234 AN AMBASSADOR. 



in the cabin. His only clothing, except a pocket 

 of plaited reeds that hung round his neck, was 

 a shirt, and a very broad-brimmed straw hat. 

 The fellow looked important and mysterious, 

 as if he had a mighty secret to impart ; but con- 

 verse with each other we could not, for he un- 

 derstood only his mother-tongue, of which I was 

 entirely ignorant ; he therefore informed me by 

 signs that his pocket contained something for 

 me, and drew from it a packet. One by one, a 

 multitude of envelopes of the paper manufac- 

 tory of the country were removed, till at length 

 a letter came to light, which he handed to me 

 with the words, " Aroha Nomahanna !" a salu- 

 tation from Nomahanna. He then explained 

 to me, in pantomime, that it was the Queen's 

 intention to visit me to-day, and that she 

 requested I would send my boat to fetch her. 

 After saying ^ great deal about '' Pala pala," 

 he left me, and I summoned Marini, who gave 

 me the following translation of the letter. 



" I salute thee, Russian ! I love thee with 

 my whole heart, and more than myself. I feel, 

 therefore, on seeing thee again in my country, 



