nty to do. Two of our old school-boys, now grown up, are
catechists there, Semirum and Aloch. There is much love between
the people and their teachers; they are so happy at the Quop
they never want to come away. However, I have asked the Abis to
come for a fortnight at Christmas, and bring their poor little
baby to be fattened on cow's milk. There are no cows at the
Quop.

* * * * *

January, 1863.

MY BELOVED CHILDREN,

As I cannot have you with me this Christmas and new year, I
must comfort myself as best I may by writing you an account of
all we have been doing, and how we have tried to fancy
ourselves in old England amidst the frost and snow,
notwithstanding the bright sunshine and perpetual green of our
Eastern home. When we woke before daylight on Christmas morning
the school boys were singing under our windows, "When Joseph
was a-walking he heard an angel sing," so we got up and looked
out, wishing the children a happy Christmas. Then we dressed,
for there was a great deal to do. Papa had many services in
church, Chinese, English, and Dyak. I had the wreaths to make.
The church had been decked with moss fern the day before, but
the flowers must be added in the morning, or they would be
faded. So Julia and I made a crown of French marigolds to hang
on the cross over the altar, two large wreaths for either side,
and one at the west end made entirely of the golden allamanda,
in the buds of which you used to imprison fire-flies when you
lived here. The font was adorned all over, in preparation for
the baptisms to take place in the morning service. At half-past
eleven we all went to church, and after the Litany there were
sixteen Dyaks from Murdang, six Chinamen, and six little
children baptized. Mr. Koch read the service in Malay, and papa
baptized. It was a beautiful sight. The children, four of my
little girls, and two small boys from the school behaved very
well, and looked pretty in their new clothes. But they all
understood something of why they were sprinkled with the
blessed water, for we had been teaching them for some time, and
Limo told me on Christmas Eve, that "our Saviour came into this
world a little child, to teach us to be good; and when He had
blessed them in their baptism, they