’April 12.—­Settled that I stop at Lifu in the interval between the two voyages.  I think Lifu wants me more than any other island just now.  Some 15,000 or 20,000 stretching out their hands to God.  The London Mission (Independent) sent Samoan teachers long ago, but no missionary, even after frequent applications.  At last they applied personally to the Bishop, he being well known to them of old.  I can’t go for good, because I have of course to visit all these islands; but I shall try to spend all the time that I am not at sea or with boys in New Zealand, perhaps three months yearly, with them, till they can be provided with a regular clergyman.

’So I shall have no letters from you till the return of the vessel to pick me up in September.  But be sure you think of me as very happy and well cared for, though, I am glad to say, not a white man on the island; lots of work, but I shall take much exercise and see most of the inhabitants.  The island is large, not so large as Bauro, but still large.

’You will say all that is kind to all relations, Buckerell, etc.  Thank the dear old vicar for the spurs, and tell him that I had a battle royal the other day with a colonial steed, which backed into the bush, and kicked, and played the fool amazingly, till I considerably astonished him into a gallop, in the direction I wanted to go, by a vigorous application of the said spurs.

’God bless and keep you all.

’Your loving

‘J.  C. Patteson.’

A few days later he writes:—­

’The “Southern Cross,” returning to Lifu, will bring my letters; but unless a stray whaler comes to Lifu while I am there, on its way to Sydney, that will be the only exchange of letters.  I am afraid this will be an increase of the trial of separation to you all, but it is 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.