To Mr. Edward Coleridge he writes on the 18th of March:--


'I have many and delightful talks with Mr. Martin on our languages.
We see already how strong an infusion of Polynesian elements exists
in the Melanesian islands. With the language of four groups we are
fairly acquainted now, besides some of the distinguishing dialects,
which differ very much from one another; nevertheless, I think that
by-and-by we shall connect them all if we live; but as some dialects
may have dropped out altogether, we may want a few links in the chain
to demonstrate the connection fully to people at a distance. It is a
great refreshment to me to work out these matters, and the Judge
kindly looked up the best books that exist in all the Polynesian
languages, so that we can found our induction upon a comparison of
all the dialects now from the Solomon Islands to the Marquesas, with
the exception of the Santa Cruz archipelago. We have been there two
or three times, but the people are so very numerous and noisy, that
we never have had a chance as yet of getting into a quiet talk (by
signs, &c.) with any of the people.

'Still, as we know some Polynesian inhabitants of a neighbouring isle
who have large sea canoes, and go to Santa Cruz, we may soon get one
of them to go with us, and so have an interpreter, get a lad or two,
and learn the language.

'We are sadly in want of men; yet we cannot write to ask persons to
come out for this work who may be indisposed, when they arrive in New
Zealand, to carry out the particular system on which the Bishop
proceeds. Any man who would come out and consent to spend a summer