my situation favourable for comparing experience with expectation, and found my ideas, in more instances than one, at variance with the reality. I had been led to expect that, so soon as we were well in sight, a fleet of little canoes would make its appearance, their owners contending for the post of pilot; instead of which, but one was seen, and that one not until we were near the anchorage. From it a wellmade native, with a white felt hat on, sprung over the "Wesley's" bulwarks, took his stand on the quarter-deck, and, with full confidence, and in good English, ordered the way of the ship. "Steady! "Port!" and other nautical commands were given by him with the air of a Channel pilot.

Having satisfied himself about the course of the ship, he inquired her name, and the name of the Captain. Finding he was on board the Wesleyan Missionary brig, he proceeded to make rapid inquiries after Captain Buck, Mr. Waterhouse, Mr. Lawry, and, lastly, but most emphatically, for the Missionary to be placed at Rotumah. He put the last inquiry to me, as though confident that I was the man, and it pained my heart to witness his disappointment on finding out his mistake. With an anxious countenance and eager tone, he asked, "Why no Missionary white man come? Why you no stay? Me say plenty times for man to come; plenty Rotumah man Missionary" (used for Christian) "now; but no Englishman come to teach him. Why you not stay with me? I want vou stop

now."

On inquiring of a native who had formerly lived at Rotumah, I found our interesting visitor was the Chief of the Oinatha district, his name Tokaniua, and that for several years past he had lived a professor of Christianity. In answer to my inquiries, he reported a considerable increase of Rotumah Christians, and again fell to lamenting that no Missionary was sent to instruct him and his people.

Granville or Rotumah Island, or, as it is often called by the natives themselves, Rotuam, is in 12° 31′ south latitude, 177° 15' east longitude. It is a larger island than verbal descriptions of it led me to expect it is in length about twelve miles, rather rugged, and nearly covered with groves of cocoa-nut trees, which give to the island a beauty and freshness not often surpassed even in the autumnless tropics. About the main land are five or six islets, the larger of which lie off its south-west extremity.

Rotumah is inhabited by a race of long-haired, light-hearted, laughter-loving creatures, who, judging from the population on that part of the island traversed by

myself, may number from four to five thousand. Many of these, I feared, would crowd around me, and evince their frequent intercourse with sailors by profane language and a rude familiarity. This, happily, was not the case. I found the natives distant, rather than intrusive.

Whilst the Teachers were being collected from their several Stations, I employed the leisure thus allowed me in looking over the village, and observing the habits of its inhabitants. In both, features of interest, and different from what I have hitherto seen, presented themselves. Their houses are smaller, and slighter in their construction, than houses in Feejee generally are, and more indebted to the sod than to spars and thatch. The doorways were low to back-breaking. Some of them might be pronounced comfortable, but for the annoying use made of turmeric-powder; of this, mixed with oil, the natives form an orange-coloured unguent, with which they anoint themselves so unsparingly, that their clothes, their mats, and all about their homes, become deeply dyed with yellow. Even the trees by the way-side do not escape; for after a walk I found my shoulders stained from contact with the yellowed leaves. The Chief justly remarked, "Rotumah fashion this, foolish fashion; by and by all gone away." A few of the bouses had been weather-boarded by white men.

The Rotumahans are a smaller, lightercoloured race than the Feejeeans; they do not, like their neighbours, commonly wear beards. A still more pleasing departure from Feejeean customs, was the absence of arms. Of the many men I met, I did not see one with either club, spear, or musket in his hand. There is amongst them a fair proportion of good faces; but the teeth of most of the women were discoloured by chewing the yang-gona root; and the eyes of many of the men swollen and inflamed from an excessive use of that dirty drink.

In their sepulture of the dead, this people show much care. I observed stones around their graves that were not got there without great exertion. They are not only Rotumahans who sleep in these graves. "That," said the Chief, "is where I bury Mr. C Chief Mate of one English ship. And there is Captain his place; he too much drink rum, drink plenty rum one night, next day they bring him shore and bury him."

