of the bush here lies in the multitude of lovely cockatoos of every conceivable colour, especially pure white ones with lemon-coloured crests, or pearly-grey, “trimmed” with delicate pink. Some are very dark and handsome; and the green parrots are legion. The gentlemen have shot several, and given us their plumes. They have also shot several small bears,—most harmless little beasts. Sir Arthur writes to Lady Gordon that the house he found ready at Nasova is very tolerable, and that he has begun to build the new rooms, so we hope to find our Fiji home ready when we arrive. Good-bye. CHAPTER IV. ARRIVE IN FIJI—TROPICAL LUXURY IN LEVUKA—KING THAKOMBAU—PLAGUE OF MEASLES. FROM MRS HAVELOCK’S HOUSE, LEVUKA, ISLE OF OVALAU, FIJI, _Sunday, Sept. 26, 1875_. Here we actually are, safely landed in Fiji! We embarked on the Egmont on the 9th, and left Sydney at midnight. The Egmont was specially chartered to carry the Engineers. Their officers are Colonel Pratt, Captain Stewart, Mr Lake, and Dr Carew. Our only other companions were the Rev. Frederick and Mrs Langham, superintendent of the Wesleyan Mission, who have lived in the group for seventeen years, and have seen Fiji in all its changes; and many a tale of horror they have told me. They are a kind, genial couple, while she is a gentle little woman, whom it is hard to associate with such scenes as she has had to go through. Mr Langham made great friends with some of the Engineers; and a few of the more thoughtful men told him they were thinking that perhaps they might be of some use to the poor ignorant people,—perhaps teach some of them to read and write. Mr Langham expressed his pleasure at their good intentions, but added, “I think that you will find that some of them can read a little. We have already established some schools in Fiji,—_about fourteen hundred schools and nine hundred churches_!” I think the Engineers were not the only people who opened their eyes at this statement, which is strictly true! Our voyage was not altogether pleasant. The Pacific proved false to its name, and favoured us with “a northerly buster,” which is a much more rare occurrence than the “southerly buster,” of which we have heard so much, and which did not seem to find much favour with any one except the beautiful albatross, who evidently gloried in the gale. We were all more or less ill—even the captain; and we liked it all the less, as the wind drove us out of our course and allowed us no chance of touching at Norfolk Island, as we had hoped to do. Ten days’ steam brought us to Khandavu, a remote isle lying far to the south of the group, and rarely visited by the regular white inhabitants, yet the only Fijian isle ever seen by casual travellers, and consequently the text for many a lengthened description of the group.