It was nearly 9 P.M. before we reached a small island where we were carried ashore and had supper on the sands under the palm-trees while our men rested. It was pleasant sitting in the moonlight, but when we had re-embarked very heavy rain came on; however, we had good waterproofs, and our men had a good coating of fresh oil, so it did no harm. It was clear moonlight when at last, at 1 A.M., we reached the pier, whereon lay sleeping a row of labour-boys, who had chosen this _al fresco_ bedroom for the sake of the breeze. They are the servants from other isles, who work harder than Fijians. Fijians make most graceful table servants and good police. They look on their drill as a sort of _méké_, but they utterly abhor all hard work. So half the isles of the South Pacific are represented in the household. We woke the boys and got our things carried up to the house, crept up the verandah to my room without disturbing anybody, rigged up our mosquito-curtains, and had no further adventures save two battles with land-crabs, which came in and walked about clattering their claws against the woodwork, so that they had to be turned out. (I clubbed one one night in my anguish lest he should nip my toes, but the result was so horribly nasty, that now I always catch them and carry them down to the little stream hard by, to prevent their coming back)—rather an aggravating episode to occur twice in a night when you are very tired; and before I was well asleep again, a pathetic little cry came from the nursery, “Oh, I am so sick, and nurse has gone to bathe!” So I had to fly to the rescue, to find dear little Jack on the sick-list. He is better to-day, but the climate is a very trying one for children—debilitating, though not positively unhealthy. We have had intense heat and damp, but I think it is over now, and we have a sweet breeze, so long as we can sit in it; but unfortunately it does not reach rooms round the corner, so some are always hot. However, thanks to moving about a good deal for change of air, we all keep very fairly well.