live together in the schoolroom, and the girls and married women aft. There are as yet no married people’s apartments, we shall look for those when we get a bigger ship. _Sunday, 18th July._--Quiet and peaceful day at Araga. The natives regarded the observance of Sunday so strictly that they troubled us very little with their noisy chatter, indeed very few canoes came off at all to the ship, and we were able to have an uninterrupted day of rest. Our services began at 10 a.m. with English Prayers. We chanted the Venite, read the Te Deum, and sang the Jubilate besides singing the Glorias in the Psalms, and two hymns. We had therefore full Mattins with a short address to which the men paid very good attention. I tried to make the discourse as easy and lively as possible, and interspersed a few anecdotes among my remarks, which I think, being appropriate, were appreciated. The service lasted just three quarters of an hour so that the men were not wearied. It was not a very hot day, but beautifully bright and glorious. Shorewards it looked most lovely, the bright sunshine lighting up the vegetation with a silver sheen, everything seeming to catch the infection from the King of Day, who rejoiced as a giant to run his course. On board a gentle breeze cooled the air, and under the awning and down below alike it was bearably comfortable and refreshing. At 11 o’clock we had service in Mota, at which we had the attendance of all the Melanesians of both sexes in the ship, and a very hearty, cheering service it was. I reserved my address to them for the evening and before noon our religious duties for the morning were over. We dined at 1 o’clock and in the afternoon Mr. Turnbull and myself went ashore. This was his first experience in these islands and he was duly impressed with the natural beauty everywhere apparent, and the good nature of the people. It was nearly high water when we went in over the reef, and the clearness of the sea, the beauty of the coral bed, the dear little blue and vari-coloured fish which flitted about produced their due effect on him. The white beach, too, with its background of most luxuriant green rising from the base and clothing in marvellous profusion the tops of the hills greatly delighted him. The climb up the hill somewhat dispelled the fancy, but one could well imagine oneself in some semi-fairy land so strangely beautiful as it all looked. We were in a very liquid state when we reached the school about three quarters of a mile up the hill, and green cocoanuts were very acceptable. Here we found in the midst of all the loveliness a poor little child dying amid squalor and destitution. The poor young mother was sitting over it and crying her heart out. Her son had been buried the day before and there seemed not a particle of hope for the elder sister. I said what I could to comfort the mother, but it was too late to do anything for the child. The father with a third child was walking up and down disconsolately outside.