a; yet we drifted still to leeward, till Dr. Inglis
going round to the harbor in his boat, as he had heard of our arrival,
saw us far at sea, and hastened to our rescue. All the boats now, with
their willing Native crews, got fastened to our schooner, and to our
great joy she began to move ahead. After pulling for hours and hours,
under the scorching rays of a tropical sun, we were all safely landed on
shore at Aneityum, about six o'clock in the evening of 30th August, just
four months and fourteen days since we sailed from Greenock. We got a
hearty welcome from the Missionaries' wives, Mrs. Geddie, Mrs. Inglis,
and Mrs. Mathieson, and from all our new friends the Christian Natives
of Aneityum; and the great danger in which both life and property had
been placed at the close of our voyage, made us praise God all the more
that He had brought us to this quiet resting-place, around which lay the
Islands of the New Hebrides, to which our eager hearts had looked
forward, and into which we entered now in the name of the Lord.

Mr. Copeland, Mrs. Paton, and I went round the island to Dr. Inglis's
Station, where we were most cordially received and entertained by his
dear lady, and by the Christian Natives there. As he was making several
additions to his house at that time, we received for the next few weeks
our first practical and valuable training in Mission house-building, as
well as in higher matters. Soon after, a meeting was called to consult
about our settlement, and, by the advice and with the concurrence of
all, Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson from Nova Scotia were located on the south
side of Tanna, at Umairarekar, and Mrs. Paton and I at Port Resolution,
on the same island. At first it was agreed that Mr. Copeland should be
placed along with us; but owing to the weakly state of Mrs. Mathieson's
health, it was afterwards resolved that, for a time at least, Mr.
Copeland should live at either Station as seem most suitable or most
requisite.

Dr. Inglis and a number of his most energetic Natives accompanied us to
Umairarekar Tanna. There we purchased a site for Mission House and
Church, and laid a stone foundation, and advanced as far as practicable
the erection of a dwelling for Mr. and Mrs. Mathieson. Thence we
proceeded to Port Resolution, Tanna, and similarly purchased a site, and
advanced, to a forward stage, the house which Mrs. Paton and I were to
occupy on our settlement there. Lime for plastering had to be burned in
kiln