eat, and often they bring hot taro to the house.  They bring their presents of taro and sugar-cane and at once walk away.  They have very good houses, thatched with grass, some with a verandah on two sides, and all built six feet and more from the ground.  When we were away yesterday, a wild boar from the bush took possession of the village.  Often when the natives are in the bush they have to seek refuge in climbing trees from the savage tuskers, especially if they have been speared, and are determined to fight.  Our flag is flying, to signify that it is “resting day.”

The natives very seldom bury their dead, leaving the body in a house set apart for it, which they often visit.  When a number of deaths take place, they leave the village and settle somewhere else not far off.  There is one grave here, near to our house, on which a tobacco plant is growing, a bamboo pipe, the property of the deceased, alongside, and a few sticks on end with yams on top.  When they do bury, the body is placed standing in the grave.

4_th_.—­We left Kenakagara this morning, accompanied by natives.  Our friends soon left us, and we lost our way, and after some hours’ travelling found ourselves in a thick bush and surrounded by precipices.  It has been up hill and down dale with a vengeance, trying hard to get to the south-west.  At last, wet through and thoroughly tired, we camped to have breakfast, dinner, and supper in one.  We were ten hours on the tramp, and carrying our bags, so feel ready for a night’s rest.

5_th_.—­We see where we are; but how to get out is the problem to be solved.  Ruatoka has gone to look for a track.  We had a fine night, a roaring fire at our feet, and so enjoyed sleep.  Camping this way is preferable to living in native huts, far more comfortable and enjoyable; but for our work it is better for us to be with the natives.  Uakinumu bears south-west-by-west from us now, and could be reached in a few hours, if only we could get down the precipice.  Rua has returned.  When some distance off, he heard cooeying, and responded, when our old friend, who had been looking for us in a great state of fear, shouted his name.  Rua told him to follow, and he did so, arriving at the camp soon after.  He was so excited he could not speak, but embraced us all round, and then sat down.

After breakfast, we set off, each carrying a bundle.  The travelling was difficult, until we arrived on the path leading to the creek and up to Uakinumu.  When on the spur, the old man shouted for the youths to come and help us; they cooeyed back, and we hoped to see them in about an hour, or at the most two hours; after waiting and no one coming, we descended, and when at the creek met a youth coming slowly along and saying others were following.  I felt sure they delayed their coming to meet us until we should be near the village, where they would take the bags and receive tobacco and salt; but they were sold; we trudged