The expenses of the voyages in the ‘Border Maid’ had been met partly by the Eton Association, and partly by another association at Sydney, where a warm interest in these attempts had been excited and maintained by the yearly visits of Bishop Selwyn, who usually visited Australia while the lads were wintering at their homes.  But the ‘Border Maid’ was superannuated, nor had she ever been perfectly fitted for the purpose; and when, in 1853, the Bishop was obliged to come to England to take measures for dividing his diocese, he also hoped to obtain permission to establish a Melanesian school on Norfolk Island, and to obtain the means of building a schooner yacht, small enough to be navigated in the narrow, shallow creeks separating the clustered islets, and yet capacious enough for the numerous passengers.  In the meantime Mr. Nihill went to Nengone with his wife and child.  His lungs were much affected, but he hoped that the climate would prolong his power of working among the Christian community, who heartily loved and trusted him.

Other fellow-labourers the Bishop hoped to obtain at home, though it was his principle never to solicit men to come with him, only to take those who offered themselves; but all the particulars of the above narration had been known to Coley Patteson through the Bishop’s correspondence with Mr. Edward Coleridge, as well as by the yearly report put forth by the Eton Association, and this no doubt served to keep up in his heart the flame that had burnt unseen for so many years, and to determine its direction, though he put himself unreservedly at the Bishop’s disposal, to work wherever he might be sent.

The means for the mission ship ‘Southern Cross’ were raised.  She was built at Blackwall by Messrs. Wigram, and, after all the delays, sailed on the very same day as the ‘Duke of Portland.’

Meantime here are a few extracts from Patteson’s journal-letter during the voyage.  Sea-sickness was very slightly disabling with him; he was up and about in a short time, and on the 8th of April was writing:—­

’What a day this has been to me, the twenty-eighth anniversary of my baptism to begin with, and then Easter Day spent at sea!

’April 20th, lat, 4° N., long. 25° W.—­Rather hot.  It is very fine to see all the stars of the heavens almost rise and pass overhead and set—­Great Bear and Southern Cross shining as in rivalry of each other, and both hemispheres showing forth all their glory.  Only the Polar Star, that shines straight above you, is gone below our horizon; and One alone knows how much toil, and perhaps sorrow, there may be in store for me before I see it again.  But there is and will be much happiness and comfort also, for indeed I have great peace of mind, and a firm conviction that I am doing what is right; a feeling that God is directing and ordering the course of my life, and whenever I take the only true view of the business of life, I am happy and cheerful.