A poor fellow in the house next to us was very ill all last night, and died this morning. He was a stranger, with no one to mourn for him, so he was rolled up in an old mat, with head and feet protruding, and thus carried to his grave. On reaching the place, Mr Langham found it had been dug too short, so it had to be lengthened at the last moment. It is a pretty burial-ground, the graves, as usual, edged with tree-fern wood. I had a solitary walk up the hill, through tall reeds, up gullies shaded by rank plantains, all matted with lovely vines, and had a grand view from the high ground. This village is clean and orderly. To-day being Sunday there has been much church-going,—very large and attentive congregations,—apparently most devout. After morning service there were no less than thirteen weddings! Some were new couples; others very old folk, who wished to be legally wedded on the occasion of their becoming Christian and _one-wived_. The superfluous wives are in large demand by men who hitherto have failed to secure domestic bliss. We also had several baptisms—one was a big child, who was so much alarmed at the sight of the white teacher that he ran away howling. At this moment I am surrounded by a crowd of brown women, who have crept up to me very shyly and cautiously, and are watching the progress of this letter with great interest. Already some of them have begun to learn writing, and many can read quite fluently. To-morrow there is to be a great school examination. Supper is ready—roast pig and _taro_; and all are hungry, but waiting for Mr L. to say grace,—so I must go. Good-night.—Your loving sister. CHAPTER X. UPPER REWA—SUNDAY AMONG THE CONVERTS—SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS—A “MISSIONARY MEETING”—SAVAGE ORNAMENTS—RED TAPE—_MÉKÉS_—EVENING PRAYER—MARRIAGES. NIRUKURUKU, ON THE UPPER REWA RIVER, _December 23d_. MY DEAR ALEXA,—I have not written to you since I started on this trip, but of course you have heard all my news from the others. We came here yesterday in the canoe, as the rapids are so strong that the boat could not face them, and the men, strong as they are, had to call others to their aid, and even then had hard work to pull us up stream. But the scenery is most lovely, though we rarely leave the water-level, and the glimpses we do get of the grand mountains make us long to penetrate right up to them. But this would involve far too much walking for either Mrs Langham or myself, and there is no other means of locomotion. Oh, what I would give to have my dear Himalayan _dandie_ here, with a team of strong Paharis (hill-men) to carry me! The Highlanders here (the Kai Colos, men of the mountains) are just as strong, but the idea of carrying a lady has not yet occurred to them; indeed we are the first specimens of the race whom they have seen!