island home, and to be reduced to great distress, I spoke to Sir George Grey on the subject. He at once took it up with that zeal which impels him to engage in every good work, and both requested the Commodore to send a ship to offer to bring the islanders to the Cape, and agreed on the part of the Cape Government to bear the expense of their passage.

"Though absorbed with my own work at the time, I felt that it was my duty not to lose an opportunity which might not again present itself, and that I should ever hereafter reproach myself, if the inhabitants did not come away, or even only partially availed themselves of Sir G. Grey's kind and liberal offer; and their minister, perplexed as to the course which he ought to pursue, were deprived of the comfort which my counsel would have afforded him. At one time I had hoped that the ship might have first taken me to St. Helena, which does not lie so much out of the course as it appears to do on the map. I should thus have accomplished two works at one time, and have visited a portion of my diocese which I have not seen for four years. I found, however, that it could not be arranged except at a cost which I was not able to bear. I was, therefore, obliged to abandon the idea, and leave St. Helena for a second voyage this year, if I can find time, and summon courage to beat my way back in the small cattle craft, which afford the only means for returning from that, to me, most inconvenient island, and which are frequently six weeks performing the voyage.

"It was ultimately arranged that the Frolic, brig-of-war, should, in the first instance, be sent to ascertain the condition and wishes of the islanders, and that, if necessary, a larger vessel should be despatched at a later period to bring them off. On the 27th of February, therefore, I sailed with Captain Nolloth in the Frolic, from Table Bay. I found him a most intelligent and able officer, and a man of sound and high Christian principle. He did everything to make me comfortable during our somewhat tedious voyage of thirty-seven days, and met my views most cheerfully as to religious services. We had short daily prayers, with a psalm, every morning, for the ship's company on deck, and on the Sunday two full services. The island lies just 1,500 miles to the west of the Cape, and about the same distance to the south of St. Helena, the three places forming almost an equilateral triangle. We had light and baffling winds, and did not reach it till the twentieth morning. Mr. Taylor and a party of the islanders were on the beach to welcome us as we landed-a work of no little

difficulty, owing to the surf. He at once recognised me, having heard me preach in London eight years before. I need not say that he was overjoyed at seeing us, and hearing the object for which the ship had been sent; for the reports which had reached us were quite true.

"The only habitable patch of land on this small mountain island, is a narrow plain or shelf of land, formed chiefly from the debris of the vast overhanging cliffs, which is about four miles long, and from half a mile to a mile in width. The soil is poor, and is already nearly worked out. There is, indeed, in the summer, abundance of grass, but crops cannot be produced on ground once used, without an ample

supply of manure. The rest of the island, about 9,000 feet high, and almost inaccessible, is of no use to them, nor are the two neighbouring rocky islands, lying at a distance of about twenty miles from Tristan. Feeling that each year was adding to their difficulties, and that, should anything occur to tempt the American whale-shipsupon which they are dependent for flour and clothes, and their communications with the rest of the world-to more promising fields of speculation (which has already been to some extent the case,) they might be reduced to great extremities, twenty-five out of the little band of 100 inhabitants, having no other prospect or opening, left the island a few months since to seek their fortune in the United States, paying for their passage in a whale-ship with their stock of cattle, sheep, pigs, and potatoes. Of the remainder, we found that no less than forty-two were anxious to get away under any circumstances, even at the sacrifice of all their stock and little property. Others would be glad to move, if they could in any way carry their property with them. There are, however, two old sailors-one eighty-one, the other seventy-three (who said that he had served in the same ship with Nelson, in all his battles)--who say that they are too old to move, and are better off where they are than they can hope to be elsewhere. This seems undoubtedly true; and yet, if the others move, it would be almost impossible that they should remain. They could hardly maintain themselves without their boat, and yet there would not be hands enough left to man it. They have, besides, large families of grown-up daughters, who have scarce anything to do except till the ground, who are very anxious to remove, and who might, in service at the Cape, do something for their aged parents. The grown-up sons of nearly all the families have already betaken themselves to the sea, leaving a female population considerably outnumbering the male, which is of itself a great evil. Ultimately, after much consideration, it was resolved, that as our ship was without any accommodation, we should take none of the inhabitants away with us, but make our report of the actual state of the island to the Governor, and urge him to send, as speedily as possible, a ship with sufficient accommodation to bring off all the population of the island that may be willing to leave, and at least a portion of the stock. If, as I hope may be the case, the Commodore may be able and willing to furnish them with empty casks and salt, they can salt down the greater portion of their stock; and if he can further take their beef and pork off their hands for the use of the Navy, they will then be able to begin life again in their new home with some little capital; for their whole stock, consisting of more than 200 head of cattle, 300 sheep, 100 pigs, and 500 fowls and ducks, cannot be worth less than from £1,000 to £1,200. I do not see any great difficulty in carrying this out, and I am sure, if it can be done, Sir G. Grey will do it.

