entots, hair nets to the Hindoos, mouth
organs to the Mohammedans, pinafores to the Parsees, pyjamas to the
Papuans, prayer-books to the Pigmies, sandwiches to the South Sea
Islanders, or zithers to the Zulus. Just wait till I can talk to your
dear old ladies!

A few days ago we had a very narrow escape from fire; indeed, it
seemed for some time as if the whole of the Mission would be wiped
out. It was a half-holiday and our boys had gone fishing to the
Devil's Pond, a favourite spot of theirs, about a mile away.
Unfortunately Noah was seized with the idea of lighting a fire by
which to cook the trout, the matches having been stolen from my room.
It had been dry for several days, there was quite a wind, and the
fire, catching the furze, quickly got beyond the one required for
culinary purposes. The boys first tried to smother it with their
coats, but finding that of no avail ran home to give the alarm. By
the time the men could get to the spot the fire had spread so rapidly
that attention had to be turned towards trying to save the houses. The
doctor's house was the one most directly threatened at first, and we
proceeded to strip it of all furniture, carrying everything to the
fore-shore to be ready to be taken off if necessary. The doctor was
away on a medical call, and you can imagine my feelings when I
expected every moment to see the Northern Light come round the point,
the doctor's house in flames and his household goods scattered to the
winds! Then we dismantled this place--the children having been sent at
the outset to a place of safety--and removed the patients from the
hospital. Every man in the place was hard at work, and there were few
of us who dared to hope that we should have a roof over our heads that
night. Happily the wind suddenly dropped, the fire died down, and late
that night we were able to return and endeavour to sort out babies
and furniture. The goddess of disorder reigned supreme, and it was
only after many weary hours that we were able to find beds for the
babies and babies for the beds. And it was our boys who started the
fire! I am covered with confusion every second when I stop to think of
it, and wonder if this is not the psychological moment to make my exit
from this Mission.

_July 11_

By invitation of the doctor I am off for a trip on the Northern Light
next week. He offers me thus the chance to see other portions of the
Shore before he drops me at the Iron Bound Islands,