considerable congregation, and hoped that Day Schools would be established throughout the Islands.

BULLOMS.

Mr. Nyländer writes from Kissey, under date of February 7th last, respecting his old friends the Bulloms

It is with great pleasure that I have to inform the Committee, that the Translation of the Holy Scriptures is carried on by George Caulker, at the Plantain Islands. He is a young man of considerable abilities. He promised to send me a few chapters of his Translation, which I shall transmit to you as soon as possible.

Besides this Translation of the Scriptures, I am told that the Word of God is preached, on the main land, in the Sherbro Country, by a Black Man, formerly an inhabitant of Freetown. He speaks of very encouraging prospects of preaching among the Bulloms in Sherbro, and wishes that the Society would take it into consideration. The late Mr. Cates passed through the place, but did not stay long enough to get acquainted with the people who assemble to hear the Word of God.

BATHURST, AT ST. MARY'S, IN THE GAMBIA.

The objects and prospects of this New Settlement were stated in the last Report.

Governor Mac Carthy having apprised the Society, that, on his representations, the Government at home had agreed to appoint a Chaplain to this Settlement, the Committee, at his Excellency's request, are endeavouring to find a suitable Clergyman; as Earl Bathurst has expressed his readiness to accept their nomination.

Some extracts from the communications of Governor Mac Carthy to the Committee will shew the importance of this promising Station.

Under date of September 21, 1819, his Excellency writes

The Settlement is very healthy. The population exceeds now 1000 individuals, beside the garrison. The River Gambia is navigable for upward of 500 miles; and, in point of commercial importance, bids fair to become the first British Establishment on the West Coast. From this, more intercourse with the interior of Africa is carried on, than from any of our possessions. It is new

ground; and I believe the Gospel has never been preached in that part.

On the 4th of January last, the Governor thus writes from Bathurst:

The population is increasing. A considerable number of good and substantial houses have been built, since my visit in 1818; and, from all that I hear, from the Commandant (Capt. Grant) and the whole of the most respectable inhabitants, Bathurst is not more unhealthy (indeed they all think much less so) than any other part of the coast, Goree excepted. The annoyance which the Europeans experienced, on their first settlement, from sand-flies and musquitoes, has vanished. Provisions, and every other article for the maintenance of a family, are much cheaper than at Sierra Leone.

The Native Inhabitants around are well disposed. A proportion of the principal people of the Settlement, who formerly resided at Gorce and witnessed the advantages which the young people received from the attention bestowed on their education by Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, are almost as desirous as myself to see among them a useful Minister, who would, in addition to his Clerical Duties, superintend the Schools.

The Committee will have great pleasure in rendering every practicable assistance to this rising Settlement. They hail the extension of British Influence on these injured shores; and they pray for the Divine Guidance and Blessing on those benevolent attempts on which American Christians are now entering to benefit Africa.

MEDITERRANEAN MISSION.

This Mission occupies a scene of labour which attracts, more and more, the attention and interest of thinking and benevolent men. In that wide and important field, a general spirit of inquiry seems to have been awakened, and to be preparing the way of the Lord. Among the Eastern Churches within the sphere of this. Mission, the revival of pure religion is unquestionably begun and, as these Churches shall reflect the clear light of the Gospel on the Mahomedans and Heathens around, they will doubtless become efficient instruments of rescuing them from delusion and death. But it is

by bringing back these Churches to the knowledge and love of the Sacred Scriptures, that the blessing from on high may be expected to descend on them: and there are many and encouraging indications that the Churches of Greece, and Syria, and Armenia, and Egypt, and Abyssinia, will gladly receive this boon at our hands.

The Society's Missionaries, therefore, rejoice to labour in this holy cause. Their voyages and their journeys, their plans and their toils, characterize them, for the present, chiefly as men occupied in devising and preparing new or revised Versions of the Scriptures, and in circulating far and wide those which are already in being and herein they feel it an honour to further the objects of that Noble Institution the British and Foreign Bible Society-which unites and cements in one the affections and labours of good men wherever they are found; and, in return, thankfully acknowledges their zeal, and renders all possible support to their plans and labours.

The arrival of Mr. Jowett at Alexandria, in December 1818, on a visit to Egypt, was mentioned in the last Report. After residing, for some time, both at Alexandria and Caïro, and after a voyage up the Nile, he returned to Malta, by way of Alexandria and Smyrna, on the 4th of October last-considerably exhausted by the fatigues and anxieties of ten months' assiduous labour.

