Well，hereisanewmove。ItislikelyImaystartwithGrahamnextweekandgotoHonolulutomeettheothersteamerandreturn:Idobelieveafortnightatseawoulddomegood；
yetIamnotyetcertain。ThecrowdedUP-steamersticksinmythroat。
TUESDAY，12THSEPT。
YesterdaywasperhapsthebrightestintheannalsofVailima。
IgotleavefromCaptainBickfordtohavethebandoftheKATOOMBAcomeup，andtheycame，fourteenof’em，withdrum，fife，cymbalsandbugles，bluejackets，whitecaps，andsmilingfaces。Thehousewasalldecoratedwithscentedgreeneryaboveandbelow。Wehadnotonlyourownnineout-
doorworkers，butacontractpartythatwetookonincharitytopaytheirwar-fine；thebandbesides，asitcameupthemountain，hadcollectedafollowingofchildrenbytheway，andwehadapickingofSamoanladiestoreceivethem。
Chicken，ham，cake，andfruitswereservedoutwithcoffeeandlemonade，andalltheafternoonwehadroundsofclaretnegusflavouredwithrumandlimes。Theyplayedtous，theydanced，theysang，theytumbled。OurboyscameintheendoftheverandahandgaveTHEMadanceforawhile。Itwasanxiousworkgettingthisstoppedonceithadbegun，butI
knewthebandwasgoingonaprogramme。FinallytheygavethreecheersforMr。andMrs。Stevens，shookhands，formedupandmarchedoffplaying-tillakickinghorseinthepaddockputtheirpipesoutsomethingofthesuddenest-wethoughtthebigdrumwasgone，butSimeleflewtotherescue。Andsotheywoundawaydownthehillwitheveranothercallofthebugle，leavingusextinctwithfatigue，butperhapsthemostcontentedhoststhateverwatchedthedepartureofsuccessfulguests。Simplyimpossibletotellhowwelltheseblue-
jacketsbehaved；amostinterestinglotofmen；thiseducationofboysforthenavyismakingaclass，whollyapart-howshallIcallthem？-akindoflower-classpublicschoolboy，well-mannered，fairlyintelligent，sentimentalasasailor。Whatismoreshallbewritonboardshipifanywhere。
PleasesendCATRIONAtoG。Meredith。
S。S。MARIPOSA。
To-morrowIreachHonolulu。Good-morningtoyourhonour。R。
DEARCOLVIN，-Mywifecameuponthesteamerandwegohometogetherin2days。Iampracticallyallright，onlysleepyandtiredeasily，sleptyesterdayfrom11to11。45，from1to2。50，wenttobedat8P。M。，andwithanhour’sintervalslepttill6A。M。，closeupon14hoursoutofthe24。Wesailto-morrow。Iamanxioustogethome，thoughthishasbeenaninterestingvisit，andpoliticshavebeencuriousindeedtostudy。WegotoP。P。C。onthe’Queen’thismorning；poor，recluselady，ABREUVEED’INJURESQU’ELLEEST。
HadaratherannoyinglunchonboardtheAmericanman-of-war，withamemberoftheP。G。(provincialgovernment)；andagooddealofanti-royalisttalk，whichIhadtositout-notonlyformyhost’ssake，butmyfellowguests。Atlast，Itooktheleadandchangedtheconversation。
R。L。S。
IambeingbustedherebypartynamedHutchinson。Seemsgood。
[VAILIMA-NOVEMBER。]
Homeagain，andfoundallwell，thankGod。Iamperfectlywellagainandruddierthanthecherry。Pleasenotethat8000isnotbadforavolumeofshortstories；theMERRYMEN
didagooddealworse；theshortstoryneversells。IhopeCATRIONAwilldo；thatistheimportant。Thereviewsseemmixedandperplexed，andonehadthepeculiarvirtuetomakemeangry。Iaminafairwaytoexpiscatemyfamilyhistory。
FannyandIhadalovelyvoyagedown，withournewC。J。andtheAmericanLandCommissioner，andonthewhole，andforthesedisgustingsteamers，apleasantship’scompany。I
cannotunderstandwhyyoudon’ttaketotheHawaiischeme。
Doyouunderstand？YoucrosstheAtlanticinsixdays，andgofrom’FriscotoHonoluluinseven。ThirteendaysatseaINALL-IhavenowishtopublishTHEEBBTIDEasabook，letitwait。Itwilllookwellintheportfolio。Iwouldlikeacopy，ofcourse，forthatend；andto’lookupon’tagain’-whichIscarcedare。
