e obtained
from a native of New Guinea who lives on the island of Peram, at the
mouth of the Fly River. From this man's account, the birds must abound
there; but I cannot help regretting that the poor creatures should be
sacrificed merely to line the cloaks of rich ladies.

While we were up on the hill the crew had been engaged in procuring
water to replenish our fast-failing stock. They had had great labour
in bringing off the water, for the well is half a mile from the beach,
and the sea was very rough. We only got a ton after all, when we
should have liked a dozen or fourteen tons! Soon after our return on
board a number of boats followed us, laden with baskets of sweet
potatoes, yams, pumpkins, cocoa-nuts, shells, coral, &c. So great was
the supply that the deck of the ship soon became covered with native
produce, the owners of which, like all true savages, considered it a
matter of etiquette and dignity not to express the least surprise or
astonishment at anything they saw, although somewhat taken aback by
the pictures and large looking-glasses. They were very pleasant and
obedient, doing exactly what they were told without touching anything.

Though feeling much the better for my outing, I became tired, and was
glad to lie down and rest in the deck-house. The little mission
schooner, the 'Mary,' with a dove and olive-branch on her flag as a
message of peace, was tossing and rolling about in the most unpleasant
manner, exposing her keel at almost every wave, first to windward and
then to leeward. Her captain and crew, a fine, determined-looking set
of Kanaka men, did not seem to mind the sea at all. I pity poor Mr.
and Mrs. Hunt, who will have to make their voyage to Murray Island
to-morrow in the teeth of this heavy wind. Mrs. Hunt remained on
shore, but Mr. Hunt and Mr. Savage came on board to dinner; and from
Mr. Savage I heard a good deal of his work among the natives. The
station here is comparatively small, but at Murray Island a
training-school for native teachers has been established, that island
being somewhat larger than this, surrounded by live coral reefs, and
containing about 400 inhabitants. Their principal field of mission
operations among the natives appears to be in the Fly River in New
Guinea, which is a most unhealthy spot. Their work is now beginning
to be attended with a large measure of success. At first no attempt
was made to teach the Papuans English. The missionaries were the only
people