theyarelikedifficultiesouthunting-afellowragesatthetimeandrejoicestorecallandtocommemoratethem。Mytroubleshavebeenfinancial。Itishardtoarrangewiselyinterestssodistributed。America，England，Samoa，Sydney，everywhereIhaveanendofliabilityhangingoutandsomeshelfofcredithardby；andtojugglealltheseandbuildadwelling-placehere，andcheckexpense-athingIamillfittedfor-youcanconceivewhatanightmareitisattimes。ThenGodknowsIhavenotbeenidle。ButsinceTHE
MASTERnothinghascometoraiseanycoins。Ibelievethespringsaredryathome，andnowIamworkedout，andcannomoreatall。Aholidayisrequired。
DEC。28TH。Ihavegotunexpectedlytoworkagain，andfeelquitedandy。Good-bye。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-TheFaamasinoSili，orChiefJustice，tospeakyourlowlanguage，hasarrived。IhadriddendownwithHenryandLafaele；thesunwasdown，thenightwascloseathand，sowerodefast；justasIcametothecorneroftheroadbeforeApia，Iheardagunfire；andlo，therewasagreatcrowdattheendofthepier，andthetroopsout，andachiefortwointheheightofSamoafinery，andSeumanucominginhisboat(theoarsmenallinuniform)，bringingtheFaamasinoSilisureenough。Itwasluckyhewasnolonger；
thenativeswouldnothavewaitedmanyweeks。Butthinkofit，asIsatinthesaddleattheoutsideofthecrowd(looking，theEnglishconsulsaid，asifIwerecommandingthemanoeuvres)，Iwasnearlyknockeddownbyastampedeofthethreeconsuls；theyhadbeenwaitingtheirguestattheMatafeleend，andsomewretchedintrigueamongthewhiteshadbroughthimtoApia，andtheconsulshadtorunallthelengthofthetownandcometoolate。
Thenextdaywasalongone；IwasatamarriageofG。thebankertoFanua，thevirginofApia。Brideandbridesmaidswereallintheoldhighdress；theladieswereallnative；
themen，withtheexceptionofSeumanu，allwhite。
Itwasquiteapleasantparty，andwhilewewerewriting，wehadabird’s-eyeviewofthepublicreceptionoftheChiefJustice。Thebestpartofitweresomenativesinwararray；
withblackedfaces，turbans，tapakilts，andguns，theylookedverymanlyandpurposelike。No，thebestpartwaspoorolddrunkenJoe，thePortugueseboatman，whoseemedtothinkhimselfspeciallychargedwiththereception，andendedbyfallingonhiskneesbeforetheChiefJusticeontheendofthepierandinfullviewofthewholetownandbay。Thenativespeltedhimwithrottenbananas；howtheChiefJusticetookitIwastoofarofftosee；butitwashighlyabsurd。
IhavecommemoratedmygenialhopesfortheregimenoftheFaamasinoSiliinthefollowingcanineverses，which，ifyouatallguesshowtoreadthem，areveryprettyinmovement，and(unlesshebeamightygoodman)tootrueinsense。
We’requarrelling，thevillages，we’vebeatenthewoodendrum’s，Safemisaionu’u，sataiaopate，Isexpoundedtherebythejustice，UaAtuatuvalealefaamasinoe，Thechiefjustice，theterrifiedjustice，Lefaamasinosili，lefaamasinose，Isonthepointofrunningawaythejustice，Oleasolasolalefaamasinoe，Thejusticedeniedanyinfluence，theterrifiedjustice，Olefaamasinoleaia，lefaamasinose，Oleasolasolalefaamasinoe。
Well，afterthisexcursionintotonguesthathaveneverbeenalive-thoughIassureyouwehaveonecapitalbookinthelanguage，abookoffablesbyanoldmissionaryoftheunpromisingnameofPratt，whichissimplythebestandthemostliteraryversionofthefablesknowntome。IsupposeI
