_Saturday, July 31st._--A peculiarly cold night, so cold indeed that I could not sleep even under a blanket. The people all experienced the same cold, and they said it was because of the calmness of the night and the heavy dew. Had there been a fire near, I could readily have got up to sit over it. The nights here are generally cool, but last night was absolutely cold. What shall I do when I go to England? This morning however, it is supremely lovely, and the wind in the S.W. for a wonder, for the S.E. Trades usually blow nine months out of the twelve. This morning I tried a photograph, which I dare say will prove a failure, from the extra care I took to prevent all mistakes. I only attempted one, but I hope I shall gain courage and experience as I go on and be able to reproduce some of these lovely views here. Of course every view is shut in more or less by the density of the surrounding bush, but this village has a considerable clearing and a good long vista for a photograph. My first attempt was on the church with some natives in the foreground, but the view will miss a great deal in a picture, owing to the absence of the beautiful colouring. It seems the fashion now-a-days here to build houses, and large parties to-day were busy thatching two new ones. I went with Patrick, Arthur Huqe and some more of the boys to Ruosi where we had a delicious bathe in the river, washed our clothes, caught prawns which we cooked very ingeniously in a bamboo. The prawns are put into the bamboo with water, and then placed on the fire with the orifice slightly elevated. It soon starts boiling, and to prevent the bamboo (always a green one) burning through it is constantly turned round and round, and in a very short time the prawns come out cooked red, and ready for eating. Cooked in salt water they are very nice, and they are looked upon as an especial delicacy when eaten with cocoanut cream. It is perfectly surprising what a number of dishes these natives wot of, and how frequently they vary their menu. Here they are especially good cooks, and I like most of their dishes very much. They are all slightly indigestible, but that one somehow expects. In most Melanesian islands the yam is the staple article of diet, but here the taro has the preference, and is planted in larger quantities. The yam likes a dry situation, but the kind of taro in common use here flourishes in a damp soil, and this is prepared for it by a neat and skilful system of irrigation.