“John has decided not to make any change for another year, if at all able to hold on. It is no use now for me to pretend I’m delicate, as appearances so tell against me! But I insist that I’ve got _heart_ disease, and that only the sight of my bairns can cure it.... “It is only a week yesterday since John returned from Kwamera, and was overwhelmed with such an ovation as he never yet got from our Natives. They opened their hearts to the most unheard-of generosity, and actually parted with their precious _pigs_ to show their love for him, besides a great quantity of yam. They also gave a present about half the size of ours to the Captain of the _Dayspring_,—pigs, yams, cocoa-nuts, and bananas. His were laid on the centre patch of grass before the house, and John’s to the side, in front of the Study door. The pigs (thirteen in number!), all tied and laid out to be seen to the best advantage (they were _heard_ too), so that when Captain and Mrs. Braithwaite and John arrived they were greeted with— ‘Pigs to the right of them, Pigs to the left of them, Pigs in front of them, Guzzling and grunting.’ How they did grunt! The Captain growled out his thanks in sailor’s phraseology, which having translated, John walked round to the side, followed by his grinning Parishioners, and politely thanked them for their kind gifts to us,—telling them that it was the feeling which prompted it more than the gift itself which he valued! I felt that he was telling the truth in all sincerity, for he hates the very sight of pork, and whispered aside to me,—‘What on earth are we to do with all these beasts?’... “We expect the _Dayspring_ in about a fortnight to call for our mail, and as I’ve a very large one to answer it is time it were begun, for we’ll be very much interrupted by the arrowroot making. The whole of the Natives are busy digging it up at present, and the Premises will be like a beehive in a few days when they begin to grate it. We were so pleased to be able to tell them that the last sold so very well through the great kindness of Melbourne friends. The calico in the South Yarra boxes—worth its weight in gold—is being sewed up into sheets and bags for drying and packing it, as fast as ever we can; but we hardly expect it to be ready to go till the December trip of the vessel. They are to have _another book of the Bible_ printed in the Aniwan language. “Ever, with warmest love, “Your loving Sister, “MAGGIE WHITECROSS PATON.” CHAPTER X. _LAST VISIT TO BRITAIN._