_Monday, October 18th._--Fine, indeed glorious day, but consequently very hot. According to standing custom here, I gave a whole holiday to the school and, we went for our usual picnic. The fatted pig was killed, and we all proceeded to Ro[¨n]onawo to prepare it for dinner. The women did the cooking, the men lending ready and very efficient aid in getting and cutting firewood, &c. A book gave me employment throughout the day, and there was a good deal to interest one going on. The scene was far from being unanimated and devoid of interest, and the day soon hastened on to its termination and natural darkness. The ovens were opened in due course, and disgorged their plentiful contents. After grace the food was distributed, and before long we were wending our way homewards. After Evensong a request was brought me that the people might have a dance, and of course I consented. There was not a very numerous company of dancers, but they kept up their energy for an hour or two in a manner in which I should be very sorry to imitate them, and the result may be imagined in a place where the smallest movement throws you into a bath of perspiration. This evening appeared those mysterious things like seaworms. They only come about one night in the year, but the people not only know the very night of their appearance, but almost the very hour. When they are expecting them they get ready a peculiar kind of deep basket with a wide mouth, and long cane torches, and when these worms of the sea are observed, the people shovel them by handsful into their baskets, and great quantities are in this way taken. They are of course esteemed a great delicacy, and by cooking and re-cooking, they are kept for a very long time as an accompaniment to their different kinds of food. Their flavour is somewhat peculiar, but by no means disagreeable, and I can quite understand a native esteeming them a delicacy. Their wormy nature, I am afraid, gives me a false sentiment against their niceness. Considerable numbers were secured this evening, but the “haul” was said not to be a very successful one.