208 



HA WAIL 



[letter XXI. 



has an immense stone, and a disproportionately small pulp. I I 

 think it tastes strongly of turpentine at first, but this is a j 

 heresy. 



Beyond Waielva and its mango groves there is a very curious 

 sand bank about 60 feet high, formed by wind and currents, 

 and of a steep, uniform angle from top to bottom. It is very 

 coarse sand, composed of shells, coral, and lava. When two i 

 handfuls are slapped together, a sound like the barking of a | 

 dog ensues, hence its name, the Barking Sands. It is a 

 common amusement with strangers to slide their horses down 

 the steep incline, which produces a sound like subterra- 

 mean thunder, which terrifies unaccustomed animals. Besides ? 

 this phenomenon, the mirage is often seen on the dry, hot 

 soil, and so perfectly, too, that strangers have been known 1 

 to attempt to ride round the large lake which they saw before 

 them. 



Pleasant as our mountain trip was, both in itself, and as a 

 specimen of the way in which foreigners recreate themselves 1 

 on the islands, I was glad to get back to the broad Waimea, . 

 on which long shadows of palms reposed themselves in the 

 slant sunshine, and in the short red twilight to arrive at this ; 

 breezy height, and be welcomed by a blazing fire. 



Mrs. ■ , in speaking of the mode of living here, was 



telling me that on a recent visit to England she felt depressed 

 the whole time by what appeared to her " the scarcity " in the 

 country. I never knew the meaning of the Old Testament 

 blessing of "plenty" and "bread to the full" till I was in 

 abundant Victoria, and it is much the same here. At home 

 we know nothing of this, which was one of the chiefest of 

 the blessings promised in the Old Testament. Its genialising 

 effect is very obvious. A man feels more practically indepen- 

 dent, possibly, when he can say to all his friends, " Drop in to 

 dinner whenever you like," than if he possessed the franchise 

 six times over; and people can indulge in hospitality and 

 exercise the franchise, too, here, for meat is only twopence a 

 pound, and bananas can be got for the gathering. The ever- \ 

 increasing cost of food with us, and the ever-increasing love of J: 

 display, wither up all those kindly instincts which find expres-/ 

 sion in housing and feeding both friends and strangers. ■ 



I. L. B. 



