The Press., 1894-07-05
LETTER FROM INDIA.

bleshwar, is about 4500 feet above sea level. It is the principal health resort during the hot season for the Europeans who live in western India. The village is on high plateau, three sides of which are abrupt precipices descending into the valleys below. At one point there is a sheer descent of 2000 feet. The up here is magnificent.
 Oftentimes the clouds come floating up from the sea and rest on the mountains, or lay in the valleys. These make very pretty sight, especially when the sunlight or the moonlight falls on them. In clear weather, the sea, forty miles away, is vis- ible.
 A great many wild animals live among these mountains. It is not uncommon to see wolves at nightfall in this vicinity. The other day as 1 was out walking saw good sized monkey. He looked at me for moment, and then skipped away as fast as possible. A few weeks ago the doctor of the place shot large panther, which had been killing the cattle at one of the houses in the outskirts. There are few tigers still left in this part of the country. The residents of Mahableshwar were greatly shocked 6 short time ago at hearing that an English colonel, whose family is residing here, had been killed by a tiger. He was on a surveying expedi- tion with three other Englishmen, about four miles south of this place. One night tiger came and killed their buffalo COW. They determined to. revenge themselves by hunting the tiger. Accordingly they gathered a large number of natives to act as "beaters," ," that is to drive the tiger out by their noise in a certain direction where the Englishman had taken their station in trees ready to shoot him. The tiger was driven under the colonel's tree, and the latter fired and probably wounded him mortally. But he went on, and the four they came upon him hid in some bushes. The tiger made for them and seized the col Onel in his mouth The other men mme- diately fired, but although they put three
 
 struggles he tore the colonel terribly. They rolled off an embankment together The tiger soon died, but the man was dead when picked up. A wounded tiger is a terrible animal. We hear of great many such accidents in tiger hunting.
 The weather up here is cool and invig- orating. 1 say cool, in comparison with the burning heat which prevails on the plains below at this time The two months of April and May are the hottest in the year. Towards the close of the latter month the southwest monsoon "breaks," as it is called. That is, the wind from the direction of Africa sets in, and the rain begins to fall. This wind and rain cool the air so that there is not such scorch- ing heat from June on as before. Maha- bleshwar is celebrated as being one of the The hot, moisture-laden breezes come up from the Indian Ocean, and as they strike these hills and ascend to a cooler region | great precipitation of rain takes place. In July the rain pours down in buck kets- | full. The average annual rainfall is 264 inches, and 374 inches have been known to fall in one year. At home, if remem- Der correctly, the rainfall does not exceed 50 inches annually. Moreover, here near | ly all of this tremendous amount of rain falls in four months, viz., from June to September. An occurrence which is in teresting to new corners into this latitude, | like myself, is that about June 1st the sun will be directly overhead at noon, and for about a month and a half afterwards it will actually shine in from the north, casting our shadows to the south.
 The rest and refreshment which we gain on these hills is a great boon to the mis- sionaries who have become wearied by the incessant toll at their stations on the plains. Were it not for this annual sea son of rest the missionaries would break down very soon and be forced to leave the as one can in New England. Besides the missionaries of the American Board, there are a great many others who are spending the two hot months up here. There are American Presbyterians, American Meth odists, missionaries of the Free Church | of Scotland, of the Christian Literature Society, Irish Presbytelians and Zcnanna missionaries. The association with all these people is delightful. We have pray CT meetings, tennis parties, evening par ties, excursions and picnics together. Our mission improves the time when we are together by holding it's semi-annual mis- sion meeting. At this meeting the differ ent missionaries give reports of their work and great many matters connect ed with it are brought up and discussed. To young missionaries like myself these
 meetings (which continue for about ten days) are very instructive as to the meth ods of missionary work. These are very numerous. The missionaries try to reach
 the people and do them good in every pos
 sible way. Preaching is only one way,
 and it is only small part of mission
 ary's work A missionary never acts as
 pastor of church except in very excep- tional circumstances. This work is given to native preachers, who can use the lan- guage so much better, and know what
 will appeal to their countrymen. The
 missionary's work is more that of super
 vision. He has a certain district in his
 charge, in which he looks after the
 churches, encourages them to sustain theil
 pastors, advises them, settles their dis
 putes, employs and sends out evangelists
 starts schools, employs christian teachers
 for them, makes tours throughout the
 district to look after thess things, does
 medical work for the natives, starts ana Esuperintends Sunday schools, etc., etc The constant aim is to raise up native