dead body. The poor, weak, enslaved King had not dared to
come to me even in secret. Now I have to-day for a rest, and
to-morrow to Malie. Shall I be suffered to embark? It is
very doubtful; they are on the trail. On Thursday, a
policeman came up to me and began that a boy had been to see
him, and said I was going to see Mataafa. - 'And what did
you say?' said I. - 'I told him I did not know about where
you were going,' said he. - 'A very good answer,' said I, and
turned away. It is lashing rain to-day, but to-morrow, rain
or shine, I must at least make the attempt; and I am so
weary, and the weather looks so bad. I could half wish they
would arrest me on the beach. All this bother and pother to
try and bring a little chance of peace; all this opposition
and obstinacy in people who remain here by the mere
forbearance of Mataafa, who has a great force within six
miles of their government buildings, which are indeed only
the residences of white officials. To understand how I have
been occupied, you must know that 'Misi Mea' has had another
letter, and this time had to answer himself; think of doing
so in a language so obscure to me, with the aid of a Bible,
concordance and dictionary! What a wonderful Baboo
compilation it must have been! I positively expected to hear
news of its arrival in Malie by the sound of laughter. I
doubt if you will be able to read this scrawl, but I have
managed to scramble somehow up to date; and to-morrow, one
way or another, should be interesting. But as for me, I am a
wreck, as I have no doubt style and handwriting both testify.


8 P.M.