Lives of the Three Mrs. Judsons | Page 7

hang over them and appear truly
romantic. The grass and fields of rice are perfectly green, and herds of
cattle are everywhere feeding on the banks of the river, and the natives
are scattered about, ... some fishing, some driving the team, and some
sitting indolently on the bank of the river. The pagodas we have passed
are much handsomer and larger than the houses. There are many
English seats near the shore.... Oh, what reason we have to be thankful
for so pleasant and prosperous a voyage....
"Well, sister, we are safe in Calcutta harbor, and almost stunned with
the noise of the natives. Mr. Judson has gone on shore to find a place
for us to go. The city is by far the most elegant of any I have ever seen.
Many ships are lying at anchor, and hundreds of natives all around.
They are dressed very curiously--their white garments hanging loosely
over their shoulders. But I have not time to describe anything at
present.
"Thursday.--Harriet and I are yet on board the vessel, and have not
been on land. Mr. Judson has not yet gained permission for us to live in
the country. He and Mr. Newell are gone again to-day, and what will be
their success I know not. The East India Company are violently
opposed to missions, and have barely given permission to their own
countrymen to settle here as preachers. We have nothing to expect from
man, and everything from God.... If God has anything for us to do here,
he will doubtless open a door for our entrance, if not he will send us to
some other place."
CHAPTER III.

HER ARRIVAL AT CALCUTTA.--DIFFICULTIES WITH THE
BENGAL GOVERNMENT.--VOYAGE TO THE ISLE OF
FRANCE.--DEATH OF MRS. NEWELL.--CHANGE OF
SENTIMENTS.--VOYAGE TO RANGOON.
Mr. and Mrs. Judson landed at Calcutta on the 18th of June, 1812, and
were hospitably received by the venerable Dr. Carey, who immediately
conducted them to his home in Serampore. There they found a
delightful mission family, consisting of Messrs. Carey Marshman and
Ward, with their wives and children who welcomed them most
cordially, and invited them to remain until the arrival of their brother
missionaries. Of the arrangements in this truly Christian family--the
schools, the religious exercises, the cultivation of the gardens
belonging to the establishment, and the instruction communicated to
the natives, they express themselves in the highest terms of eulogy.
Hitherto the course of our missionaries in their enterprise had indeed
run smooth, and they had begun to flatter themselves that they had
over-estimated the trials and dangers of the life they had chosen; but
sad reverses awaited them. They had been in Serampore but ten days,
when Messrs. Judson and Newell were summoned to Calcutta, where
an order from government was read to them, commanding them
immediately to leave the country, and return to America. The British
East India Company were at that time unfriendly to missions, and
especially intolerant to missionaries from America. The idea of
returning, without effecting the object for which they had left their
native land, was too painful to be endured by the missionaries, and they
immediately attempted to gain permission to go to some country not
under the company's jurisdiction.--Burmah, the field to which they had
been assigned by their brethren at home, seemed, for various reasons,
utterly inaccessible; but they finally got leave to take passage in a ship
bound for the Isle of France. The vessel would, however, accommodate
but two passengers, and the health of Mrs. Newell requiring that she
should be in a place of quiet, it was agreed that she and her husband
should embark in it. For three months the rest of their company
remained in Calcutta, watched with jealousy by the British Government,
but unable to find a vessel to convey them away. At length they had

peremptory orders to embark in a vessel bound to England. All hope of
escape seemed now cut off, when Mr. Judson accidentally learned that
a ship was about sailing for the Isle of France. They applied for a
passport to go on board of her, but were refused. They informed the
captain of the vessel of their circumstances, and were allowed to go on
board without a pass. They had got but a few miles down the river,
however, when a government despatch overtook them, commanding
the pilot to conduct the ship no further, as there were persons on board
who had been ordered to England.
By advice of the captain, the missionaries left the ship, and went on
shore, while the pilot wrote a certificate that no such persons were on
board. The captain being angry at the detention of his vessel, ordered
them to take their baggage from it immediately, but at length consented
to let it remain