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see no one but you and the Scribners； if it may be so managed。 You
must understand I have been very seedy indeed； quite a dead body；
and unless the voyage does miracles； I shall have to draw it dam
fine。 Alas； 'The Canoe Speaks' is now out of date； it will figure
in my volume of verses now imminent。 However； I may find some
inspiration some day。 … Till very soon； yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MISS ADELAIDE BOODLE
BOURNEMOUTH； AUGUST 19TH； 1887。
MY DEAR MISS BOODLE； … I promise you the paper…knife shall go to
sea with me； and if it were in my disposal； I should promise it
should return with me too。 All that you say； I thank you for very
much； I thank you for all the pleasantness that you have brought
about our house； and I hope the day may come when I shall see you
again in poor old Skerryvore； now left to the natives of Canada； or
to worse barbarians； if such exist。 I am afraid my attempt to jest
is rather A CONTRE…COEUR。 Good…bye … AU REVOIR … and do not forget
your friend；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MESSRS。 CHATTO AND WINDUS
BOURNEMOUTH ＇AUGUST 1887＇。
DEAR SIRS； … I here enclose the two titles。 Had you not better
send me the bargains to sign？ I shall be here till Saturday； and
shall have an address in London （which I shall send you） till
Monday； when I shall sail。 Even if the proofs do not reach you
till Monday morning； you could send a clerk from Fenchurch Street
Station at 10。23 A。M。 for Galleons Station； and he would find me
embarking on board the LUDGATE HILL； Island Berth； Royal Albert
Dock。 Pray keep this in case it should be necessary to catch this
last chance。 I am most anxious to have the proofs with me on the
voyage。 … Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
H。M。S。 'VULGARIUM；'
OFF HAVRE DE GRACE； THIS 22ND DAY OF AUGUST ＇1887＇。
SIR； … The weather has been hitherto inimitable。 Inimitable is the
only word that I can apply to our fellow…voyagers； whom a
categorist； possibly premature； has been already led to divide into
two classes … the better sort consisting of the baser kind of
Bagman； and the worser of undisguised Beasts of the Field。 The
berths are excellent； the pasture swallowable； the champagne of H。
James （to recur to my favourite adjective） inimitable。 As for the
Commodore； he slept awhile in the evening； tossed off a cup of
Henry James with his plain meal； walked the deck till eight； among
sands and floating lights and buoys and wrecked brigantines； came
down （to his regret） a minute too soon to see Margate lit up；
turned in about nine； slept； with some interruptions； but on the
whole sweetly； until six； and has already walked a mile or so of
deck； among a fleet of other steamers waiting for the tide； within
view of Havre； and pleasantly entertained by passing fishing…boats；
hovering sea…gulls； and Vulgarians pairing on deck with endearments
of primitive simplicity。 There； sir； can be viewed the sham
quarrel； the sham desire for information； and every device of these
two poor ancient sexes （who might； you might think； have learned in
the course of the ages something new） down to the exchange of head…
gear。 … I am； sir； yours；
BOLD BOB BOLTSPRIT。
B。 B。 B。 （ALIAS the Commodore） will now turn to his proofs。 Havre
de Grace is a city of some show。 It is for…ti…fied； and； so far as
I can see； is a place of some trade。 It is situ…ated in France； a
country of Europe。 You always complain there are no facts in my
letters。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
NEWPORT； R。 I。 U。S。A。 ＇SEPTEMBER 1887＇。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … So long it went excellent well； and I had a time
I am glad to have had； really enjoying my life。 There is nothing
like being at sea； after all。 And O； why have I allowed myself to
rot so long on land？ But on the Banks I caught a cold； and I have
not yet got over it。 My reception here was idiotic to the last
degree。。。。 It is very silly； and not pleasant； except where humour
enters； and I confess the poor interviewer lads pleased me。 They
are too good for their trade； avoided anything I asked them to
avoid； and were no more vulgar in their reports than they could
help。 I liked the lads。
O； it was lovely on our stable…ship； chock full of stallions。 She
rolled heartily； rolled some of the fittings out of our state…room；
and I think a more dangerous cruise （except that it was summer） it
would be hard to imagine。 But we enjoyed it to the masthead； all
but Fanny； and even she perhaps a little。 When we got in； we had
run out of beer； stout； cocoa； soda…water； water； fresh meat； and
（almost） of biscuit。 But it was a thousandfold pleasanter than a
great big Birmingham liner like a new hotel； and we liked the
officers； and made friends with the quartermasters； and I （at
least） made a friend of a baboon （for we carried a cargo of apes）；
whose embraces have pretty near cost me a coat。 The passengers
improved； and were a very good specimen lot； with no drunkard； no
gambling that I saw； and less grumbling and backbiting than one
would have asked of poor human nature。 Apes； stallions； cows；
matches； hay； and poor men…folk； all； or almost all； came
successfully to land。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
＇NEWPORT； U。S。A。； SEPTEMBER 1887。＇
MY DEAR JAMES； … Here we are at Newport in the house of the good
Fairchilds； and a sad burthen we have laid upon their shoulders。 I
have been in bed practically ever since I came。 I caught a cold on
the Banks after having had the finest time conceivable； and enjoyed
myself more than I could have hoped on board our strange floating
menagerie： stallions and monkeys and matches made our cargo； and
the vast continent of these incongruities rolled the while like a
haystack； and the stallions stood hypnotised by the motion； looking
through the ports at our dinner…table； and winked when the crockery
was broken； and the little monkeys stared at each other in their
cages； and were thrown overboard like little bluish babies； and the
big monkey； Jacko； scoured about the ship and rested willingly in
my arms； to the ruin of my clothing； and the man of the stallions
made a bower of the black tarpaulin； and sat therein at the feet of
a raddled divinity； like a picture on a box of chocolates； and the
other passengers； when they were not sick； looked on and laughed。
Take all this picture； and make it roll till the bell shall sound
unexpected notes and the fittings shall break lose in our state…
room； and you have the voyage of the LUDGATE HILL。 She arrived in
the port of New York； without beer； porter； soda…water； curacoa；
fresh meat； or fresh water； and yet we lived； and we regret her。
My wife is a good deal run down； and