The Republican journal., 1915-03-25
The Indian Mission Field.
Home Letter from Miss Amy Porter of
Pittsfeid.
From the Pittsfeld Advertiser. !

RAJ CHAT, ORIssA, India, Jan. 10,
1915. Once more am away from home,
this time visiting the people on preach
ing tour. Amy Coe, Miss Fenner and
Mrs. Grimes have been out with four of
the Bible women for nearly two weeks,
They have stopped in Jellasore and Dan
toon and now at Raj Chat Miss Fenner
was at home for four or five days, but
Joined the company again last Saturday
and came with her. They were in the
Jellasore mission bungalow Saturday
morning when we arrived. Right after
breakfast we packed up bedding, food,
dishes, and everything, loaded up two
bullock carts and started about twelve
O'Clock for this place. Miss Coe and l
came on our bicycles for three miles to
the river which had to be crossed. The
water is very low at this time of the
year, leaving long stretch of loose sand
to cross before one gets to water. We
pushed our bicycles and ourselves through
that until we got to the real wet part of
the river. We expected to be carried
across by men as is the custom, but at
that point the water was too deep for
wading and ferry boat was there to
transport wayfarers. The boat could
not get close up, so we had to be carried
few steps by men who made chair
with their hands joined. They dld it
very easily and nicely. We came across
two white folks, several brown ones,
two bicycles, bed, etc.
Then we hunted up the Oak bungalow
where we were to stay, found everything
satisfactory and went on to the market
where the Bible women were already
among the people. Miss Fenner was
meanwhile making the journey in the
bullock cart and Mrs. Grimes was walk
ing. When she rode she sat in the
drivers seat on the tongue of the bull
lock cart almost on the bullocks' back.
| She discovered that that was the
best seat in the whole concern. She
tried driving the beasts and used the
worst language she dared to them but the
driver said, 30, Memsahib, they'll just
think you're smoothing them down.
At the river all the possessions had to
be put on board the ferry; then the cart
was strapped to the boat up above water
where they could swim, and all passed
packing, repacking and all took just one
hour and half. One cart was left be-
hind. 1t was too much work to bring two
While they were doing that Miss Coe and
l visited the market. Once or twice a
week market is held there. 1t was just
cleared place beside the river with a
few booths of bamboo poles and thatch-
ing set up. There was not house in
sight. (Houses are never in sight here. Y on
see group of trees off across the fields
and that tells you that village exists
beneath them). People came from every
direction, some loaded down with vege-
tables, fish, trinkets, jewelry, baskets,
knives, verifying saleable; others just
coming to see the sights and perhaps to
buy. There must have been few hun
bred people there. The trafficers arrang-
ed themselves in lines and displayed their
wares.
At one side our Bible women began to
sing and crowd gathered around. Then
one after another spoke to the people.
One held up picture, think it was of
the Prodigal Son. and told the story Quite
a crowd gathered around. Sometimes in
such places many books are sold.
| This, however, was not very buying
crowd. Probably few could re ad anyway.
We wandered around to see the sights,
watched Santal dance going on for the
entertainment of the people at one side,
bought two little pink baskets for cent
and a half and few trinkets equally
cheap, and then came home,
Did hear you ask what this Oak Bun
galow is where we are stopping? Well,
in this country there are 70 hotels out
side of half dozen or 80 of the big
gest cities. So throughout India the
English Government maintains at dis
lance of ten miles these nice little puc-
ca bungalows for the accommodation of
the visiting magistrates. Missionaries
are free to go to them when no greater
man wants them. A rupee day is the
rent collected. The man who has charge
of the place finds sweeper, brings
milk, etc. 1t is a very pleasant little
place, two pleasant rooms, furnished
with bedsteads, tables, chairs, etc.,
two bathrooms, and veranda all the way
round. Near by is another pucca house
with rooms for bullocks, cooking, etc
The word Oak means a call. In the
country il you ask person how far it is
to some place ne may answer "Half a
call" Ten miles is more than call for
me. The mail carrier is called dakwal-
Ia. Mail used to be carried by runners.