952 
The tropjoal aqrioulturist 
[April i, 1892. 
the fkther eeemed very proud of the boy and (bowed 
great affection tor him. On onr retnro journey wo 
slopped at a village oalled Bbulle 5 mites from Bow. 
Here we were not as luxuriously . accommodated as 
at Bow, we all slept in a large native but side by 
side on some mats, the smoke from the embers of 
a fire, which was in the centre of the room, keeping 
the mosquitoes away. At one end of the room, on 
the other side of a sack partition, reposed a native 
and his family, while round the fire were squatted 
some half-dozen natives smoking and discussing, 1 
presume, the events of the day. We were very fatigued 
and when all was quiet I got to sleep, but X had 
noticed two tom oats on a box immediately behind 
ns with their bristles up and tails curling about 
looking as if they intended a row, anticipating which 
I got a few articles placed handy. I was not allowed 
to enjoy sleep long, for I was soon aroused by an 
awful mfilde, the cats being engaged in a fierce fight; 
to great was the equalling etc. that there seemed 
to me to be at least a dozen oats engaged. This whs 
not to bo borne, and we were up in a moment and 
soon persuaded the oats to leave, after which I had 
a little sleep and was roused at <1 a.m. by the words 
"It’s time to bo off." After completing my toilet 
with a coconut shell full of water and brushing my 
hair in the dark I was ready lor early breakfast ; 
when it was finished we resumed our j .urney to 
where the boat lay and sailed down to Vedine Bay. 
Here we landed and went up and had breakfast 
with Mr. and Mrs. Xtoebe, who made us very welcome. 
After breakfast my friends returned to llsvaniiah 
Harbor. 1 was only too glad to have theoppertunity 
of staying and aooepted their kind invitation to stay 
as long as I liked ‘ and did so for four days, spending 
part of the time at the older Mr, Itocbo's house and 
pari with his brother who lives ou the oofi'ee estate, 
wbieh he auperiutends. The view from the bouse, 
which is situated some 700 ft. abovo the sea, is very 
fine, the largo bay stretohing away to Sever! Boint at 
the south with several islands in view and with a 
good extent of country ooverod with tropical vege- 
tation in the foreground forms a pretty scene. What 
with pigeon shooting, torn gathering and going about 
through the coffee estate, admiring the many things 
to be seen there, lime fiew, though I should much 
liked to have made a yet longer stay with my kind 
friends, I had to return on the X9th to Ilavanush 
harbor, where 1 found one of my fellow-passengers 
who bad been away on an expedition to some of the 
islands bad returned and we spent a low hours 
pleasantly, leoeunting the experiences that we had in 
the meantime, which as far as boat expeditions were 
oODoerned were somewhat similar and the dangers 
gone through iu bis exjiedilious, were quite equal te, 
if not worse than my owo. One day ho inaugurated 
canoe races, both sailing and paddling, the latter being 
very amusing, there being great excitement among tlio 
natives engsged in the race and their spouses and 
friends on the shore ; the prizes which were arranged 
for by my friend were gratefully received by the 
winners. The opportunity of portraying such a novel 
eight in the islands was not to be lost, and photographs 
were taken. While preparing for the races, there 
was an earthquake and the feeling one experienced 
is difficult to describe, as one did not quite 
know, whether wo were going to fall down or 
not. I beard since that it was felt at many of the 
islands and was caused uo doubt by that portion 
of the volcano yassuer on which our paity had bun 
standing having fallen iu and blocked iqi the ul'i 
vent. Monday, the 28tb, was a day of s. me exeit - 
ment, as the S.S. “Ttnaanini” was eipeoteii .nd muc h 
wished for, as we all expected mail', i i t lisWu,; 
heard for some time from the outside wicid. Fur 
her, she was unusually late, but at last alter much 
wailing and watobiug she hove in sight and we vere 
soon alongside and on board of her. We scon bad 
to be away again as this busy little steamer had to 
anchor further up the harbour. Ou the 2‘Jth I left 
Havannab harbour again northabout with bslf-a- 
dozen other passengers, my kind friends of the 
Mission, some tourists and a missionary for BhuIo. 
