has no means of
hearing from him, as there is no communication through the country; thus
is she left in this horrible state of suspense and anxiety, perhaps for
many weeks. I have a letter from a brother missionary, which is in my
writing-desk, wherein the case in point is well portrayed; I will get
it, and read that portion to you." Mr S went to the other end of the
room, and came back with a letter, from which he read as follows:--

"Having been detained among those distant tribes for nearly two months,
report upon report had been circulated that the interpreters and guide,
as well as myself, had all been murdered. On my arrival within forty
miles of the station, I was informed that all doubt upon the subject had
been removed by a party of natives who had passed the Mission station,
and who pretended an acquaintance with all the particulars of the
massacre. We had been travelling the whole day, and night had come on;
I was most anxious to proceed, that I might relieve the mind of my dear
wife, but the earnest remonstrances of my little party, who represented
it as certain death to all of us to cross the plains, which were
infested with lions and other savage beasts who were prowling in every
direction, at length induced me to wait till the next day. But scarcely
had day begun to dawn when I sallied forth, without either arms or
guide, except a pocket compass, leaving my fellow-travellers to bring on
the waggon as soon as they should arouse from their slumbers. This
impatience had, however, well-nigh cost me my life; for having to wade
through many miles of deep sand with a vertical sun over my head, I had
not accomplished half the journey before my strength began to fail, and
an indescribable thirst was induced. Nevertheless, I reached the
Mission in safety, and with truly grateful feelings to the great
Preserver of men. A few minutes prior to my arrival, the wife of one of
my brother missionaries, little imagining that I was at hand and alive,
had entered our dwelling, to apprise my wife of the latest intelligence,
confirming all that had been said before respecting my fate, and to
comfort her under the distressing dispensation. At this affecting
crisis, while both were standing in the centre of the room, the one
relating, the other weeping, I opened the door, bathed in perspiration,
covered with dust, and in a state of complete exhaustion. `Oh, dear!'
cried our friend; `is it he--or is it his spirit?' I mu