shouldexceptLaFontaine，butL。F。takesalongtime；thesearebriefasthebooksofourchildhood，andfullofwitandliterarycolour；andO，Colvin，whatatongueitwouldbetowrite，ifoneonlyknewit-andtherewereonlyreaders。
Itscurseincommonuseisanincredibleleft-handedwordiness；butinthehandsofamanlikePrattitissuccinctasLatin，compactoflongrollingpolysyllablesandlittleandoftenpithyparticles，andforbeautyofsoundadream。Listen，IquotefromPratt-thisisgoodSamoan，notcanine-
1almostWA，2thetwoA’Sjustdistinguished，3theAIispracticallysuffixedtotheverb，4almostVOW。Theexcursionhasprolongeditself。
IstartedbytheLUBECKtomeetLloydandmymother；thereweremanyreasonsforandagainst；themainreasonagainstwastheleavingofFannyaloneinherblessedcabin，whichhasbeensomewhatremediedbymycarter，Mr-，puttingupinthestableandmessingwithher；butperhapsdesireofchangedecidedmenotwell，thoughIdothinkIoughttoseeanoculist，beingveryblindindeed，andsometimesunabletoread。AnywayIleft，theonlycabinpassenger，fourandakidinthesecondcabin，andadearvoyageithadliketohaveproved。ClosetoFiji(chooseaworseplaceonthemap)
webrokeourshaftearlyonemorning；andwhenorwherewemightexpecttofetchlandormeetwithanyship，Iwouldlikeyoutotellme。ThePacificisabsolutelydesert。I
havesailedtherenowsomeyears；andscarceeverseenashipexceptinportorcloseby；Ithinktwice。Itwasthehurricaneseasonbesides，andhurricanewaters。Well，ourchiefengineergottheshaft-itwasthemiddlecrankshaft-mended；thriceitwasmended，andtwicebrokedown；butnowkeepsup-onlywedarenotstop，foritisalmostimpossibletostartagain。Thecaptaininthemeanwhilecrowdedherwithsail；fifteensailsinall，everystaybeinggratifiedwithastay-sail，aboat-boomsentaloftforamaintop-
gallantyard，andthederrickofacranebroughtinserviceasbowsprit。Allthetimewehavehadafine，fairwindandasmoothsea；to-dayatnoonourrunwas203miles(ifyouplease！)，andwearewithinsome360milesofSydney。
Probablytherehasneverbeenamoregallantsuccess；andI
cansayhonestlyitwaswellworkedfor。Noflurry，nohighwords，nolongfaces；onlyhardworkandhonestthought；apleasant，manlybusinesstobepresentat。Allthechanceswerewemighthavebeensixweeks-ay，orthreemonthsatsea-orneverturnedupatall，andnowitlooksasthoughweshouldreachourdestinationsomefivedaystoolate。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-TheJANETNICOLLstuffwasratherworsethanIhadlookedfor；youhavepickedoutallthatisfittostand，bartwoothers(whichIdon’tdislike)-thePortofEntryandtheHouseofTemoana；thatisforapresentopinion；ImaycondemnthesealsoereIhavedone。BythistimeyoushouldhaveanotherMarquesanletter，theworstofthelot，Ithink；andsevenPaumotuletters，whicharenotfaroutofthevein，asIwishit；IaminhopestheHawaiianstuffisbetteryet:timewillshow，andtimewillmakeperfect。Issomethingofthissortpracticableforthededication？
TERRAMARIQUE
’Tisafirstshotconcoctedthismorninginmyberth:IhadalwaysbeforebeentryingitinEnglish，whichinsistedonbeingeitherinsignificantorfulsome:IcannotthinkofabetterwordthanCOMES，therebeingnottheshadowofaLatinbookonboard；yetsurethereissomeother。ThenVIATOR
(thoughitSOUNDSallright)isdoubtful；ithastoomuch，perhaps，thesenseofwayfarer？Last，willitmarksufficientlythatImeanmywife？Andfirst，howaboutblunders？Iscarcewishitlonger。
