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anniversary of my marriage。 A letter usually takes me from a
week to three days； but I'm sometimes two days on a page … I
was once three … and then my friends kick me。 C'EST…Y…BETE！
I wish letters of that charming quality could be so timed as
to arrive when a fellow wasn't working at the truck in
question； but； of course； that can't be。 Did not go down
last night。 It showered all afternoon； and poured heavy and
loud all night。
You should have seen our twenty…five popes （the Samoan phrase
for a Catholic； lay or cleric） squatting when the day's work
was done on the ground outside the verandah； and pouring in
the rays of forty…eight eyes through the back and the front
door of the dining…room； while Henry and I and the boss pope
signed the contract。 The second boss （an old man） wore a
kilt （as usual） and a Balmoral bonnet with a little tartan
edging and the tails pulled off。 I told him that hat belong
to my country … Sekotia； and he said； yes； that was the place
that he belonged to right enough。 And then all the Papists
laughed till the woods rang； he was slashing away with a
cutlass as he spoke。
The pictures have decidedly not come； they may probably
arrive Sunday。
CHAPTER IX
JUNE； 1891。
SIR； … To you； under your portrait； which is； in expression；
your true； breathing self； and up to now saddens me； in time；
and soon； I shall be glad to have it there； it is still only
a reminder of your absence。 Fanny wept when we unpacked it；
and you know how little she is given to that mood； I was
scarce Roman myself； but that does not count … I lift up my
voice so readily。 These are good compliments to the artist。
I write in the midst of a wreck of books； which have just
come up； and have for once defied my labours to get straight。
The whole floor is filled with them； and （what's worse） most
of the shelves forbye； and where they are to go to； and what
is to become of the librarian； God knows。 It is hot to…
night； and has been airless all day； and I am out of sorts；
and my work sticks； the devil fly away with it and me。 We
had an alarm of war since last I wrote my screeds to you； and
it blew over； and is to blow on again； and the rumour goes
they are to begin by killing all the whites。 I have no
belief in this； and should be infinitely sorry if it came to
pass … I do not mean for US； that were otiose … but for the
poor； deluded schoolboys； who should hope to gain by such a
step。
＇LETTER RESUMED。＇
JUNE 20TH。
No diary this time。 Why？ you ask。 I have only sent out four
Letters； and two chapters of the WRECKER。 Yes； but to get
these I have written 132 pp。； 66；000 words in thirty days；
2200 words a day； the labours of an elephant。 God knows what
it's like； and don't ask me； but nobody shall say I have
spared pains。 I thought for some time it wouldn't come at
all。 I was days and days over the first letter of the lot …
days and days writing and deleting and making no headway
whatever； till I thought I should have gone bust； but it came
at last after a fashion； and the rest went a thought more
easily； though I am not so fond as to fancy any better。
Your opinion as to the letters as a whole is so damnatory
that I put them by。 But there is a 'hell of a want of' money
this year。 And these Gilbert Island papers； being the most
interesting in matter； and forming a compact whole； and being
well illustrated； I did think of as a possible resource。
It would be called
SIX MONTHS IN MELANESIA；
TWO ISLAND KINGS；
… MONARCHIES；
GILBERT ISLAND KINGS；
… MONARCHIES；
and I daresay I'll think of a better yet … and would divide
thus：…
BUTARITATI。
I。 A Town asleep。
II。 The Three Brothers。
III。 Around our House。
IV。 A Tale of a Tapu。
V。 The Five Day's Festival。
VI。 Domestic Life … （which might be omitted； but not well；
better be recast）。
THE KING OF APEMAMA。
VII。 The Royal Traders。
VIII。 Foundation of Equator Town。
IX。 The Palace of Mary Warren。
X。 Equator Town and the Palace。
XI。 King and Commons。
XII。 The Devil Work Box。
XIII。 The Three Corslets。
XIV。 Tail piece； the Court upon a Journey。
I wish you to watch these closely； judging them as a whole；
and treating them as I have asked you； and favour me with
your damnatory advice。 I look up at your portrait； and it
frowns upon me。 You seem to view me with reproach。 The
expression is excellent； Fanny wept when she saw it； and you
know she is not given to the melting mood。 She seems really
better； I have a touch of fever again； I fancy overwork； and
to…day； when I have overtaken my letters； I shall blow on my
pipe。 Tell Mrs。 S。 I have been playing LE CHANT D'AMOUR
lately； and have arranged it； after awful trouble； rather
prettily for two pipes； and it brought her before me with an
effect scarce short of hallucination。 I could hear her voice
in every note； yet I had forgot the air entirely； and began
to pipe it from notes as something new； when I was brought up
with a round turn by this reminiscence。 We are now very much
installed； the dining…room is done； and looks lovely。 Soon
we shall begin to photograph and send you our circumstances。
My room is still a howling wilderness。 I sleep on a platform
in a window； and strike my mosquito bar and roll up my
bedclothes every morning； so that the bed becomes by day a
divan。 A great part of the floor is knee…deep in books； yet
nearly all the shelves are filled； alas！ It is a place to
make a pig recoil； yet here are my interminable labours begun
daily by lamp…light； and sometimes not yet done when the lamp
has once more to be lighted。 The effect of pictures in this
place is surprising。 They give great pleasure。
JUNE 21ST。
A word more。 I had my breakfast this morning at 4。30！ My
new cook has beaten me and （as Lloyd says） revenged all the
cooks in the world。 I have been hunting them to give me
breakfast early since I was twenty； and now here comes Mr。
Ratke； and I have to plead for mercy。 I cannot stand 4。30； I
am a mere fevered wreck； it is now half…past eight； and I can
no more； and four hours divide me from lunch； the devil take
the man！ Yesterday it was about 5。30； which I can stand； day
before 5； which is bad enough； to…day； I give out。 It is
like a London season； and as I do not take a siesta once in a
month； and then only five minutes； I am being worn to the
bones； and look aged and anxious。
We have Rider Haggard's brother here as a Land Commissioner；
a nice kind of a fellow； indeed； all the three Land
Commissioners are very agreeable。
CHAPTER X
SUNDAY； SEPT。 5 （？）； 1891。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Yours from Lochinver has just come。 You
ask me if I am ever homesick for the Hi