The ‘Curapoa’ stood in the offing while Sta.  Cruz was visited, or rather while the ‘Southern Cross’ approached, for the Bishop thought it better not to risk landing; but numerous canoes came off, and all the curiosities were bought which were offered in hopes of reestablishing a friendly relation.  There was reason to think the people of this group more than usually attached to the soil, and very shy and distrustful, owing perhaps to the memories left by the Spaniards.

Thence the ‘Southern Cross’ sailed across for an inspection of Curtis Island, and again with a favourable impression; but the Brisbane Parliament had just been prorogued, everyone was taking holiday, and the Bishop therefore gave up his visit to that place, and sent the vessel straight home to Auckland with her cargo of souls, while he returned to Sydney to carry on the same work as in the former year.  Here one great delight and refreshment to him was a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Mort at their beautiful home at Greenoaks.  What a delight it must have been to find himself in a church built by his host himself! ’one of the most beautiful things I have seen, holds about 500 people; stained glass, carved stalls, stone work, &c.,—­perfect.’  And the house, ’full of first-rate works of art, bronzes, carvings, &c.,’ was pleasant to the eyes that had been so enthusiastic in Italy and Germany, and had so long fasted from all beauty but that of Nature, in one special type.  The friends there were such as to give life and spirit to all these external charms, and this was a very pleasant resting place in his life.  To Sir John Coleridge he writes:—­

’I am having a real holiday.  This place, Greenoaks, the really magnificent place of my good friends Mr. and Mrs. Mort, is lovely.  The view of the harbour, with its land-locked bays, multitude of vessels, wooded heights, &c., is not to be surpassed; and somehow I don’t disrelish handsome rooms and furniture and pictures and statues and endless real works of art in really good taste.

’One slips into these ways very readily.  I must take care I am not spoilt.  Everyone, from the governor downwards, lays himself out to make my visit pleasant.  They work me hard on Sundays and week days, but it is a continual round of, I don’t deny, to me, pleasurable occupation.  Kindly people asked to meet me, and the conversation always turned to pleasant and useful subjects:  Church government, principles of Mission work, &c.  These colonies, unfortunate in many ways, are fortunate in having governors and others in high position who are good men, and the class of people among whom my time is spent might (me judice) hold its position among the best English society.

’I am very intimate with some few families, drop in and set the young ladies down to play Beethoven and Mendelssohn, and it is a nice change, and refreshes me.’

From Sydney the Bishop went to Adelaide and Melbourne, and these five weeks in Australia obtained about 800 pounds for the Mission; the Bishop of Sydney had hoped to raise more, but there had been two years of terrible drought and destruction of cattle, and money was not abundant.  The plan of sending Australian blacks to be educated with the Melanesians was still entertained; but he had not much hope of this being useful to the tribes, though it might be to the individuals, and none of them ever were sent to him.