Page:Groves - Memoir of Anthony Norris Groves, 3rd edition.djvu/315



left Calcutta on the 16th of April, and his rapid journey was only broken by his visits to missionary stations by the way. One of his objects in going to Patna was to invite Mr. Start to accompany him to Burmah, as he thought it might be of great advantage to them to see how that very successful mission was conducted. But it appears from the Journal that he found Mr. S. so fully and so usefully occupied, that he could neither ask him to undertake this journey, nor leave his own sphere of labour for any other. Refreshed and encouraged by communion with this dear brother, he proceeded to visit other missionaries as far north as Jaunpore and Benares, and from that city returned by a shorter route to Burdwan.

“Patna, May 9th.—I arrived here on the night of the 7th, a little tired, and yet much less so than could have been imagined, considering the heat: the thermometer stood in my palanquin at 110° or 109½° for nearly four hours. When I arrived, all were asleep at my friend’s house, but the noisy native population of this immense city seems never to sleep. All night you hear their contentions and strifes. As we passed through the streets we saw before their doors their simple little bedsteads; on these some were sleeping, whilst others were lying on the ground. How very, very little the body