’We are pretty well now (Jan. 20), but one very promising lad sank last week in low fever; a good truthful lad he was, and as I baptized him at midnight shortly before he died, I felt the great blessing of being able with a very clear conscience to minister to him that holy sacrament; and so he passed away, to dwell, I trust, with his Lord.

’What a revelation to that spirit in its escape from the body!  But I must not write on.  With many thanks once again for these highly-valued memorials of your brother,

’I remain, my dear Miss Mackenzie,

’Very truly yours,

‘J.  C. Patteson.’

The sandal-wood referred to in the following letter was the brother’s gift to a church, All Saints, Babbicombe, in which his sisters were deeply interested, and of which their little nephew laid the first stone:—­

‘St. Matthias’ Day.

’My dearest Sisters,—­You are thinking of me to-day, I know, but you hardly know that in an hour or two I hope the Primate will ride down and baptize nine of our Melanesian scholars.

’The last few weeks have been a happy, though of course an anxious time, and now to-day the great event of their lives is to take place.  May God grant that the rest of their lives may be like this beginning!

’We avoid all fuss.  I don’t like anyone being here but the Primate and Mrs. Selwyn, yet I think some dozen more may come, though I don’t like it.  I need not say that making a scene on such occasions is to my mind very objectionable.  I could much prefer being quite alone.  I have translated some appropriate Psalms, but the 2nd and 57th they hardly know as yet quite well; so our service will be Psalms 96, 97, 114; 1st lesson 2 Kings, v. 9—­15, Magnificat; 2nd lesson Acts viii. 5-12, and the Baptismal Service.  Henry Tagalana reads the first, and George Sarawia the second lesson.  Then will come my quiet evening, as, I trust, a close of an eventful day.  I have your English letters of December, with the news of Johnny laying the stone.  I am thankful that that good work is begun.  Sir John Young writes to me that I can have a gift of 100 acres at Norfolk Island, with permission to buy more.  I think that, all being well, I shall certainly try it with a small party next summer, the main body of scholars being still brought to Kohimarama.

’The sandal-wood is not yet gone!  But, my dear Joan, the altar of sandal-wood!  If it is to be solid and not veneered, why, £50 would not buy it at Erromango.  It sells in Sydney for about £70 a ton, and it is very heavy wood.  However, I will send some of the largest planks I ever saw of the wood, and it is now well seasoned.  It cost me £14 merely to work it into a very simple lectern, so hard is the grain.

’What has become of the old Eton stamp of men?  Have you any in England?  I must not run the risk of the Mission being swamped, by well-intentioned, but untaught men.  We must have gentlemen of white colour, or else I must rely wholly, as I always meant to do chiefly, on my black gentlemen; and many of them are thorough gentlemen in feeling and conduct, albeit they don’t wear shoes.