April i, 1892.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
751 
direotion, the front rank going to the rear in each 
aepsrate advance, the whole winding np with a terrific 
yell as they finally retreated to the forest. This 
game, no doubt, would have been kept up some time 
Fonger, were they not curious to inspect the new- 
comers, and they soon surrounded us talking away at 
a great rate; they were apparently greatly interested 
in us and much more so when I had given them some 
tobacco. This was the first lime in my life that I 
had been amongst a crowd of real live savages in all 
their war paint and light and airy bnt varied 
costumes, and I cannot say I felt quite at home 
amongst them. However wo left them in good-will to- 
wards no, and soon were on board again. At day- 
break the 6th July we left here for Tougo, where 
we arrived at 11 a.m. Tongo is a small island to 
the southward of and within a gunshot of the large 
island of Espiritu Santo. Our party had now been 
reduced to two, the others having left at the different 
places we had stopped at. We were cordially invited 
to spend the time we were to bo here by the missionary, 
andwereonly tooglad tohave the opportunity of doing 
so. We soon went ashore with him, and when we 
got on the beach, it was apparent tbatourbost hud 
.shown great sense in selecting such a place for 
his home, instead of the stretches of low lying 
land on the shores of the adjacent island of Santo. 
The highest point in this island is about 80 It. above 
the sea, and the mission had purchased a broad strip 
of land stretching right across the island from sea 
to sea, and over the highest point, from which there 
is a splendid view. The underwood is all cleared, and 
only the largo trees left standing, some of which are 
very fine. The ground is now covered with flue 
couch grass, forming altogether quite a charming 
little park. On the way up to his bonse, I felt as 
if something was left out, uud could not think what was 
the matter for some time; however on the approach 
of some more natives, the fact crossed ray mind, that 
the shaking of hands was dispensed with. The near 
approach to the house is through a large flower garden 
tastefully laid out and many English plants were in 
bloom. The house is about 160 yards from the beach, 
and I was very glad to be once mure in a comfort- 
able room, and was soon refreshed by a nice shower- 
bath, which had been very ingeniously contrived. 
There were many things to he seen and admired both 
in and outside of the bouse, particularly his large 
and varied collection of New Ilebridean shells, also 
his albums ol dried ferns and mofsea. Looking out 
in front at the flower garden and at the poultry 
yard behind where there wore numbers of fowls 
and tnrkeya, one could fancy that we were at home, and 
in one sense of the word ft It quite at home, in 
fact it would be diSiouIt for one to feel otherwise, 
our host and bis wife doing all they possibly could 
for ns and showing us every kindness. After din- 
ner I went and lay on the springy grass, under the 
suado of a large banyan tree, smoking and ad- 
miring the magnificent view before me. (In the 
opposite island of Ssnio, the high range of hills 
there with their msny shadows formed a good 
background. The little 8. S. “ Tinganini ’’ laying 
at anchor in the narrow passage between Ihe islands, 
whilst scores of wild pigeons with their beautiful 
plumage were cooing in the branches overhead. In 
the evening wo went to church, and one eonld see 
there what the missionary had done. There were 
some 40 natives or so at service, many joining in 
the hymns which wore sung in Ihe native language. 
