’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 in a half-circle to receive them.  The young chief, Angadhohua, bowed and touched his hat, and taking Coley’s hand, held it, and whispered, ‘We will always live together.’

‘By and by we will talk about it,’ was the answer; and they were taken to a new house, belonging to one of the Samoans, built of lath plastered and thatch, with one large room and a lesser one at each of its angles.  There the Bishop and Mr. Patteson sat on a chest, and seventy or eighty men squatted on mats, John Cho and the native teacher foremost.  There was a five minutes’ pause.  Lifu was not yet familiar to Coley, who spoke it less well than he had spoken German, and John Cho said to him:  ’Shall I tell them what you have said to me formerly?’

He then explained that Mr. Patteson could only offer them a visit of three or four months, and would then have the charge of lads from ‘dark isles.’

Silence again; then Angadhohua asked:  ‘Cannot you stop always?’

’There are many difficulties which you cannot understand, which prevent me.  Would you like me to shut the door which God has opened to so many dark lands?’

’No, no; but why not have the summer school here as well as the winter?’

’Because it does the lads good to see New Zealand,, and because the Bishop, who knows better than I do, thinks it right.’

‘And cannot we have a missionary?’

However, they were forced to content themselves with all that could be granted to them, and it was further explained that Mr. Patteson would not supersede the native teachers, nor assume the direction of the Sunday services, only keep a school which any one might join who liked.  This was felt to be only right in good faith to the London Mission, in order not to make dire confusion if they should be able to fill up the gap before the Church could.

After sleeping in the house, Patteson produced the books that had been printed for them at St. John’s.

’Would that you could have seen their delight!  About two pages, indifferently printed, was all they had hitherto.  Now they saw thirty-two clearly printed 8vo. pages of Bible History, sixteen of prayers, rubrics, &c., eight of questions and answers.  “You see,” said I cunningly; “that we don’t forget you during these months that I can’t live among you."’

They began reading at once, and crying, ’Excellent, exactly right, the very thing.’