"I must now give you some little history of our proceedings. We landed on Tuesday, in the Holy Week. We found Mr. Taylor living, as you may suppose, in a very primitive way. For the greater part of the time that he has been here he has lived in a small stone build

ing, which has been his prophet's chamber, school, and house of prayer. Since the reduction of the population, however, he has had a sleeping chamber in another house. This, containing a small bed and chair, he insisted upon my occupying; he, with Captain Nolloth, another officer, and the boat's crew, lying upon the benches in the school chapel. As we landed early in the day, we had time to visit all the people in their houses, and to tell them the object of our visit, before the hour of evening prayer. I was much pleased with them generally. The men are English, American, Dutch, Danes. Their wives have come, for the most part, from St. Helena. The children are fine, healthy, active, modest young men and women. These have been nearly all, more or less, under Mr. Taylor's instruction, and upon them his hopes of a really Christian population have, of course, mainly rested. The houses are about equal to an English labourer's cottage; the furniture, however, being, as might be supposed, more scanty. At Evening Prayer we had about fifty present. All, without exception, knelt. They chanted the Psalms and Canticles. Each had a Bible and Prayer-book, supplied by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and all eyes were kept fixed intently upon their books. I have never seen a congregation that might not learn a lesson from these poor islanders. Their reverence and devotion impressed us all. Even a common sailor afterwards spoke to me of it with evident and deep feeling. Mr. Taylor has prayer in his chapel, morning and evening, throughout the year. Most of the young people, and several of the elder, are regular attendants. To his honour be it said, old Governor Glass kept up the daily worship of GOD in his house from the first day that he landed-thirty-five years ago. He rejoiced greatly to be permitted to see the Minister of CHRIST settled amongst them. He realized the blessing of it during a long and painful illness. His eyes were closed in death about two years ago. A marble tablet marks the spot where the good old man lies buried.

"In this isolated spot, cut off to so great an extent from communication with the rest of the world, religion, if it lays hold upon the mind at all, is likely to become the chief concern, and the acts of religion an important part, of the daily life. Nowhere else where I have been do the people seem to be so able to serve GOD without distraction, or more ready to do so. And, so far as I am able to judge, religious exercises (and I would fain hope also true religion) do occupy a higher position in the minds of these people, and are to them more of a real occupation, than is the case with most other people with whom I have been brought into contact. Of course, one can hardly expect that as yet many characters should be thoroughly formed, or many hearts truly and abidingly turned to GOD; but I think it right to bear my testimony to the fact that, so far as my short visit enabled me to form an opinion, this devoted, self-denying Missionary, who has given up so much to serve his LORD in the persons of these His members, has been very largely blessed in drawing souls to the worship of their GOD, and the knowledge of their LORD and SAVIOUR; and I feel satisfied, that some at least of those to whom

he has ministered, will have reason to bless his coming amongst them through all eternity. 1 preached every evening but one during our stay. On that evening Mr. Taylor spoke to his people in an earnest and affectionate way. On Good Friday the School-chapel was quite full, several of the boat's crew attending. In the afternoon of that day I confirmed thirty-two, with nearly all of whom I had previously conversed. All appeared very serious and devout. There are now only two persons in the island above the age of fifteen remaining unconfirmed.

