Great was the excitement of unpacking my canoe-load of curiosities; for we are each trying who can make the very best collection—Sir Arthur, Mr Gordon, Captain Knollys, Mr Maudslay, Baron von Hügel, and myself. Our daily delight is to ransack the stores in Levuka, where the natives may have bartered old things for new, and great is the triumph of whoever succeeds in capturing some new form of bowl or quaint bit of carving. All our rooms are like museums, adorned with savage implements, and draped with native cloth of beautifully rich patterns, all hand-painted. The house has made great progress in our absence. The large new drawing-room, built entirely of wood, is really a very fine room, and has two large bow-windows, besides the usual multitude of glass doors opening on to the verandah. The garden, too, begins to reward Abbey’s care, and looks quite bright; and he is diligently striving to make a small lawn, which, however, is very difficult work. You really would say so if you saw the labour-boys patiently snipping the grass with old scissors! I have just been doing a round of visits to my especial friends, Mrs Havelock, Mrs Macgregor, Mrs D. Ricci, and the Layards. It seems as if I had been away for months; it is so pleasant coming back to such cordial welcome from them all. Captain Havelock took me to call on Mr Leefe, who is in Levuka for surgical treatment, his hand having been lacerated in a fibre-crushing machine. It was fearful agony, and he must have had a dreadful journey coming here by himself. It was impossible for his wife to accompany him, as all their live stock would inevitably have been left to die of neglect in her absence. Yesterday another of the Engineers died (his wife and children are on their way from England). This morning at sunrise the military funeral marched sadly past this house, with the Union-jack for a pall, and a party of sailors from H.M.S. Nymphe, with fife and drum. Several men fell out, overcome by the heat, which is simply grilling. Some officers from an American man-of-war have just come to call, so I may as well close this letter.—Your loving sister. CHAPTER XIV. LIFE AT NASOVA—FARMYARD—CONVICT THATCHERS—NATIVE FESTIVAL AT BAU—RETURN TO NASOVA—BATTLES WITH CRABS—BEGINNING OF CANNIBAL DISTURBANCE—FIJIAN FAIRIES—A STORM. NASOVA, FIJI, _March 1, 1876_.