’Mr. Brooke, who took up his abode at the village of Mboli, had with him Dudley Lankana and Richard Maru, but they were a good deal absorbed by their relations, and not so useful to him as had been hoped, though they kept out of heathen habits, and remained constant to their intention of returning.

’"Brooke,” says the Bishop, “knows and speaks the one language of Anudha very well, for there is but one language, with a few dialectical varieties of course.”

’A nice little house was built for him at Mboli, which I have always thought to be a very healthy place.

’The coral grit and sand runs a long way in shore under cocoa-nut groves, but there is no very dense undergrowth.  The wind when easterly blows freely along and is drawn rather upon the shore there.  Two miles to windward of Mboli is the good harbour of Sara, where the vessel anchored with us.

’Brooke’s house was raised on poles, five feet from the ground; the floor made of neat smooth bamboos, basket-worked.  He had his table and two benches, one easy cane chair, cork bed, boxes, harmonium, and plenty of food.

’Close to his house is the magnificent kiala, or boat house, about 180 feet long, 42 high, and about as many feet broad, a really grand, imposing place.  Here Brooke, in surplice, with his little band, had his Sunday services, singing hymns, and chanting Psalms, in parts, in the presence of from 150 to 300, once nearly 400 people, to whom he spoke of course, usually twice, making two sermonets.

’The island is unlike any other; much more open, much less bush, but it is not coral crag that crops out, but almost bare reddish rock, with but little soil on it, and the population, which is large, finds it hard to procure food.

’Three brothers, Takua, Savai, and Dikea, are the principal men.  Local chiefs exercise some small authority in each village.  Anudha, or Aunta, is properly the name of a small island, for there is no one great mainland, but many islands separated by very narrow salt-water creeks and rivers, along which a skiff may be sculled.

’Brooke has been over every part of it.  His only difficulties arose from jealousy on the part of Takua and Savai, who, living at Mboli, were very wroth at his not being their tame Pakeha, at his asserting his independence, his motive in coming to teach all, and make known to all alike a common message.  Especially they were indignant at his making up small parties of boys from different parts of the island, as they of course wanted to monopolise him, and through him the trade.  He has evidently been firm and friendly too, keeping his temper, yet speaking out very plainly.  The result, as far as bringing boys goes, is that we have now thirteen on board, including Dudley and Richard, from six different parts of the island.  But so vexed was Takua, that he would not fulfil his promise of sending his two little girls.

’The fortnight spent in the Solomon Islands has been very fine; winds very light, and very little rain.  We have at length got Stephen Taroniara’s child, a little girl of about seven years old, Paraitaku, from the old grandmother and aunts.  So, thank God, she will be brought up as a Christian child.  She is a dear little thing.