[LATER。]
Thisisdisgraceful。Ihavedonenothing；neitherworknorletters。OntheMe(May)day，wehadagreattriumph；ourProtestantboys，insteadofgoingwiththeirownvillagesandfamilies，wentoftheirownaccordintheVailimauniform；
Bellemadecoatsforthemonpurposetocompletetheuniform，theyhavingboughtthestuff；andtheywerehailedastheymarchedinastheTama-ona-therichman’schildren。Thisisreallyascore；itmeansthatVailimaispubliclytakenasafamily。Thenwehadmybirthdayfeastaweeklate，owingtodiarrhoeaontheproperoccasion。ThefeastwaslaidintheHall，andwasasingularmassoffood:15pigs，100lbs。
beef，100lbs。pork，andthefruitandfiligreeinaproportion。Wehadsixtyhorse-postsdriveninthegatepaddock；howmanyguestsIcannotguess，perhaps150。Theycamebetweenthreeandfourandleftaboutseven。Seumanugavemeoneofhisnames；andwhenmynamewascalledattheavadrinking，behold，itwasAUMAITAUAMAMANU-VAO！Youwouldscarcerecogniseme，ifyouheardmethusreferredto！
Twodaysafter，wehiredacarriageinApia，Fanny，Belle，LloydandI，anddroveingreatstyle，withanativeoutrider，totheprison；ahugegiftofavaandtobaccoundertheseats。TheprisonisnowunderthePULEofanAustrian，CaptainWurmbrand，asoldieroffortuneinServiaandTurkey，acharming，clever，kindlycreature，whoisadoredby’HIS
chiefs’(ashecallsthem)meaningOURpoliticalprisoners。
Andwecameintotheyard，walledaboutwithtinnediron，anddrankavawiththeprisonersandthecaptain。Itmayamuseyoutohearhowitispropertodrinkava。Whenthecupishandedyou，youreachyourarmoutsomewhatbehindyou，andslowlypouralibation，sayingwithsomewhatthemannerofprayer，’IATAUMAFAELEATUA。UAMATAGOFIELEFESILAFAIGA
NEI。’’Beit(high-chief)partakenofbytheGod。How(highchief)beautifultoviewisthis(highchief)gathering。’
Thispaganpracticeisveryqueer。Ishouldsaythattheprisonavawasofthatnotverywelcomeformthatweelegantlycallspit-ava，butofcoursetherewasnoescape，andithadtobedrunk。FannyandIrodehome，andI
moralisedbytheway。CouldweeverstandEuropeagain？didsheappreciatethatifwewereinLondon，weshouldbeACTUALLYJOSTLEDinthestreet？andtherewasnobodyinthewholeofBritainwhoknewhowtotakeavalikeagentleman？
’Tisfunnytobethusoftwocivilisations-or，ifyoulike，ofonecivilisationandonebarbarism。And，asusual，thebarbarismisthemoreengaging。
Colvin，youhavetocomehereandseeusinour{native/
mortal}spot。Ijustdon’tseemtobeabletomakeupmymindtoyournotcoming。Bythistime，youwillhaveseenGraham，Ihope，andhewillbeabletotellyousomethingaboutus，andsomethingreliable，IshallfeelforthefirsttimeasifyouknewalittleaboutSamoaafterthat。Fannyseemstobeintherightwaynow。Imustsaysheisvery，verywellforher，andcomplainsscarceatall。Yesterday，shewentdownSOLA(atleastaccompaniedbyagroom)topayavisit；Belle，LloydandIwentawalkupthemountainroad-
thegreatpublichighwayoftheisland，whereyouhavetogosinglefile。TheobjectwastoshowBellethatgaudyvalleyoftheVaisiganowhichtheroadfollows。Iftheroadistobemadeandopened，asournewChiefJusticepromises，itwillbeoneofthemostbeautifulroadsintheworld。Butthepointisthis:IforgotIhadbeenthreemonthsincivilisation，wearingshoesandstockings，andItellyouI
sufferedonmysoftfeet；cominghome，downhill，onthatstairwayofloosestones，Icouldhavecried。Oyes，anotherstory，IknewIhad。Thehouseboyshadnotbeenbehavingwell，sotheothernightIannouncedaFONO，andLloydandI
