The only other events of the week have been two very sad deaths. One was that of the contractor for part of this house, a young man, only married three months ago; the other, a fine boy of twelve, who climbed a _keveeka_-tree, overhanging a rocky burn, to get bunches of red blossoms, and, alas! fell off on to the cruel boulders, fracturing his leg and arm, and doing internal injury besides. For a week they thought he might live, but the lock-jaw set in, as it commonly does in these climates, from very slight wounds (as in the cases of Bishop Patteson and Commodore Goodenough, and their men), and the poor fellow died. He is one of a large family; they are in dire grief, as you can fancy. His little brother was in the tree with him, and says he almost fainted with terror when he saw his brother fall, and can’t think how he got down himself. It made us all think of ‘Misunderstood’! The cemetery lies on a pleasant hill, one mile further along the shore, so we saw both funerals go past. The poor carpenter’s coffin was rowed in a boat, his friends following by the shore. But the boy’s funeral, which was a Roman Catholic one, was more ceremonial, and followed by a great number of children carrying flowers. I think the poor little brothers and sisters go to the grave almost daily. I don’t think there’s anything else to tell you, and I must get on with my preparations for the trip. I have got your photograph in the white frame, just in front of me, with such a lovely red rose and gardenia, and bit of stag’s-horn moss, beside it. CHAPTER VIII. LIFE ON VITI LEVU—SUVA—A FLORAL CLOCK—THE REWA RIVER—OBSOLETE CUSTOMS—FIRST NIGHT IN A NATIVE HOUSE. SUVA, IN VITI LEVU (GREAT FIJI), _December 10th_. DEAR EISA,—I find there is a chance of a mail to England, so, though I am dead beat, I send just a line to say I am flourishing and in lovely scenery, with many kind folk. Perhaps by the time this reaches you, you will have seen my last to Nelly, written just as we started on this cruise. The children wanted change, so Sir Arthur rented this big house, which was formerly a hotel, and brought us all here in the Government steamer. The house would all go into one average room at home, but by means of partitions half-way to the ceiling, the upper floor is divided into a sitting-room and six stalls for sleeping in. Of course it is practically all one room.