TRINIDAD.

THE PITCH LAKE,

Among the most singular natural phenomena of the island of Trinidad, where our brethren Law and CowEN labour, is the lake Brea, or Pitch Lake. It is an area of about 150 acres on the north-west side of the island, and thirty miles from Port of Spain. It is thus described by a recent traveller :

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Imagine a black surface-a dreary, deso- | water fissures are quite deep, afford good late black-spread out to the length of nearly bathing, and are tolerably well stocked with half a mile, by an eighth in width-slightly fish. varied by many fissures some of them but a step across, some just too wide to jump (as I found by trying) a few of these fissures filled with short shrubbery, but most of them mere ponds of water of water clear as the mountain spring; and then imagine the whole bordered by a thick growth of trees, and the graceful bending bamboo, and this whole border thickly hanging with a profusion and variety of beautiful flowers-I know not the spot elsewhere where the eye can rest on such a profusion of flowers at a glance -and this may possibly convey some general idea of the peculiarity of a general view. For a eleser inspection of the central part of the lake I was obliged to repeat my visit the next morning, securing the services of a negro to carry a plank to bridge the unjumpable fissures.

I then found spots where the surface of the pitch would gradually sink beneath my feet, so that in a few moments I stood in a cavity ankle deep. In other places it seemed to be boiling below; for the surface around me was bubbling and simmering like that of a pot over the fire, while the gas thus disengaged was very strong. Though the surface of the lake is generally too hard to receive a footprint- just hard enough to cut readily with an axe-there are places where the pitch oozes out in nearly a liquid form, so that one may dip it with a spoon. Some of the

Near the lake I found a coloured man engaged in boiling the pitch in several large boilers. A part of this he sells after boiling, in a pure state, and to the rest he adds a portion of lime, when it is shipped as mastic. He says he has cut from the lake a great many hundreds of tons, but he never penetrates more than ten or twelve inches below the surface, and the hole is always filled again within two days after the cutting. The supply is doubtless inexhaustible. But the pitch is not confined to the spot I have endeavoured to describe. There are masses of it extending miles inland, and at several points it extends to the sea beach. At the last place it is cut out in large quantities to ship to this city and some of the islands to use in building, and in flagging the streets. It is used by the steamers, being largely mixed with coal for fuel, and is recently coming into use in the manufacture of petrolium. But wherever these cuttings are made

on the lake, inland, or on the beach-the quantity is almost inmediately made good, and in some places gradually increases. The neighbourhood is in motion, very slow to be sure, yet there is, as it were, a growing up of the surface in spots, so that the houses in La Brea are found now and then to have a side or an end raised a few inches above its opposite.

INDIA.

CALCUTTA.

In a brief note, under date of May 3, 1850, our brother WENGER in the following words gives us the highly important information of the establishment of religious liberty in India.

I write just a line to call your attention to the act passed on the 11th April by the Governor-General in council, of which the following is a copy. I omit the preamble.

"So much of any law or usage now in force within the territories subject to the

government of the East India Company, as inflicts on any person forfeiture of rights or property, or may be held in any way to impair or affect any right of inheritance, by reason of his or her renouncing, or having been excluded from, the communion of any

religion, or being deprived of caste, shall cease to be enforced as law in the courts of the East India Company, and in the courts established by royal charter within the said territories."

This is a noble act, just of the right stamp. I trust our friends in England will not fail to give glory to God for it.

It is one of the many proofs we have that our government here is really desirous of doing what is right. It looks sharp after its revenue, but with this exception it does really

seek the good of the people; and among the judges, magistrates, and collectors whom it employs, there is probably a larger proportion of pious men than in any other body of official persons in any part of the world. The great defect is the small number of European government officers: one judge, one magistrate, and one collector for say every 600,000 souls, in some districts for nearly a million, is the ordinary proportion in the interior. The people are oppressed by the native underlings.

As may be supposed, this measure of justice awakens the wrath of the rigid and bigoted Hindoo, and the natives are not slow to perceive the fatal effect it may have on the duration of their creed. The Bengal Recorder, a paper edited by a well-educated native in Calcutta, says, "The die is cast, and all is over. Such a blow has been struck at the stupendous structure of the Hindoo faith," as neither Mahmood of Ghuznie, nor any of his persecuting and iconoclast successors, nor Tippoo Sultan inflicted on it. Some of the votaries of Vishnu even go so far as to propose to petition the imperial legislature against the act, as if the power of persecution being removed, the main support of Hindooism was swept away.

