DEAR EISA,—There has been nothing special to tell you for a good while. Our principal events have been attending a concert in Levuka, given in aid of the hospital, and a dance given by the Engineer officers, in the old house formerly occupied by the Layards, and now by themselves. Happily, being on the sea-level, we were able to go and return by boat. Now we are much occupied with our approaching trip to New Zealand. Little Nevil has had a very severe attack of influenza, followed by fever. So Dr Macgregor has positively decided that the children must not spend another hot season here; and we are to start immediately for Khandavu, our outermost isle, which lies far to the south, and where the three Pacific mail-steamers continue to call every month, and tranship their passengers for San Francisco, New Zealand, and Australia, although under protest. So they have kept us on tenter-hooks for a year already, expecting that each month would be their last call—a very inconvenient condition. Even now, though the mail is due on Christmas Day, no one is sure that she will call, in which case we are to go all the way to New Zealand in the very uncomfortable little island-steamer, Star of the South. One thing to which we look forward with positive delight, is the prospect of once more seeing carriages and horses, and being able to enjoy comfortable drives. Do you realise that for more than a year we have not heard the sound of wheels![49] I believe the Engineers have imported a few wheelbarrows, which the Fijians at first carried about with great care. These are the only wheeled vehicles in the group. As to telegraphy, we have a sort of dim recollection that something of the sort exists, but it will be many a long day before its imperative messages reach us here. CHAPTER XXIII. START FOR NEW ZEALAND—EXTINCT VOLCANOES—SIR GEORGE GREY’S TREASURES—TREE-KANGAROOS. AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, _Sunday Night, December 31, 1876_. All best greetings to you, one and all. We arrived yesterday in New Zealand, and it is now 10 P.M. on New Year’s Eve. We had to leave Nasova on Christmas Eve (Sunday), but not till the afternoon; so we had the pleasure of seeing our poor little church all transformed, by the help of great tree-ferns and palm-fronds, and a moderate amount of red cloth—simple but very effective decoration. The palm-fronds especially are invaluable, as one on each side of an arched window does all that is required.