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the east of the bearing, or twelve miles east of the position on the chart. Picked up this boat, and steamed on past Castle Head, covered with fir trees, and a lovely object in the evening lightthe rocks pink, the grass bright, and the trees with plenty of burnt sienna in their colour. It is singular that the south coast is a mass of fir trees, and only an occasional palm is seen; while the north is a mass of palms, with an occasional fir tree high on the hill. So much for aspect.

We agreed that we had spent a most agreeable day, and that in all our walks we had always rejoiced at having undertaken a trip. But I was glad of this visit, as it revived my faith and interest in the Mission work. Here is a grand result achieved by an intelligent man, with twenty years' labour. He saw the generation which is coming of age, born here, and they grew up under his eye. They are docile, intelligent, and amiable; and their frank faces are a great contrast to the sad, slave-like aspect of the Api or Aoba boys. Perhaps they are more yielding, and when they have surrendered are not so firm as a New Hebridean. Chi sa? I wish Mr. Jones had been there. He has eleven schools, and every child in the island goes to school. Mrs. Jones did not know the population. Each case is so surrounded by circumstances which modify its condition, that one can hardly predict or lay down a law about race, climate, or soil; but one can safely say "Blessed are those who live on a poor soil like this, and who must labour." Their labour is daily doing them good. It almost seems as if Buckle's theory-which is drawn out too symmetrically for truth— may have something in it 'when applied to volcanic and fertile islands, as against flat and poor soils like these. How very true it sounds when comparing these with the New Hebrides— "Happy are the people that are in such a case, yea happy are they who have the Lord for their God."

Steamed away till 8 P.M., then made sail and lifted the screw with the watch, making six fleets of top burtons; walked him up.

May 13th. Drifting along three and four knots all night, and

saw the Isle of Pines* all to-day. It is a hill, with low slopes on two levels; the flats only covered with pines. Outlying islets also covered with pines. Dropping along, wind from E.N.E., N.E., and N.N.E. On getting to N.N.E. it became very moist and warm. A lovely night. All the stars in heaven out.

May 14th.-It fell calm after noon, and I got steam at 8.30. May 15th.-Put down the steam in forenoon; rain in torrents all day, and in showers all night. The wind flying about, but generally from N.W. and W. Reefed at 5.30; but at 7. the wind came to S.S.W., and I tacked and out reefs.

May 16th.-Calm in middle watch, then at 8 A.M. a breeze from the south, with swell, drawing gradually to S.S.E.; so that at 8. she laid her course and went six, seven, and eight knots. A long, dull day; but sunny and dry.

sea.

May 17th. Fine breeze, S.S.E. and S. E. by S.; but still a head Came very near 700 miles from Sydney at noon. May 18th.-Squally, and losing the wind; but in the end it all came back to S.S.E. The glass very high indeed.

May 19th.-Curiously puffy. The wind at one time from the south and light; at another, from the south-east, and going 8.5 knots. I was on the point of raising steam two or three times, but held on, and was repaid by a good breeze all night, falling in the morning.

May 20th.-Ordered steam, and at II A.M. went on, twentyeight revolutions; queer unsettled weather, squalls from the southwest, south, south-east, and finally a breeze from east-south-east, turning to east, north-east, north, north-west, and so to west, just as I had been expecting for days. We just laid our course. The wind came to south-west, furled sails; finally to south, fresh ; and then died away, coming off from west again at 4 A.M.

May 22nd.-Anchored in Neutral Bay, Sydney Harbour, at 8 P.M.

* New Caledonia.

CHAPTER IX.

FIJI-NEW HEBRIDES-SANTA CRUZ.

June 14th, 1875.-Sir Arthur Gordon embarked at noon; we sailed at 12.30, and when outside at 1.30 made sail to a W.N.W. wind. By 5 P.M. I was able to stop steaming, and to go under sail alone nine knots.

June 15th.-Wind right aft; obliged to steam again at 9 A. M.

June 16th.-Good breeze; went ten knots with sail only. Read Darwin's "Coral Reefs." I ought to collect facts for him about the Western Pacific-e. g., Lord Howe's Island and Norfolk Island. Both grow coral, and are in a latitude farther removed from the equator than any example which he has given in the southern hemisphere. I might measure the heights of the steps of coral in Erromango or Sandwich (Vaté).