Mr. Jowett remained at Alexandria, in the house of Mr. Lee, the English Consul, for five or six weeks. From that Gentleman, and others, he received much kind attention. To the Convents of the Copts, the Latins, and the Greeks, he paid an early visit; and was admitted, with other travellers, and in company of the English Consul, to an audience by the Bashaw, who was residing for some time in Alexandria. During his stay at the Consulate, Mr. Jowett preached there, on Sundays, to such Franks as wished to assemble for Divine Worship.

From Alexandria, Mr. Jowett proceeded to Caïro. It was an object of first importance with him to have an

interview with Mr. Salt, the British Consul-General for Egypt; in order to obtain his assistance and countenance in the prosecution of the objects of his voyage.

At Caïro, he met with Mr. Pearce, who had been compelled by troubles in Abyssinia to quit that country, and had just arrived, after a journey and voyage of eighty-nine days. Mr. Salt being at this time in Nubia, Mr. Jowett determined to proceed up the Nile, in order to a conference with him. With great reluctance he gave up the hope of being present at the approaching Passover at Jerusalem; but his disappointment therein was amply compensated, by the opening of unexpected opportunities of prosecuting the Society's plans. in behalf of the almost-expiring Church of Abyssinia.

Mr. Fuller, an English Gentleman then at Caïro, accompanied Mr. Jowett on the voyage; as did Mr. Pearce, who was in search of Mr. Salt, by whom he was employed. Having reached the Island of Philoë, near the First Cataract, they met with Mr. Salt there. He entered, with great readiness, into Mr. Jowett's views. The months of February and March, of last year, were spent in this voyage.

The advantages of this voyage, in ascertaining the state of the people and the want of the Scriptures, with their disposition to receive them, were greatly secured by Letters of Recommendation, which the Coptic Patriarch gave him to the Churches and Convents in Upper Egypt. Mr. Jowett availed himself of the opportunities thus afforded him, in distributing a considerable number of copies of the Scriptures; and could have circulated, with good prospect of usefulness, and to eager recipients, a large quantity, had they been at

hand.

In a Letter addressed, from Egypt, to the Committee of the Malta Bible Society, Mr. Jowett reports his proceedings in the distribution of the Scriptures, during his voyage on the Nile; and details his hopes and wishes relative to the supply of the Sacred Volume to Abyssinia: and, in another Letter to the same Committee, written after his return to Malta, he states his

subsequent proceedings in Egypt in promoting the objects of the Society; with much enlarged observation, in reference more particularly to Africa. The Committee recommend these communications to the attention of the Members*.

On Mr. Jowett's arrival off Old Caïro, in the beginning of April, from his voyage up the Nile, he heard that the Plague, which had discovered itself in Alexandria while he was there, had reached Caïro. He wrote, therefore, to Mr. Salt, who had arrived at the Consulate in Cairo, to ask his advice how to proceed. Mr. Salt immediately sent his horse and Janissary, in order to convey Mr. Jowett to the Consulate, where they were shut up in full quarantine. The disease was not, at first, severe; but, at length, 150 deaths were reported daily. It reached as far as Essouan, in Upper Egypt, which is a rare occurrence in the history of this malignant scourge.

At Caïro, Mr. Jowett resumed his intention of visiting Jerusalem; and set forward on the journey, on the 1st of June, in company of Mr. Fuller and Mr. Pearce

animated by the intelligence which he had just received of the visit of the Syrian Archbishop to this country, and promising himself much pleasure from inspecting his and the other Monasteries of Mount Lebanon. On the second night of the journey, while at rest under their tents in the Desert, some pegs of one of the tents were forced out of the ground, and the trunk of his companion silently withdrawn by the hand of some depredator who probably knew its value; as it contained very considerable property.

Their return to Caïro, and the necessary measures for detecting the thief and recovering the property, occupied so much time, that Mr. Jowett was again obliged to defer his visit to the Holy City; but em

*The first of these Letters is printed in the Missionary Register for 1819, pp. 402-407: the other has appeared, since the Anniversary, at pp. 203-208 of the present Volume of that work. Further particulars respecting Egypt are given at pp. 365-370 of the Volume for

1819.