Breakfastwasratheraprotractedbusiness。Andthatwasscarceoverwhenwewerecalledtothegreathouse(nowfinished-recallyourearlierletters)toseearoyalkava。
Thisfunctionisofrareuse；IknowgrownSamoanswhohaveneverwitnessedit。Itis，besides，asyouaretohear，apieceofprehistorichistory，crystallisedinfigures，andthefactslargelyforgotten；anactedhieroglyph。Thehouseisreallysplendid；intheraftersinthemidst，twocarvedandcolouredmodelbirdsareposted；theonlythingofthesortIhaveeverremarkedinSamoa，theSamoansbeingliteralobserversofthesecondcommandment。Atonesideoftheeggourpartysat。a=Mataafa，b=LadyJ。，c=Belle，d=Tusitala，e=Graham，f=Lloyd，g=CaptainLeigh，h=Henry，i=Popo。Thex’sroundarethehighchiefs，eachmaninhishistoricalposition。OnesideofthehouseissetapartfortheKingalone；wewereallowedthereashisguestsandHenryasourinterpreter。Itwasahugetrialtothelad，whenaspeechwasmadetomewhichhemusttranslate，andImadeaspeechinanswerwhichhehadtoorate，full-breathed，tothatbigcircle；heblushedthroughhisdarkskin，butlookedandactedlikeagentlemanandayoungfellowofsense；thenthekavacametotheKing；hepouredonedropinlibation，drankanother，andflungtheremainderoutsidethehousebehindhim。NextcametheturnoftheoldshapelessstonemarkedT。
ItstandsforoneoftheKing’stitles，Tamasoalii；MataafaisTamasoaliithisday，butcannotdrinkforit；andthestonemustfirstbewashedwithwater，andthenhavethebowlemptiedonit。Then-theorderIcannotrecall-cametheturnofyandz，twooratorsofthenameofMalietoa；thefirsttookhiskavadownplain，likeanordinaryman；thesecondmustbepackedtobedunderabigsheetoftapa，andbemassagedbyanxiousassistantsandriseonhiselbowgroaningtodrinkhiscup。W。，agreathereditarywarman，camenext；fivetimesthecup-bearersmarchedupanddownthehouseandpassedthecupon，fivetimesitwasfilledandtheGeneral’snameandtitlesheraldedatthebowl，andfivetimesherefusedit(afterexamination)astoosmall。ItissaidthiscommemoratesatimewhenMalietoaattheheadofhisarmysufferedmuchforwantofsupplies。ThenthissamemilitarygentlemanmustDRINKfivecups，onefromeachofthegreatnames:allwhichtookapreciouslongtime。Heactedverywell，haughtilyandinasocietytoneOUTLININGTHE
part。ThedifferencewasmarkedwhenhesubsequentlymadeaspeechinhisowncharacterasaplainGod-fearingchief。A
fewmorehighchiefs，thenTusitala；onemore，andthenLadyJersey；onemore，andthenCaptainLeigh，andsoonwiththerestofourparty-Henryofcourseexcepted。Youseeinpublic，LadyJerseyfollowedme-justsofarwasthesecretkept。
Thenwecamehome；Belle，GrahamandLloydtotheChinaman’s，IwithLadyJersey，tolunch；soseverallyhome。ThursdayI
haveforgotten:Saturday，IbeganagainonDavie；onSunday，theJerseypartycameuptocallandcarriedmetodinner。
AsIcameout，toridehome，thesearch-lightsoftheCURACOA
werelighteningonthehorizonfrommanymilesaway，andnextmorningshecamein。Tuesdaywashugefun:areceptionatHaggard’s。Allourpartydinedthere；LloydandI，intheabsenceofHaggardandLeigh，hadtoplayaide-de-campandhostforabouttwentyminutes，andIpresentedthepopulationofApiaatrandombut(luckhelping)withoutonemistake。
Wednesdaywehadtwomiddiestolunch。ThursdaywehadEelesandHoskyn(lieutenantanddoctor-very，verynicefellows-
