nson, "was anything more welcome than these turtle steaks!" The
long deprivation of green vegetables caused a great desire for them,
and Louis said: "I think I could shed tears over a dish of turnips!"
As Mrs. Stevenson always carried garden-seeds with her, she took
advantage of their extended stay here to plant onions and radishes,
which soon came up and were received with intense appreciation.

The shrewd Tembinoka, judge and critic of his fellow men, whom they
found to be the most interesting of all their South Sea acquaintances,
did not fail to perceive unusual qualities in the wife of his guest.
He remarked: "She good; look pretty; plenty chench (sense)."

The king desired a new design for a flag, and all set to work to
produce a suitable one. Mrs. Stevenson's drawing, which consisted of
three vertical stripes of green, red, and yellow, with a horizontal
shark of black showing white teeth and a white eye, pleased him best
and was adopted. The design was afterwards sent to Sydney and
Tembinoka's flag manufactured from it. The shark was a neat reference
to the king's supposed descent, of which he was very proud, from a
fish of that species.

Finding that the whole island was rapidly falling away from
Christianity, the king the worst of all, the Stevensons felt it to be
their duty to go to church every Sunday, to set an example, although
they understood nothing of the services, which were conducted in the
native language. During the latter part of their stay they gave an
exhibition of magic-lantern pictures--wretched daubs, it is true--of
the life of Christ. That their efforts to do good were not all in vain
was proved by the gratifying news received some time afterwards that
all the natives, including the despot king, were returning to their
Christian duties and the big church was full again.

The absence of the _Equator_ was so prolonged that they were in great
alarm lest she might be lost, but at last she hove in sight.

After much discussion during the long days aboard ship and ashore,
their plans had been definitely formed to make Apia, Samoa, their next
port of call, and bidding farewell, with many regrets, to the island
king, the little schooner once more raised her sails to the breeze.
Stern old savage as Tembinoka was, he could not restrain his tears
when he saw these delightful visitors from across the seas sail away
forever, leaving him to the dull society of his many wives, whom he
described as "good