-Missionaries ---Their sufferings--Mission relinquished.

TARTARY. Several of the Brethren were sent, in 1765, to form a small colony in the kingdom of Astrachan with a view to introduce Christianity among the neighbouring Tartar tribes. They fixed their residence about twenty four miles below Czarizin, where, with the assistance of some Russian carpenters, they erected the necessary buildings and founded a town which they called Sarepta.

This was much frequented, being the thoroughfare from St. Petersburg to Persia and the East Indies. Among other visitors was a merchant from Georgia, who informed them there was a tribe called Tschecks, inhabiting the mountains of Caucasus, who, according to their own account, were, some hundred years ago, driven from Europe; that they still retained their language, customs, and the Christian religion; and had in their possession the books of their forefathers, deposited in large strong built churches; that these were fallen into disuse, but they looked forward to a time when the ancient worship would be restored.

As the Brethren consider themselves descended from the Tschecks, they very naturally conjectured that these were the countrymen of their ancestors, who were ban

ished from Moravia on account of their religion, and were said to have settled near the mountains of Cau

casus.

To obtain further information, two of the Brethren attempted a visit to this tribe; but after advancing within four days journey, they were met by an army of Tartars, and obliged to return. The attempt was renewed successfully by three of the Brethren several years after. On approaching the principal town of the Tschecks, what was their disappointment, to hear the cry of the Mollahs on the turrets of the mosques, summoning the people to evening prayers. The inhabitants were Mahometans, though it appeared that their forefathers were originally Christians. They said, "Our countrymen embraced the religion of Mahomet more than three hundred years ago, and now we thank God he has directed us in the right path to Heaven."*

The

With regard to the principal object of the Colony, the Calmuc Tartars, a horde of them encamped in the neighbourhood, soon after its establishment. building of Sarepta was to them a source of much amusement. They came in great numbers to view the various operations. A physician, who attended many of them in sickness, and among the number one of their princes, assisted in gaining their confidence. The chief invited two of the Brethren to live with him and learn their language. They went. During two years they resided among the Tartars, conforming to their manner of life and accompanying them in their emigrations from place to place with their tents and cattle. They were treated kindly, but their message of salva tion was not received by the poor barbarians. The horde at length left that part of the country in 1774, and only a few straggling families remained about Sa

repta.

The Brethren have frequently since attempted to introduce the Gospel among the Calmuc Tartars, but * Period. Ace. Vol. III. pp. 365, 366%

66

with little success. The Calmucs are proud of their own religion. "Though every nation," say they, may pursue its own method to obtain the chief good, yet ours must be the best, since it shows a man how he may become a god." They are likewise very superstitious. They commenced a long and bloody war against the Persians, calling them infidels, simply because they would not give their whiskers a particular cut. They desire no other happiness hereafter, than such as may be enjoyed on earth, in riches, cattle and furniture.

Finding that little could be done among the older Calmucs, the Brethren have lately turned their attention to the children. Several of them have received religious instruction with some apparent effect. In 1808, some Kirgisian Tartars, reduced to great distress, offered to sell their children to obtain the necessaries of life. The court of St. Petersburg proposed to purchase a number, and send them to Sarepta. It seems this was not done; but in 1808, the Brethren themselves ransomed four girls from this tribe, whom they instructed and afterwards baptized. These, and a blind Calmuc girl brought to the settlement, are the only individuals they have received into the church. The Brethren have begun a translation of the New Testament into the Calmuc language. They have likewise been very useful to the German colonists settled in their neighbourhood.

NICOBAR ISLANDS. A commercial establishment was made by the Danes, in 1756, on the Nicobar islands at the entrance of the Bay of Bengal. It was soon intimated to the Brethren, by a person of rank at Court, that the king of Denmark wished a mission to be attempted among the natives. It was accordingly projected; but before it could be carried into execu tion most of the colonists had died, and the establishment was broken up.

The Brethren, however, resolved to prosecute t' eir design, and for this purpose formed a small settlement

at Tranquebar, where they built a house, out-houses, and work-shops for their several trades, to serve as a nursery to the mission. The Danes forming a new establishment in 1768, six of the Brethren accompani ed the colony and settled on Nancauwery, one of the Nicobar islands; but the colonists died so fast that at the end of three years only two European soldiers survived, and the attempt at forming a trading factory was abandoned.*

The Brethren still remained. To supply them with the necessaries of life, the settlement at Tranquebar chartered a small vessel. After two or three losing voyages, and combatting contrary winds, this undertaking was relinquished. The missionaries were consequently reduced to want. They had many other difficulties to struggle with, particularly the unhealthiness of the climate, by which one after another was hurried to the grave.

In 1779, John Gottfried Haensel, and another of the Brethren, joined the mission; but the latter soon died, and of the three whom they found alive, only one survived but a short time. Haensel and his companion, left alone, besides being affected with sickness, were exposed to great dangers; especially from the Malay robbers who infested the islands. More than once they were surrounded by these barbarians, and shown their pointed daggers tipped with poison.

In 1783, three new missionaries arrived, but in a very unhappy condition. The vessel in which they sailed from Tranquebar, was taken by a French privateer; and they escaped after being long detained on the Malay coast, in an old prow. The Brethren at Nancauwery, had long been in want of many necessaries of life, and now, instead of receiving a supply of provisions, their number was augmented to consume what little they had. They at length fitted up the prow with new sails, for which they worked up their whole stock of cloth, and two of the Brethren ventur

* Letters on the Nicobar islands, p. 9.