QADIR BAKHSH.
The Kashmiri Catechist.
"24th April.–To-day we crossed the Jhelum, and entered the territories of the Maharajah of Kashmir and Jummoo, and made our way to Dhanna, our halting-place for the day, by a very rough path. From what had befallen the Rev. Messrs. Smith and Clark on previous years here, I fully expected my difficulties to begin. But in this I was most agreeably disappointed, for I found the Maharajah's servants both civil and obliging. On my arrival, I had intimated to the principal man of the village that as I was a doctor, I would be happy to see and treat all the sick people, whom he might bring to me after breakfast, from Dhanna and its neighbourhood. In a very short time, sixteen patients were collected outside the rude and dirty bungalow where we were lodging. After breakfast, Qadir Bakhsh, the catechist, having congregated the sick, and the coolies who had carried our baggage from Kohalla, read to them a suitable portion of Scripture, and addressed them from it in a plain, easy, and intelligible style, quite level to the capacities of these ignorant people. The little group listened to the words of divine truth with great interest and attention. The service was closed with prayer. Our small supply of medicines and instruments having been laid out, the sick were brought out one by one and examined. One case, of a very trifling nature in itself, is worthy of a passing notice, because the relief afforded by surgery was immediate, and duly appreciated. The case was one of excessive elongation of the uvula, which caused a most troublesome cough, and compelled the man every now and then to perform the act of swallowing. The lengthened member was shortened with ease, the cough ceased, and the act of deglutition became less frequent. The patient took his leave with many expressions of gratitude.
"25th April.–This morning early we packed up, and set out for Maira, the next resting-place. We had no difficulty with coolies, although the number required was considerable. About 9 A.M. we reached our destination, and resolved to breakfast in Maira, and then to push on to the next village. Qadir, the catechist, somewhat hastily proceeded to address a small group of natives whom he happened to find congregated together. He had not proceeded far in his remarks, when the Tekeedar of the village told him he must stop immediately, which Qadir had the good sense to do. I am fully persuaded that if the people and the Maharajah's servants had been aware that the sahib was a doctor, and would give them both advice and medicine gratuitously, we should have had no veto put upon our evangelistic work. I learned a lesson by this incident by which I intend to profit. After breakfast we had a small reception of patients, when words about the love of God in Jesus were spoken to the patients individually, and those who were able to read got religious tracts and copies of the Gospels. The moonshee of the place told us he had learned to read and write in a neighbouring school, where he said there were as many as two hundred scholars. This high number of pupils is scarcely credible. At 5 P.M. we arrived at Chekar, somewhat fatigued with the two marches of the day. The first thing I did was to summon the chief man of the village, and to tell him how many coolies I should require next morning,–generally about forty,–and collect all the sick of the place and vicinity in the compound of the rude bungalow next morning.
"26th April.–To-day, after seeing twelve sick persons, we departed for Hatti, which is the next resting-place on the way. Arrived late in the evening.
"27th April.–On getting up this morning, and going outside my tent, I found a number of sick persons sitting on the ground, affected with various maladies. Before giving advice or medicine, Qadir, according to custom, addressed them from a part of God's Word. The attention was marked, and every now and then one here and another there in the interesting company would exclaim, 'Durust,' 'Sach bal.' May God, by His quickening Spirit, vitalise the seed sown for His own glory's sake. Arrived very late at Chikote, but in time to see the Tekeedar, and to give him the usual orders about coolies and the sick.
"28th April.–At the usual reception of patients to-day, one old man, labouring under an affection of the stomach, presented us with a quantity of walnuts,–a present of no great value, but nevertheless indicative of grateful feelings towards the doctor.
"29th April.–Left Chikote this morning about 5 A.M. On the way met a man who inquired very particularly if I was the doctor, as he had heard there was one coming, and he very much wanted to consult him about his little son. The boy happened to be affected with a well-known cutaneous disease, for which I strongly recommended soap and water. From what I have already seen of the people of Kashmir, poverty and dirt are the two great enemies I shall have to contend with as a doctor amongst them. On arriving at Uri, pitched my tent under some apricot trees near to a shady chinar. We soon had a visit from Juliar Khan, the Namah of the district of Uri. He came to consult me about his eyes, and another disease of which he had been ill for a long time. Advice and medicine were given him. The Tekeedar of Uri having also presented himself as a patient, received appropriate remedies, and was requested to give intimation of our readiness to see the sick of the village and neighbourhood.
