natives in that vast extent of country fell; their cattle were swept
away, and the people, men, women, and children. Some gained
elevated spots, where the water still rose so high as to threaten
them with death; others climbed trees, and some floated on the roofs
of their ruined houses. One of the Church missionaries, Mr. Jetter,
who had accompanied Mr. Thomason and some other gentlemen to Burdwan
to examine the schools there, called on me on his return and gave me
a most distressing account of the fall of houses, the loss of
property, the violent rushing of waters, so that none, not even the
best swimmers, dared to leave the place where they were.

"This inundation was very destructive to the Mission house, or
rather the Mission premises. A slip of the earth (somewhat like
that of an avalanche), took place on the bank of the river near my
house, and gradually approached it until only about ten feet of
space were left between that and the house; and that space soon
split. At last two fissures appeared in the foundation and wall of
the house itself. This was a signal for me to remove; and a house
built for a professor in the College being empty, I removed to it,
and through mercy am now comfortably settled there.

"I have nearly filled my letter with this account, but I must give
you a short account of the state of my mind when I could think, and
that was generally when excited by an access of friends; at other
times I could scarcely speak or think. I concluded one or two days
that my death was near. I had no joys; nor any fear of death, or
reluctance to die; but never was I so sensibly convinced of the
value of an ATONING Saviour as then. I could only say, 'Hangs my
helpless soul on thee;' and adopt the language of the first and
second verses of the fifty-first Psalm, which I desired might be the