labors for the Chinese, and that one man should be sent to labor specially as the chaplain of the seamen and foreign residents who speak the English language. An elaborate and pathetic appeal to the American Churches was also forwarded; but the power of the press was not then fully understood, and the document never was printed. There can be no doubt that these representations were regarded with deep interest by those to whose hands they came; but the way was not prepared for responsive action immediately. In the summer of 1828, the American Seamen's Friend Society commenced its operations, and procured the stated services of an agent and editor. About the beginning of 1829, copies of these papers with several publications came into the hands of this agent, who was also the acting secretary of the Society. They made on his mind a deep impression, to the effect that something ought to be done. He prepared from them an elaborate article on China as a field for missions, which was published in the Christian Spectator, and was perhaps the first formal call upon the American Churches to adopt China as the field of their missionary labors. He also laid the subject before the Executive Committee of his Society, who, in February, formally voted to send out a seamen's chaplain for the port of Canton, as soon as the proper man could be procured, with the means for his support.

Early in autumn, the door opened for action. Mr. Olyphant had chartered the excellent ship Roman, Captain Lavender, to sail from New-York for Canton, about the middle of October; and he wrote both to the Seamen's Friend Society, and to the American Board, urging each to send out a missionary, and offering them a free passage in his ship.

Those who have ever transacted business with Mr. Olyphant, will easily understand how his modest and simple proposals produced on those to whom they were addressed, the practical conviction that the thing was now to be done. Mr. Evarts, the Secretary of the American Board, went at once from Boston to Andover, in quest of a missionary. He was directed to Mr. Elijah C. Bridgeman, a young man who had just completed his course of study in the theological seminary, and who had partly formed the purpose of becoming a foreign missionary. The case was spread before him; and after a few hours of prayer

ful deliberation, he resolved to go. He went at once to his native place, Belchertown, Mass., where he was ordained, took leave of his friends, and in less than two weeks presented himself in New-York, prepared to embark. The Rev. Dr. Bridgeman has lately made his first brief visit to his native land, after an absence of twentythree years. Modest and unassuming, without any display or sounding of trumpets, he has devoted himself chiefly to the study of the Chinese language and literature, in which he is now, doubtless, the ripest and most critical living scholar. Four hundred millions of people will one day bless God for his labors, in transferring so much of the religious and scientific knowledge of Christian nations into their tongue, in a style to command their respect and confidence. Long may his life continue, that he may mature and multiply the fruits of his indefatigable study and toil for the benefit of the Central Flowery Nation of the Pacific.

The Seamen's Friend Society were equally successful, but the circumstances which led to the happy result were more peculiar. In the papers and publications spoken of, which were sent from Canton to New-York, there were numerous references to the Christian Churches which had existed two centuries ago in the settlements then owned by Holland among the islands of the Indian Archipelago. Dr. Milne had been much interested in the relics of these ancient Churches. Hence, the idea arose, which was expanded in the article published in the Christian Spectator, of connecting the Seamen's Mission with an attempt to revive some of these Churches, with the hope, also, of thereby awakening more of a missionary spirit among the Reformed Protestant Dutch Churches in this country. It was a matter of regret that, at that time, so numerous and wealthy a body of Christians should feel and do so little in the cause of missions.

Filled with this idea, the agent, on receiving Mr. Olyphant's earnest appeal for a chaplain to go out in the Roman, called on the late John Nitchie, Esq., so long the esteemed office agent of the American Bible Society, and a leading elder of the Dutch Church, to inquire whether he knew of any young minister in that connection, possessing a missionary spirit, who would be likely to accept the appoint

ment of seamen's chaplain at Canton, with permission to visit the Dutch Churches of Batavia and Malacca, in the hope that the report therefrom might kindle a new fervor in the Churches here at home. After conversing freely upon the plan, Mr. Nitchie observed that he was acquainted with but one of their young ministers who would be likely to enter into such a design; and he had been settled at Athens, near Hudson, New-York, where his labors were highly useful, until impaired health had impelled him to leave. The name of this young man was David Abeel, and he was probably at his father's house in New-Brunswick. Mr. Nitchie thought that his own pastor, Rev. Dr. Mathews, would be likely to know where he was, and that his advice and influence would be most serviceable in helping his young friend make up his mind to go, if there were no special obstacles in the way. Dr. Mathews was accordingly waited on at once, and he entered warmly into the project, and took immediate measures to lay the matter before Mr. Abeel, with all the public and personal considerations involved in its decision.

