s stations at
which we were to touch. Indeed, it was highly satisfactory to me to
find how useful my little _Olive Branch_ could be made.

Hitherto the little vessel had not encountered a single storm. It was
like the rest we might suppose the ocean enjoyed after the subsidence of
the waters when the ark rested on Ararat,--not a calm, though; for
gentle breezes filled our sails, and rippled over the blue surface of
the sea with glittering wavelets, laughing joyously in the sunbeams. A
lovely island hove in sight, with blue mountains, and rocks, and
sparkling waterfalls, and green shrubs, and pastures, and graceful
palm-trees, and yellow sands; and we sailed in through an opening in the
never absent reef, and dropped our anchor in a sheltered and beautiful
harbour, and numbers of canoes surrounded us. But we had no boarding
nettings up, no guns loaded, no pistols in our belts, no cutlasses and
pikes ready at hand; for the gospel ruled here. The canoes were filled
with well-clothed, intelligent natives. Not an oath was heard, not a
man showed an angry temper, and not one who could not read the word of
God, and understood it too, and could give a clear reason for the hope
that was in him, and who was not probably, even in secular matters, far
better educated than the larger portion of the watermen of any port in
England, or other long-civilised country in the world.

Provisions of various sorts had been brought in the canoes; but when I
enquired for John Harvey, and announced that I was his brother, and that
my wife was the daughter of Mr Bent, not an approach to payment would
any one receive. When we landed they lifted us up in their arms, and
carried us thus to the mission house, where our appearance was a
pleasant surprise to our sister-in-law, who had not been made aware of
our arrival. My brother was away, but every hour expected back.

I had looked upon Mr Bent's station as a model of neatness; this was
larger, and superior in many respects; nor was it inferior in respect to
spiritual things. The church, built entirely of stone, was a large and
handsome building, and the most conspicuous object from the sea.
Running parallel with the shore were two rows, facing each other, of
neat cottages, many of stone, with verandahs round them, and gardens
both in front and in the rear. Between them was a broad hard road, with
two rows of trees, and a stream of sparkling water led through the
centre, fed by a waterfal