COLOMBO.

This is the chief English town of Ceylon, as Kandy is the chief Cingalese town.  The English governor lives here, but he has a house at Kandy too, where he may enjoy the cool mountain air.  There is a fine road from Colombo to Kandy, broader and harder than, English roads; yet it is out through steep mountains, and winds by dangerous precipices.  But there are laborers in Ceylon stronger than any in England.  I mean the ELEPHANTS.  It is curious to see this huge animal meekly walking along with a plank across its tusks, or dragging wagons full of large stones.  Among the mountains there are herds of wild elephants, sometimes a hundred may be seen in one herd.  There are no elephants in the world as courageous as those of Ceylon, yet they are very obedient when tamed.  If you wished to visit the mountains, you might safely ride upon the back of the sure-footed elephant, and all your brothers and sisters, however many, might ride with you.

MISSIONARIES.—­There are some in Ceylon, and some of the heathens have obeyed their voice.

There was once a devil priest.  Having been detected in some crime, he was imprisoned at Kandy, and while in prison he read a Christian tract, and was converted.  Thus (like Onesimus, of whom we read in the Bible,) he escaped from Satan’s prison, while shut up in man’s prison.  When he was set free, he was baptized by the missionary at Kandy, and he chose to be called Abraham.  What name did he choose for his son, a boy of fourteen?  Isaac.  He buried his conjuring books, though he might have sold them for eight pounds.  His cottage was in a village fifteen miles from Kandy.  He had left it—­a wicked man; lib returned to it a good man.

After some time, a missionary went to visit Abraham in his cottage.  A good Cingalese was his guide.  The walk there was beautiful, along narrow paths, amidst fields of rice, through dark thickets, and long grass.  No one in Abraham’s village had ever seen the fair face of an Englishman; and the sight of the missionary alarmed the inhabitants.  Abraham’s family was the only Christian family in that place.  How glad Abraham felt at the sight of the missionary,—­almost as glad as the first Abraham felt at the sight of the three angels.  When the missionary entered, Abraham was teaching his wife, for she was soon to be baptized.  By what name?  By the name of Sarah.  There were seven children in the family.  How hard it must be for Abraham to bring them up as Christians, in the midst of his heathen neighbors.  Even his brothers hate him, wound his cattle, and break down his fences.  Once they pointed a gun at him, but it did not go off.  Abraham’s comfort is to walk over to Kandy every Saturday, to worship God there on Sunday with the Christians; and he does not find fifteen miles too far for his willing feet.  May the Lord preserve Abraham, faithful in the midst of the wicked.