Made fast to the wharf was the cutter _Atafu_, which was owned by the plantation and was used principally for obtaining labour recruits from the South Seas, and for visiting the different out-stations of the company in New Ireland, supplying them with "trade" and bringing back to "Mioko" the copra, etc., obtained. The manager, whose dwelling was surrounded by a pretty garden kept in scrupulous order, pressed us to be his guests for a couple of days, and we gladly accepted. Accustomed to the wilds of New Guinea, this place seemed to us like an "oasis" in the desert. He kindly sent on board our craft a couple of natives whom he could trust, telling them to look after her and keep strangers away. The harbour is completely land-locked, being hemmed in by numerous islands, and protected from the south-east winds by the island of "Mioko." The captain and mate of the _Atafu_ were invited to meet us at dinner, thus increasing our number to seven. The captain was a German, and the mate a Yankee, so that the various nationalities were well represented. A smart native youth, specially trained by Mr. H----r, waited at table. He would have put to shame many a waiter at a first-rate London club. The dinner was an excellent one, and our host full of good spirits. After doing full justice to the good things provided, the bottle was passed round, toasts were drunk and jokes cracked. In such a varied assembly the fund of anecdote was inexhaustible. Everyone was enjoying himself to the top of his bent, when unfortunately one of my mates, in pure joke, made some _mal apropos_ remark to our host. He very foolishly took it up in the wrong light, considered it an insult, jumped up from his seat and rushed round to my friend, challenging him to fight. It was a most unfortunate _contretemps_. Had not my friend been a man of equable temperament, and with great power of self-control, the result would have been most disastrous, and in all likelihood Mr. H----r would have been annihilated. He had evidently partaken too freely of the juice of the grape; or was it, being a German, he was unable to understand a jest? However, my friend wisely kept his temper, the storm-cloud passed over, and all was harmony again. We learnt afterwards that our host was naturally of a most excitable nature and was of a pugnacious disposition. Fortunately for him, my friend, like the British lion, was not easily roused. Like that noble animal, he was possessed of great strength, and in a combat would have easily vanquished his antagonist. What with singing and playing on the piano and violin, we spent a most enjoyable evening, and did not retire to rest until the small hours. One of us occupied the only bedroom in the house, another slept on the sofa, whilst I camped in a hammock on the verandah.