Another act, called the Apprenticing Act, is also likely to have an important bearing on the welfare of the native Christians, who have for a long time been oppressed by peculiar disadvantages, which this act will remove. When called by God's grace from the midst of their idolatrous countrymen, they are in a great measure constrained to depend upon artificial sources of subsistence. "No native workmen," says the editor of the Friend of India, "will teach them a trade, and no native Baboo will willingly employ them. They will now, however, be able to apprentice themselves to Europeans, and thus obtain a knowledge of mechanics, which will place them in a superior position. They will be brought into direct rivalry, on fair terms, with other native classes, and we shall soon see that their superior regularity, and more than average honesty, will place them on high vantage ground."

Thus the proceedings of the government of India concur with the evangelizing. labours of our missionary brethren to prepare the way for the future triumphs of the cross.

Notices of several recent baptisms at various mission stations have reached us. At Circular Road, one young female was baptized into Christ on the 7th April. At Colingah, on the same day, our native missionary brother, Shujaat Ali, immersed a young East Indian. At Narsikdachoke, on the 21st, Mr. LEWIS had the pleasure of baptizing, on a confession of faith, three Bengali converts. Mr. WILLIAMS has also baptized one native female at Agra, and Mr. SMITH three at Chitaura: two of the number were formerly wards of the Orphan Refuge at Patna.

It will give our readers unfeigned pleasure, and excite their gratitude to God, to learn that our brother, Mr. DENHAM, has returned from Maulmain much improved in health. "In his case," says Mr. THOMAS, "God has heard prayer, and been very gracious."

On the other hand, our brother THOMAS has been most sorely tried by the decease of one of his children, a daughter in her twenty-first year, his constant companion for many years when going to preach or attend prayer-meetings at Lal Bazar. She was seated with her beloved parents at breakfast in the morn

ing; but in the evening was a corpse. So rapid and fatal is disease in the sultry clime of Bengal. Though she had not made a public profession of the name of Christ, yet are the hearts of our beloved brother and his partner cheered with the confident hope of her entrance into the glory of the Lord; for by many manifest tokens was it apparent that she loved the Saviour whom it was her delight to hear proclaimed by her now sorrowing father. "My heavenly Father," says Mr. THOMAS, "has mingled a cup, and given it me to drink may He graciously watch and control the effects, and make the result abundant to his glory!"

MONGHIR.

Mr. LAWRENCE, writing from Monghir on the 29th April, gives us an interesting account of some recent additions to the church under his care. With the exception of Mrs. LAWRENCE, the mission families have been preserved in "pretty good health." Mr. LAWRENCE writes:

It will, we are sure, give our readers much pleasure to peruse the following translation by Mr. LAWRENCE of the journal kept by our young native brother Sudeen, while on a journey undertaken by Nainsukh and himself to Baijnath at the beginning of the year. It is an interesting example of the mode in which our native brethren seek to convey to their idolatrous countrymen the knowledge of the gospel of Christ.

The journal of Nainsukh and Sudeen, pilgrims from all parts of India, distant from containing some particulars of their visit to Monghir about seventy miles to the souththe mela at Baijnath, a celebrated resort of east.

about eight A.M.
grove.

We pitched our tent in a

The Sacrifice. January 14th, 1850. We left Monghir Saturday, 19th. We went in the morning about two P.M., and arrived at Nau Ghari, to call on the collector, and found the late where we pitched our tent for the night. On collector of Monghir also here. Both these the 15th, early in the morning, we went into gentlemen admitted us to an interview, and the village, and preached to the people. received us very kindly. They desired us to They appeared to listen with much pleasure, come again at one, P.M., to-morrow. After and no one opposed us. After taking our taking our dinner we went to the Sipahimeal at noon, we took down our tent, and Lines (quarters for native soldiers), and found proceeded on our journey. In the road we Mahes at home. We were glad to find that met with many pilgrims, and as we were he reads the scriptures, and converses with walking together, we had much conversation. others about them, on the great truths therein On our arrival at Maha-devar a strange sight contained. Some had asked him for our presented itself. What should we see but a books, and he had promised to procure some great crowd of people assembled under a from us when we should come to Bhagultree, instruments of music were being played, pore, and to keep them in reserve for distripreparations for some kind of worship were bution, as occasion might offer. His converin progress, and a man stood with a fine he-sation with us was excellent. In the evening goat (intended for sacrifice). We went into we went into the bazar, and conversed with their midst, and speaking to them in a tone the shopkeepers. of reproof, inquired, what are you about? At the same time four chokidars (watchmen), who were standing near, cried out, "listen to the Company's order." Immediately all were silent, and then we began to speak to them on the greatness of the sin they were committing. I (Nainsukh) was about to put my foot on the pindee (a lump of earth used in the ceremony), but one of the chokidars laid hold of my hand to prevent me. tinued speaking to them for some time, when the man who was the principal person concerned in the ceremony recognized me, for 1 had held a long conversation with him on a former occasion, and he immediately told the musicians to play their instruments, who made so great a noise that speaking was useless, we therefore left them. In the evening we came to Kalryanpur, and put up

our tent.

