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thence by sea VIA Panama to Southampton； where we should arrive in
April。 I would like fine to see you on the tug： ten years older
both of us than the last time you came to welcome Fanny and me to
England。 If we have money； however； we shall do a little
differently： send the CASCO away from Honolulu empty of its high…
born lessees； for that voyage to 'Frisco is one long dead beat in
foul and at last in cold weather； stay awhile behind； follow by
steamer； cross the States by train； stay awhile in New York on
business； and arrive probably by the German Line in Southampton。
But all this is a question of money。 We shall have to lie very
dark awhile to recruit our finances： what comes from the book of
the cruise； I do not want to touch until the capital is repaid。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
HONOLULU； JANUARY 1889。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … Here at last I have arrived。 We could not
get away from Tahiti till Christmas Day； and then had thirty days
of calms and squalls； a deplorable passage。 This has thrown me all
out of gear in every way。 I plunge into business。
1。 THE MASTER： Herewith go three more parts。 You see he grows in
balk； this making ten already； and I am not yet sure if I can
finish it in an eleventh； which shall go to you QUAM PRIMUM … I
hope by next mail。
2。 ILLUSTRATIONS TO M。 I totally forgot to try to write to Hole。
It was just as well； for I find it impossible to forecast with
sufficient precision。 You had better throw off all this and let
him have it at once。 PLEASE DO： ALL； AND AT ONCE： SEE FURTHER；
and I should hope he would still be in time for the later numbers。
The three pictures I have received are so truly good that I should
bitterly regret having the volume imperfectly equipped。 They are
the best illustrations I have seen since I don't know when。
3。 MONEY。 To…morrow the mail comes in； and I hope it will bring
me money either from you or home； but I will add a word on that
point。
4。 My address will be Honolulu … no longer Yacht CASCO； which I am
packing off … till probably April。
5。 As soon as I am through with THE MASTER； I shall finish the
GAME OF BLUFF … now rechristened THE WRONG BOX。 This I wish to
sell； cash down。 It is of course copyright in the States； and I
offer it to you for five thousand dollars。 Please reply on this by
return。 Also please tell the typewriter who was so good as to be
amused by our follies that I am filled with admiration for his
piece of work。
6。 MASTER again。 Please see that I haven't the name of the
Governor of New York wrong （1764 is the date） in part ten。 I have
no book of reference to put me right。 Observe you now have up to
August inclusive in hand； so you should begin to feel happy。
Is this all？ I wonder； and fear not。 Henry the Trader has not yet
turned up： I hope he may to…morrow； when we expect a mail。 Not
one word of business have I received either from the States or
England； nor anything in the shape of coin； which leaves me in a
fine uncertainty and quite penniless on these islands。 H。M。 （who
is a gentleman of a courtly order and much tinctured with letters）
is very polite； I may possibly ask for the position of palace
doorkeeper。 My voyage has been a singular mixture of good and ill…
fortune。 As far as regards interest and material； the fortune has
been admirable； as far as regards time； money； and impediments of
all kinds； from squalls and calms to rotten masts and sprung spars；
simply detestable。 I hope you will be interested to hear of two
volumes on the wing。 The cruise itself； you are to know； will make
a big volume with appendices； some of it will first appear as （what
they call） letters in some of M'Clure's papers。 I believe the book
when ready will have a fair measure of serious interest： I have
had great fortune in finding old songs and ballads and stories； for
instance； and have many singular instances of life in the last few
years among these islands。
The second volume is of ballads。 You know TICONDEROGA。 I have
written another： THE FEAST OF FAMINE； a Marquesan story。 A third
is half done： THE SONG OF RAHERO； a genuine Tahitian legend。 A
fourth dances before me。 A Hawaiian fellow this； THE PRIEST'S
DROUGHT； or some such name。 If； as I half suspect； I get enough
subjects out of the islands； TICONDEROGA shall be suppressed； and
we'll call the volume SOUTH SEA BALLADS。 In health； spirits；
renewed interest in life； and； I do believe； refreshed capacity for
work； the cruise has proved a wise folly。 Still we're not home；
and （although the friend of a crowned head） are penniless upon
these （as one of my correspondents used to call them） 'lovely but
FATIL islands。' By the way； who wrote the LION OF THE NILE？ My
dear sir； that is Something Like。 Overdone in bits； it has a true
thought and a true ring of language。 Beg the anonymous from me； to
delete （when he shall republish） the two last verses； and end on
'the lion of the Nile。' One Lampman has a good sonnet on a 'Winter
Evening' in； I think； the same number： he seems ill named； but I
am tempted to hope a man is not always answerable for his name。
For instance； you would think you knew mine。 No such matter。 It
is … at your service and Mr。 Scribner's and that of all of the
faithful … Teriitera （pray pronounce Tayree…Tayra） or （GALLICE）
Teri…tera。
R。 L。 S。
More when the mail shall come。
I am an idiot。 I want to be clear on one point。 Some of Hole's
drawings must of course be too late； and yet they seem to me so
excellent I would fain have the lot complete。 It is one thing for
you to pay for drawings which are to appear in that soul…swallowing
machine； your magazine： quite another if they are only to
illustrate a volume。 I wish you to take a brisk （even a fiery）
decision on the point； and let Hole know。 To resume my desultory
song； I desire you would carry the same fire （hereinbefore
suggested） into your decision on the WRONG BOX； for in my present
state of benighted ignorance as to my affairs for the last seven
months … I know not even whether my house or my mother's house have
been let … I desire to see something definite in front of me …
outside the lot of palace doorkeeper。 I believe the said WRONG BOX
is a real lark； in which； of course； I may be grievously deceived；
but the typewriter is with me。 I may also be deceived as to the
numbers of THE MASTER now going and already gone； but to me they
seem First Chop； sir； First Chop。 I hope I shall pull off that
damned ending； but it still depresses me： this is your doing； Mr。
Burlingame： you would have it there and then； and I fear it … I
fear that ending。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
HONOLULU； FEBRUARY 8TH； 1889。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … Here we are at Honolu