To a young man brought up as tenderly as Mr. Abeel had been, the only son of his aged parents, and the only brother of his amiable sisters, surrounded by troops of kind friends, and with the most pleasing prospects of usefulness and happiness in the work of the ministry at home, it might be supposed that such a proposition, involving so many and such various labors and changes, in an enterprise so new, and under the patronage of an infant Society, whose very existence was rather an experiment than a fixed fact, could have presented but few attractions, while it must have presented itself surrounded by a multitude of obstacles and objections. But the missionary spirit was there, as a living principle; and the love of Christ, the desire to extend the boundaries of the Redeemer's kingdom, and promote the spiritual welfare of the Churches, prevailed above all personal considerations. The proposition was made to Mr. Abeel at New-Brunswick on the same day that it was made by the American Board to Mr. Bridgeman at Andover; and on the same day, less than two weeks afterward, both these devoted brethren arrived in NewYork, prepared for the voyage. The annals of missions, it is believed, contain few instances of equal readiness in the

acceptance and execution of a proposal so totally unanticipated and so self-sacrificing.

During the few days of their stay in this city, while the ship was getting ready for sea, several highly interesting public meetings were held, at which the objects of the mission were presented, and many prayers were offered in behalf of the two young men on whom the lot had fallen to be the first-fruits of American zeal for the conversion of China to the service of the true God. All things being ready, they sailed on the 14th of October, 1829, and arrived in China on the 16th of February, 1830, in good health. They were warmly welcomed by good Dr. Morrison and by Mr. Olyphant, who omitted nothing that he could do for their comfort and usefulness.

It is not proposed, in this paper, to continue the history of American missions in China. Mr. Abeel, who won the love of all to whom he became known, left the chaplaincy at the end of a year, with the full consent of the Seamen's Friend Society, and afterward spent many years in India and at home, under the patronage of the American Board of Missions, his efforts resulting in the establishment of a Dutch mission in Borneo, and another at Amoy, and in the organization at home of the Foreign Missionary Society of the Reformed Dutch Church, which has sent out quite a number of valuable missionaries to those Eastern regions. He returned home, at last, with a broken constitution, and after a lingering sickness died among his kindred, in great peace of mind, and with the joyful hopes of the gospel which he had preached at the ends of the earth. There are now eighteen distinct societies having missions in China, seven of which are American; and these together have sent out one hundred and fifty missionary laborers to that country, of whom eighty-eight were from this country. Of seventy-eight missionaries now in China, forty-four are Americans. Surely, the kingdom of God is like the grain of seed which is cast into the ground, until it springs up and grows, and becomes a broad tree, whose branches shelter and feed the nations.

NATURE has perfections, in order to show that she is the image of God; and defects, in order to show that she is only his image.-Pascal.

ASTONISHING ADVENTURE OF JAMES

BOTELLO.

BY W. S. MAYO, M. D., AUTHOR OF "KALOOLAH."

pressed by his enemy, the Great Mogul so much so, that he was compelled to call in the assistance of his other enemy, the Portuguese. The price of this assistance was to be permission to erect and garrison a fort at Diu. Badur hesitated: he knew that if the Portuguese were allowed a fort, they would soon be masters of the whole town; but his necessities being urgent, he finally acceded to the demand. De Cunna rushed to Diu; a treaty was speedily concluded with Badur-the fort was planned, and its erection commenced with vigor.

No one knew better than Botello how pleased King John would be with the news. He resolved to be the bearer of the good tidings, and thus to restore himself to the royal favor, which he had lost. His plan was a bold and daring one; in fact, considering the known dangers of the sea, and the then imperfect state of navigation, it must have seemed almost hopeless; but he suffered no doubts or apprehensions to prevent him from carrying it into immediate effect. In order to conceal his design, he gave out that he was going on a boat-excursion up the Gulf of Cambaya, to visit the court of the now friendly Badur. Two young soldiers, of inferior degree, named Juan de Sousa and Alfonzo Belem, readily consented to accompany him.

The boat selected for the voyage was a small affair-something like a modern jolly-boat, though of rather greater beam in proportion to its other dimensions; its length was sixteen feet, its breadth nine feet. Four Moorish slaves from Melenda, on the coast of Africa, were selected to work the boat, while two native servants, having Portuguese blood in their veins, completed the crew.

Botello's preparations for the voyage were soon made; and waiting only to secure a copy of the treaty with Badur, and plans of the fort which had been commenced, he ordered the short mast, with its tapering lateen yard, to be raised, and the sail trimmed close to the breeze blowing into the roadstead of Diu. But instead of turning up along the northern coast of the Gulf of Cambaya, he directed the bow of his little bark boldly out to sea.

sailing south with the wind to rowing north against it; and they would find the course he had chosen the safest and shortest in the end.

In this way they sailed for three days. On the morning of the fourth, Botello found that it would be impossible for him longer to turn a deaf ear to the mutterings of discontent among his crew. It was high time for an explanation of his plans; and, trusting to his eloquence and influence, he proceeded to unfold his design.

