cher, has
quite a number of children living with him. They sing very well.

Several of the old men here wear wigs. It seems when grey hairs appear
they are carefully pulled out; as time moves on they increase so fast
that they would require to shave the head often, so, to cover their
shame, they take to wigs, which represent them as having long, flowing,
curly hair, as in youth. Wigs would not astonish the Murray islanders,
as Mr. Nott's did the Tahitians after his return from England. They soon
spread the news round the island that their missionary had had his head
newly thatched, and looked a young man again.

On Monday, the teachers' goods and mission supplies were put on board the
_Bertha_. On Tuesday afternoon, after everything was on board, a
farewell service was held with the teachers, and early on Wednesday
morning we left Murray Island for New Guinea. On Friday, we made New
Guinea, off Yule Island, and about sunset on October 21st we anchored
about five miles off Boera. Near to the place where we anchored was a
low swampy ground covered with mangrove. We could see Lealea, where
there has been so much sickness. It presented the same low, swampy,
unhealthy appearance. Soon after we anchored a canoe came alongside with
Mr. Lawes and Piri on board. Mr. Lawes did not seem so strong as I
remembered him eleven years ago, yet he looked better than I had expected
to see him. He has suffered greatly from the climate. Piri is a strong,
hearty fellow; the climate seems to have had little effect on him. They
remained some time on board, when they went ashore in the vessel's
boat--Piri taking the teachers and their wives ashore with him. The wind
was ahead, and too strong for the canoe, so the men who came off in her
with Mr. Lawes and Piri remained on board the _Bertha_ till midnight,
when the wind abated. When the boat was leaving, they shouted to Mr.
Lawes to tell us not to be afraid, as they would not steal anything. They
remained quietly on board till two a.m.

Mr. McFarlane and I went ashore in the morning. The country looked bare
and not at all inviting. This is now the most western mission station on
New Guinea proper. Piri has a very comfortable house, with a plantation
near to it. The chapel, built principally by himself and wife, is small,
but comfortable, and well suited for the climate. The children meet in
it for school. The village has a very dirty, tumbledown appearance.

The widows