Christian missions in the Telugu country - Uecf.net
Christian missions in the Telugu country - Uecf.net
Christian missions in the Telugu country - Uecf.net
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112 MISSIONS IN THE TELUGU COUNTRY<br />
ground <strong>in</strong> lovely surround<strong>in</strong>gs ; ano<strong>the</strong>r will be a mere<br />
oasis <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> sodden pla<strong>in</strong> ; or <strong>the</strong> bandies wiU stick<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> mud and he will with difficulty get to his camp<br />
at all ; or <strong>the</strong> river will rise and cut him off from his<br />
dest<strong>in</strong>ation and leave him to f<strong>in</strong>d what refuge he can.<br />
Many are <strong>the</strong> accidents that wUl <strong>in</strong>terfere with <strong>the</strong> tour,<br />
and a comb<strong>in</strong>ation of <strong>the</strong>m may br<strong>in</strong>g it to an end. The<br />
writer had once made two marches of a long-planned tour<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> best season of <strong>the</strong> year, when <strong>the</strong> ra<strong>in</strong> came down,<br />
not heavUy but cont<strong>in</strong>uously. This delayed <strong>the</strong> camp<br />
<strong>in</strong> one spot for three days, for <strong>the</strong> tents, so long as <strong>the</strong>y<br />
are wet, cannot be moved. By that time one servant<br />
was prostrate with fever and ano<strong>the</strong>r was <strong>in</strong>capacitated<br />
by an abscess. When a third went down with smaU-pox,<br />
<strong>the</strong>re was noth<strong>in</strong>g left but to turn homewards aga<strong>in</strong> till<br />
better conditions could be obta<strong>in</strong>ed. A more serious<br />
emergency to which <strong>the</strong> traveller may be exposed is<br />
illustrated by <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g vivid account from <strong>the</strong> pen<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Rev. S. Foskett<br />
' We pitched under a few trees some distance away,<br />
separated from <strong>the</strong> village by a small stream <strong>in</strong> which<br />
a Uttle water was flow<strong>in</strong>g, probably not more than<br />
three or four feet broad. The next day be<strong>in</strong>g Sunday,<br />
we got some of <strong>the</strong> Sudras, who had promised to become<br />
<strong>Christian</strong>s, to attend Matt<strong>in</strong>s, <strong>in</strong> order that <strong>the</strong>y might<br />
get an <strong>in</strong>sight <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> nature of <strong>Christian</strong> worship. It<br />
<strong>in</strong>terested <strong>the</strong>m greatly, and <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> afternoon <strong>the</strong>y came<br />
aga<strong>in</strong> to talk about <strong>the</strong>ir affairs. After some conver-<br />
sation with <strong>the</strong>m we treated about thirty patients, and<br />
<strong>the</strong>n brought out our four viol<strong>in</strong>s to play <strong>the</strong> <strong>Christian</strong><br />
lyrics, which <strong>the</strong>y enjoy so much, giv<strong>in</strong>g short sketches