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.