wentintotheboys’quarters，andItalkedtothemIsupposeforhalfanhour，andTalolotranslated；Lloydwasthereprincipallytokeepanotherearontheinterpreter；elsetheremaybedreadfulmisconceptions。Irubbedalltheirears，excepttwowhomIparticularlypraised；andoneman’swagesIannouncedIhadcutdownbyonehalf。Imaginehistakingthissmiling！Eversince，hehasbeenspeciallyattentiveandgreetsmewithafaceofreallyheavenlybrightness。Thisisanothergoodsignoftheirreallyandfairlyacceptingmeasachief。WhenIfirstcamehere，ifI
hadfinedamanasixpence，hewouldhavequitworkthathour，andnowIremovehalfhisincome，andheisgladtostayon-nay，doesnotseemtoentertainthepossibilityofleaving。Andthisinthefaceofoneparticulardifficulty-
Imeanourhouseinthebush，andnosociety，andnowomensocietywithindecentreach。
IthinkImustgiveyouourstaffinatabularform。
HOUSE。
+oSOSIMO，provostandbutler，andmyvalet。
oMISIFOLO，whoisFannyandBelle’schamberlain。
KITCHEN
+oTALOLO，provostandchiefcook。
+oIOPU，secondcook。
TALI，hiswife，nowages。
TI’A，Samoancook。
FEILOA’I，hischild，nowages，likewisenowork-Belle’spet。
+oLEUELU，Fanny’sboy，gardener，oddjobs。
INAPIA。
+ELIGA，washmananddailyerrandman。
OUTSIDE。
+oHENRYSIMELE，provostandoverseasofoutsideboys。
LU。
TASISELE。
MAIELE。
PULU，whoisalsoourtalkingmanandcriestheava。
Thecrossesmarkoutthereallyexcellentboys。Ti’aisthemanwhohasjustbeenfinedhalfhiswages；heisabeautifuloldman，thelivingimageof’FightingGladiator，’myfavouritestatue-butadreadfulhumbug。Ithinkwekeephimonalittleonaccountofhislooks。Thissignomarksthosewhohavebeentwoyearsorupwardsinthefamily。I
noteallmyoldboyshavethecrossofhonour，exceptMisifolo；well，poordog，hedoeshisbest，Isuppose。Youshouldseehimscour。Itisaremarkthathasoftenbeenmadebyvisitors:youneverseeaSamoanrun，exceptatVailima。Doyounotsupposethatmakesmeproud？
IampleasedtoseewhatasuccessTHEWRECKERwas，havingalreadyinlittlemorethanayearoutstrippedTHEMASTEROF
BALLANTRAE。
AboutDAVIDBALFOURintwovolumes，doseethattheymakeitadecent-lookingbook，andtellme，doyouthinkalittlehistoricalappendixwouldbeofservice？Langbleatsforone，andIthoughtImightaddressittohimasakindofopenletter。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-OnepageoutofmypicturebookImustgiveyou。Fineburningday；halfpasttwoP。M。Wefourbegintorouseupfromreparatoryslumbers，yawn，andgroan，getacupoftea，andmiserablydress:wehavehadapartythedaybefore，X’masDay，withalltheboysabsentbutone，andlatterlytwo；wehadcookedalldaylong，acolddinner，andlo！attwoourguestsbegantoarrive，thoughdinnerwasnottillsix；theyweresixteen，andfifteensleptthenightandbreakfasted。Conceive，then，howunwillinglyweclimbonourhorsesandstartoffinthehottestpartoftheafternoontoride4andahalfmiles，attendanativefeastinthegaol，andridefourandahalfmilesback。Butthereisnohelpforit。Iamasortoffatherofthepoliticalprisoners，andhaveCHARGED’AMESinthatriotouslyabsurdestablishment，ApiaGaol。Thetwenty-three(Ithinkitis)
chiefsactasundergaolers。TheotherdaytheytoldtheCaptainofanattempttoescape。Oneofthelesserpoliticalprisonerstheotherdayeffectedaswiftcapture，whiletheCaptainwastrailingaboutwiththewarrant；themancametoseewhatwaswanted；came，too，flankedbytheformergaoler；
myprisonerofferstoshowhimthedarkcell，shoveshimin，andlocksthedoor。’Whydoyoudothat？’criestheformergaoler。’Awarrant，’sayshe。Finally，thechiefsactuallyfeedthesoldierywhowatchthem！
Thegaolisawretchedlittlebuilding，containingalittleroom，andthreecells，oneachsideofacentralpassage；itissurroundedbyafenceofcorrugatediron，andshows，overthetopofthat，onlyagableendwiththeinscriptionOLE
