"Is he at Keppel again now?"

"Yes, and others of his people besides. A number of the natives at Woollya were anxious to visit Keppel, and Mr. Stirling chose Lucca and Three-boys (who had been there before), another promising lad from a different place, and Thomas Button, with his wife, a grown-up son, and an infant. So there are now eleven in all at

Cranmer."

"How interesting Mr. Stirling's letters will be !"

"Yes; and he says that Mr. Bridges has made such progress in Fuegian, that very soon they hope to print the Word of God in the language, and have a grammar and dictionary, so that future missionaries will be able to learn it with ease. And now my Patagonian story must end for the present. I am sure we shall all wish to help this Missionary Society, as far as we can; and we must, at any rate, often pray for it. The committee wish all friends to consider Monday in each week as a day of special prayer for the various missionaries, the natives under their charge, and all the affairs of the Society at home. We shall find it pleasant to keep this in remembrance."

"Mamma," said Anne, "we are quite sorry that the story of Patagonia is done."

"I hope the best of it is to come, my dear, through the blessing of God, in future years. But the past is

certainly full of interest, and of useful lessons to us all.

The faith of Christians, as I have before said, has been sorely tried in regard to this mission: yet already we can see the meaning of some trials that appeared overwhelming when they occurred, and we may well trust that all shall work together for good' in the end.

"Yes," said Mr. Campbell; "if Captain Gardiner and his brave companions had been discovered and saved from death, the mission would, I believe, have been given up then as hopeless; but the tale of their terrible sufferings, yet unshaken faith, made such a sensation, that Christians were roused and stirred up to follow out the work so nobly begun. The heroic death of Gardiner accomplished more than his life; and the second scene of martyrdom at Woollya may have its bright side likewise. Everywhere that saying is found good-" The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church."

NOTE. Since the date at which these sketches were written (the autumn of 1863) the South American Missionary Society has been extending its operations and increasing the number of its agents. Mr. Gardiner, at Lota, has now an additional assistant, a catechist from St. Chrischona Missionary Institution, near Basle. A medical missionary, Rev. Dr. Humble, assisted by a catechist, is established on the north-east coast of Patagonia, where the Society's stations are now El Carmen and Bahia Bianea, Santa Cruz having been given up for the present. New and important stations have been opened at Callao and Panama, where there are a number of British residents, and the agents there hope soon to find opportunities for much direct missionary work among the native tribes of the

interior.

Ookokko and his family, at their own desire, have been settled among their countrymen at Woollya. Their position is a trying one, and at the last visit of the Allen Gardiner it was found that the youngest child had died, another was drooping, and Ookokko and Cammillena were much depressed. It is evident that more constant missionary superintendence is needed at Woollya, and this it is hoped may be safely ventured upon, now that the language of the natives has been so far acquired, and their confidence gained. But the Committee wait for the opinion of Mr. Stirling (who in consequence of the lamented death of his wife is now returning to England), before forming their new plans.

April, 1865

"Patriots have toiled, and in their country's cause

Bled nobly; and their deeds, as they deserve,
Receive proud recompense. We give in charge
Their names to the sweet lyre. Th' historic muse,
Proud of the treasure, marches with it down
To latest times; and Sculpture, in her turn,
Gives bond in stone and ever-during brass
To guard them, and t' immortalize her trust.
But fairer wreaths are due, though never paid,
To those who, posted at the shrine of Truth,
Have fallen in her defence. A patriot's blood,
Well spent in such a strife, may earn indeed,
And for a time ensure, to his loved land,

The sweets of liberty and equal laws;

But martyrs struggle for a nobler prize,

And win it with more pain. Their blood is shed

In confirmation of the noblest claim

Our claim to feed upon immortal truth,

To walk with God, to be divinely free,

To soar, and to anticipate the skies;

Yet few remember them. They lived unknown,

Till Persecution dragged them into fame,

And chased them up to heaven. Their ashes flew

No marble tells us whither. With their names

No bard embalms and sanctifies his song;

And history, so warm on meaner themes,
Is cold on this."

COWPER.

I.

FIRST MISSIONARIES AND THEIR TRIALS.

HE Sabbath evening conversations had been interrupted for a few weeks, owing to family circumstances.

"I hope you are prepared for a long sea voyage," said Mrs. Campbell, when all were once more assembled as usual,

"Where are we to go, mamma?"

"We shall embark at Tierra del Fuego; or, as that is such a very stormy place, we may rather sail from among our friends at Keppel Island. Point to it on the map, Tommy. Very good. Now we cross the South Atlantic, passing the south of Africa. We might touch, if neces sary, at the Cape of Good Hope for provisions, and would find much to interest us there of a missionary kind."

"That is among the Hottentots," said George.

"Yes, and we must visit them some day; but at present I wish to go further, into the Indian Ocean, till we