330 BRANCH STATIONS. of the mission, and whence the truth would be likely to find its way to Nellore, Masulipatam, and Hydrabad; as a station more adjacent to the famous Conjeveram, Cholinger and Old Arcot, and from whence, the out-stations of the society, might be well overlooked, Wallajapettah has been esteemed, by Mr. Bilderbeck, as admirably located, and as affording the greatest facilities to carry on the work. A spot of A spot of ground most advantageously situated, and near the gate of Wallajapettah, has been procured by the kindness of the collector; the plan and estimate of suitable buildings, consisting of a mission-house, a place of worship, a school-room, and a dwelling for a teacher with all necessary out-houses, was prepared by an officer of the engineers; a sum of money adequate to cover all the expenses has been received from a valued and a generous friend; and the workmen are proceeding as fast, as circumstances will admit, with the erection. Most likely Mr. Bilderbeck will take up his residence at this town, while Mr. Leach who has just sailed for Madras, will be located at Chittoor. A line of stations may thus be established which may be well superintended, and which will connect the Carnatic with the Mysore and with Madras. This is the right plan of consolidating missions. It is not necessary that all the European missionaries be congregated together in one town; but that they should be so near as to co BRANCH STATIONS. 331 operate with one another, and that in case of necessity they should be able to render assistance, and that one part of the plan of operations, should render all due and necessary support to the other, till the whole of the fortifications are completed, till the breach is made, and till a bold and simultaneous attack can be carried on against the bulwarks of the enemy. CHAPTER XVII. THE TELLOOGOO MISSIONS. TELLOOGOO COUNTRIES-MULTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE-SPIRITUAL TELINGANA-ARGU CONDITION-PAST NEGLECT--CLAIMS OF MENTS TO EFFORT-VIZAGAPATAM-CRAN AND DESGRANGES-A TELLOOGOO BRAMIN-DEATH OF MR. CRAN-DEATH OF DESGRANGES-LABOURS OF THE BRETHREN-DHERNA-A PAGAN PRIEST-SHOCKING MURDER-TRANSLATION-DEATH OF MR. DAWSON-POOROOSHOODUM-MISSION Renewed. THE Telloogoo language is reckoned the Italian of the East. Such is its beauty, its sweetness and fulness, that it has stamped peculiar interest upon the people and the country where it prevails. It is spoken in the northern circars, and in many neighbouring provinces, embracing that immense range of country which stretches along the Bay of Bengal, almost from Madras to Orissa; in the ancient kingdom of Andhra, as well as in Ganjam and in Hydrabad. Deducting a million of Mahommedans who may be found scattered over its provinces, the Telloogoo is the vernacular language of nine millions of Hindoos, and prevails over an area of 200,000 square miles. This extensive dominion is divided into the TELOOGOO COUNTRIES. 333 collectorates of Ganjam, Chicacole, Rajamundry, Masulipatam, Guntoor, Cuddapah, the Northern Carnatic, and Hydrabad. It is watered by the Crishna, the Godavery, and other inferior streams, and has been, in former times, a granary to the Carnatic during the north-east monsoon, as Tanjore was reckoned in the south-west. Golchonda is renowned for its diamond mines; Rajamundry for its large teak forests which grow on the banks of the Godavery; Masulipatam for its calicoes and its palampores; Chicacole for its muslins, and Berhampore for its silks. The Teloogoo people are a superior race of men, high in their caste, noble and independent in their bearing, and have often withstood the despotism of their oppressors with the sword. What is most remarkable about this intelligent race and their country, is that their spiritual interests have been almost entirely overlooked by the Christian world. With the exception of the missions to Vizagapatam, and to Cuddapah, no efforts have been made to emancipate this race from their spiritual thraldom. The brethren of the Church, of the Wesleyan, of the Baptist, and of the American societies have never gone to proclaim, in their sweet, and mellifluous language, the tidings of grace. Nine millions of people, on the coast of Coromandel, perishing in their heathenism! who will account for this strange neglect? If their country was situate in the wilds of Tartary, or near the 334 SPIRITUAL CONDITION. mountain of Thibet where few Europeans have travelled, and where war and anarchy are still liable to prevail, our amazement would not be justified; but the territories are our own; the ships to and from Bengal pass along their coast; their ports are open to our commerce; and they contribute to the wealth of England. But perhaps the provinces, it may be said, are not so well prepared to receive the truth; perhaps the tokens of divine Providence are less obvious, and the opportunities to carry on the work are less numerous, than in other parts. Why, since 1802, the most of these districts have been under British rule and protection; our own countrymen are the judges, the magistrates and the collectors to manage their civil and political affairs; and all the large towns and villages present to the benevolent mind, as many advantages as any new field of labour could enjoy. But the path, it may be objected, is comparatively untrodden, and the country untried; the missions which have already been established, have not been crowned with that eminent success which would encourage others; and the facilities to labour are very inferior when compared with other spheres. What! Is it not a greater honour, then, to cultivate a field upon which others have bestowed no labour? Have not Cuddapah and Vizagapatam met with as much success, as we could expect from the money and labour bestowed upon them? Have not tracts and other works in divinity been published, and the Scriptures |