he missionary for his station at Port Olry. Our
route lay along the east coast of Santo. Grey rain-clouds hung on
the high mountains in the interior, the sun shone faintly through the
misty atmosphere, the greyish-blue sea and the greyish-green shore,
with the brown boulders on the beach, formed a study in grey, whose
hypnotic effect was increased by a warm, weary wind. Whoever was not
on duty at the tiller lay down on deck, and as in a dream we floated
slowly along the coast past lonely islands and bays; whenever we looked
up we saw the same picture, only the outlines seemed to have shifted
a little. We anchored near a lonely isle, to find out whether its
only inhabitant, an old Frenchman, was still alive. He had arrived
there a year ago, full of the most brilliant hopes, which, however,
had not materialized. He had no boat, hardly ever saw a human being,
and lived on wild fruits. Hardly anyone knows him or visits him,
but he had not lost courage, and asked for nothing but a little salt,
which we gave him, and then sailed on.

In Hog Harbour we spent the night and enjoyed a hearty English
breakfast with the planters, the Messrs. Th., who have a large and
beautiful plantation; then we continued our cruise. The country
had changed somewhat; mighty banks of coral formed high tablelands
that fell vertically down to the sea, and the living reef stretched
seaward under the water. These tablelands were intersected by flat
valleys, in the centre of which rose steep hills, like huge bastions
dominating the country round. The islands off the coast were covered
with thick vegetation, with white chalk cliffs gleaming through them
at intervals. A thin mist filled the valleys with violet hues, the
sea was bright and a fresh breeze carried us gaily along. The aspect
of the country displayed the energies of elemental powers: nowhere can
the origin of chalk mountains be more plainly seen than here, where we
have the process before us in all its stages, from the living reef,
shining purple through the sea, to the sandy beach strewn with bits
of coral, to the high table mountain. We anchored at a headland near
a small river, and were cordially welcomed by the missionary's dogs,
cats, pigs and native teacher. There was also a young girl whom the
father had once dug out of her grave, where a hard-hearted mother
had buried her.

I had an extremely interesting time at Port Olry. The population
here is somewhat different from that of the re