Black Beach. 99 
more time could be given to the trip. Next day the vessel left 
the harbour ev route for Eramanga, vid Black Beach, a roadstead 
upon the north side of Tana. This was a very enjoyable sail ; 
the weather was fine, and the scenery sometimes exquisite, as 
we glided round in the smooth water within a couple of miles 
from the beach. 
When about half-way round, a sail was observed in. the dis- 
tance, and through the glass we made out a topsail schooner 
bearing down on us. She quickly came up, heaved-to, and 
lowered a boat, which, manned by a strong native crew, 
came dashing alongside, The captain and two other white 
men came on board. She proved to be the “ Lyttona,” having 
sixty or seventy New Hebrideans on board for Queensland ; 
and the captain had come to tell us something about the boat 
of the late Mr. Gordon, of whose murder we had heard on ar- 
riving at Aneityum. Having received from us the latest news 
from civilization, he departed; the vessels filled their yards, 
(a nautical term) and soon were out of sight of one another. 
On reaching Black Beach—a beach composed of black 
stones, instead of white sand—a boat went ashore for the pur- 
pose of ascertaining whether or not the natives would like to 
have a European missionary settled amongst them. A favour- 
able report was brought back, several having expressed their 
willingness to receive a missionary, one man in particular 
showing considerable anxiety about it. It is a good place for 
a mission station, being at the opposite end of the island from 
the other two mission settlements, and there being good anchor- 
age just in front of it. 
That matter being concluded, we stood out from the shore 
and steered for the well-known island of Eramanga. 
H 2 
