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HONOLULU； FEBRUARY 8TH； 1889。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … Here we are at Honolulu； and have dismissed the
yacht； and lie here till April anyway； in a fine state of haze；
which I am yet in hopes some letter of yours （still on the way） may
dissipate。 No money； and not one word as to money！ However； I
have got the yacht paid off in triumph； I think； and though we stay
here impignorate； it should not be for long； even if you bring us
no extra help from home。 The cruise has been a great success； both
as to matter； fun； and health； and yet； Lord； man！ we're pleased to
be ashore！ Yon was a very fine voyage from Tahiti up here； but …
the dry land's a fine place too； and we don't mind squalls any
longer； and eh； man； that's a great thing。 Blow； blow； thou wintry
wind； thou hast done me no appreciable harm beyond a few grey
hairs！ Altogether； this foolhardy venture is achieved； and if I
have but nine months of life and any kind of health； I shall have
both eaten my cake and got it back again with usury。 But； man；
there have been days when I felt guilty； and thought I was in no
position for the head of a house。
Your letter and accounts are doubtless at S。 F。； and will reach me
in course。 My wife is no great shakes； she is the one who has
suffered most。 My mother has had a Huge Old Time； Lloyd is first
chop； I so well that I do not know myself … sea…bathing； if you
please； and what is far more dangerous； entertaining and being
entertained by His Majesty here； who is a very fine intelligent
fellow； but O； Charles！ what a crop for the drink！ He carries it；
too； like a mountain with a sparrow on its shoulders。 We
calculated five bottles of champagne in three hours and a half
（afternoon）； and the sovereign quite presentable； although
perceptibly more dignified at the end。 。 。 。
The extraordinary health I enjoy and variety of interests I find
among these islands would tempt me to remain here； only for Lloyd；
who is not well placed in such countries for a permanency； and a
little for Colvin； to whom I feel I owe a sort of filial duty。 And
these two considerations will no doubt bring me back … to go to bed
again … in England。 … Yours ever affectionately；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO R。 A。 M。 STEVENSON
HONOLULU； HAWAIIAN ISLANDS； FEBRUARY 1889。
MY DEAR BOB； … My extremely foolhardy venture is practically over。
How foolhardy it was I don't think I realised。 We had a very small
schooner； and； like most yachts； over…rigged and over…sparred； and
like many American yachts on a very dangerous sail plan。 The
waters we sailed in are； of course； entirely unlighted； and very
badly charted； in the Dangerous Archipelago； through which we were
fools enough to go； we were perfectly in ignorance of where we were
for a whole night and half the next day； and this in the midst of
invisible islands and rapid and variable currents； and we were
lucky when we found our whereabouts at last。 We have twice had all
we wanted in the way of squalls： once； as I came on deck； I found
the green sea over the cockpit coamings and running down the
companion like a brook to meet me； at that same moment the foresail
sheet jammed and the captain had no knife； this was the only
occasion on the cruise that ever I set a hand to a rope； but I
worked like a Trojan； judging the possibility of haemorrhage better
than the certainty of drowning。 Another time I saw a rather
singular thing： our whole ship's company as pale as paper from the
captain to the cook； we had a black squall astern on the port side
and a white squall ahead to starboard； the complication passed off
innocuous； the black squall only fetching us with its tail； and the
white one slewing off somewhere else。 Twice we were a long while
（days） in the close vicinity of hurricane weather； but again luck
prevailed； and we saw none of it。 These are dangers incident to
these seas and small craft。 What was an amazement； and at the same
time a powerful stroke of luck； both our masts were rotten； and we
found it out … I was going to say in time； but it was stranger and
luckier than that。 The head of the mainmast hung over so that
hands were afraid to go to the helm； and less than three weeks
before … I am not sure it was more than a fortnight … we had been
nearly twelve hours beating off the lee shore of Eimeo （or Moorea；
next island to Tahiti） in half a gale of wind with a violent head
sea： she would neither tack nor wear once； and had to be boxed off
with the mainsail … you can imagine what an ungodly show of kites
we carried … and yet the mast stood。 The very day after that； in
the southern bight of Tahiti； we had a near squeak； the wind
suddenly coming calm； the reefs were close in with； my eye！ what a
surf！ The pilot thought we were gone； and the captain had a boat
cleared； when a lucky squall came to our rescue。 My wife； hearing
the order given about the boats； remarked to my mother； 'Isn't that
nice？ We shall soon be ashore！' Thus does the female mind
unconsciously skirt along the verge of eternity。 Our voyage up
here was most disastrous … calms； squalls； head sea； waterspouts of
rain； hurricane weather all about； and we in the midst of the
hurricane season； when even the hopeful builder and owner of the
yacht had pronounced these seas unfit for her。 We ran out of food；
and were quite given up for lost in Honolulu： people had ceased to
speak to Belle about the CASCO； as a deadly subject。
But the perils of the deep were part of the programme； and though I
am very glad to be done with them for a while and comfortably
ashore； where a squall does not matter a snuff to any one； I feel
pretty sure I shall want to get to sea again ere long。 The
dreadful risk I took was financial； and double…headed。 First； I
had to sink a lot of money in the cruise； and if I didn't get
health； how was I to get it back？ I have got health to a wonderful
extent； and as I have the most interesting matter for my book； bar
accidents； I ought to get all I have laid out and a profit。 But；
second （what I own I never considered till too late）； there was the
danger of collisions； of damages and heavy repairs； of disablement；
towing； and salvage； indeed； the cruise might have turned round and
cost me double。 Nor will this danger be quite over till I hear the
yacht is in San Francisco； for though I have shaken the dust of her
deck from my feet； I fear （as a point of law） she is still mine
till she gets there。
From my point of view； up to now the cruise has been a wonderful
success。 I never knew the world was so amusing。 On the last
voyage we had grown so used to sea…life that no one wearied； though
it lasted a full month； except Fanny； who is always ill。 All the
time our visits to the islands have been more like dreams than
realities： the people； the life； the beachcombe