1 soon had to leave them and stayed again at the 
island of Tonga, which island had a great attrac- 
tion for me, it being the richest of those that I 
had seen and most luxnriant in vegetation. There 
1 spent part of three days and have to thank my 
host there fur his kindness and trouble. He lent me 
his boat and native crew and I sailed cn the 31 st 
July with a good strong breeze for Sakow on the ad- 
jacent island of Api ten miles away and stayed the 
night there iu a house the Mission had put up and 
sailed next morning for Burumba, twenty miles off. 
There I stayed over a week makiug some trips about 
with nay host and adding greatly to my collection 
of curiosities and ferus and having a good oppor- 
tunity of seeing more of the heathen natives than p 
had yet had, and was struck with the way in which 
their gardens were cultivated, the yam vines being 
carefully traiued and the ground kept free from 
weeds. The heathen natives here were mostly 
powerful and well made men and were generally 
ocenpied at something. Borne were building a very 
fine largo canoe some 46 or 50 feet loog which was 
launched while I was there. The lower part of the 
canoe was in one piece, made of the hollowed trunk 
of a tree, and the upper consisted of some dozen or 
more pieces, artistically joined together with plaited 
coconut fibre, the bows of the canoe being ornamen- 
ted with various devices. When the lido was out I 
(pent a few hours now and again, on the large coral 
reef, extending for about a mile along and a 
quarter of a mile from the shore. Hero it was simply 
beautiful, the colors of the many varieties of coral 
and of tiie fish were beyond aoything I had ever 
seen. On one occasion a native shot a fish with bis 
bow and arrow which ia their favourite way of get- 
ting them. On the 8lb of August I started on my 
final return journey, calling again at Havannab Har- 
bour en route to the suutb and speuding a pleasant 
Sunday on board H. M. 8. “Dart." We called at 
aome of the places that we were at before and had 
a d ffnrent experience of the volcano this time, as 
aehea were falling from it over the ship, the man 
at the wheel having to hold one hand over his eyes 
while steering. On Friday, the 15th August, we ar- 
rived at Aiieityum snd sjient most cf the day ashore 
part of the time iu the forest ou the hills, and al- 
though I had not sufficient room iu my cases for 
any more ferns I could not resist the temptation of 
pulling a few. I h. heard that there are 120 
varieties of ferns in this island alone. In the eve- 
eiiig I went on board and transhipped my goods and 
chattels from the “Truganiui” lo the A. U. S. N. 
Company’s fine large ship the “Waronga" and sailed 
for Sydney on Saturday, the 16th, bidding good-bye 
to the New Hebrides at any rate for the present, bnt I 
hope, it will be my luck to have another visit to 
them later on, having spent an enjoyable time and 
Boin many beautiful, novel and interesting sights. 
.soil. AND CLIMATB OF 1111! NEW HEIlRIDEfI ; — TIIEIK 
ANNEXATION ADVOCATED. 
Bpcaking generally of the Now Hebrides, many 
tropical products oan be grown there, and ought to 
paychoosing the locality Hat would be most favour- 
able to ( aoh ; coffer, lea, cacao, nutmegs, pepper, vanilla, 
tobacco, cinchona and lianaiias would I believe do well. 
People about to open laud there would do well to pro- 
fit by the experience (omehave hsd iu Ceylon and not 
put all their eggsinouc Ixsket by planting only one 
product. The New Hebrides have advantages over 
other tiopiosl countries, there beieg no disosse 
on ( olfae and having plonty of cheap Itibonr which will 
buiisily obliiii.ed, when the laws at presout affecting 
it arc made li s.h slrinKeut. Among the many plants 
etc. that I have seen there, as well as growing in 
Coyloii sliowii g bow rimilar the climate must be, were 
beside oococut.*, breadfruit which atlaiua a larger 
size than 1 have seen in Ceylon, jakfrnit, I having come 
across but one irco efthat ipeciesand from the wood of 
which good and lu' ting fnruiture can be made, vanilla, 
cotton, guavas, i iipaws, very fine oranges, lemons, 
which attain a largo size, v nes, castor oil tree, Isutaus, 
chillies, beans, brinjals, carrots, turnips, vegetable 
marrows, onions, cabbages, roses, euoharis lilies. 
