We sailed at once, and reached Va Via about noon. This is one of the places I most wished to see. It is a lovely village close to the sea, built on white sand, and overshadowed by great _ndelo_ trees, with tufts of rosy tassels constantly dripping showers of pink stamens on all around. High dark cliffs enclose this little bay, casting a cool deep shadow during the morning and evening hours. To appreciate the delight of this, you must realise the heat of a tropical sun. One family there live in a cave with only a front fence of wattle and leaves. We found the house of Phineas, the village teacher, open, though the family was absent; so we ventured to borrow his kettle and were enjoying our tea under the dark trees, when his young wife returned and welcomed us gracefully. Leaving Mr Leefe to do the civilities, I walked up to the ridge which separates beautiful Va Via from this village. From this point the coast-view, looking either way, is simply exquisite—especially as seen in the radiant evening light. I secured one sketch last night, and another this morning; and when you see them, I know you will want to come to these lovely isles. When Mr Leefe rejoined me, we walked down to this village—the boat having already gone round to announce our approach. We were at once taken to the house of a most horrid-looking old chief. It was so stuffy, and so full of people, that we voted it quite unendurable, and adjourned to the church, too thankful to know that in so doing we shocked no prejudice of the people. It was cool and pleasant, and near the sea; and in its stillness we slept as only the weary can, making up for the previous night’s unrest. At sunrise I returned to the ridge and worked steadily till 2 P.M.—breakfast being brought to me. When I came down I found Ratu Ezikeli[48] and Mr Jones, who had arrived by canoe. The latter accompanied us on a scramble up the bed of a very rocky stream, which was unusually picturesque, from the fact of a very remarkable series of waterfalls issuing from under huge boulders: it was suggestive of weird German fairy-tales and bottomless caverns. At last we reached a table-land of _taro_ fields on a very high level; there I found a woman bathing in a most delicious pool, so I halted and joined her—the gentlemen finding an equally fascinating bath further on. It was _vinaka sara_—that is to say, “very good,” as you may well understand.