’I presume I need scarcely say to your readers that besides education in reading, writing, and arithmetic, through the medium of the Mota language, instruction in the Holy Scriptures and the most careful explanations of their meaning and mutual relation, forms a main part of the teaching given.  The men and boys of the senior classes take notes; notes not by order expressly to be inspected, but, so to say, private notes for the aid of their memories; and from the translation given to me by Bishop Patteson of some of these, I should say that few, if any, of the senior class of an English Sunday School could give anything like so close, and sometimes philosophical, an explanation of Scripture, and that sometimes in remarkably few words.

’There remains to be noticed one most effectual means of doing good.  After evening school, the Bishop, his clergy, and his aides, retire mostly into their own rooms.  Then, quietly and shyly, on this night or the other night, one or two, three or four of the more intelligent of the black boys steal silently up to the Bishop’s side, and by fits and starts, slowly, often painfully, tell their feelings, state their difficulties, ask for help, and, I believe, with God’s blessing, rarely fail to find it.  They are not gushing as negroes, but shy as Englishmen; we Englishmen ought, indeed, to have a fellow-feeling for these poor black boys and help them with all our hearts.

’Such is the routine for five of the six work days.  Saturday is whole holiday, and all hands go to fish if the sea permits; if not, to play rounders or what not.  Merry lads they are, as ever gladdened an English playground.

’On Sunday, the early Chapel is omitted.  The full Liturgy is divided into two services—­I forget the laws—­and a kind of sermon in Mota is given; and in the afternoon, the Bishop, or one of the ordained members of the Mission, usually goes down to the town to relieve Mr. Nobbs in his service for the Pitcairners.

’As regards the manual work of the station, this general principle is observed—­women for washing and house-work; the men for planting and out-of-door work; but no one, white or black, is to be too grand to do his share.  The Bishop’s share, indeed, is to study and investigate and compare the languages and necessary translations, but no one is to be above manual labour.  No one, because he is a white man, is to say, “Here, black fellow, come and clean my boots.”  “Here, black people, believe that I have come to give you a treasure of inestimable price.  Meantime, work for me, am I not your superior?  Can I not give you money, calico, what not?”

’This Christian democracy, if I may so call it, has worked well in the long run.’

This observer does seem to have entered well into the spirit of the place; and there can be no doubt that the plan and organisation of the Mission had by this time been well tested and both found practicable, and, as at present worked, more than ordinarily successful.  The college was in full working order, with a staff of clergy, all save one formed under the Bishop, one native deacon and two teachers living with their wives in a population that was fast becoming moulded by the influence of Christianity, many more being trained up, and several more islands in course of gradual preparation by the same process as was further advanced in Mota.