MYDEARCOLVIN，-Ihavetothankyouthistimeforaverygoodletter，andwillannounceforthefuture，thoughI
cannotnowbegintoputinpractice，goodintentionsforourcorrespondence。Iwilltrytoreturntotheoldsystemandwritefromtimetotimeduringthemonth；buttrulyyoudidnotmuchencouragemetocontinue！However，thatisallby-
past。Idonotknowthatthereismuchinyourletterthatcallsforanswer。YourquestionsaboutST。IVESwerepracticallyansweredinmylast；sowereyourwailsabouttheedition，AMATEUREMIGRANT，etc。BytheendoftheyearST。
I。willbepracticallyfinished，whateveritbeworth，andthatIknownot。WhenshallIreceiveproofsoftheMAGNUM
OPUS？orshallIreceivethematall？
ThereturnoftheAmanuensisfeeblylightensmyheart。YoucanseetheheavyweatherIwasmakingofitwithmyunaidedpen。ThelastmonthhasbeenparticularlycheerylargelyowingtothepresenceofourgoodfriendstheCURACOAS。Sheisreallyamodelship，charmingofficersandcharmingseamen。Theygaveaballlastmonth，whichwasveryracketyandjoyousandnaval……
Onthefollowingday，aboutoneo’clock，threehorsemenmighthavebeenobservedapproachingVailima，whograduallyresolvedthemselvesintotwopettyofficersandanativeguide。Drawinghimselfupandsaluting，thespokesman(acorporalofMarines)addressedmethus。’MeandmyshipmatesinwitesMr。andMrs。Stevens，Mrs。Strong，Mr。Austin，andMr。Balfourtoaballtobegivento-nightintheself-same’all。’Itwasofcourseimpossibletorefuse，thoughI
contentedmyselfwithputtinginaverybriefappearance。
Oneglancewassufficient；theballwentofflikearocketfromthestart。IhadonlytimetowatchBellecareeringaroundwithagallantbluejacketofexactlyherownheight-
thestandardoftheBritishnavy-anexcellentdancerandconspicuouslyfullofsmall-talk-andtoheararemarkfromabeach-comber，’It’sanicesightthissomeway，toseetheofficersdancinglikethiswiththemen，butItellyou，sir，thesearethementhat’llfighttogether！’
Itellyou，Colvin，theacquaintanceofthemen-andboys-
makesmefeelpatriotic。EelesinparticularisamanwhomI
respect。Iamhalfinamindtogivehimaletterofintroductiontoyouwhenhegoeshome。Incaseyoufeelinclinedtomakealittleofhim，givehimadinner，askHenryJamestocometomeethim，etc-youmightletmeknow。Idon’tknowthathewouldshowhisbest，butheisaremarkablyfinefellow，ineverydepartmentoflife。
Wehaveothervisitorsinport。ACountFesteticsdeSolna，anAustrianofficer，averypleasant，simple，boyishcreature，withhisyoungwife，daughterofanAmericanmillionaire；heisafriendofourownCaptainWurmbrand，anditisagreatpityWurmbrandisaway。
GladyousawandlikedLysaght。Hehasleftinourhouseamostcheerfulandpleasingmemory，asagood，pleasant，briskfellowwithgoodhealthandbrains，andwhoenjoyshimselfandmakesotherpeoplehappy。Iamgladhegaveyouagoodreportofoursurroundingsandwayoflife；butIknewhewould，forIbelievehehadaglorioustime-andgaveone。
IamonfairtermswiththetwoTreatyofficials，thoughallsuchintimaciesareprecarious；withtheconsuls，Ineednotsay，mypositionisdeplorable。ThePresident(HerrEmilSchmidt)isaratherdreamyman，whomIlike。Lloyd，GrahamandIgotobreakfastwithhimto-morrow；thenextdaythewholepartyofuslunchontheCURACOAandgointheeveningtoaBIERABENDatDr。Funk’s。Wearegettingupapaper-
chaseforthefollowingweekwithsomeoftheyoungGermanclerks，andhaveinviewasortofchild’spartyforgrown-uppersonswithkissinggames，etc。，hereatVailima。Suchisthegaysceneinwhichwemove。NowIhavedonesomething，thoughnotasmuchasIwanted，togiveyouanideaofhowwearegettingon，andIamkeenlyconsciousthatthereareotherletterstodobeforethemailgoes-Yoursever，R。L。STEVENSON。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-Thisistoinformyou，sir，thatonSundaylast(andthisisTuesday)Iattainedmyidealhere，andwehadapaperchaseinVailelePlantation，about15miles，I
takeit，fromus；anditwasallthatcouldbewished。Itisreallybetterfunthanfollowingthehounds，sinceyouhavetobeyourownhound，andapreciousbadhoundIwas，followingeveryfalsescentonthewholecoursetothebitterend；butIcamein3rdatthelastonmylittleJack，whostucktoitgallantly，andawokethepraisesofsomediscriminatingpersons。(5+7+2。5=14。5miles；yes，thatisthecount。)Wehadquitetheoldsensationsofexhilaration，discovery，anappealtoasavageinstinct；andIfeltmyselfabout17again，apleasantexperience。
