which approaches nearer to the figure of a perfect cone, than any in the range, and is remarkable, besides, for a far-famed mineral spring, which is said to be strongly impregnated with iron. The hotwater mountain-still more famous for the hot mineral springs which issue from one of its appendages-yields to none in the range for beauty, though, as might be expected from its being of a secondary formation, it has less of the sublime than some of the others, which, judging from a distant view, are composed chiefly of primitive rocks.

Beshtow, which occupies a central position in the same circular range, still retained an imperfect resemblance of Benlomond, on a general view of its figure; but there is one thing, in particular, in Beshtow, to which I am not aware that there is a parallel in the other-it is covered with wood nearly to its summit, and on one of its shoulders the tops of the trees are to be seen here and there from top to bottom, in the openings of a ragged rock, or natural dyke, which forms a kind of profile of that part of the mountain, when, as was the case with us, it lies between the eye of the beholder and the western horizon.

A little before three o'clock, the colony appeared in sight, right before us, beau

tifully situated on a gentle declivity, apparently a verst or two from the bottom of the mountain, and at the eastern extremity of the forest. The circumstance that struck me most forcibly, when the village was pointed out to me by John and Thomas Steel, who had met us in our progress from the Cardon, was its size; for though I knew that besides the missionaries there were a number of Germans in the place, and that it was guarded by a company of soldiers, and a party of Cozaks; for all which I should also have known, that lodgings would be necessary, yet I had in imagination figured to myself a small village, consisting of a dozen or twenty houses, for the accommodation of the missionaries and a few other families, without making due allowance for the whole number, or for the manner in which their houses and court-yards are constructed.

Having viewed the village from the adjacent height east of the Jamucha, we descended a winding path for the valley; and just as we had crossed the rivulet by which it is watered, John recognised my brother Mr Galloway, at the distance of about a gun-shot, on his way from the village to meet us. Being well mounted, he reached us in a few seconds, and gave me a most cordial welcome, as a brother missionary and fellow-labourer in the work of the Lord. Fourteen years had now

elapsed since the reinforcement of the missionaries had reached the colony, and the arrival of a new one served to revive the remembrance of former times, and to encourage the hope that he and Mr Paterson, who, I was sorry to hear, was still poorly, would have not only the prayers, but the personal co-operation of others in their endeavours to cultivate the missionary field entrusted to their care on the northern confines of Caucasus. There were other considerations, too, which it is unnecessary to particularise, which made the interview mutually agreeable, and having seated ourselves together in the telega, while John took charge of the horse, we ascended a a rising ground, from the rivulet to the village, with cheerful hearts, conversing about the concerns of the mission and the missionary settlement, till having past the centinal at the eastern gate, and the guard at the cannon, in the midst of the village, we reached the mission house, when a new impulse was given to my feelings by the congratulations of Mrs Galloway, and other friends that had collected about the gate to welcome the stranger.

Accompanied by Mr Galloway, called on my brother Mr Paterson, who, on hearing I was arrived, stepped out of his bed-room into the parlour, and, with a smiling though sickly countenance, welcomed me to the colony. In a few minutes I had the pleasure of being

introduced to Mrs Paterson, who lost no time in ordering a cup of coffee to be got ready for the refreshment of their new missionary guest, which was no unwelcome beverage after travelling in the heat of the day, from Georghievsk to the colony. Mr Paterson's spirits revived as the conversation went on, and in the course of an hour or two, he had almost forgotten that he was indisposed.

Meanwhile the hour of public prayer drew near, and having repaired to the place where prayer is wont to be made, we offered up our evening sacrifice to the God whom we serve, in the hope of meeting with acceptance for the sake of Him that loved us, and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. After which we took our leave of each other for a season, and retired to our respective apartments, much refreshed by our interview, and thankful to our heavenly Father for the tender mercies with which he had crowned us.

GENERAL REMARKS

RESPECTING

The History, Climate, &c. &c.

OF THE

SCOTCH COLONY AT KARASS.

DURING the few weeks I have been in the colony, frequent opportunities have occurred of receiving from my brethren, a great many notices respecting the history of the settle ment, as well as of making observations on the climate of the country, the nature of the soil, and other particulars of a similar complexion. On these points, however, the Directors are already in possession of ample means of information, in the reports transmitted from time to time by the missionaries; which supersedes the necessity of entering into the minute details that might otherwise be desirable; and I shall therefore content myself with offering a few cursory remarks.