[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

PORT OLRY AND A “SING—SING” I27

which work was done, the pleasant relations between
masters and hands, and last, but not least, the healthy
and happy appearance of the latter.

The brothers had just finished the construction
of what was quite a village, its white lime walls
shining invitingly through the green of the cocoa-nut
palms. There was a large kitchen, a storehouse,
a tool-shed, a bakery, a dwelling-house and a light,
open summer-house, a delightful spot, where we dined
in the cool sea-breeze and sipped whisky in the moon-
light, while the palm-leaves waved dreamily. Then
there was a large poultry yard, pigsty and paddocks,
and along the beach were the boat-houses, drying-
. sheds and storehouses, shaded by old trees. The
boys’ quarters were roomy, eight sleeping together in
an airy but, while the married couples had houses of
their own. The boys slept on high beds, each with
his “bocase” underneath, to hold his possessions,
while all sorts of common property hung in the roof——
nets, fish-spears, bows, guns, etc.

Such plantations, where the natives lack neither
food nor good treatment, can only have a favourable
influence on the race, and it is not quite clear why

the Presbyterian missionaries do not like their
'young men to go in for plantation work. Owing

to the good treatment of their hands the Messrs. Th.
have always had enough labourers, and have been
able to develop their plantation wonderfully. It
consists almost exclusively of cocoa-nut palms, planted
on ground wrested from the forest in a hard fight.
When I was there the trees were not yet in full