Squatting by the side of my “flem,” whom I had recognized, I asked him why ever he outraged all reason by putting on such clothes in this boiling weather.  He looked at me pityingly for a moment before he replied, “You go chapella Belitani?  No put bes’ close on top?” “Yes,” I said; “but in hot weather put on thin clothes; cold weather, put on thick ones.”  “S’pose no got more?” he said, meaning, I presumed, more than the one suit.  “Well,” I said, “more better stop ’way than look like big fool, boil all away, same like duff in pot.  You savvy duff?” He smiled a wide comprehensive smile, but looked very solemn again, saying directly, “You no go chapella; you no mishnally.  No mishnally [missionary=godly]; very bad.  Me no close; no go chapella; vely bad.  Evelly tangata, evelly fafine, got close all same papalang [every man and woman has clothes like a white man]; go chapella all day Sunday.”  That this was no figure of speech I proved fully that day, for I declare that the recess between any of the services never lasted more than an hour.  Meanwhile the worshippers did not return to their homes, for in many cases they had journeyed twenty or thirty miles, but lay about in the verdure, refreshing themselves with fruit, principally the delightful green cocoa-nuts, which furnish meat and drink both —­cool and refreshing in the extreme, as well as nourishing.

We were all heartily welcome to whatever was going, but there was a general air of restraint, a fear of breaking the Sabbath, which prevented us from trespassing too much upon the hospitality of these devout children of the sun.  So we contented ourselves with strolling through the beautiful glades and woods, lying down, whenever we felt weary, under the shade of some spreading orange tree loaded with golden fruit, and eating our fill, or rather eating until the smarting of our lips warned us to desist.  Here was a land where, apparently, all people were honest, for we saw a great many houses whose owners were absent, not one of which was closed, although many had a goodly store of such things as a native might be supposed to covet.  At last, not being able to rid ourselves of the feeling that we were doing something wrong, the solemn silence and Sundayfied air of the whole region seeming to forbid any levity even in the most innocent manner, we returned on board again, wonderfully impressed with what we had seen, but wondering what would have happened if some of the ruffianly crowds composing the crews of many ships had been let loose upon this fair island.

In the evening we lowered a stage over the bows to the water’s edge, and had a swimming-match, the water being perfectly delightful, after the great heat of the day, in its delicious freshness; and so to bunk, well pleased indeed with our first Sunday in Vau Vau.