However，itwasontheSabbathDay，andIamnowapariahamongtheEnglish，asifIneededanyincrementofunpopularity。Imustnotgoagain；itgivessomuchunnecessarytribulationtopoorpeople，and，sure，wedon’twanttomaketribulation。Ihavebeenforbiddentowork，andhavebeeninsteaddoingmytwoorthreehoursintheplantationeverymorning。Ionlywishsomebodywouldpayme10poundsadayfortakingcareofcacao，andIcouldleaveliteraturetoothers。Certainly，ifIhaveplentyofexercise，andnowork，Ifeelmuchbetter；butthereisBilesthebutcher！himwehavealwayswithus。
Idonotmuchlikenovels，Ibegintothink，butIamenjoyingexceedinglyOrme’sHISTORYOFHINDOSTAN，alovelybookinitsway，inlargequarto，withaquantityofmaps，andwritteninaverylivelyandsolideighteenthcenturyway，neverpicturesqueexceptbyaccidentandfromakindofconviction，andafinesenseoforder。NohistorianIhaveeverreadissominute；yethenevergivesyouawordaboutthepeople；hisinterestisentirelylimitedintheconcatenationofevents，intowhichhegoeswithalucid，almostsuperhuman，andwhollyghostlygusto。’Bytheghostofamathematician’thebookmightbeannounced。Averybrave，honestbook。
Yourlettertohand。
Factis，Idon’tlikethepicter。O，it’sagoodpicture，butifyouASKme，youknow，Ibelieve，stoutlybelieve，thatmankind，includingyou，aregoingmad，Iamnotinthemidstwiththeotherfrenzydancers，soIdon’tcatchitwholly；
andwhenyoushowmeathing-andaskme，don’tyouknow-
Well，well！GladtogetsogoodanaccountoftheAMATEUR
EMIGRANT。Talkingofwhich，IamstrongformakingavolumeoutofselectionsfromtheSouthSealetters；IreadoveragaintheKingofApemama，anditisgoodinspiteofyourteeth，andarealcuriosity，athingthatcanneverbeseenagain，andthegroupisannexedandTembinokadead。I
wonder，couldn’tyousendouttometheFIRSTfiveButaritarilettersandtheLowArchipelagoones(bothofwhichIhavelostormislaid)andIcanchopoutaperfectlyfairvolumeofwhatIwishtobepreserved。Itcankeepforthelastoftheseries。
TRAVELSANDEXCURSIONS，vol。II。ShoulditnotincludeapaperonS。F。fromtheMAG。OFART？TheA。E。，theNewPacificcapital，theOldditto。SILVER。SQUAT。ThiswouldgiveallmyworksontheStates；andthoughitain’tverygood，it’snotsoverybad。TRAVELSANDEXCURSIONS，vol。
III。，tobetheseresuscitatedletters-MISCELLANIES，vol。
II-COMMEVOUSVOUDREZ，CHERMONSIEUR！
MONDAY，Aug。13TH
Ihaveasuddencalltogoupthecoastandmusthurryupwithmyinformation。Therehassuddenlycometoournavalcommanderstheneedofaction，they’reawayupthecoastbombardingtheAtuarebels。AllmorningonSaturdaythesoundofthebombardmentofLotuanu’ukeptusuneasy。To-dayagainthebiggunshavebeensoundingfurtheralongthecoast。
To-morrowmorningearlyIamoffupthecoastmyself。
Thereforeyoumustallowmetobreakoffherewithoutfurtherceremony-Yoursever，ROBERTLOUISSTEVENSON。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-Thismustbeaverymeaslyletter。IhavebeentryinghardtogetalongwithST。IVES。IshouldnowlayitasideforayearandIdaresayIshouldmakesomethingofitafterall。Insteadofthat，Ihavetokickagainstthepricks，andbreakmyself，andspoilthebook，iftherewereanythingtospoil，whichIamfarfromsaying。I’massickofthethingaseveranyonecanbe；it’sarudderlesshulk；
it’sapagoda，andyoucanjustfeel-orIcanfeel-thatitmighthavebeenapleasantstory，ifithadbeenonlyblessedatbaptism。
Ourpoliticshavegoneonfairlywell，buttheresultisstilldoubtful。
SEPT。10TH。
IknowIhavesomethingelsetosaytoyou，butunfortunatelyIawokethismorningwithcollywobbles，andhadtotakeasmalldoseoflaudanumwiththeusualconsequencesofdrythroat，intoxicatedlegs，partialmadnessandtotalimbecility；andforthelifeofmeIcannotrememberwhatitis。Ihavelikewisemislaidyourletteramongsttheaccumulationsonmytable，notthattherewasanythinginit。
AltogetherIaminapoorstate。IforgottotellBaxterthatthedummyhadturnedupandisafine，personable-
lookingvolumeandverygoodreading。Pleasecommunicatethistohim。
IhavejustrememberedanincidentthatIreallymustnotletpass。Youhaveheardagreatdealmorethanyouwantedaboutourpoliticalprisoners。Well，oneday，aboutafortnightago，thelastofthemwassetfree-OldPoe，whomIthinkI
