"God! fight we not within a cursèd world, Whose very air teems thick with leaguèd fiends-- Each word we speak has infinite effects-- Each soul we pass must go to heaven or hell-- And this our one chance through eternity To drop and die, like dead leaves in the brake! . . . . . . . Be earnest, earnest, earnest; mad if thou wilt: Do what thou dost as if the stake were heaven, And that thy last deed ere the judgment day." [Illustration: This is our bullock-bandy. The water was up to the top of the bank when we crossed last. The palms are cocoanuts.] CHAPTER II Three Afternoons off the Track "They are led captive by Satan at his will in the most quiescent manner." _David Brainerd, North America._ "Oh that the Lord would pour out upon them a spirit of deep concern for their souls!" _Henry Martyn, India._ "I ask you earnestly to pray that the Gospel may take saving and working effect." _James Gilmour, Mongolia._ THE Western Ghauts sweep down to the sea in curves. Dohnavur is in one of the last of these curves. There are no proper roads running under the mountains, only rough country ruts crossing the plain. We were rolling along one of these at the rate of two miles an hour. Crash and tumble went the bandy, a springless construction with a mat roof; bang over stones and slabs of rock, down on one side, up on the other; then both wheels were sharp aslant. But this is usual. On that particular First Afternoon the water was out, which is the South Indian way of saying that the tanks, great lake-like reservoirs, have overflowed and flooded the land. Once we went smoothly down a bank and into a shallow swollen pool, and the water swished in at the lower end and floated our books out quietly. So we had to stop, and fish them up; and then, huddled close at the upper end we sat, somewhat damp, but happy. At last we got to our destination, reached through a lane which then was a stream with quite a swift little current of its own. Cupid's Lake the place is called. We thought the name appropriate. Cupid's Lake is peopled by Castes of various persuasions; we made for the Robber quarter first. The Robber Caste is honourable here; it furnishes our watchmen and the coolies who carry our money. There is good stuff in the Robber Caste people: a valiant people are they, and though they were not prepared for the thing that was coming towards them, they met it with fortitude. A little girl saw it first. One glance at my hat through the end of the cart, and she flew to spread the news-- "Oh! everyone come running and see! A great white man is here! Oh what an appalling spectacle! A great white man!"