’So at 5 A.M., say, I turn out; I at once go to the kitchen, and set the two cooks of the week to work, light fire, put on yams or potatoes, then back to dress, read, &c.; in and out all the time, of the kitchen till breakfast time:  say 8 or 8.30.  You would be surprised to see how very soon the lads will do it all by themselves, and leave me or Mr. Kerr to give all our attention to school and other matters.

’So you can fancy, Joan, now, the manner of life.  My little room with my books is my snuggery during the middle of the day, and at night I have also a large working table at one end of the big school-room, covered with books, papers, &c., and here I sit a good deal, my room being too small to hold the number of books that I require to have open for comparison of languages, and for working out grammatical puzzles.  Then I am in and out of the kitchen and store-room, and boys’ rooms, seeing that all things, clothes, blankets, floors, &c., are washed and kept clean, and doing much what is done in every house.’

Snuggery no doubt it looked compared with the ‘Zillah;’ but what would the ‘Eton fellow’ of fifteen years back have thought of the bare, scantily furnished room, with nothing but the books, prints, and photographs around to recall the tastes of old, and generally a sick Melanesian on the floor?  However, he was glad enough to return thither, though with only sixteen scholars from ten places.  Among them was Taroniara from Bauro, who was to be his follower, faithful to death.  The following addition was made to the letter to Mr. Edward Coleridge, begun in Banks Islands:—­

’Kohimarama:  Dec. 1, 1860.

’One line, my dear tutor, before I finish off my pile of hastily written letters for this mail.

’Alas! alas! for the little schooner, that dear little vessel, our home for so many months of each year, so admirably qualified for her work.  Whether she may be got off her sandy bed, no one can say.  Great expense would certainly be incurred, and the risk of success great also.

’I have not yet had time to talk to the Bishop, I only reached New Zealand on November 28.  We cannot, however, well do our work in chartered vessels [then follows a full detail of the imperfections of the ‘Zillah’ and all other Australian merchant craft; then—­ But, dear old tutor, even the “Southern Cross” (though what would I give to see her now at her usual anchorage from the window at which I am now sitting!) for a time retires into the distance, as I think of what is to take place (D.V.) in January next.

’I hoped that I had persuaded the Bishop that the meeting of the General Synod in February 1862 would be a fit time.  I do not see that the Duke’s despatch makes any difference in the choice of the time.  But all was settled in my absence; and now at the Feast of the Epiphany or of the Conversion of St. Paul (as suits the convenience of the Southern Bishops) the Consecration is to take place.  I am heartily glad that the principle of consecrating Missionary Bishops will be thus affirmed and acted upon; but oh! if some one else was to be the Bishop!