simple，goodandnottheleastdull)todinner。Saturday，GrahamandIlunchedonboard；Graham，Belle，LloyddinedattheG。’s；andAustinandtheWHOLEofourservantswentwiththemtoaneveningentertainment；themoreboldreturningbylantern-light。Yesterday，Sunday，BelleandIwereoffbyabouthalfpasteight，leftourhorsesatapublichouse，andwentonboardtheCURACOAinthewardroomskiff；wereentertainedinthewardroom；thenceondecktotheservice，whichwasagreattreat；threefiddlesandaharmoniumandexcellentchoir，andthegreatship’scompanyjoining:onshoreinHaggard’sbigboattolunchwiththeparty。ThencealltogethertoVailima，wherewereadaloudaOuidaRomancewehavebeensecretlywriting；inwhichHaggardwasthehero，andeachoneoftheauthorshadtodrawaportraitofhimorherselfinaOuidalight。Leigh，LadyJ。，Fanny，R。L。S。，BelleandGrahamweretheauthors。
Inthemidstofthisgaylife，Ihavefinallyrecopiedtwochapters，anddraftedforthefirsttimethreeofDavieBalfour。Butitisnotalifethatwouldcontinuetosuitme，andifIhavenotcontinuedtowritetoyou，youwillscarcewonder。Andto-dayweallgodownagaintodinner，andto-morrowtheyallcomeuptolunch！Theworldistoomuchwithus。Butitnownearsanend，to-dayalreadytheCURACOAhassailed；andonSaturdayorSundayLadyJerseywillfollowtheminthemailsteamer。IamsendingyouawirebyherhandsasfarasSydney，thatistosayeitheryouorCassell，aboutFALESA:IwillnotallowittobecalledUMAinbookform，thatisnotthelogicalnameofthestory。
NorcanIhavethemarriagecontractomitted；andthethingisfullofmisprintsabominable。Inthepicture，Umaisrot；
soistheoldmanandthenegro；butWiltshireissplendid，andCasewilldo。Itseemsbadlyilluminated，butthismaybeprinting。HowhaveIseenthisfirstnumber？Notthroughyourattention，guiltyone！LadyJerseyhadit，andonlymentionedityesterday。
IoughttosayhowmuchweallliketheJerseyparty。MyboyHenrywasenrapturedwiththemannersoftheTAWAITAISILI
(chieflady)。Amongourotheroccupations，IdidabitofasupposedepicdescribingourtrystatthefordoftheGasegase；andBelleandImadealittlebookofcaricaturesandversesaboutincidentsonthevisit。
TUESDAY。
Thewildroundofgaietycontinues。AfterIhadwrittentoyouyesterday，thebrainbeingwhollyextinct，IplayedpiquetallmorningwithGraham。AfterlunchdowntocallontheU。S。Consul，hurtinasteeple-chase；thencebacktothenewgirls’schoolwhichLadyJ。wastoopen，andwheremyladiesmetme。LadyJ。isreallyanorator，withavoiceofgold；therestofusplayedourunremarkedparts；
missionaries，Haggard，myself，aSamoanchief，holdingforthinturn；myselfwith(atleast)agoldenbrevity。Thence，Fanny，Belle，andItotown，toourbilliardroominHaggard’sbackgarden，wherewefoundLloydandwhereGrahamjoinedus。Thethreemenfirstdressed，withtheladiesinacorner；andthen，toleavethemafreefield，wewentofftoHaggardandLeigh’squarters，where-afteralltodinner，whereourtwoparties，abrotherofColonelKitchener’s，apassingglobe-trotter，andClarkethemissionary。Averygayevening，withallsortsofchaffandmirth，andamoonlitridehome，andtobedbefore12。30。Andnowto-day，wehavetheJersey-Haggardtroupetolunch，andImustpassthemorningdressingship。
THURSDAY，SEPT。1ST。
