would send them something in return. These casual folk had made no arrangements and had not even addressed them sufficiently. Rain had started to fall and Macklin, who knowing nothing of their coming had not prepared a place for them in the hold, turned to a group of the islanders and asked for some help to put the bales in the shelter of the alleyway, where they would be protected from the rain. Not a man stirred, each saying it had nothing to do with him. Macklin had to search out each man in turn to help with his own bag for none of them would touch anything that did not belong to him personally. We were all thoroughly disgusted with their behaviour, and on this last morning they undid any good impression we had gained of them whilst ashore. One group of men brought me some bundles of whalebone which they asked me to buy for twenty pounds. As I had no idea of the value of the stuff I could not do it, but offered to take it to Cape Town and hand it over for disposal and have the value sent them in general goods. This arrangement they regarded with suspicion and tried hard to induce me to barter with them. It was a curious thing that all the islanders seemed to think that we had a mysterious bottomless store from which we could go on supplying quantities of pipes, tobacco, foodstuffs, etc. etc., in exchange for the most valueless trash. Knowing that as a community they stood in great need of copper nails for their boats I offered them a seven-pound bag, our all, which we could ill spare. No one man would burden himself with this on behalf of the community and it was finally left aboard. I made full allowances for the limitations of these people, but at last they became so troublesome that I ordered them back to their boats and got ready to put to sea. Just before the last lot left some of the older men came to me and thanked me for what we had been able to do. They included Henry Green, John Glass, Tom Rogers, Old Sam Swaine and Lavarello, the Italian. I told them that they must not thank me altogether, for they owed what I had given them to a man named John Rowett far across the sea in England. John Glass said in his high piping voice: “You will see Mr. Rowett again? Then tell him that he is the koindest man that I ever know.” I promised I would. Bob Glass also brought me a letter which he wanted me to send to Mr. Rowett for him. In return I thanked them, etc. etc. Just before leaving I received a long letter from the missionary Mr. Rogers, in which he expressed the appreciation of the islanders and sent a message of gratitude to Mr. Rowett.