"There could be no regular school during our stay; but on one day, the children, sixteen in number, were collected for me to examine. The greater number of them could read very fairly, write neatly, and could do simple sums in arithmetic, from addition to long division. They understand, I think, what they read, and several had a fair knowledge of the Catechism. It was difficult, however, to get them to speak, as they are all very shy. Mr. Taylor keeps school a portion of each day, and night-school twice a week for the elder children who have left school. His chief society and refreshment consist in the instruction of his children. I was surprised to hear from him that (except during one anxious year,) he has suffered very little from depression of spirits, which is the more remarkable, as he seems greatly to enjoy conversation. GOD has, however, comforted and upheld His servant amidst circumstances trying to flesh and blood, and in a post where, unless sustained by a double measure of the grace of GOD, the Minister of CHRIST would be specially liable to grow weary in his Master's work, and flag in zeal, and stumble, and fall. Such, however, God be praised, has not been the case with Mr. Taylor. He has continued faithful, and I doubt not has grown in grace, and faith, and knowledge, while tending his few sheep and feeding CHRIST'S lambs here in the wilderness. He was naturally anxious to know what would become of him, if he came to the Cape with his people. Though I believe that all my vacant posts are now filled, as well as my means wholly absorbed, I did not think it right to leave him in any doubt, and therefore told him that I would find him some post, and provide for him as best I could. He is not a man of many wants, nor one who looks for much, as may be gathered from the simple fact that he meant to cling to his people and his rock as long as he could, even though the means placed at your disposal by a liberal benefactor were exhausted. From this very Easter the people were to support him altogether, supplying him with such food as they had, and offering on each Easter-day about £12, to provide him with clothes. Now, however, my belief is that in two or three months' time he will be at the Cape with all, or nearly all his people. "I have written so long a letter that I have no time or space left for many observations upon the island itself. You are aware that it is of volcanic origin, and abounds with lava. At the summit there is a lake of some depth: probably in the crater of an extinct volcano. We attempted to ascend it one day, but, after getting about 4,000 feet high, found the top enveloped in clouds, and rain coming on. The ascent and descent were very difficult, and in some respects extremely dangerous. Half the boys in the island went up with us, and VOL. XX.

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skipped about like young antelopes, while we trembled for ourselves, as a single false step, on loose and often slippery ground, would have precipitated us, in many places, to the bottom-as our young guides consolingly and expressively assured us, saying, 'Now, if you were to slip, you would strike the bottom.' We, however, got down again in safety, having discarded the help of a sounding-line, which at first we thought would help us in our descent. On another day, we walked along the plain, and observed very distinctly the craters of several extinct volcanos, at the bottom of which the inhabitants have planted their apple and peach trees, as the only sheltered spots in the island. There seems to be only one kind of tree indigenous to the island, and it is an evergreen, and of stunted growth. There are but few flowers. I observed a small tree fern which is very abundant, and several varieties of ferns and heaths; a geranium with a very small flower; a plant from which they make tea, which some of the people prefer to China tea-the sorrel-and a few other plants, together with a long grass, at times eight feet high, which makes an excellent thatch for their houses. There are no animals save what have been imported; and the thrush and the partridge are the only land birds. The island, however, abounds with the albatross, Cape hen, and other sea birds. The water is excellent and abundant. There is no secure bay, and the landing, nearly always difficult, is, with a a north wind, dangerous.

"Mr. Taylor was very anxious that we should remain over Easterday, which we should gladly have done, had not the work for which we came been completed, and other duties called us elsewhere, and had it not appeared to me more proper to minister to our ship's company, who, if I remained on shore, would be without any service on that holy day. We therefore assembled the people on the morning of Easter-eve, and Captain Nolloth and myself addressed them. At the same time he, by order of Sir G. Grey, appointed one of their number to be responsible to the Cape Government for what passed in the island, and to communicate with the Governor as opportunities might present themselves. I afterwards went to all their houses to bid the wives and children good-bye. All of these expressed a desire to leave, and several said, they wished they were going with us. Before we left, they drew up a letter of thanks to the Governor, and sent on board four bags of potatoes as a present and token of gratitude to him, and four for me. They then helped us off with the stock we had purchased, and came on board to receive some little presents Captain Nolloth had promised them, and to bid us a last farewell. They parted with three hearty cheers from their boat, which were reechoed by the ship's company.

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"I arrived home on the 4th of April, after a prosperous voyage of thirteen days, and an absence of between five and six weeks. I am thankful to say that I found wife and children well, and everything in the diocese going on perfectly well,-for which great mercies GOD be praised.

"Believe me ever, dear