il
Monday, when we hope to start for the plain--a very fine country, but no
natives. This part of the plain is dry and barren, with stunted
gum-trees. A party met us when near the village, and a woman with a
child on her shoulder, I suppose seeing me look tired, insisted on my
giving her my bag. I looked at the child, and wondered how she was going
to manage, but that was soon arranged; she made the child sit on her left
shoulder, holding her by the hair; then she took my bundle, and away she
went. Some young men have come in from one of the districts we wish to
visit, and I hope to keep them until we leave; it will be a help and of
great value as an introduction at this time of trouble. We are 1440 feet
above sea-level.

A fortnight ago there was a great wallaby hunt down at Moumiri, and
natives from all the districts round were present. A native of
Munikahila speared a man from Tabori, who died soon after, so now
Makipili, Epakari, and Efari are said to have joined on with Tabori, and
unitedly mean to attack Munikahila. All the natives condemn the murder
of the man, because of the time and place.

31_st_.--Natives all excitement, expecting Munikahila to be attacked.
Every evening the men go armed to Munikahila, and the women, children,
dogs, and pigs to the bush. I am sorry our Keninumu friends should
consider it their duty to assist the murderers. The natives of the
district to which the murdered man belonged are quietly biding their
time, hunting wallaby close by us. The kind woman who assisted me the
other day has a son by her first husband living at Keninumu, and for a
long time she has not seen him, he being afraid to come here. She knows
that Maka was returning yesterday, and felt sure her son would accompany
him. When some distance from here, Maka fired a shot, to let us know he
was coming, to which we responded, assuring him all was right. On
hearing the shot, the poor woman became quite excited, came and sat down
by our fire, got up and got us firewood, sat down again, telling Kena to
get the taro cooked for Maka, rose again and fetched more firewood, then
sat down in front of the path, looking steadily and anxiously for the
travellers. Poor body! they came in sight, but her son was not one of
them. She seemed to feel it very much, rose, went to her house, and was
not seen again until this morning. God grant the day is near when the
song the heavenly host sang, "Glory to God in the highest, p