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Religion conduces both to our present and future happiness.

"Wisdom and understanding should be treasured in your heart.

"Kingdoms and crowns must eventually be laid in the dust.

"Strive to deserve the friendship and approbation of good men."

There is also a leaf out of Martha Young's cyphering-book. She is now Mrs. David Buffett. The two pages are filled with accurately-finished sums in the Rule of Three, and Practice.

The School-house is a substantial building, about 56 feet long by 20 wide, conveniently supplied with forms, desks, slates, books, and maps. This room is fitted up and used for the performance of Divine Service on Sundays, and such other days as are appointed on the island. At one end there is a pulpit, and a small space allotted for the use of the pastor.

In a letter from some of the elder pupils to Captain Hope, in August, 1847, an interesting report is given of the school-duties, and times of attendance :

"We attend school five days in the week, five hours each day. Our routine of schoolduties is as follows:-namely, Commence with prayer and praise; conclude with the same. Monday, recital of weekly tasks, reading the Holy Scriptures, writing, arithmetic, and class spelling. Tuesday, the same as on Monday. Wednesday, reading in history and geography, transcribing select portions of Scripture, &c. Thursday, similar to Monday and Tuesday. And on Friday, which is the busiest day of the week, transcribing words with their definitions from Walker's Dictionary; read hymns, or other devotional and moral poetry; repeat Watts's, and the Church Catechism; arithmetical tables, &c. &c.; and emulative spelling concludes the whole: we are generally an hour longer at school on this day than any other. On Wednesday afternoon the elder scholars attend the, Bible class, with their parents. On the Sabbath, Divine Service is performed twice, and all who can possibly attend do so.

"The present so kindly sent us by the Rev. Mr. Thompson, received so much injury from

T

wet before it reached us, as to be nearly useless. We regret this much, because we were greatly in need of school requisites generally. If the request is not improper, will you, honoured Sir, procure for us some copy-slips, or models for writing, and a few of Walkinghame's Arithmetic, with a key to the same? for we often hear our Teacher say, if he had these helps, his work would be much easier; and we heartily wish he could obtain the means of making it so."

It is gratifying to learn that the school has been well attended to during the absence of the master. On this a few words will be added presently

CHAPTER VII.

INVITATION TO ADMIRAL MORESBY-VISIT OF AN ENGLISH ADMIRAL TO THE ISLAND HIS LETTERS AND THOSE OF HIS SECRETARY AND CHAPLAIN-ARRIVAL AT VALPARAISO -MR. NOBBS IN ENGLAND HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT RETURN HOMEWARD BY

NAVY BAY AND THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA.

THE narrative has now reached an important era in the annals of Pitcairn. The first arrival of an English Admiral at the island in August, 1852, may be considered an historical event among the community there; and it may be reasonably hoped that the result of his visit will prove a blessing to the people.

Rear-Admiral Moresby, who had long been interested in the state and prospects of the islanders, received in July, 1851, the

following warm and hearty invitation, signed by thirteen of the female inhabitants, in the name of all of their sex on the island:

'Pitcairn, July 28th, 1851. "HONOURABLE SIR,-From the kind interest you have evinced for our little community in the letter which you have sent our excellent and worthy Pastor, Mr. Nobbs, we are emboldened to send you the following request, which is that you will visit us before you leave this station; or if it is impossible for you to do so, certainly we, as loyal subjects of our gracious Queen, ought to be visited annually, if not more, by one of her ships of war.

"We have never had the pleasure of welcoming an English Admiral to our little Island, and we therefore earnestly solicit a visit from you. How inexpressibly happy shall we be if you should think fit to grant this our warmest wish. We trust that our very secluded and isolated position, and the very few visits we have of late had from British ships of war, will be sufficient apology for addressing the above request to you. With fervent prayers for your present and