We tried to explain to them that no one was to come to the vessel the
next day, as it was a sacred day. In the early morning, some canoes came
off to trade, but we sent them ashore; a few more followed about
breakfast-time, which were also sent ashore. In the afternoon, our old
friend of the preceding day came off, with his wife and two sons. He
called out that he did not wish to come on board, but that he had brought
some cooked food. We accepted his present, and he remained with his
family in his canoe alongside the vessel for some time, and then went
quietly ashore. We had three services on board, one in the forenoon in
Lifuan, in the afternoon in Rarotongan, and in the evening in English.

As Teste Island is about twenty miles from the mainland, with a dead beat
to it, I decided to seek for a position more accessible to New Guinea,
and as I had not a teacher to spare for this little island, Mr. McFarlane
decided to leave two of the Loyalty Island teachers here. It is fertile,
and appears healthy, is two and a half miles long, and half a mile broad.
A ridge of hills runs right through its centre from east-north-east to
west-south-west. The natives have some fine plantations on the north
side, and on the south and east sides they have yam plantations to the
very tops of the hills. There are plantations and fruit-trees all round
the island.

On Monday, I accompanied Mr. McFarlane when he went ashore to make
arrangements to land his teachers and secure a house for them. The
people seemed pleased that some of our party would remain with them. Mr.
McFarlane at once chose a house on a point of land a good way from our
landing-place, and at the end of the most distant village. The owner was
willing to give up the house until the teachers could build one for
themselves, so it was at once taken and paid for. We came along to our