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I shall stick to weepers； a 5s。 weeper； 2s。 6d。 laugher； 1s。
shocker。
My dear sir； I grow more and more idiotic； I cannot even feign
sanity。 Sometime in the month of June a stalwart weather…beaten
man； evidently of seafaring antecedents； shall be observed wending
his way between the Athenaeum Club and Waterloo Place。 Arrived off
No。 17； he shall be observed to bring his head sharply to the wind；
and tack into the outer haven。 'Captain Payn in the harbour？' …
'Ay； ay； sir。 What ship？' … 'Barquentin R。 L。 S。； nine hundred and
odd days out from the port of Bournemouth； homeward bound； with
yarns and curiosities。'
Who was it said； 'For God's sake； don't speak of it！' about Scott
and his tears？ He knew what he was saying。 The fear of that hour
is the skeleton in all our cupboards； that hour when the pastime
and the livelihood go together； and … I am getting hard of hearing
myself； a pore young child of forty； but new come frae my Mammy； O！
Excuse these follies； and accept the expression of all my regards。
… Yours affectionately；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
UNION CLUB； SYDNEY； MARCH 7TH； 1890。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … I did not send off the enclosed before from
laziness； having gone quite sick； and being a blooming prisoner
here in the club； and indeed in my bedroom。 I was in receipt of
your letters and your ornamental photo； and was delighted to see
how well you looked； and how reasonably well I stood。 。 。 。 I am
sure I shall never come back home except to die； I may do it； but
shall always think of the move as suicidal； unless a great change
comes over me； of which as yet I see no symptom。 This visit to
Sydney has smashed me handsomely； and yet I made myself a prisoner
here in the club upon my first arrival。 This is not encouraging
for further ventures； Sydney winter … or； I might almost say；
Sydney spring； for I came when the worst was over … is so small an
affair； comparable to our June depression at home in Scotland。 。 。
。 The pipe is right again； it was the springs that had rusted； and
ought to have been oiled。 Its voice is now that of an angel； but；
Lord！ here in the club I dare not wake it！ Conceive my impatience
to be in my own backwoods and raise the sound of minstrelsy。 What
pleasures are to be compared with those of the Unvirtuous Virtuoso。
… Yours ever affectionately； the Unvirtuous Virtuoso；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
SS。 'JANET NICOLL；' OFF UPOLU ＇SPRING 1890＇。
MY DEAREST COLVIN； … I was sharply ill at Sydney； cut off； right
out of bed； in this steamer on a fresh island cruise； and have
already reaped the benefit。 We are excellently found this time； on
a spacious vessel； with an excellent table； the captain；
supercargo； our one fellow…passenger； etc。； very nice； and the
charterer； Mr。 Henderson； the very man I could have chosen。 The
truth is； I fear； this life is the only one that suits me； so long
as I cruise in the South Seas； I shall be well and happy … alas；
no； I do not mean that； and ABSIT OMEN！ … I mean that； so soon as I
cease from cruising； the nerves are strained； the decline
commences； and I steer slowly but surely back to bedward。 We left
Sydney； had a cruel rough passage to Auckland； for the JANET is the
worst roller I was ever aboard of。 I was confined to my cabin；
ports closed； self shied out of the berth； stomach （pampered till
the day I left on a diet of perpetual egg…nogg） revolted at ship's
food and ship eating； in a frowsy bunk； clinging with one hand to
the plate； with the other to the glass； and using the knife and
fork （except at intervals） with the eyelid。 No matter： I picked
up hand over hand。 After a day in Auckland； we set sail again；
were blown up in the main cabin with calcium fires； as we left the
bay。 Let no man say I am unscientific： when I ran； on the alert；
out of my stateroom； and found the main cabin incarnadined with the
glow of the last scene of a pantomime； I stopped dead： 'What is
this？' said I。 'This ship is on fire； I see that； but why a
pantomime？' And I stood and reasoned the point； until my head was
so muddled with the fumes that I could not find the companion。 A
few seconds later； the captain had to enter crawling on his belly；
and took days to recover （if he has recovered） from the fumes。 By
singular good fortune； we got the hose down in time and saved the
ship； but Lloyd lost most of his clothes and a great part of our
photographs was destroyed。 Fanny saw the native sailors tossing
overboard a blazing trunk； she stopped them in time； and behold； it
contained my manuscripts。 Thereafter we had three （or two） days
fine weather： then got into a gale of wind； with rain and a
vexatious sea。 As we drew into our anchorage in a bight of Savage
Island； a man ashore told me afterwards the sight of the JANET
NICOLL made him sick； and indeed it was rough play； though nothing
to the night before。 All through this gale I worked four to six
hours per diem； spearing the ink…bottle like a flying fish； and
holding my papers together as I might。 For； of all things； what I
was at was history … the Samoan business … and I had to turn from
one to another of these piles of manuscript notes； and from one
page to another in each； until I should have found employment for
the hands of Briareus。 All the same； this history is a godsend for
a voyage； I can put in time； getting events co…ordinated and the
narrative distributed； when my much…heaving numskull would be
incapable of finish or fine style。 At Savage we met the missionary
barque JOHN WILLIAMS。 I tell you it was a great day for Savage
Island： the path up the cliffs was crowded with gay islandresses
（I like that feminine plural） who wrapped me in their embraces； and
picked my pockets of all my tobacco； with a manner which a touch
would have made revolting； but as it was； was simply charming； like
the Golden Age。 One pretty； little； stalwart minx； with a red
flower behind her ear； had searched me with extraordinary zeal； and
when； soon after； I missed my matches； I accused her （she still
following us） of being the thief。 After some delay； and with a
subtle smile； she produced the box； gave me ONE MATCH； and put the
rest away again。 Too tired to add more。 … Your most affectionate；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
S。S。 'JANET NICOLL；' OFF PERU ISLAND； KINGSMILLS GROUP； JULY 13th；
'90。
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … I am moved to write to you in the matter of
the end papers。 I am somewhat tempted to begin them again。 Follow
the reasons PRO and CON：…
1st。 I must say I feel as if something in the nature of the end
paper were a desirable finish to the number； and that the
substitutes of occasional essays by occasional contributors somehow
fail to fill t