one large town of seven districts, with fine
houses, all arranged in streets, crotons and other plants growing about,
and cockatoos perching in front of nearly every house. One part of the
population plant, another fish, and the planters buy the fish with their
produce. Men, women, and children are all workers; they go to their
plantations in the morning and return to their homes in the evening, only
sick ones remaining at home; thus accounting for the number of scrofulous
people we saw going about when we first landed. They have a rule, to
which they strictly adhere all the year round, of working for two days
and resting the third.

The _Bertha_ arrived here on Friday evening. Mrs. Chalmers was at the
forenoon service on the Sunday, and found there a large congregation. The
service was held on the platform of one of the largest houses. Anedered
preached, a number sitting on the platform, others in the house, others
on the ground all round, and many at the doors of their own houses, where
they could hear all that was said.

Mr. Lawes decided to remain at Kerepunu to revise for the press a small
book Anedered has been preparing, and to follow us to Teste Island in the
_Ellengowan_. We left Kerepunu on the morning of November 8th, the
_Mayri_ leaving at the same time, to sail down inside the surf. We went
right out to sea, so as to beat down, had fine weather, and were off
Teste Island by the 16th. After dinner we took the boat, and with the
captain went in on the east side of the island through the reef, to sound
and find anchorage.

When we reached the lagoon, a catamaran with three natives on it came off
to us. We asked for Koitan, the chief, which at once gave them
confidence in us, so that they came alongside, one getting into the boat.
He expressed his friendship to us in the usual way, viz. by touching his
nose and stomach, and, being very much excited, seized hold of Mr.
McFarlane and rubbed noses with him, doing the same to me. He received a
present of a piece of hoop-iron and some red braid, which greatly pleased
him. We found the water was deep enough over the reef for the vessel,
and good anchorage inside. We went on to the village, to see about the
supply of water.

The people were very friendly, and crowded round us. We were led up to a
platform in front of one of their large houses, and there seated and
regaled with cocoanuts. The natives here are much darker than are those
at Kerepunu; m