Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/44

34 when suddenly he began to turn the wheel rapidly to bring the ship up to her course, from which she had slid off while his attention was diverted by the hymn. This brought a rough reproof from the captain. The poor boy's heart was full. Darkness had come on, but as he stood silent at his post, with his eye upon the compass, we could follow the motion of his hand as with its brown back, from time to time, he brushed away the falling tear.

New-Year's day rose fair and lovely. The waters, so lately tossed in all the fury of the storm, now sparkled gayly in the bright sunlight. It was the day set apart by many Christians in America for prayers for the conversion of the world to Christ, and we resolved to unite our supplications to theirs. Well might we turn to God for aid, when, after eighty-three days at sea, the forecastle was still closed against us, and so little had been done for the precious souls sailing with us in that little barque over the sea of life to the eternal world. It proved a solemn and a profitable day.

A new year was opening upon us, and, with it, new events. The next Sunday, the first Sabbath of the year, was a marked one in our little community. A solemn stillness rested on