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XV。 Life in Eden。
XVI。 Note on the French Regimen。
PART V。 THE EIGHT ISLANDS。
XVII。 A Note on Missions。
XVIII。 The Kona Coast of Hawaii。 i。 Hookena。 ii。 A Ride in the
Forest。 iii。 A Law Case。 iv。 The City of Refuge。 v。 The Lepers。
XIX。 Molokai。 i。 A Week in the Precinct。 ii。 History of the Leper
Settlement。 iii。 The Mokolii。 iv。 The Free Island。
PART VI。 THE GILBERTS。
XX。 The Group。 ii。 Position of Woman。 iii。 The Missions。 iv。
Devilwork。 v。 Republics。
XXI。 Rule and Misrule on Makin。 i。 Butaritari； its King and Court。
ii。 History of Three Kings。 iii。 The Drink Question。
XXII。 A Butaritarian Festival。
XXIII。 The King of Apemama。 i。 First Impressions。 ii。 Equator
Town and the Palace。 iii。 The Three Corselets。
PART VII。 SAMOA。
which I have not yet reached。
Even as so sketched it makes sixty chapters； not less than 300
CORNHILL pages； and I suspect not much under 500。 Samoa has yet to
be accounted for： I think it will be all history； and I shall work
in observations on Samoan manners； under the similar heads in other
Polynesian islands。 It is still possible； though unlikely； that I
may add a passing visit to Fiji or Tonga； or even both； but I am
growing impatient to see yourself； and I do not want to be later
than June of coming to England。 Anyway； you see it will be a large
work； and as it will be copiously illustrated； the Lord knows what
it will cost。 We shall return； God willing； by Sydney； Ceylon；
Suez and； I guess； Marseilles the many…masted （copyright epithet）。
I shall likely pause a day or two in Paris； but all that is too far
ahead … although now it begins to look near … so near； and I can
hear the rattle of the hansom up Endell Street； and see the gates
swing back； and feel myself jump out upon the Monument steps …
Hosanna！ … home again。 My dear fellow； now that my father is done
with his troubles； and 17 Heriot Row no more than a mere shell； you
and that gaunt old Monument in Bloomsbury are all that I have in
view when I use the word home； some passing thoughts there may be
of the rooms at Skerryvore； and the black…birds in the chine on a
May morning； but the essence is S。 C。 and the Museum。 Suppose； by
some damned accident； you were no more： well； I should return just
the same； because of my mother and Lloyd； whom I now think to send
to Cambridge； but all the spring would have gone out of me； and
ninety per cent。 of the attraction lost。 I will copy for you here
a copy of verses made in Apemama。
I heard the pulse of the besieging sea
Throb far away all night。 I heard the wind
Fly crying； and convulse tumultuous palms。
I rose and strolled。 The isle was all bright sand；
And flailing fans and shadows of the palm：
The heaven all moon； and wind； and the blind vault …
The keenest planet slain； for Venus slept。
The King； my neighbour； with his host of wives；
Slept in the precinct of the palisade：
Where single； in the wind； under the moon；
Among the slumbering cabins； blazed a fire；
Sole street…lamp and the only sentinel。
To other lands and nights my fancy turned；
To London first； and chiefly to your house；
The many…pillared and the well…beloved。
There yearning fancy lighted； there again
In the upper room I lay and heard far off
The unsleeping city murmur like a shell；
The muffled tramp of the Museum guard
Once more went by me； I beheld again
Lamps vainly brighten the dispeopled street；
Again I longed for the returning morn；
The awaking traffic； the bestirring birds；
The consentaneous trill of tiny song
That weaves round monumental cornices
A passing charm of beauty： most of all；
For your light foot I wearied； and your knock
That was the glad reveille of my day。
Lo； now； when to your task in the great house
At morning through the portico you pass；
One moment glance where； by the pillared wall；
Far…voyaging island gods； begrimed with smoke；
Sit now unworshipped； the rude monument
Of faiths forgot and races undivined；
Sit now disconsolate； remembering well
The priest； the victim； and the songful crowd；
The blaze of the blue noon； and that huge voice
Incessant； of the breakers on the shore。
As far as these from their ancestral shrine；
So far； so foreign； your divided friends
Wander； estranged in body； not in mind。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
SCHOONER 'EQUATOR；' AT SEA； WEDNESDAY； 4TH DECEMBER 1889。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … We are now about to rise； like whales； from
this long dive； and I make ready a communication which is to go to
you by the first mail from Samoa。 How long we shall stay in that
group I cannot forecast； but it will be best still to address at
Sydney； where I trust； when I shall arrive； perhaps in one month
from now； more probably in two or three； to find all news。
BUSINESS。 … Will you be likely to have a space in the Magazine for
a serial story； which should be； ready； I believe； by April； at
latest by autumn？ It is called THE WRECKER； and in book form will
appear as number 1 of South Sea Yarns by R。 L。 S。 and Lloyd
Osbourne。 Here is the table as far as fully conceived； and indeed
executed。 。。。
The story is founded on fact； the mystery I really believe to be
insoluble； the purchase of a wreck has never been handled before；
no more has San Francisco。 These seem all elements of success。
There is； besides； a character； Jim Pinkerton； of the advertising
American； on whom we build a good deal； and some sketches of the
American merchant marine； opium smuggling in Honolulu； etc。 It
should run to （about） three hundred pages of my MS。 I would like
to know if this tale smiles upon you； if you will have a vacancy；
and what you will be willing to pay。 It will of course be
copyright in both the States and England。 I am a little anxious to
have it tried serially； as it tests the interest of the mystery。
PLEASURE。 … We have had a fine time in the Gilbert group； though
four months on low islands； which involves low diet； is a largish
order； and my wife is rather down。 I am myself； up to now； a
pillar of health； though our long and vile voyage of calms；
squalls； cataracts of rain； sails carried away； foretopmast lost；
boats cleared and packets made on the approach of a p。 d。 reef；
etc。； has cured me of salt brine； and filled me with a longing for
beef steak and mangoes not to be depicted。 The interest has been
immense。 Old King Tembinoka of Apemama； the Napoleon of the group；
poet； tyrant； altogether a man of mark； gave me the woven corselets
of his grandfather； his father and his uncle； and； what pleased me
more； told me their singular story； then all manner of strange
tales； facts and experiences for my South Sea book； which should be
a Tearer； Mr。 Burlingame： no one at least has had such stuff。
We are now engaged in the hell of a dead c