entific tour round the world. Dr. Hochstelter is a geologist,
and has made a geological survey of New Zealand. He exhibited a few
evenings ago at our philosophical institute a great number of maps
which he has compiled during the short time he remained on the
island, and stated many very interesting facts connected with them.
From what he says, there is no place in the world, except Iceland,
where boiling springs and geysers are so large and plentiful. The
doctor goes home by this mail, and I suppose there will soon be a
good work published by him, giving a description of all he has
seen. I hope to visit New Zealand as soon as I return from the
interior of this country.

Ever your affectionate son,

WILLIAM J. WILLS.

. . .

It will be perceived by the foregoing letters how diligently
and anxiously he corresponded with his mother, sisters, and brother
in England, and how anxiously he desired the mental improvement of
the latter. In his next communications he prepares them for the
probability of his being one of the exploring party. Yet he wrote
on the subject as he had done to me, with reserve, until the matter
should be finally settled. He knew the anxiety it would occasion,
and in the event of his not obtaining the appointment he so
earnestly sought for, he wished to avoid creating that anxiety
unnecessarily.

The same mail which bore his letter of the 18th of November to his
mother, carried also the following to his sister:

MY DEAR BESSY,

I do not mean to bother you with such a long letter this time as I
did last month, and which I hope reached you. I rather expected to
have received the photograph I wrote to you for by the last mail. I
wish you would indite some good long letters by return of post, as
it will probably be the last, or very nearly so, that I shall get
from you for many months. It seems very likely that I shall be
leaving Melbourne in March, to accompany the expedition for the
exploration of the interior of this continent. It is calculated
that we shall be away for about three years. It may be more, but it
is not likely to be much less. IT IS NOT YET CERTAIN that I shall
go. In fact, nothing is decided, not even who will be the leader;
but I thought it would be as well to mention it to you now, as your
answer to this cannot reach me until March. But remember that my
going away need not prevent your writing frequently; for it is
likely there will be occasional means of communication with
M