urt, we found turned into
barracks and an arsenal. English soldiers trod those rooms where Indian
magnates had bowed before imperial majesty--giving us an impressive
illustration of the transitory nature of earthly glory.

For some time after going to Almora our health improved; but as the
season advanced it gave way so entirely, that our medical attendant
came to the conclusion a visit to England was indispensable to its
restoration. The Directors of the Society gave their kind and prompt
consent to our return. We accordingly embarked from Calcutta for
England, _via_ the Cape of Good Hope, in January, 1862, and reached our
destination in April.

All I have to say about the interval between 1862 and 1865 is that I
visited many places in England and Scotland on behalf of the Society,
did a good deal of ministerial work besides, and was kept in uncertainty
about my future course by medical opposition to my going back to India.
In 1864 I feared I could not return; but my health improved so much in
1865, that the medical men I consulted, to my great joy, consented to
our going back. We accordingly embarked for Calcutta _via_ the Cape,
accompanied by two young missionaries appointed to Benares, in
September, 1865, and reached our destination, after a prosperous voyage,
towards the end of the year. We were very pleased with the thought that
our traversing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans had come to an end.

The railway had some time previously been completed to the North-West,
and so instead of days and weeks spent on the journey from Calcutta to
Benares, it was now made in twenty-six hours.

[Sidenote: APPOINTMENT TO RANEE KHET.]

The hot weather and rains of 1866 were spent in Benares. We felt the
heat that year more than we had ever previously done, and were to a
great extent incapacitated by it for the prosecution of mission work. We
came to the conclusion that continued work in the plains was beyond our
strength, and as we much wished to continue in the mission field, we
hoped a hill sphere might be opened up. In March, 1867, we left for
Almora, where, with our colleague Mr. Budden, we engaged in different
departments of mission labour. Early in the cold weather we returned to
Benares, and resumed our work there. As the hot weather of 1868 came on,
we were again privileged to return to Almora. Towards the end of that
year it was arranged that our connection with Benares should cease, and
that we should begin a new mi