lthy man, interposed, and took me to his house. He set me to work in
his fields, and assist him generally in agricultural operations. Whilst
so employed, I wished to be married, but met with two difficulties: the
first was poverty. My father had no money; and as the marriage
ceremonies and feasts are always expensive, I knew not what to do. Then
there was another hindrance: the father of my intended wife withdrew the
consent he had formerly given to the marriage, on account of my conduct
in connection with the cholera goddess. But my generous uncle
interposed, and induced him to give his consent. And then he removed
the other difficulty by paying all the marriage expenses himself. With
this uncle we lived many years in Goobbe; and when he became an old man,
I managed his farm for him, and at the same time I carried on my work as
village washerman."

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE FIRST SERMON PREACHED IN GOOBBE.

On the 1st of September, 1836, Goobbe received the first visit of a
Protestant Missionary. The following is an extract from Mr Hodson's
Journal: "After spending a few days with Captain (now General) Dobbs at
Toomcoor, I rode over to Goobbe, a distance of twelve miles. When I had
arrived within about a mile of the town, I was met by a number of the
principal inhabitants, who expected Captain Dobbs. On finding out their
mistake, they politely paid me the compliments intended for their local
governor. They accompanied me to the `gate of the city,' and their
trumpeter gave notice to the whole town that `a person of distinction'
had arrived, and it was very soon known to every one who loved to hear
news that the visitor was a Missionary. After breakfast, which Captain
Dobbs' servant had prepared for me, I went into some of the principal
streets of Goobbe to make my observations on the suitability of the
place for a mission-station. In one of the streets I met with a
Christian young man, who had been schoolmaster at Toomcoor, who rendered
me some assistance. After taking an extensive survey of the place, I
returned to the first gate, and seeing a large shop, open to the street,
unoccupied, I took possession of it, and requested the young man above
mentioned to read part of a Canarese tract which he had in his hand. A
few people entered the room, but the greater number stood in the street,
about two feet below the shop. Novelty brought a congregation of about
one hundred, to whom, after the young native ma