TO William Wilberforce, Esq. M.P. &c. &c. &c. Dear Sir, Your obliging inquiries concerning the attempt made by the Church of the United Brethren, to establish a mission in the Nicobar Islands, I have not been able hitherto to answer as fully as I wished, the documents in my possession being few and unconnected, and a reference to Crantz's History of the Brethren, p. 504 and 614, furnishing but a short notice of the commencement of that undertaking. The difficulty attendin

LETTER I. As you have desired me to repeat, in writing, the substance of our conversations respecting the Nicobar Islands, and the mission of the Brethren, begun there in 1758, in which I was employed from the year 1779, till the attempt was relinquished in 1787; I will endeavour, as far as my recollection will enable me, to satisfy your wishes. The Nicobar Islands are situated at the entrance of the Bay of Bengal, in 8° N. latitude, and 94° 20″ E. longitude, north of Sumatra. Nancauwery is one