"30th April, Uri, Sunday.–Got up very early this morning, and on going outside the tent found a large company assembled under the surrounding apricot trees. We soon had the small deal table and chair with the medicines and instruments placed in a convenient spot, and the sick and their friends were arranged all round. Everything being ready, Qadir, the catechist, read the third chapter of John's Gospel, and showed the necessity and nature of the new birth. The people as usual were most attentive, and listened with manifest pleasure to many of Qadir's remarks. After prayer, the sick were examined and treated as well as our present circumstances would permit. Among the fifty sick persons, who consisted of men, women, and children, there was an old Mullah, or Mussulman Priest, who, on being asked if he possessed a copy of the Koran, replied in the negative. I said, I suppose if you had the Koran you could read it. 'Oh, no,' he said, 'I not able to read at all.' I could not help saying to the old man, whose hair was like snow, and whom in my heart of hearts I pitied, How can you be a Mullah if you are totally unable to read? I received no reply. It was not a little amusing to watch the countenances of the listeners, who first smiled, then looked at each other, nodded, laughed, and then exclaimed, 'Bas,'–enough. Such priest, such people. I have already been struck with the fewness of those who are able to read. How are these poor people, who are dying for lack of the knowledge of the Saviour, to be fitted to read His Holy Word? Juliar Khan, our friend of yesterday, came to pay his respects and to say that he felt better from the remedies which were given him. After breakfast we assembled for family worship, and seeing Juliar Khan with a few of his followers sitting under an adjacent chinar, I sent him my salam, to say I should be most happy if he would join us in the worship of God. No sooner did he receive the message than he rose and came to us, accompanied by nearly all his retainers. I read the fourth chapter of John's Gospel, to which he paid the greatest attention; after which, Qadir concluded the services with prayer. We then had some little conversation on the Koran and the Gospel, but not being very communicative, he soon took his departure, again expressing his gratitude for the advice and medicine which he had received the day before. Lord, fructify the seed sown for Thine own glory's sake. The Maharajah's officials very civil and obliging.
"1st May.–Road still lies along the Jhelum, and is beautifully wooded. Among the trees I passed I recognised the peach, fig, and fir, and, twining amongst these, the vine. The beautiful red flower of the pomegranate delights one's eye at every turn, and the rose trees are budding into beauty. Passed a lime-kiln at work to-day, and behind a large ledge of rock I came upon a Fakir: There he sat with his back to the road, covered with rags, thereby meaning to show his indifference to this world. Poor fellow! he has discovered part of the truth,–that this fleeting world cannot satisfy, but he does not know the way whereby alone his soul can find satisfaction and be made perfectly happy the while, enjoying the present world according to the mind of God, who has filled the earth with so much that is lovely and loveable. Came to a dilapidated Hindu temple. A flight of steps led up to a large gateway. In the centre of the inner court saw the shrine, which was also approached by a flight of steps. The stones are of immense size and granitic. The priest forbade me to enter, so I stood at the door, and heard the monotonous voice of the man who was performing service. He concluded by blowing into a large univalve shell, producing a sound exactly like that of a trumpet. I was reminded of Elijah and the false prophet on Carmel.
"May 2d.–The scenery becomes more and more lovely as you near Baramula; the Jhelum, which you have known hitherto as a boisterous rapidly flowing river, is here gentle and placid. Poplar and willow trees abound, and the very mountains are richly wooded, reminding one of the Trossachs near Loch Lomond. The system of irrigation carried on here seems to be first rate. Before reaching Baramula a steep hill has to be climbed; it bears marks of the work of water; the different strata of sandstone of which it is composed vary in degrees of coarseness, and there are many water-polished pebbles to be seen. As you reach the summit, suddenly the far-famed valley of Kashmir bursts upon your view. I thought of Moses at Pisgah getting his view of the promised land. There lay the valley, bathed in sunshine,–the full-bosomed and now gently-flowing Jhelum meandering through its midst, and its lofty guardians, the snow-capped Himalayas, towering around. I gazed long on this wonderful scene, and with David praised the Lord for the excellent beauty of His works. I earnestly prayed that His rich and effectual blessing might rest on the work I was about to begin.