HavehadaswingeingsharpattackinSydney；beatingthefieldsfortwonights，SaturdayandSunday。Wednesdaywasbroughtonboard，TELQUEL，awonderfulwreck；andnow，Wednesdayweek，amagooddealpickedup，butyetnotquiteaSamson，beingstillgroggyafootandvagueinthehead。Mychess，forinstance，whichisusuallyaprettystronggame，anddefiesallrivalryaboard，isvacillating，devoidofresourceandobservation，andhithertonotcoveredwithcustomarylaurels。Asforwork，itisimpossible。Weshallbeinthesaddlebeforelong，nodoubt，andthepenoncemorecouched。Youmustnotexpectaletterunderthesecircumstances，butbeverythankfulforanote。OnceatSamoa，Ishalltrytoresumemylateexcellenthabits，anddelightyouwithjournals，youunaccustomed，Iunaccustomed；
butitisnevertoolatetomend。
ItisvastlyannoyingthatIcannotgoeventoSydneywithoutanattack；andheavenknowsmylifewasanodyne。Ionlyoncedinedwithanybody；attheclubwithWise；workedallmorning-aterribledeadpull；amonthonlyproducedtheimperfectembryosoftwochapters；lunchedintheboarding-house，playedonmypipe；wentoutanddidsomeofmymessages；
dinedataFrenchrestaurant，andreturnedtoplaydraughts，whist，orVanJohnwithmyfamily。ThismakesacheerylifeafterSamoa；butitisn’twhatyoucallburningthecandleatbothends，isit？(ItappearstomenotonewordofthisletterwillbelegiblebythetimeIamdonewithit，thisdreadfulinkrubsoff。)Ihaveastrangekindofnovelunderconstruction；itbeginsabout1660andends1830，orperhapsImaycontinueitto1875orso，withanotherlife。One，two，three，four，five，sixgenerations，perhapsseven，figuretherein；twoofmyoldstories，’Delafield’and’Shovel，’areincorporated；itistobetoldinthethirdperson，withsomeofthebrevityofhistory，someofthedetailofromance。THESHOVELSOFNEWTONFRENCHwillbethename。Theideaisanoldone；itwasbroughttobirthbyanaccident；afriendintheislandswhopickedupF。Jenkin，readapart，andsaid:’Doyouknow，that’sastrangebook？
Ilikeit；Idon’tbelievethepublicwill；butIlikeit。’
Hethoughtitwasanovel！’Verywell，’saidI，’we’llseewhetherthepublicwilllikeitornot；theyshallhavethechance。’
Yoursever，
MYDEARS。C。，-YouprobablyexpectthatnowIambackatVailimaIshallresumethepracticeofthediaryletter。A
gooddealischanged。Wearemore；solitudedoesnotattendmeasbefore；thenightispassedplayingVanJohnforshells；and，whatisnotlessimportant，Ihavejustrecoveredfromasevereillness，andameasilytired。
Iwillgiveyouto-day。Isleepnowinoneofthelowerroomsofthenewhouse，wheremywifehasrecentlyjoinedme。
Wehavetwobeds，anemptycaseforatable，achair，atinbasin，abucketandajug；nextdoorinthedining-room，thecarpenterscamponthefloor，whichiscoveredwiththeirmosquitonets。Beforethesunrises，at5。45or5。50，Paulbringsmetea，bread，andacoupleofeggs；andbyaboutsixIamatwork。Iworkinbed-mybedisofmats，nomattress，sheets，orfilth-mats，apillow，andablanket-
andputinsomethreehours。Itwas9。5thismorningwhenI
setofftothestream-sidetomyweeding；whereItoiled，manuringthegroundwiththebestenricher，humansweat，tilltheconch-shellwasblownfromourverandahat10。30。Atelevenwedine；abouthalf-pasttwelveItried(byexception)
toworkagain，couldmakenothingon’t，andbyonewasonmywaytotheweeding，whereIwroughttillthree。Half-pastfiveisournextmeal，andIreadFlaubert’sLetterstillthehourcameround；dined，andthen，Fannyhavingacold，andI
beingtired，cameovertomydenintheunfinishedhouse，whereInowwritetoyou，tothetuneofthecarpenters’