I observed steps cut in the nut-trees to draw away the sap for the purpose of distilling ardent spirits. Pointing to them, my companion said, "White man do that."

The Rotumahans have been spoken of

Soon as I could I commenced our little District Meeting. The joy of the Tongan Teachers on seeing me was great; for a Missionary had not visited them since the middle of 1849. From their statements I learned their trials, and also that they had experienced much of the goodness of a faithful and compassionate God. They had had trouble from the evil of their own hearts, from war, and from Popery; but the Lord had been their helper. They conduct public worship in eight chapels and four other preaching-places. Thirtytwo persons met in class. Several hundreds have lately renounced Heathenism; the numbers of professing Christians given in by the Teachers on their slates, made a total of eight hundred and forty. The Teachers report a perceptible change in the habits of many. He who stole, is learning to steal no more; and he that swore, to fear an oath. They sorrow most for want of help and want of books.

On the Sunday I preached, through an interpreter, to good congregations in three several villages; also, I married eleven couples and baptized forty-five persons, the greater proportion infants. The evening passed with the Teachers, praying with, advising, and encouraging them.

Early on Monday morning I returned to the Mission brig; and here the Chief renewed his entreaties for a Missionary; and, as he returned to shore in his little canoe, responded to my last good-bye "A Missionary! A Missionary! Missionary!"

A

Dear fathers and brethren, you have long been used to appeals and entreaties for help. Some of these have been based on the numbers of those in behalf of whom the petitioners pleaded; others have been based on the foul degradation of those in whose behalf they sought your sympathy; others have been enforced by ties of consanguinity and claims thus founded have been urged by able and eloquent men, men who plied you with living thoughts, expressed in burning words, until you confessed the irresistibleness of their plea, by granting their request. Happy would it be for the Rotumahans had they one such man to plead their case; but they have not. Neither can they approach you on any of the above-named grounds; they have no claims from relationship, except the broadMany Heathen tribes surpass the n in depravity; and, comparatively, their

est.

I

hundred Rotumahans touch your hearts. They look to you with strained eyes, they listen to catch tones of compassion from your lips, their hearts are tender to receive the instructions of your messengers. pray you listen to their call for help; do not reject it. They ask for life, intellectual life, spiritual life, eternal life, through your instrumentality. Do not, for the sake of a crucified Saviour, do not neglect them. Send them help, and that right early. A Missionary and a Schoolmaster might at this moment find, among this people, more than full employment. And the men sent to this field might count themselves happy. They would not, after wasting their energies on a rock, have to lie down and die, lamenting, "Who hath believed our report ?" Weeping sowers might cast, with both hands, the seed of life into a generous virgin soil, and in due time reap a rich harvest.

The Rotumahans do not love war. Eighty of them have just fallen in war. But even amongst the victors I saw no boasting; they have but one voice on the subject "War is an evil." This mild people long to be taught. Short as was my stay with them, I could, did space allow, record pleasing instances of this, such as came under my own observation. Not a few, many wish to be taught. A Missionary to Rotumah, could he land there this day, would have access immediately, to the persons, minds, hearts, and affections of eight hundred of the people, and the Heathen also would hear him with gladness. Unusual facilities await the first Missionary to this island. Although coming to a people of a strange tongue, he would be able to impart elementary instruction to a goodly number directly he landed. The great first difficulty, arising from ignorance of a people's language is, in part, removed by so many of the natives speaking broken English. From the same source great help would be derived in acquiring the native tongue. And, O, how welcome would the bearer of glad tidings be, who announced them to the Rotumahan in his own language, correctly spoken! The Tongan Teachers cannot master some of the consonantal sounds which obtain in the language; these to an English or colonial Missionary would present no obstacle.

Twelve white men live on the island; I saw only one. He begged a Bible of me.