’Yours very faithfully,

‘J.  C. Patteson.’

Before the letter to which Bishop Moberly is referred, Mr. Codring-ton’s bit about the weddings seems appropriate:—­

’These wedding days were great festivals, especially before many had been seen.  The Chapel was dressed with flowers, the wedding party in as new and cheerful attire as could be procured, the English Marriage Service translated into Mota.  We make rings out of sixpences or threepenny bits.  The place before is full of the sound of the hammer tapping the silver on the marlingspike.  The wedding ceremony is performed with as much solemnity as possible, all the school present in their new clothes and with flowers in their hair.  There is even a kind of processional Psalm as the wedding party enters the Chapel.  There is of course a holiday, and after the service they all go off, taking with them the pig that has been killed for the feast.  An enormous quantity of plum pudding awaits them when, in the evening, they come back to prayers and supper.  Rounds of hearty cheers, led off by the Bishop, used to complete the day.  Weddings of this kind between old scholars, christened, confirmed, and trustworthy, represented much anxiety and much teaching and expense, but they promise so much, and that so near of what has been worked for, that they have brought with them extraordinary pleasure and satisfaction.’

’Norfolk Island:  November 24, 1869.

’My dear Cousin,—­To-day we married three young couples:  the bridegrooms.  Robert Pantatun, William Pasvorang, and Marsden Sawa, who have been many years with us, and are all Communicants; the brides, Emily Milerauwe, Lydia Lastitia, and Rhoda Titrakrauwe, who were baptized a year ago.

’The Chapel was very prettily dressed up with lilies and many other flowers.  The bridegrooms wore white trousers, shirts, &c., the brides wore pretty simple dresses and flowers in their hair.  We crowded as many persons as possible into our little Chapel.  Mr. Nobbs and some ten or twelve of our Pitcairn friends were all the visitors that we could manage to make room for.

’Great festivities followed, a large pig was killed yesterday and eaten to-day, and Mr. Palmer had manufactured puddings without end, a new kind of food to many of the present set of scholars, but highly appreciated by most of them.  Then followed in the evening native dances and songs, and a supper to end with, with cheers for the brides and bridegrooms.

’There are now six married couples here, three more at Mota, and one or two more weddings will take place soon.  Very fortunately, a vessel came from Auckland only three or four days ago, the first since the “Southern Cross,” in June, It brought not only five mails for us English folk, but endless packages and boxes for the Mission, ordered by us long ago, stores, clothing, &c.  We had all ordered more or less in the way of presents for scholars, and though we keep most of these treasures for Christmas gifts, yet some are distributed now.