William Carey, Mudnabatty, to Edmund Carey, Paulerspury, Northamptonshire, 8 August 1794. Attached is a note from Edmund Carey to John Rippon, with a copy of the letter, dated 27 May 1795.

Mudnabatty 8 August 1794.

Dear Father

         I expected to have received a Letter from you by the Nancy Packet – but to my sorrow she arrived without any, I suppose her sailing was unknown to you: and she is expected to sail in a few Days for Europe, I take the opportunity of writing to you just to inform you of our Welfare, intending to write more largely by the last Ships of the season –

         We have been tossed up and down upon the Waves of Providence, till a little time ago, when I was invited by the Commercial Resident at Malda to undertake the Superintendency of an Indigo Manufactory, where I should have ample Supplies for my Family, and a Large field for preaching the gospel among the Natives, I embraced this invitation and this Week have just brought my whole Family here; The resident is a good man, and favours the Mission much; the Place where I am Situated is called Mudnabatty in the District of Denagepore, about 400 Miles from the Sea, 300 from Calcutta, and 120 from the entrance into Tibet, a very pleasant situation: My present Salary is 200 Rupees or 25 Pounds Sterling a Month, and Commission at 5 pr Cent upon all the Indigo we make, which in a Moderate year will be about 100 Rupees a month more, and next Year in addition to this he intends to present me with a fourth Share of the Works, this ample support I hope will remove all Anxiety in your Mind about our temporal situation: For my own part India agrees with my Health much better than England, and tho I could not bear the Sunshine in England, yet the hottest weather in this Country agrees with me the best. My Wife has had a long Illness with the Flux but is now almost well and Felix is now Ill of the same Disorder; William has had very good health except a few Ague Fits, Peter is a fine Boy, and Jabez who was but Six Weeks old when we left England now runs about briskly; thus Mercy and Goodness have followed me all my Days; and still my Cup runs over. [f. 182v]

         The Superstition of the Natives both Hindoos and Mussulmen are too many to be eumerated. I have seen the Hindoos dancing and torturing themselves in all the ways mentioned in the Baptist Annual Register: and Yesterday and the day before the Mussulmen were bewailing for two Days and two Nights the Slaughter of Mahomets Family, to honour me they brought their whole procession before our Door, upwards of a Thousand people came with seven Pompous Biers representing the Burial of Mahomets Family, some had Drums, some Pipes, some Antelopes Horns, some Guns and some Swords, Some sung Mournful Ditties, others play’d mournful Tunes, some beat their Breasts, and at Intervals all of them, and some put on the appearance of War, and not a Mussulman in the Country, who would not leave Life, Health, and Money which they prize more than either to join this procession. – Oh how desireable a thing is the spread of the Gospel among them. At present tho I begin to converse a little in the Language yet I don’t know it sufficiently to preach in it, but Peter can talk it fluently. I hope this may find You & my Mother alive and well, and all my Kin, my love to them all as if express’d by name. I don’t think I shall be able to write to my Brother or Sisters before the Sailing of the Packet, pray inform them that I am well and tell them that I shall very soon write to them all if I am well.

         With warmest Affection to you & Duty to my Mother & all all Friends.

                     I am your Dutiful Son,

                                             W. Carey

The above letter is accompanied by a letter from Edmund Carey, Paulersbury, to John Rippon, London, 27 May 1795.

Revd Sir

         I have sent you a Correct copy of my Sons letter – hope the Lord will please to preserve and continue his health and strength, and that his Wife may be restored to her Health, and that he may be a means in the hands of the Almighty in doing much good in Converting to the Faith in Christ, and to the spread of his Gospel to the poor benighted Indians

                                 I am Revd Sir

                                             with great Respects your most Oblig’d

                                                         Humble Servant

                                                                     Edmund Carey

Paulersbury Northamptonshire

May 27th 1795

Address: Revd Dr Rippon | to be left at Mr Greens No 50. |Borough | London

Postmark: Towcester 29 May 95.

Text: John Rippon Letters, British Library, Add. Ms. 25386, fols. 182-83.