Poor Tom must find life at home somewhat of a change to the ‘easy life’ he enjoyed in Sydney. I believe he was very much scandalized when he first got home at the outrageously indecent dress of his countrymen. He himself still dons the Sydney costume, but minus boots. Poor boy! I dare say he dreamed in Sydney of the reforms he would endeavour to effect when he got home, but the stern difficulties in the way he now begins to realize. Oh! Missionary work seems easy enough when viewed from an arm chair at a distance of many thousand miles, the difficulties only become apparent when the man is brought into close connection with his work, and has to grapple in a stubborn, persistant hand to hand fight with the Evil one. Poor Tom! I suppose he will try a little at first to stem the tide, and failing in that, will drift along with the stream. To a poor youth like that the difficulties of his position must seem stupendous and insurmountable. Nothing but the grace of God is sufficient for such. I dare say ere now his bright vistas and day dreams are being only too rudely dispelled, for he will have to find out like all other Missionaries that Christians are not made by machinery, or believers made such in a day; it is a long and weary process, but labour is not in vain in the Lord. Once more on board, the boat was hauled up, and on we started for the North end of the island where now we hoped to find Mr. Brittain. We saw a Labour vessel at anchor along the coast, and got to our own anchorage about 4 p.m. Mr. Brittain came off in his boat very sick, and with some difficulty got on board. He has been ill three weeks and was very anxious for the return of the vessel. During the evening he brightened up a good deal and I dare say felt much better for the society of his white brethren. He gave a very sad account of the state of things ashore, great sickness and considerable mortality. We had a very quiet night at anchor, and determined to stay here till Monday. We had some boys to land, and the boats were going forth and back all the evening. The clatter alongside was fearful owing to the large number of canoes that put off to the ship and every occupant speaking at the same time. They used to be a very noisy crowd, but have much improved of late years. It was a most glorious night at anchor and not excessively hot. We consider that we have done very well to be here so soon with the bad start from Norfolk Island. How the boys and girls did enjoy the fruits of their own islands again, especially green cocoanuts and soft sugar cane! And how pleasing was it too, as well as entertaining, as the shades of evening closed in, to watch the coy and shy flirtations of the young married couples on board; one or two were quite oldfashioned at the process, but Charles and Monica especially were somewhat more bashful. The young bridegrooms were most attentive to their respective spouses on the voyage but necessarily lived apart. The boys and men all