during the greatest part of our way favourable and gentle, the sea
being quite as smooth as a mill pond, so that the paddles of our
noble steamer, the NIKOLAI, were not at all impeded in their
working by any rolling or pitching of the vessel. Immediately on
my arrival I sought out Mr. Swan, one of the most amiable and
interesting characters I have ever met with, and delivered to him
your letter, the contents of which were very agreeable to him; for
from applying himself too un-interruptedly to transcribing the
manuscript of the Mandchou Old Testament he had in some degree
injured his health; and the arrival of a coadjutor in the task was
exceedingly opportune. In a day or two I went with him to pay a
visit to Mr. Schmidt, who resides a few miles out of town. He
assured us that he had no doubt of permission being granted for the
printing of the Mandchou New Testament, and promised to make all
the necessary inquiries, and to inform Mr. Swan and myself of the
result. He was at the time we saw him much occupied with his
Mongolian Grammar and Dictionary, which are in the press. We have
not heard from him since this visit, and I shall probably call upon
him again in a week or two to hear what steps he has taken. I
resided for nearly a fortnight in a hotel, as the difficulty of
procuring lodgings in this place is very great, and when you have
procured them, you have to furnish them yourself at a considerable
expense. During this time I collated with Mr. Swan the greatest
part of what he had transcribed, and eventually I took up my abode
with Mr. Egerton Hubbard, a friend of Mr. Venning's, where I am for
the present very comfortably situated, and I do assure you exerting
myself to the utmost to fulfil the views of the Society. I have
transcribed from the Mandchou Old Testament the second book of
Chronicles, which when I had done, I put aside the Old Testament
for a season, and by the advice of Mr. Swan began to copy St.