For the year 1886 my contribution will be concerned with the time between April 3rd and November 18th. On the former date the _Southern Cross_ left Norfolk Island on the first trip of the year, and on the latter we reached it again at the end of our voyaging season. I had never before left for the islands on the first voyage, but our plans gave me a longer stay than usual. My own island, Araga, was to take up the usual time, but I was to make a stay also in the Bank’s Islands, which would be out of the ordinary course. As it turned out, however, the arrangements were of necessity altered, and no stay was made in the Bank’s Islands. The _Southern Cross_ left Norfolk Island with a wind very strong, but altogether fair. None of the regular Araga boys were on board, as they were to return home on the second voyage, according to our plan. One lad, however, we had with us, whose presence in the _Southern Cross_ was quite out of the ordinary course. The explanation concerning him will show something of the individual efforts made in various places to give some sort of instruction to those who are taken from our islands to work on the plantations and elsewhere. On the whole they are simply neglected, with the result that they return home having learnt almost all the vices, and none whatever of the virtues, of the white man. Personal interest has in some cases induced thought and work for their benefit. In Sydney was one instance of this. The visit of a young lady to Norfolk Island on the occasion of the Consecration of the Memorial Chapel increased her interest in the Mission, and on her return to Sydney she sought some kindred work. A class was established for natives from the islands engaged in different kinds of work in the city, and it has proved most successful. Several of the lads are from our own islands, and as it has happened that the Bishop has been in Sydney at convenient times, he has twice held Baptisms of members of the Class. One of these Baptized lads made a request that he might be taken home in the _Southern Cross_. His home was Araga, and he came to Norfolk Island in readiness for the first voyage of the _Southern Cross_. It was apparently five or six years since he had been taken away in a labour vessel to Noumea, whence he had found it possible to make a move to Sydney. And this was the end of his life in foreign countries--he was returning home a Christian, with, in some respects, a surprising knowledge, with a perfectly good character from all who knew him, and with a great desire to do something for the benefit of his fellow-countrymen. All that had hitherto been done in Araga is in the northern part of the island, the remainder of the island being partially known only, while the extreme southern end was quite unknown and inaccessible. The lad, Thomas Rorsal, gave us to understand that his village was right in the south, close to the neighbouring island of Ambrym, and we had then the prospect of breaking into new parts.