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Is the story of Hans and Grettel a myth-thus:- Hans is a foolish, untaught man, seeking his fortune (Grettel); and in his ignorance of what is likely to bring him his desire in a new land he always tries the wrong thing. Hans' mother is nature and the science of nature. Hans, for instance, comes to Australia, and strives to grow wheat in New South Wales, because he grew it in England. Also he dreams of cattle stations in Fiji and New Guinea; or of sheep runs in Fiji and Tonga, because in Australia and New Zealand he has grown sheep and oxen with success. Hans and Grettel applies also to the English engineers in Spain, followed by the more scientific German engineers, who succeeded after the failures of the first.

June 18th.-A lovely breeze sprang up at 7 A.M.; and by noon we were under sail alone. By 6 P.M. the screw was raised, and we went gaily under sail, 9.5 knots.

Finished Darwin's "Coral Reefs." The fact of alligators being found as far east as Santa Cruz is a curious one. What effect can it have upon the argument concerning old and new land, perpetuation of ancient forms, areas of elevation and depression? I don't know. Darwin makes all the New Hebrides, Solomons, Santa Cruz, &c., rise, except Vanikoro. I am puzzled about Aneiteum; Tanna, &c., are more easy.

June 19th.-A noble breeze all day, with a few squalls, but not many.

June 20th.-Got steam at 7, it being almost calm. Two hammocks fell overboard at 8.15, and we lowered a boat in one minute and ten seconds to pick them up, going 6.5 knots. Hill and Clarke's lowering and disengaging apparatus is thoroughly satisfactory, and goes as clear as possible, no hitch.

Read "Ten Years in South Central Polynesia," by Rev. Thomas West (J. Nisbet, publisher), containing some very interesting and circumstantial accounts of volcanic eruptions in the Tongan Islands between 1846 and 1857.

June 23rd.-Saw Kandavu (Fiji) in P.M.

June 24th.-Anchored in Levuka at 2 P.M.

June 25th.-Sir Arthur Gordon landed at II A.M.

June 26th.-Landed at Nasova, and thence to bathe in Waitovu, which is more than ever delightful to-day. It is sad to pass through Waitovu village; fifty deaths took place there from measles. Cakobau came from Bau in the " Lurline," and went to Draiba.

June 29th.-At noon Cakobau made his soro to Sir Arthur Gordon, who was seated in front of the centre of Nasova, with his staff, standing. A procession set out, with Cakobau and his interpreter at its head. When it had reached Nasova the tail was still

* Submission.

at Draiba. Two turtles and a pile of yams were presented, and Cakobau took a root of yagona, broke off a bit, and gave it to Sir Arthur Gordon in the usual fashion, who received it more Fijiano, and made use of the Fijian phrase.

July 1st.—I landed to walk beyond Cawaci. The bays seem almost desert ed by their population. Walked home, the ins and outs of the bay make it a long operation; and bathed by the way at Waitovu. From Cawaci, with all its windings, took me from 2.45 to 5.45. It cannot have been less than eight or nine miles. July 2nd.-Weighed at 5, and proceeded under steam, with Sir Arthur Gordon, to go to Savu Savu. Went west of Goro. July 3rd.-Anchored in Savu Savu bay at 8.30 A.M. It is very lovely. We landed at 11.30, looked over the promontory, and then to Mr. Pillan's, and had a bathe in his reservoir. He has planted cane, the Doobuta Sausan, and others; and is now putting up an American mill. He has a thorough good dam to his reservoir, and so far has put all together well. He gets bricks for his buildings at about a mile off, and is supplied with them at £3 a thousand, bricks from Sydney being 15 a thousand, famous bricks too. Sent the boat off and walked over the promontory, through some good thick bush, nice and dry. Saw some fine orchids, and cut a branch of a very peculiar bush, with very twisted leaves. Got the boat again by the brick-field. There is any amount of clay there, but they will soon be short of fuel of all sorts. I took away some bricks to show at Sydney and elsewhere. The boat brought us luncheon, and we sailed down round the middle bay to the sulphur springs, in which the water is unmistakably boiling, and coming out alternately at one place or the other, according either to some subterranean choking up, or else according to whether the mouth is open or closed, by stuff to be cooked.

I am told the openings here have failed a good deal in the last seven years. The water was nasty, though clear. It comes up through a funnel, which the natives have filled with good-sized stones to near the top. On this they lay grass and leaves, and

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