Isittowritetoyounow，7。15，alltheworldinbedexceptmyself，accountedfor，andBelleandGraham，downatHaggard’satdinner。Notaleafisstirringhere；butthemoonoverhead(nowofagoodbigness)isobscuredandpartlyrevealedinawhirlingcoveyofthinstorm-clouds。ByJove，itblowsabove。
From8till11。15onTuesday，Idressedship，andinparticularcleanedcrystal，myspecially。About11。30theguestsbegantoarrivebeforeIwasdressed，andbetweenwhileIhadwrittenaparodyforLloydtosing。Yesterday，Wednesday，Ihadtostartoutabout3fortown，hadalonginterviewwiththeheadoftheGermanFirmaboutsomeworkinmynewhouse，gotovertoLloyd’sbilliard-roomaboutsix，onthewaywhitherImetFannyandBellecomingdownwithoneKitchener，abrotheroftheColonel’s。Dinedinthebilliard-room，discoveredwehadforgottoorderoatmeal；
whereupon，inthemoonlitevening，Isetforthinmytropicalarray，messjacketandsuch，togettheoatmeal，andmeetayoungfellowC-andnotabadyoungfelloweither，onlyanidiot-asdrunkasCroesus。Heweptwithme，heweptforme；hetalkedlikeabadcharacterinanimpudentlybadfarce；Icouldhavelaughedaloudtohear，andcouldmakeyoulaughbyrepeating，butlaughterwasnotuppermost。
Thismorningataboutseven，Isetoffafterthelostsheep。
Icouldhavenohorse；allthatcouldbemounted-wehaveonegirth-soreandonedead-lameintheestablishment-weredueatapicnicabout10。30。Themorningwasverywet，andI
setoffbarefoot，withmytrousersovermyknees，andamacintosh。PresentlyIhadtotakeasidepathinthebush；
missedit；cameforthinagreatoblongpatchoftarosolemnlysurroundedbyforest-nosoul，nosign，nosound-
andasIstoodthereataloss，suddenlybetweentheshowersoutbrokethenoteofaharmoniumandawoman’svoicesinginganairthatIknowverywell，buthave(asusual)forgotthenameof。’Twasfromagreatwayoff，butseemedtofilltheworld。Itwasstronglyromantic，andgavemeapointwhichbroughtme，byallsortsofforestwading，toanopenspaceofpalms。Thesewereofallages，butmostlyatthatagewhenthebranchesarchfromthegroundlevel，rangethemselves，withleavesexquisitelygreen。Thewholeinterspacewasovergrownwithconvolvulus，purple，yellowandwhite，oftenasdeepastomywaist，inwhichIflounderedaimlessly。Theverymountainwasinvisiblefromhere。Theraincameandwent；nowinsunlitAprilshowers，nowwiththepropertrampandrattleofthetropics。AllthiswhileImetnosightorsoundofman，exceptthevoicewhichwasnowsilent，andadamnedpig-fencethatheadedmeoffateverycorner。Doyouknowbarbedwire？Thinkofafenceofitonrottenposts，andyoubarefoot。ButIcrosseditatlastwithmyheartinmymouthandnoharmdone。ThenceatlasttoC’s。:noC。NextplaceIcametowasinthezoneofwoods。Theyofferedmeabuggyandsetablackboytowashmylegsandfeet。’Washumlegsbelongthatfellowwhite-man’
wasthecommand。SoatlastIrandownmysonofaguninthehotel，sober，andwithnostorytotell；penitent，I
think。Home，bybuggyandmypoorfeet，upthreemilesofroot，boulder，gravelandliquidmud，slippingbackateverystep。
SUNDAY，SEPT。4TH。
Hopeyouwillbeabletoreadawordofthelast，nojokewritingbyabadlanternwithagroggyhandandyourglassesmislaid。Notthatthehandisnotbetter，asyouseebytheabsenceoftheamanuensishitherto。MailcameFriday，andacommunicationfromyourselfmuchmoredecentthanusual，forwhichIthankyou。GladtheWRECKERshouldsohum；butLord，whatfoolsthesemortalsbe！