Imagine the astonishment and dismay depicted in the countenances of the servants and sailors, when he told them he purposed making the long and dangerous voyage to Lisbon, in the miserable little boat in which they had embarked. But as he went on commenting upon the feasibility of the project, discussing the real dangers of such a voyage, and ridiculing the imaginary, and dilating upon the honors and rewards which they would win by being the first bearers of the tidings they carried, a change, from dismay to hope and confidence, took place in the minds of all his hearers, excepting the African sailors, who did not much relish the idea of so long a voyage to Christian lands. They, however, were slaves and infidels, and their opposition was not much heeded.

To every objection Botello had a plausible reply. He confidently asserted his knowledge of a safe route, and of his ability to preserve their little craft amid all the dangers of the sea.

"But may we not be forestalled in our news after all," demanded Alfonzo, "by the vessels from Calicut?"

"No fear of that," replied Botello. "The news from Diu will not reach Calicut for a month, and then it will be too late in the monsoon to dispatch a vessel, even if one were ready. Besides, I have certain information that the viceroy has determined that no dispatches shall be sent home until he can announce the completion of the fort."

"I like not this new route you propose," said Juan. "Why leave the usual course to Melenda?"

"Because we should be in danger of

exciting the suspicions of our brethren who now garrison the forts of Melenda, Zanzibar, and Mozambique, and perhaps be detained. No, we will take a more direct course-strike the coast of Africa below Sofalo, and then follow the shore around the Cape of Good Hope."

"And what are we to do for provisions and water, in the mean time?"

"Of provisions, we have a store that will last until we reach land, when we can obtain supplies from the natives; as to water, we must go at once upon the shortest possible allowance, and daily pray for rain-St. Francis will aid us. I can show you something that will set your minds easy upon that point."

Botello produced a box from beneath the stern-sheets, and, opening it, took out, with an air of reverence, a leaden image of the saint.

"See this!" he exclaimed, in a tone of exultation. "It was modeled from the portrait recognized by the aged Moor. Have you not heard of the miracle? True, you were not at Calicut! Know, then, that a few months since, a native of India was presented to the viceroy, whose reputed age amounted to three hundred years. His story was, that in early youth he encountered an aged man lingering upon the banks of a stream which he was anxious to pass. The youth tendered the support of his strong shoulders, and bore him across the water. As a reward for the service, the old man bade the youth live until they should meet again. And thus had he lived, until, a few months since, he was presented to De Cunna, when he at once recognized, in a portrait of St. Francis, the holy man whom he had carried across the stream. This image was modeled from that portrait; it was blessed by the pious convert in whose person was performed the miracle. Our voyage must be prosperous with this on board!"

The sight of an image taken from a portrait acknowledged to be the saint himself, removed all doubt. And what Botello's arguments and persuasions might have failed to accomplish, was easily effected by the little image of lead. A heretic might, perhaps, have questioned the saint's power over the physical phenomena of the sea, but he could not have denied his moral influence over the minds of the adventurous voyagers who confided

in him. No hesitation remained, except in the minds of the four slaves, who, having been forcibly converted from the errors of Mohammed, were yet somewhat weak in the true faith.

It was this want of faith that led to one of the most lamentable events of the voyage. They had been out more than a month without having had sight of land; and not even a distant sail had lighted up the dismal loneliness of the ocean. It must be recollected what a solitude was the vast surface of the Indian and Pacific seas in those days. Beside the Portuguese fleets that followed each other at long and regular intervals, Christian commerce there was none, while Arabian trade was small in amount, and confined to certain narrow channels. The Moorish slaves had never before been so long in the open sea, and their fears increased, as day after day the little boat bore them farther to the south. The provisions were also by this time nearly exhausted, and the daily allowance of water proved barely sufficient to moisten their parched lips. The slaves, after taking counsel among themselves, demanded that the course of the boat should be arrested.

"And which way would you go?" asked Botello. "Back to Diu? It would take three months to reach the port, and long ere that we should starve!" "Let us steer, then, directly for the African coast. Melenda must be our nearest port.'

"Never!" returned the resolute Botello. "I will run no risk of having our voyage frustrated by the jealousy of my old enemy, Alfonzo Peristrello, who has command of that station. Courage for a few days more, and we shall see land! There are isles hereaway that you will deem fit residences for the blessed saints-such fruits! such flowers!"

The promises of Botello had influence with all of his companions excepting the Moors, whose muttered discontent suddenly assumed a fierce and menacing aspect. Luckily, Botello was as wary as he was brave.

It was in the middle of the night, that, stretched upon the midship thwart of the boat, he noticed a movement among the Moors, who occupied the bow. One of them moved stealthily toward him, and, bending over him, cautiously sought the hilt of his dagger; but before he could