HIS LAST HOURS. Mr. Cameron died as he had lived, quietly and calmly. We were all surprised when we heard of his death. On Tuesday he had a severe attack of inflammation, but on Wednesday he was much better. On Saturday afternoon I visited him, expecting to find him recovered; but on going into his bedroom, was grieved and shocked with the change that had taken place. He seemed thoroughly conscious, but too low and weak to notice much; he sat up in bed for a few minutes, but it was evidently too much for him, and he asked to be laid down again. Soon afterwards I left, to see him no more till I looked upon his corpse yesterday. Whilst there on Saturday afternoon I could not help feeling that he would not long survive, but I did not think his end was so near. As the night drew on it became more and more evident that death was approaching. After midnight he become restless, and dozed a great deal until about seven o'clock, when he quietly and gently breathed his last, and entered into rest. We could all of us have wished that he had lived long enough to have returned to the Cape, and have passed away surrounded by all his family; but it has been ordered otherwise, and it is well that it should have been So. He loved the Malagasy with a love very unostentatious, but very real and strong. During the many years of his absence his thoughts were with the people here, sympathising with them in their sufferings, helping them in their needs, and longing for the clouds of darkness to pass away. And when his hopes and prayers were realised, and the way opened for his return, he felt that this was his place. His heart had always been here. It had been endeared to him by many close and tender associations. Here he had spent the first years of his married life; here his children had all been born, and here some of them had died. Here he had laboured, and taught, and achieved success. He belonged to Madagascar more than to the Cape, and it is well that here, among the people of his choice-the people whom he has striven so long, through storm and sunshine, to enlighten and to help-he should die, and here be buried on the spot where his first home in Madagascar stood, where he spent the first years of his missionary life, and where some of his children lie buried. We could not have expected him to live much longer; he had more than passed his threescore years and ten; but, nevertheless, for a time at least, he will be sadly missed. We all mourn his loss to-day as one who has been a kind-hearted, gentle, and cheerful friend and fellow-worker. Those who knew him least honoured and esteemed him; those who knew him most admired and loved him. VI.-Notes of the Month, and Extracts. 1. ARRIVALS IN ENGLAND. The REV. ROGER PRICE, on the completion of his mission to ZANZIBAR and EASTERN CENTRAL AFRICA, per steamer Agra, September 6th. MRS. WESLEY from MADAGASCAR, per steamer Agra, September 6th. The REV. W. G. MAWBEY, from CUDDAPAH, South India, per steamer Mace donia, September 17th. The REV. W. E. COUSINS, Mrs. Cousins, and family, from ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, per steamer African, September 19th. 2. CHINA.-HANKOW. Under date June last, the REV. GRIFFITH JOHN writes thus to the Directors:"The past six months have been the most fruitful we have seen at Hankow. forty-eight adults and six children having been baptised, more than we generally have in a year. The next six months will, I trust, prove equally fruitful, if not more so. Many of our converts were greatly quickened last year, and they are working well this year, whilst some of the young converts are full of firereal Welsh fire!" 3. TAHITI. The islands of the South Pacific Ocean are rising in importance. Consul Miller, in his report this year from Papeete, Tahiti, states that less than generation ago the exports from Tahiti were under £10,000 in value; but in 1874 they had reached £110,00 0 at wholesale prices at the place of export. The chief export is cotton (clean), of which in that year 887,400lb., of the value of £36,302, were shipped to other countries. The greater portion of the cotton is the produce of Tahiti itself. But the three items of export next in importance come chiefly from the Paumotu or Low Islands, dependencies of Tahiti, in which, however, a port (Anaa) is opened this year for direct exportation of merchandise. These three items are coprah (dried cocoanut kernels), exported to the value of £20,191 in 1874 from Tahiti; pearl shells, 410 tons, of the value of £20,530; and cocoanut oil, 311 tuns, of the value of £11,190. A portion also of these exports cons isted of native products collected and brought to Tahiti from the French po esession of the Marquesas, or from the neighbouring inde pendent groups such as the Society or Leeward Islands, the Hervey group, &c. Among the other exports of 1874 from Tahiti were 4,969,000,000 oranges, and 152 tons of fungus, edibl e, for China. The trade between Tahiti and its dependencies is conducted by vessels bearing the French protectorate flag, the trade not being open to foreign shipping. Tahiti itself consumes a considerable quantity of live stock and other provisions obtained from the surrounding groups of islands. The invoice value of the imports at Tahiti in 1874 from other parts than South Sea Islands is estimated at about £125,000; one-third appears te have been brought in British ships.-The Illustrated Missionary News. CORRECTION.—In the "Notes" of last month, by a typographical error, the date of the REV. A. JOYCE's death was stated to have been 26th August. That event occurred on the 26th July. It is requested that all remittances of Contributions be made to the REV. ROBERT ROBINSON, Home Secretary, Mission House, Blomfield Street, London, E.C.; and that if any portion of these gifts is designed for a specific object, full particulars of the place and purpose may be given. Cheques should be crossed Bank of England, and Post-office Orders made payable at the General Post-office. YATES & ALEXANDER, Printers, Chancery Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, |