Sofaryesterday，thecitationbeingwrungfrommebyremembranceofmanyreviews。IhavenowreceivedallFALESA，andmyadmirationforthattalerises；Ibelieveitisinsomewaysmybestwork；Iamprettysure，atleast，IhaveneverdoneanythingbetterthanWiltshire。
MONDAY，13THSEPTEMBER1892。
OnWednesdaytheSpinstersofApiagaveaballtoaselectcrowd。Fanny，Belle，LloydandIrodedown，metHaggardbythewayandjoinedcompanywithhim。DinnerwithHaggard，andthencetotheball。TheChiefJusticeappeared；itwasimmediatelyremarked，andwhisperedfromonetoanother，thatheandIhadtheonlyredsashesintheroom，-andtheywerebothofthehueofblood，sir，blood。Heshookhandswithmyselfandallthemembersofmyfamily。Thenthecreamcame，andIfoundmyselfinthesamesetofaquadrillewithhishonour。WedancehereinApiaamostfearfulandwonderfulquadrille，Idon’tknowwherethedeviltheyfisheditfrom；butitisracketyandprancingandembraceatorybeyondwords；perhapsitisbestdefinedinHaggard’sexpressionofagambado。WhenIandmygreatenemyfoundourselvesinvolvedinthisgambol，andcrossinghands，andkickingup，andbeingembracedalmostincommonbylargeandquiterespectablefemales，we-orI-triedtopreservesomeragsofdignity，butnotforlong。Thedeuceofitisthat，personally，Ilovethisman；hiseyespeakstome，Iampleasedinhissociety。Weexchangedaglance，andthenagrin；themantookmeinhisconfidence；andthroughtheremainderofthatpranceweprancedforeachother。Hardtoimagineanypositionmoreridiculous；aweekbeforehehadbeentryingtorakeupevidenceagainstmebybrow-beatingandthreateningahalf-whiteinterpreter；thatverymorningI
hadbeenwritingmostvillainousattacksuponhimfortheTIMES；andwemeetandsmile，and-damnit！-likeeachother。Idomybesttodamnthemananddrivehimfromtheseislands；buttheweaknessendures-Ilovehim。ThisisathingIwoulddespiseinanybodyelse；butheissojollyinsidiousandingratiating！No，sir，Ican’tdislikehim；
butifIdon’tmakehayofhim，itshallnotbeforwantoftrying。
Yesterday，wehadtwoGermansandayoungAmericanboytolunch；andintheafternoon，Vailimawasinastateofsiege；
tenwhitepeopleonthefrontverandah，atleastasmanybrowninthecookhouse，andcountlessblackstoseetheblackboyArrick。
Whichremindsme，ArrickwassentFridaywasaweektotheGermanFirmwithanote，andwasnothomeontime。LloydandIweregoingbedward，itwaslatewithabrightmoon-ah，poordog，youknownosuchmoonsasthese！-whenhomecameArrickwithhisheadinawhitebandageandhiseyesshining。
Hehadhadafightwithotherblacks，Malaitaboys；manyagainstone，andonewithaknife:’IKNICKED’EMDOWN，threefour！’hecried；andhadhimselftobetakentothedoctor’sandbandaged。Nextday，hecouldnotwork，gloryofbattleswelledtoohighinhisthreadpaperbreast；hehadmadeaone-stringedharpforAustin，borrowedit，cametoFanny’sroom，andsangwar-songsanddancedawardanceinhonourofhisvictory。Anditappears，bysubsequentadvices，thatitwasaseriousvictoryenough；fourofhisassailantswenttohospital，andoneisthoughtindanger。AllVailimarejoicedatthisnews。
FivemorechaptersofDavid，22to27，gotoBaxter。Allloveaffair；seemsprettygoodtome。Willitdofortheyoungperson？Idon’tknow:sincetheBeach，Iknownothing，exceptthatmenarefoolsandhypocrites，andIknowlessofthemthanIwasfondenoughtofancy。
