tain, and the boy, the whole ship's
company swore like troopers. So universal was the vice that the
men, I almost think, were hardly aware that they did swear. I was
puzzled. Sometimes when I went out in the morning I would hear a
volley of oaths coming from the mouth of a man who had been talking
quite seriously with me over-night.

Few of the men came to the service, and as they would not come to
us we went to them. Hardey and I, usually in the evenings,
conducted short little services in the forecastle as often as we
thought desirable. We were always well received and listened to
respectfully. I think I may say safely that all on board had
repeated opportunities of hearing the gospel as plainly as I could
put it, and a good many had something more than mere opportunities.
After it was dark I used to go out and get the men one by one, as
they sat in corners during their watch in the night. All they had
to do was to be within call when wanted, and many a good long talk
I have had with a good many of them. Of course, my object in
accosting them was religious conversation, and this I usually
succeeded in having; but on many occasions, that we might be quite
on a footing of equality, I had in return to listen to their yarns.
The man on the look-out was a frequent victim. I was always sure to
find a man there, generally alone, and never asleep. The man, also,
was changed at regular intervals, so that I knew exactly when I
would find a fresh man. When I talked to the look-out man, I used
to keep a sharp lookout myself, lest by distracting his attention I
should get him into trouble. Many a good hour have I stood at the
prow as we passed through the warm Indian Ocean, till my clothes
were wet with the dew of night; and then I would find my way down
to my cabin about midnight, with my head so full of the
ghost-stories I had just heard that I was really afraid I might
meet a real ghost coming out of my cabin.'

CHAPTER II

BEGINNING WORK

In 1817 two missionaries, the Rev. E. Stallybrass and the Rev. W. Swan,
left England to begin Christian work among the Buriats, a Mongolian
tribe living under Russian authority. At Selenginsk and at Onagen Dome
they laboured for many years; but in 1841 the Russian Emperor ordered
them to leave the country. From the command of the aut