While we were sitting there at Ruosi one of the men told me a curious custom they have here. I knew him of old to be an habitual and heavy kava drinker, now he told me he never drank it and had not for months. It appears that persons who enjoy a certain rank can deny the use of this beverage to any one they like, and they place a sort of ‘tabu’ over the kava bowl, and this tabu is not taken off again until a pig or its equivalent is paid. A short time ago kava drinking became so general in the school as to impede the working of it, for teachers and scholars drank alike. The boys and young men therefore met together and laid mutual tabus upon each other, and for some time past very little kava has been drunk by those attending, and no one of those on whom the tabu was laid has chosen yet to take it off. This same man told me another curious custom they have with respect to revenge. If a man has a grudge against another and he wishes to kill him, or if he wishes to kill someone as a set off against someone belonging to him having been killed, he refuses to wash his hands until such time as they can be washed with blood. He told me of three brothers, Bushmen, who swore to kill a man apiece, the two younger brothers have already performed their part of the contract, but the dirt is still thick on the hands of the eldest, and he still means murder when he can get the convenient opportunity. It does not matter much, I believe, who the victim is as long as he has not many friends to retaliate. Poor weak inoffensive mortals in this way often lose their lives, innocent sacrifices to heathen brutalism and bloodthirstiness. We came home in the cool of the most glorious evening, a strange contrast in its peace and loveliness to the rage and horror of savage brutalism. A quiet evening service and the song of melody seemed more in tune with the scene without, and I trust that the Peace of God which passeth all understanding may ever keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of His Son Jesus Christ. I gave notice last Sunday of Holy Communion to-morrow, and this evening I held a Communicants’ class at which were present the two Arthurs and Patrick. Anthony and Samuel are too far away to be able to attend. I cannot but esteem it a high privilege and blessing to be enabled to receive and dispense the Bread of Life here in this once heathen village, and I pray that we may be strengthened and refreshed for our work, and show forth God’s praise not only with our lips but in our lives, and by giving up ourselves more fully to His service. May the time too be hastened when some of these good people may be permitted to partake of the visible tokens of redeeming love. It is now late, and except for the singing of crickets, perfectly still, fit prelude, I trust, to a peaceful Sabbath.