* * * * * NVUNINDAWA ON VITI LEVU, _October 25_. Well, we have started on our trip. Mr Eastgate kindly lent us his large police-boat, manned by a sergeant and four constables. It arrived on Monday morning; but the wind was so very stormy that we delayed our start till Tuesday, when, taking advantage of the high tide to clear the reefs, we came to this village, to meet a friend, who arrived so late that we could proceed no further. We found the chief, Ratu Ezikeli, and his wife, Andi Thithilia, in possession of the house of Caleb the teacher, while their own was being rethatched; but they most courteously insisted on giving it up to us. When we unpacked the box of provisions so kindly prepared by Mrs Leefe, we found she had forgotten the non-essentials,—not one cup or plate, knife, fork, or spoon, was there. All we could muster between us was my pocket-knife and Mr Leefe’s small dirk. We sent a message to the chief to ask if he could lend us any cups. He sent us back the only article of foreign manufacture he possessed—which was the cover of a vegetable-dish! Mr Leefe adopted this as a drinking-vessel; I, being content with a smaller allowance, was provided with a cocoa-nut shell. Some pieces of bamboo supplied spoons and egg-cups; and with ample store of fresh banana-leaves to act as plates, we fared exceedingly well. Heavy rain came on at night, and our slumbers were much disturbed by the restlessness of the boatmen, who were, by way of sleeping, in the house (which is of the usual pattern, only one room); but Fijians, as a rule, are notoriously restless, and these men have been going in and out all night. Now they are making up for it by a long sleep, which is to us an unattainable boon. The rain is pouring steadily, and I fear we have lost all the fine weather. * * * * * IN THE CHURCH AT NA SAU IN VITI LEVU, _October 26_. After all, the rain stopped quite suddenly, and we had a most lovely day of bright sunshine and beautiful colouring—every distant isle wonderfully distinct; in short, just that “clear shining after rain” which the old Hebrew poets so fully appreciated.