not sent until you have learnt to do pretty well without me, and you
will be comforted by knowing that this island of Lifu, with many
inhabitants, is in a very critical state; that what it most wants is
a missionary, and that as far as I am concerned, all the people will
be very anxious to do all they can for me. I take a filter and some
tea. We shall have yams, taro, cocoa-nuts, occasionally a bit of
turtle, a fowl, or a bit of pork. So, you see, I shall live like an
alderman; I mean, if I am to go to every part of the island, heathen
and all. Perhaps 20,000 people, scattered over many miles. I say
heathen and all, because only a very small number of the people now
refuse to admit the new teaching. Samoans have been for some time on
the island, and though, I dare say, their teaching has been very
imperfect and only perhaps ten or fifteen people are baptized, they
have chapels, and are far advanced beyond any of the islands except
Nengone and Toke, always excepting Anaiteum. Hence it is thought the
leaven may work quietly in the Solomon Islands without me, but that
at Lifu they really require guidance. So now I have a parochial
charge for three months of an island about twenty-five miles long and
some sixteen or eighteen broad.

'I feel that my letters, after so long an absence, may contain much
to make me anxious, so that I shall not look with unmixed pleasure to
my return to my great packet; yet I feel much less anxiety than you
might imagine; I know well that you are in God's keeping, and that is
enough.'

After just touching at Nengone early in May the 'Southern Cross' went
on to Lifu, and on landing, the Bishop and Mr. Patteson found a
number of people ready to receive them, and to conduct them to the
village, where the chief and a great number of people were drawn up