Naturally we sometimes get very much bored by it; and it is a triumphant moment when we contrive to give them the slip, and get away to some quiet stream for our bathe, as aforesaid. Sometimes two or three really pretty girls come with us to show us the way, and help us to scramble over the boulders, and then to keep watch that no one else may come near. I daresay they themselves manage to get a peep at the strange white creatures; but we watch them in their turn, and the gain is, I fear, undoubtedly on their side. Many of them would delight an artist, being really pretty, with lovely figures, only veiled by a short kilt of creamy white native cloth, and perhaps over that a fringe and necklace of green leaves, thrown over one shoulder and under the other. Perhaps they carry a large fern or plantain-leaf as umbrella, and as they skip over the grey boulders every attitude is a picture. To-night I wish them all safe at home. We are now at a village called Nougouloa—_i.e._, Black Sand. It is a very pretty tiny town, circular, with double ramparts and double moats, which in these peaceful days are used as _taro_ beds. A very large number of the inhabitants died in the measles—in some instances whole families; and they were buried where they lay, on the foundation of their houses, which were pulled down: and now patches of crimson-leaved dracæna, growing on the raised terraces, mark these “graves of a household.” Most of the little burial-grounds are pretty and well cared for: they are generally shaded by the _noko-noko_[33]—a dark, drooping foliage, which just now is covered with dainty little pink tassels, like our own larch tree. The great screw-pines, with the odd white pillared roots, are also now in blossom, and bear a tuft of very fragrant flowers in a case of white leaves. * * * * * _Wednesday, May 3._ We are back at Sawaieke, and to-morrow morning return on board the Jubilee, taking away several lads as students. All their friends have come to see them off; and at the present moment no less than fourteen visitors of all ages and sexes are lying on the mats like herrings in a barrel, and have been gazing at us so steadily that at last they are fairly mesmerised, and have all fallen asleep, and of course will not stir till morning; so we shall have a chorus of grunting and coughing all night. The coughs are really dreadful; Mr Langham has to doctor the people right and left,—rather expensive work, and each missionary is only allowed 30s. a-year for medical stores! * * * * * NASOVA, _May 20_. I wrote so far before leaving Ngau. We got on board early, and a very unpleasant morning it was—raining steadily.