’You know we never have the Litany on Sundays, because everybody is in Chapel twice a day, and we of course have it on Wednesday and Friday, and every native Communion Sunday, i.e., every alternate Sunday; we have no Communion Service at 11 A.M. as our Communicants have been in Chapel at the 7 o’clock service; so to-day, the Lessons being short, the service, including my short service, was over by 11.20.

’Now we have a week’s holiday, that is, no school; though I think it is hard work, inasmuch as the preparing plans for school lessons, rearranging classes, sketching out the work, is tiring to me.

’Then I have such heaps of letters, which do worry me.  But, on the other hand, I get much quiet time for some reading, and I enjoy that more than anything.  Ten of our party were in Chapel at 11 A.M. with us for the first time.  You know that we don’t allow everyone to come, but only those that we believe to be aware of the meaning of Prayer, and who can read, and are in a fair way to be Catechumens.  All these ten will, I hope, be baptized this summer.

’We are obliged, seriously, to think of a proper Chapel.  The present one is 45 ft. by 19 ft. and too small.  It is only a temporary oblong room; very nice, because we have the crimson hangings, handsome sandal-wood lectern, and some good carving.  But we have to cram about eighty persons into it, and on occasions (Baptisms and Confirmations, or at an Ordination) when others come, we have no room.  Mr. Codrington understands these things well, and not only as an amateur archaeologist; he knows the principle of building well in stone and wood.  Especially useful in this knowledge here, where we work up our own material to a great extent.  Our notion—­his notion rather—­is to have stone foundations and solid stone buttresses to carry a light roof.  Then the rest will be wood.  It ought to be about sixty feet by thirty, exclusive of chancel and apse.  When we get all the measurements carefully made, we shall send exact accounts of the shape and size of the windows, and suggest subjects for stained glass by Hardman, or whoever might now be the best man.  I hope that it won’t cost very much, £perhaps 500.

December 21st.—­We have not had a fine Christmas week, heavy rain and hot winds.  But the rain has done much good.  The Norfolk Islanders have much influenza, but we are at present quite free from it.

’Yesterday I spent two hours in training and putting to rights my stephanotis, which now climbs over half my verandah.  I have such Japanese lilies making ready to put forth their splendours.  Two or three azaleas grow well.  Rhododendrons won’t grow well.  My little pines grow well, and are about seven feet high.  It is very pleasant to see the growth of these things when I return from the voyage.  The “pottering about” the little gardens, the park-like paddocks, with our sheep and cattle and horses, gives me some exercise every day.  I go about quietly, and very