We had a long row to the Jubilee, and then made slow progress. All the morning there was hardly a breath stirring; but at noon the wind rose sharply, and about 3 P.M. it became so gusty, and the weather altogether so threatening, that the captain, not knowing the coast, and wisely avoiding unnecessary risk, decided to anchor for the night off Rambi Island. The water was so deep that we were able to anchor close to the shore, in a lovely bay. The island belongs exclusively to two planters—Messrs Dawson and Hill,—and the point where we landed was five miles from their house—that of their overseer occupying a prominent position on a high rock above us. He was, however, absent, and we found only two Tanna men in charge of the place. A tame cat, however, welcomed us with delight, and never left us—trotting beside us in all our rambles. We found pleasant paths leading through fine bush, the foliage very rich, and immense specimens of the bird’s-nest fern growing as a parasite on the _pandanus_ and other trees; then passing through a field of maize I gathered and ate half-ripe corn cobs, which were excellent—stolen bread being proverbially so: it is a beautiful crop, growing far above my head. Then we went on to inspect the deserted house, which stands on a great mass of brown rock, in the crevices of which grow huge hart’s-tongue and other ferns. It commands a lovely view of the bay on either side, but is the flimsiest of all the breezy houses I have seen in Fiji—merely built of open-work reeds—and as a stiff wind was blowing, we thought we should gain little by sleeping in it, so returned to the shore and took possession of a forsaken boat-house, where we spread our waterproofs, blankets, and pillows. The Fijian teachers who accompanied us prepared beds of dried plantain-leaves for themselves, and kindled a great fire on the beach, which they continually fed with dead palm-leaves to keep up a cheery blaze. There we boiled our kettle for tea, and had a cheery meal in the moonlight, and then explored the white sands till we came to picturesque dark rocks, encircling a tiny bay, with great trees overhanging the water—a gem of a bathing-place. We dare not often venture on sea-bathing, as we never know how close inshore the sharks will venture.