But grievous beyond expression to Lady Gordon and myself is the fact that the Havelocks have decided on returning to England. You, surrounded by friends without number, cannot possibly realise to what an extent we shall miss these, our very greatest friends. There has scarcely been a day of which we have not spent part together—either we have gone up to their pretty cottage on the hill, or they have come to us for a pleasant chat. And Jack and Nevil are devoted to their dear little Rachel. Well, now it is all over. Already they are beginning preparations for selling off their furniture, and their very pretty glass and china,—of course at a heavy loss; and next month they will sail with Sir William and Lady Hackett, and all go home together. Our new Chief-Justice, Mr Gorrie, is expected by next mail. He comes from Mauritius. Now as concerns news since I last wrote. For a fortnight we continued here alone—Baron von Hügel being our only gentleman. He is “getting up” Fiji, and competes with Sir Arthur and Mr Maudslay for the most thoroughly perfect collection of curiosities. All the others were away in detachments in the mountains of Viti Levu, where the wild tribes are in rebellion. The Governor could not rest so far from the seat of action, so went off with Mr Maudslay. We expected them back about the 16th May, but waited and waited in vain, in much anxiety. At last they steamed quietly in, and came in with the usual calm assumption of nothing of the slightest interest having occurred. I hear, however, that they ran into imminent danger, and escaped by a hair’s-breadth. The Governor insisted on walking across country from Nandi to Nandronga, about forty miles, attended only by Dr Macgregor and about a dozen native police. Nandronga is a town in the disturbed districts, where Arthur Gordon is now staying. Of course it was a long two days’ march; and the first night, the party halted at a village, without in the least realising that they had run straight to one of the scenes of action. In the houses they found only four or five helpless old men, all the rest having gone to fight. A sudden blaze revealed that the enemy had surprised, and were in the act of burning, the next village, two miles off, and of course the villagers immediately expected to share the like fate. Great was the consternation; and a council was held by Sir A. and the doctor whether to retreat at once, and retrace their steps, or advance many miles to the nearest plantation. Happily they decided to stay where they were, the available handful of men standing sentry round the village the whole night, watching for prowlers coming to burn the reed houses. Evidently the enemy were put off by finding them on the alert; for only one prowler came suddenly on a sentry, and instantly vanished in the darkness. Had they realised what a prize lay within their grasp, I think they would not have let that village escape. At dawn the march was continued—in fear and