After service we went to the village, which consisted 
of some 8.5 houses, to see a chief who was ill. and a 
man was pointed out to mo who had threatened Ihe 
JUissionary, as he only did not want one there. The 
mosquitoes here are different from moat other mo-- 
quitoea ns they do not sing, so that one is not aware 
'hat they are near, until they bite, which thej do 
’’igorously. In the morning while at breakfast, the 
steamer’s whistle was blown to harry us away, and I 
waa compelled to leave our kind friends and once 
•note atart on my travels, and had now pirtedwith 
Ihe laat of the missionaries who had gone to the 
siynod for the time being. Vie sailed at 7-2Ua.m.on 
the 7th for Maalo or St. Birtbolomew Island, and 
arrived about a quarter to 9, where we lay to and 
after delivering the mails went to Aord Island and 
lay to there for a abort time, then went back again to 
Mania. We sailed at 8 a.m. oti the 8tb for Aob& 
Island, staying there for a short time, and were off 
again for a trader's station on the name island; en 
route wo passed a trader’s place that had been bnrnt 
down by the natives after he had left, and I learnt 
later on that he had been threatened. We auoborod 
off a station for the night, and st 6-30 a.m. on the 
9tb wo sailed for Balhugd, the Oburoh of England 
missionary's jdace on Pentecost Island, where after 
I anding over the mails, we loft for the island of 
Ambryiu and stayed at Ubanone anchorage a short 
time, There is a very high volcano on Ambrym not 
now active, the land hero in all volcanic and the sand 
on the beach quite black. From hero we started on 
our return jonrney to the southward. Passing by tbs 
island of Api we saw the Union Jack flving, where 
wo had landed the now missionary, showing that 
all waa well. Called again at Tonga where we stop- 
ped for the night; ibe native who had been oat 
gathering ferns with me on ray former visit called 
Billy sent a message to me that he had ferns for me, 
and on my going ashore for the second time, soon 
came forward to shake hands and brought me to bis 
bouse, whore he had started a garden, which he had 
planted with ferns, orchids, crotons, ooliasei and many 
other plants. I picked ont a few that I wanted, and 
he seemed much disappointed that I did not take 
them all. saying, “ Why you no take thia fellow ? Him 
very good fellow ; bye amt bye he make plenty good ki- 
ki" (food). No sooner had I done with him, than an. 
other man, pulling me by the sleeve, said to come to 
his house, where bo had all the same plenty good 
fellow. Fellow is a word frequently used by those 
who speak a little English signifying either man or 
woman, animals, plants or goods, as the case may be. On 
parting I gave Mr. Billy's band a good squeeze, and 
judging from the wry expressions on bis face, he felt 
our parting, hut I told him it probably would not be 
our last, as I hoped by-aud-by, some time, tomorrow, 
to see him again. The natives about were amused at 
the band shaking and seemed to think it properly 
done. We arrived at Uavaunah harbour at 1 p.m. 
on the 12th, when I left the “(Truganini" nutil her re- 
turn from the south. While here I went for a trip 
with the missionary in a first rate whale boat to a 
place called Bow, about 20 miles or more away, and 
had a very rough time of it eit route. Wo were in 
imminent danger of our lives on one occasion, being 
out all night to 2-30 a.m. in the morning, with very 
bad weather, and close to reefs and with an exhaus- 
ted and sea-sick crew ; altogether there were 17 ol ns 
including native crew and passengers. 
At Bow I had the honour of seeing the fotmdatiOD 
timbers laid for a ohuroh and the marriage of four 
nalive couples on our arrival at the village. After 
word was given that we wore to dine there, all hands 
turned out and made chase far the fowls, which here 
could both run and fly remarkably well, as 
they were aocuslomed of an evening to fly to 
the branolies of some of the tallest trees to roost ; 
it was very amnsing to watch this chase in which 
moil, women and children joined. Over stone walls, 
belter skelter they went into the bnsh, after the 
particular rooster who was doomed, all the fowls of 
the village joining in the general ohorns, while Ihe 
pigs, which were nmiierous, sometimes got in the 
way, hut over snob obataoles the natives nimbly 
skipped and hood they retnrned with the object of 
their chase, his neck in the meantime having bean 
wrung, many hands made light work and he was soon 
divested of hia gay plnmage and into the pot be 
went. Two nice clean hoiisee wore prep ired for out 
use, dozens of nice clean native-made mats having 
been laid on the floors and stratchora on which wo 
were to slsep. Oo our way to Bow, part of which 
w.as thouvh forest, I killed a Urge non-venomoua 
snake six feet long. All the snakes in these islands 
are non-venomoua. In this village there was a perfect 
albino and it did look peonliar amongst the duskies, 
