engine overhauling, and several hundred fathoms of new line. Lang, the present skipper, is a capable man with a master's ticket, who fortunately possesses the faculty of utter resignation; he is content to remain on board reading and gazing at the horizon, making himself generally scarce and unobjectionable, while work goes on ashore and aboard. The crew of Polynesians are not as vicious and rebellious as one might gather from the letters in the Museum. Hicks, the engineer, skins birds as well as Beck himself and collects as many. No doubt you know this already. It is the devil's own life for any crew as far as chances for recreation or enjoyment are concerned. The steamer comes to Gizo once in six weeks and aside from getting sympathetically drunk with the crew of the steamer at this time, a feast with the natives when the France is at some settlement, and an occasional burst of profanity at midnight, they behave very well. On the whole we are fortunate in having a crew at all under the circumstances in the unbroken monotony of the life they have to lead. Mrs. Beck is truly a beautiful character. She is a decided addition to the staff and we have both become very fond of her. She puts up with a great deal in this sort of life and does a lot for all of us. As for Hamlin and myself we are very happy and well. Hamlin has fallen to work in such a way as to be an inspiration to me. I shall find it difficult to keep up with him. He takes notes on every single thing he sees and his journal, the first installment of which,