Before Mr. Judson and Mr. Colman set out for Ava, the little group of missionaries was thinned by the departure of the Wheelocks. Only seven days after Mr. Wheelock arrived in Rangoon, while engaged in family worship he had a hemorrhage, and on August 7, 1819, he set sail for Bengal. After being thirteen days at sea, during a period of temporary delirium he threw himself into the ocean. While Mrs. Wheelock was engaged in writing, and he apparently lying asleep, she heard the cabin door close. She looked around, saw that he was gone, sprang to the door, opened it, and discovered that he had vanished forever from her sight. The ship was sailing with such speed that no effort could be made to rescue him. The death of this young man was a great loss to the infant mission. His fervent piety, his sweet and uncomplaining spirit, and his devotion to the work of saving the heathen, had endeared him to his missionary associates. After mentioning in one of his letters that he and Mr. Colman had only one room each, he adds: “We prefer ONE room in Rangoon to SIX in Boston. We feel that we are _highly blessed_.” ----- Footnote 20: I am indebted for some of these facts to a thoughtful and inspiring article by the Rev. A. Bunker, in _The Baptist Missionary Magazine_, March, 1879. Footnote 21: See Appendix B. Being the first printed statement of Christian truth presented to the Burman mind, it has a peculiar interest. Footnote 22: For this phrase of Dante’s I am indebted to Canon Farrar. Footnote 23: See Map II. Footnote 24: The work done through the _zayat_ is described in a sketch by Mrs. E. C. Judson, entitled “Wayside Preaching.” See Appendix F. Footnote 25: At the time of writing this, not having heard much of baptism, he seems to have ascribed an undue efficacy to the ordinance. He has since corrected his error; but the translator thinks it the most fair and impartial to give the letter just as it was written at first. CHAPTER VI. LIFE IN RANGOON (CONTINUED). 1819-1823. On December 21, 1819, Mr. Judson and Mr. Colman, leaving their wives alone in Rangoon, began their journey up the Irrawaddy to Ava, the capital of the empire. The following extract from Mr. Judson’s journal describes their journey up the river, their unsuccessful visit at the royal court, and their return to Rangoon: “_December 10._ A few days ago we succeeded in purchasing a boat for the journey to Ava, after having spent a whole week in the search. Have since been employing workmen to cover it and put it in order. “Yesterday we applied to the viceroy for a pass to go up to the golden feet, and lift up our eyes to the golden face. He granted our request in very polite terms.