The following correspondence has been handed to us for publication ■ — 11 Dunedin, 13th October, 1877. "The Editor, " Sir — Would you kindly give insertion in your columns to the enclosed letter, from tho distant island of St. Kilda, in the hope that it may arrest tho attention of some porson in the Colony who may bo able to explain the mysterious cir cumstance to which it refers — I am, &c., "Colin Allan, "Immigration Officer."

" The Honourable Commissioners of the Emigration Company Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. " Gentlemen — I wish to bring beforo your serious consideration a very mys terious affair, viz : — Donald M'Kinnon, unmarried ; Angus Macdonald, married ; Donald Gillies, unmarriod ; Mrs Malcolm Macdonald, or Betty Scott : Alexander Gillies, unmarried ; Donald Macdonald, married ; Ewen Gillies, unmarried, all from St. Kilda. " The above, named seven men and the woman went in the spring of 1863 in a boat for some commodity for their fami lies to Harris, but of whom no traces could be found. It was then and since thought that they wero all drowned in crossing the channel ; but it now turns out, by an account received of Donald M'Kinnon, St. Kilda, who died of a fever of Transvaal Republic, South-East Africa, that they were taken away by some bad captain of a ship which mot them in the bay, and had disposed of them into different parts of the world, It seems that they bound themsolves by an oath that they would never deolare how they had been dealt with. Mr Georgo W. Banoroft »ays that Donald M'Kjinnon went to Dunedin, Australia, in 1863, and that he and some other acquaintance of his came back in tho same ship with him from Australia to Transvaal Republic. Ho saya those who are interested in this matter could easily cause enquiry to bo made in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand, where a list of ships and passengers for tha yoar 1863 would he easily procurable. I hope, gentlemen, you will examine your list of passengers for tho yoar thus mentioned, to see if you will find any person or persons namod from St. Kilda, N. Britain, in your list of passengers for the year 1803. — I am &c, "JohnM'Kay." " St. 