138 
MISSIONARY LIFE 
ground two years ago. This excellent church ed- 
ifice, 30 by 45 feet, with the missionary residence 
32 by 40 feet in size, equally as substantial, both 
having stone walls and slate roofs, with several 
native-built houses occupied by boatmen and la- 
borers, constitute Shengay mission-station build- 
ings. The first building erected was a frame 
chapel, 24 by 30 feet, which was shipped there 
from ISTew York City, all ready to be put up, in 
the fall of 1857. This was put upon stone pillars 
about seven feet high, under the supervision of 
Mr. Billheimer, he lodging in a native-built mud- 
hut' while it was being done. The space was divided 
into three apartments, one room, 20 by 24 feet in 
size, being used for school and meeting, and the re- 
maining space divided into two rooms of equal size, 
the one for the missionary bed-room and the other 
for the store. The cooking was done in a native- 
built house close by, the hours for eating then, as 
now, being from 9 to 10 o’clock and from 5 to 6 
o’clock; and the day-school was in session from 11 
to 3 o’clock This building was intended to be 
used exclusively for chapel and school-room as 
soon as a residence could be erected, which was 
commenced by Mr. Billheimer the following year ; 
but the society not receiving the money with which 
to proceed, it was not finished for several years 
afterward. This house, put up amidst much dis- 
