8 degrees, the nights insupportable." We
next hear of Mr. Martyn suffering from severe illness with fever and
vertigo, and pained with the thought of leaving the Persian gospels
unfinished! So unselfish, so full of zeal! Again at work, mercury at
102 degrees. "Arabic now employs my few moments of leisure. In
consequence of reading the Koran with Sabat audibly, and drinking no
wine, the slander has gone forth that the Singapore Padre has turned
Mussulman.

"June 6th. To-day we have completed the Persian of St. Matthew. Sabat
desired me to kneel down to bless God for the happy event, and we
joined in praise of the Father of lights. It is a superb performance
in every respect, with elegance enough to attract the careless and
please the fastidious; it contains enough of Eternal Life to save the
reader's soul.... My services on the Lord's day always leave me with a
pain in the chest, and such a great degree of general relaxation, that
I seldom recover it till Tuesday. The society still meet every night
at my quarters, and though we have lost many by death, others are
raised up in their room. One officer, a lieutenant, is also given to
me, and he is not only a brother beloved, but a constant companion and
nurse; so you must feel no apprehension that I should be left alone in
sickness."

In April, 1809, Mr. Martyn removes from Dinapore to Cawnpore. Here he
met friendship and hospitality. We quote from the graceful pen of Mrs.
Sherwood: "The month of April in the upper provinces of Hindoostan is
one of the most dreadful months for traveling throughout the year;
indeed, no European at that time can remove from place to place, but
at the risk of his life.

"But Mr. Martyn had that anxiety to begin the work which his heavenly
Father had given him to do, that notwithstanding the violent heat, he
traveled from Chunar to Cawnpore, the space of about four hundred
miles. At that time as I well remember, the air was as hot and dry as
that which I have sometimes felt near the mouth of a large oven, no
friendly cloud or verdant carpet of grass to relieve the eye from the
strong glare of the rays of the sun pouring on the sandy plains of the
Ganges. Thus Mr. Martyn traveled, journeying night and day, and
arrived at Cawnpore in such a state that he fainted away as soon as he
entered the house. When we charged him with the rashness of hazarding
his life in this manner, he always pleaded his anxiety to get to the
great work. He remained w