musthavementionedtoyou，thefather-in-lawofmycook，wasonethatIhadhadagreatdealoftroublewith。Ihadtakenthedoctortoseehim，gothimoutonsickleave，andwhenhewasputbackagaingavebailforhim。Imustnotforgetthatmywiferanawaywithhimoutoftheprisononthedoctor’sordersandwiththecomplicityofourfriendthegaoler，whoreallyandtrulygotthesackfortheexploit。Assoonashewasfinallyliberated，Poecalledameetingofhisfellow-
prisoners。AllSundaytheyweredebatingwhattheyweretodo，andonMondaymorningIgotanobscurehintfromTalolothatImustexpectvisitorsduringthedaywhowerecomingtoconsultme。TheseconsultationsIamnowverywellusedto，andseeingfirst，thatIgenerallydon’tknowwhattoadvise，andsecondthattheysometimesdon’ttakemyadvice-thoughinsomenotablecasestheyhavetakenit，generallytomyownwonderwithprettygoodresults-Iamnotveryfondofthesecalls。Theyministertoasenseofdignity，butnotpeaceofmind，andconsumeinterminabletimealwaysinthemorningtoo，whenIcan’taffordit。However，thiswastobeanewsortofconsultation。UpcamePoeandsomeeightotherchiefs，squattedinabigcirclearoundtheolddining-roomfloor，nowthesmoking-room。Andthefamily，beingrepresentedbyLloyd，Graham，Belle，Austinandmyself，proceededtoexchangethenecessarycourtesies。Thentheirtalkingmanbegan。Hesaidthattheyhadbeeninprison，thatIhadalwaystakenaninterestinthem，thattheyhadnowbeensetatlibertywithoutcondition，whereassomeoftheotherchiefswhohadbeenliberatedbeforethemwerestillunderbondtoworkupontheroads，andthatthishadsetthemconsideringwhattheymightdototestifytheirgratitude。Theyhadthereforeagreedtoworkuponmyroadasafreegift。Theywentontoexplainthatitwasonlytobeonmyroad，onthebranchthatjoinsmyhousewiththepublicway。
NowIwasverymuchgratifiedatthiscompliment，although(tooneusedtonatives)itseemedratherahollowone。ItmeantonlythatIshouldhavetolayoutagooddealofmoneyontoolsandfoodandtogivewagesundertheguiseofpresentstosomeworkmenwhoweremostofthemoldandinill-health。ConceivehowmuchIwassurprisedandtouchedwhenIheardthewholeschemeexplainedtome。Theyweretoreturntotheirprovinces，andcollecttheirfamilies；someoftheyoungmenweretoliveinApiawithaboat，andplyupanddownthecoasttoA’anaandA’tua(ourownTuamasagabeingquitedrainedofresources)inordertosupplytheworkingsquadwithfood。Toolstheydidaskfor，butitwasespeciallymentionedthatIwastomakenopresents。Inshort，thewholeofthislittle’presentation’tomehadbeenplannedwithagooddealmoreconsiderationthangoesusuallywithanativecampaign。
(Isatontheoppositesideofthecircletothetalkingman。
Hisfacewasquitecalmandhigh-bredashewentthroughtheusualSamoanexpressionsofpolitenessandcompliment，butwhenhecameontotheobjectoftheirvisit，ontheirloveandgratitudetoTusitala，howhisnamewasalwaysintheirprayers，andhisgoodnesstothemwhentheyhadnootherfriend，wastheirmostcherishedmemory，hewarmeduptoreal，burning，genuinefeeling。IhadneverseentheSamoanmaskofreservelaidasidebefore，andittouchedmemorethananythingelse。A。M。)
Thismorningaseverwas，brightandearlyupcamethewholegangofthem，alotofsturdy，common-lookingladstheyseemedtobeforthemostpart，andfelltoonmynewroad。
OldPoewasinthehighestofgoodspirits，andlookedbetterinhealththanhehasdoneanytimeintwoyears，beingpositivelyrejuvenatedbythesuccessofhisscheme。Hejestedasheservedoutthenewtools，andIamsorrytosaydamnedtheGovernmentuphillanddowndale，probablywithaviewtoshowoffhispositionasafriendofthefamilybeforehiswork-boys。Now，whetherornottheirimpulsewilllastthemthroughtheroaddoesnotmattertomeonehair。
Itisthefactthattheyhaveattemptedit，thattheyhavevolunteeredandarenowreallytryingtoexecuteathingthatwasneverbeforeheardofinSamoa。Thinkofit！Itisroad-making-themostfruitfulcause(aftertaxes)ofallrebellionsinSamoa，athingtowhichtheycouldnotbewiledwithmoneynordrivenbypunishment。ItdoesgivemeasenseofhavingdonesomethinginSamoaafterall。
Nowthere’sonelongstoryforyouabout’myblacks。’-Yoursever，ROBERT