The Journey.

I con

Wednesday, 16th. In the morning we went into the village; the people appeared very pleased to see us, and listened to our preaching with evident good feeling. While we were speaking a person of some importance sent for us. We went to his house, and found him very willing to hear the word. After leaving him we went to another place, and preached for some time. We then went to our tent, and took some refreshment, after which we again went into the bazar, and continued speaking with the people until evening.

Thursday, 17th. Very early in the morning we left the above place, and while proceeding along the road we found many people with whom we had much conversation. Some of them listened with great attention; A Mohammedan fakir (beggar) promised to visit us in Monghir.

Friday, 18th. We again proceeded on our way, conversing with our fellow travellers as we went along, and arrived at Bhagulpore

Mahes.

Lord's day, 20th. We went to the collector's according to appointment, and both the collectors went with us to the chaplain's house. The chaplain called together all his servants, and I (Nainsukh) explained a portion of scripture and prayed with them all. Afterwards we accompanied the collector again to his house, who very kindly offered to provide me with any thing I might be in need of. Taking leave of these gentlemen, we returned to our tent, and on arriving there what should we see but Mahes and a congregation of more than thirty persons sitting near our tent, waiting for us. was delightful. We sang a hymn, and had some preaching, after which we had a long conversation with Mahes; and it really appears to us that he has made great advances in the knowledge of religion. He conversed not only with us, but with other people also in our presence, in a most excellent manner. He is no longer the Mahes he used to be. He is a hopeful character. [Mahes is a hillman, the master of a school of hill-boys at Bhagulpore; he appears to have profited by our late dear brother Hurter's ministrations.]

This

Monday, 21st. To-day we were prevented from doing any work by an accident, through which one of our boxes was broken, and our gari (cart) was injured: we had to repair them.

Tuesday, 22nd. We left Bhagulpore, and after proceeding about two kos, our gari was overturned. Sudeen received a severe bruise, and a boy who was with us had a very narrow escape with his life. The gari fell over him, but by the Lord's mercy we got him out without injury. We managed to put our things in order, and again proceeded on our way, thankful that no more serious injury had been sustained.

To be continued in our next.

CEYLON.

Our esteemed brother, Mr. ALLEN, has forwarded us, under date of May 9th, the following particulars and tabular statement of the schools in the Colombo district. As these will be interesting to the young friends who have so zealously taken some of them under their care, we gladly insert them here.

SCHOOLS IN CONNEXION WITH COLOMBO DISTRICT, 1850.`

From the above you will see where our schools are situated, and how they are attended. The character of the schools will be best given, perhaps, by saying that they are in point of fact so many sabbath schools -what sabbath schools are in England. Here they are taught six days in the week instead of one; that is all the real difference that obtains. I speak, of course, of the schools named, all of which I have visited within the last three months, with the exception of two, to which I should have gone this very week, but the awful weather we have had has compelled me to stay at home sorely against my

will.

though I believe there are two or three instances in which they are only nominally Christians. They have been drilled into a method by which, if pursued, the children who attend cannot fail to learn and acquire a good knowledge of the bible, which is the class-book. Beyond learning to write, no other than religious instruction is imparted.

There will be some difference in the attainments of the children; much indeed will depend on the master, and a good deal on the native pastor, whose business it is to visit and inspect these schools periodically. But on the whole, with one or two exceptions, they are worth the money that is spent, and the pains that are taken with them. In most of them there are some in the bibleclasses who can answer intelligently and readily to the questions put to them after a These schools are for the most part, as far portion has been read. The scripture cateas I have seen and can judge, about equal to chisms used compel them to search the scripgood sabbath schools in England. Contiler-tures, and I have met with many instances able pains have been taken with the masters, in which the children knew as much or more who are in most instances church members, I as any similar class in England. Of course

The storms we have almost every day just now are appalling, the house almost reels under the incessant rolling and crashing of the thunder.