On the following morning, Sunday 19th, we neared Ovalau, and found ourselves surrounded by many isles, of which we caught glimpses from time to time; but thick mist alternated with downpours of rain, and the isles looked grey and cold, like many much nearer home! It was early dawn when we found ourselves lying off Levuka, the capital; but the land was shrouded in dense mist, and not a glimpse could we obtain of the hills, which rise to a height of 3000 feet just behind the town. What mattered more, we were for nine hours in rough water outside the coral-reef (which encircles the isle of Ovalau at about a mile from the shore), and were actually within sound of the church bells, though we could see literally nothing till a lull in the storm revealed the passage—_i.e._, the opening in the barrier reef, through which we passed into the quiet harbour of Levuka. Just then a bright gleam of sunshine fell like a ray of promise on the little town, with its background of richly wooded hills, and dark craggy pinnacles far overhead, appearing above the white wreaths of floating mist. It was very lovely, and we were duly charmed; but our delight on arriving was somewhat damped by finding ourselves utterly unexpected. Great was the perturbation in Levuka when the inhabitants, coming peacefully out of church, perceived the Egmont quietly steaming in! Greater still was the excitement at Nasova, for no one seemed to have believed Lady Gordon was really coming, and her new house is still a mere skeleton. Even the Engineers were not expected for some days. Indeed, the official information of their having left England arrived about an hour after themselves, by a mail _viâ_ New Zealand! After some delay Sir Arthur came and took us ashore to Nasova, where we had lunch in the house which was built to be the council-chamber of Thakombau’s Government—a place of many memories, the last being its use as a hospital-barrack during the recent terrible scourge of measles, from which, in spite of most tender nursing by Captain Olive, R.N., several of his men died. (I must explain that Captain Olive came here with Commodore Goodenough, and liked the place and people so much that he was appointed head of the native constabulary; and now he is a sort of additional A.D.C. to the Governor.) In the evening we all returned on board the Egmont, as no other quarters were ready for us. Early next morning Lady Gordon and the children went ashore, but I stayed on board, thinking I might as well secure a sketch of the town from the ship, as the view thence was lovely. In the afternoon Captain Knollys brought back the children, and Captain Havelock came to say that his wife had prepared a corner for me in her wee bungalow, charmingly perched on a breezy headland overlooking the harbour. This was pleasant news; and I soon found myself cordially welcomed to a most cosy little nest, very small, but one of the nicest little homes here.