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might send six copies to H。 M。 Tembinoka； King of Apemama VIA
Butaritari； Gilbert Islands。 It might be best to send it by
Crawford and Co。； S。 F。 There is no postal service； and schooners
must take it； how they may and when。 Perhaps some such note as
this might be prefixed：
AT MY DEPARTURE FROM THE ISLAND OF APEMAMA； FOR WHICH YOU WILL LOOK
IN VAIN IN MOST ATLASES； THE KING AND I AGREED； SINCE WE BOTH SET
UP TO BE IN THE POETICAL WAY； THAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE OUR
SEPARATION IN VERSE。 WHETHER OR NOT HIS MAJESTY HAS BEEN TRUE TO
HIS BARGAIN； THE LAGGARD POSTS OF THE PACIFIC MAY PERHAPS INFORM ME
IN SIX MONTHS； PERHAPS NOT BEFORE A YEAR。 THE FOLLOWING LINES
REPRESENT MY PART OF THE CONTRACT； AND IT IS HOPED； BY THEIR
PICTURES OF STRANGE MANNERS； THEY MAY ENTERTAIN A CIVILISED
AUDIENCE。 NOTHING THROUGHOUT HAS BEEN INVENTED OR EXAGGERATED； THE
LADY HEREIN REFERRED TO AS THE AUTHOR'S MUSE； HAS CONFINED HERSELF
TO STRINGING INTO RHYME FACTS AND LEGENDS THAT I SAW OR HEARD
DURING TWO MONTHS' RESIDENCE UPON THE ISLAND。
R。 L。 S。
You will have received from me a letter about THE WRECKER。 No
doubt it is a new experiment for me； being disguised so much as a
study of manners； and the interest turning on a mystery of the
detective sort； I think there need be no hesitation about beginning
it in the fall of the year。 Lloyd has nearly finished his part；
and I shall hope to send you very soon the MS。 of about the first
four…sevenths。 At the same time； I have been employing myself in
Samoa； collecting facts about the recent war； and I propose to
write almost at once and to publish shortly a small volume； called
I know not what … the War In Samoa； the Samoa Trouble； an Island
War； the War of the Three Consuls； I know not … perhaps you can
suggest。 It was meant to be a part of my travel book； but material
has accumulated on my hands until I see myself forced into volume
form； and I hope it may be of use； if it come soon。 I have a few
photographs of the war； which will do for illustrations。 It is
conceivable you might wish to handle this in the Magazine； although
I am inclined to think you won't； and to agree with you。 But if
you think otherwise； there it is。 The travel letters （fifty of
them） are already contracted for in papers； these I was quite bound
to let M'Clure handle； as the idea was of his suggestion； and I
always felt a little sore as to one trick I played him in the
matter of the end…papers。 The war…volume will contain some very
interesting and picturesque details： more I can't promise for it。
Of course the fifty newspaper letters will be simply patches chosen
from the travel volume （or volumes） as it gets written。
But you see I have in hand：…
Say half done。 1。 THE WRECKER。
Lloyd's copy half done； mine not touched。 2。 THE PEARL FISHER （a
novel promised to the LEDGER； and which will form； when it comes in
book form； No。 2 of our SOUTH SEA YARNS）。
Not begun； but all material ready。 3。 THE WAR VOLUME。
Ditto。 4。 THE BIG TRAVEL BOOK； which includes the letters。
You know how they stand。 5。 THE BALLADS。
EXCUSEZ DU PEU！ And you see what madness it would be to make any
fresh engagement。 At the same time； you have THE WRECKER and the
WAR VOLUME； if you like either … or both … to keep my name in the
Magazine。
It begins to look as if I should not be able to get any more
ballads done this somewhile。 I know the book would sell better if
it were all ballads； and yet I am growing half tempted to fill up
with some other verses。 A good few are connected with my voyage；
such as the 'Home of Tembinoka' sent herewith； and would have a
sort of slight affinity to the SOUTH SEA BALLADS。 You might tell
me how that strikes a stranger。
In all this； my real interest is with the travel volume； which
ought to be of a really extraordinary interest
I am sending you 'Tembinoka' as he stands； but there are parts of
him that I hope to better； particularly in stanzas III。 and II。 I
scarce feel intelligent enough to try just now； and I thought at
any rate you had better see it； set it up if you think well； and
let me have a proof； so； at least； we shall get the bulk of it
straight。 I have spared you Tenkoruti； Tenbaitake； Tembinatake；
and other barbarous names； because I thought the dentists in the
States had work enough without my assistance； but my chiefs name is
TEMBINOKA； pronounced； according to the present quite modern habit
in the Gilberts； Tembinok'。 Compare in the margin Tengkorootch； a
singular new trick； setting at defiance all South Sea analogy； for
nowhere else do they show even the ability； far less the will； to
end a word upon a consonant。 Loia is Lloyd's name； ship becomes
shipe； teapot； tipote； etc。 Our admirable friend Herman Melville；
of whom； since I could judge； I have thought more than ever； had no
ear for languages whatever： his Hapar tribe should be Hapaa； etc。
But this is of no interest to you： suffice it； you see how I am as
usual up to the neck in projects； and really all likely bairns this
time。 When will this activity cease？ Too soon for me； I dare to
say。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO JAMES PAYN
FEBRUARY 4TH； 1890； SS。 'LUBECK。'
MY DEAR JAMES PAYN； … In virtue of confessions in your last； you
would at the present moment； if you were along of me； be sick； and
I will ask you to receive that as an excuse for my hand of write。
Excuse a plain seaman if he regards with scorn the likes of you
pore land…lubbers ashore now。 （Reference to nautical ditty。）
Which I may however be allowed to add that when eight months' mail
was laid by my side one evening in Apia； and my wife and I sat up
the most of the night to peruse the same … （precious indisposed we
were next day in consequence） … no letter； out of so many； more
appealed to our hearts than one from the pore； stick…in…the…mud；
land…lubbering； common （or garden） Londoner； James Payn。 Thank you
for it； my wife says； 'Can't I see him when we get back to London？'
I have told her the thing appeared to me within the spear of
practical politix。 （Why can't I spell and write like an honest；
sober； god…fearing litry gent？ I think it's the motion of the
ship。） Here I was interrupted to play chess with the chief
engineer； as I grow old； I prefer the 'athletic sport of cribbage；'
of which （I am sure I misquote） I have just been reading in your
delightful LITERARY RECOLLECTIONS。 How you skim along； you and
Andrew Lang （different as you are）； and yet the only two who can
keep a fellow smiling every page； and ever and again laughing out
loud。 I joke wi' deeficulty； I believe； I am not funny； and when I
am； Mrs。 Oliphant says I'm vulgar； and somebody else says （in
Latin） that I'm a whore； which seems harsh and even uncalled for：
I shall stick to weepers； a 5s。 weeper； 2s。 6d。 laug