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claret； coffee。 Try to write a poem； no go。 Play the
flageolet。 Then sneakingly off to farmering and pioneering。
Four gangs at work on our place； a lively scene； axes
crashing and smoke blowing； all the knives are out。 But I
rob the garden party of one without a stock； and you should
see my hand … cut to ribbons。 Now I want to do my path up
the Vaituliga single…handed； and I want it to burst on the
public complete。 Hence； with devilish ingenuity； I begin it
at different places； so that if you stumble on one section；
you may not even then suspect the fulness of my labours。
Accordingly； I started in a new place； below the wire； and
hoping to work up to it。 It was perhaps lucky I had so bad a
cutlass； and my smarting hand bid me stay before I had got up
to the wire； but just in season； so that I was only the
better of my activity； not dead beat as yesterday。
A strange business it was； and infinitely solitary； away
above； the sun was in the high tree…tops； the lianas noosed
and sought to hang me； the saplings struggled； and came up
with that sob of death that one gets to know so well； great；
soft； sappy trees fell at a lick of the cutlass； little tough
switches laughed at and dared my best endeavour。 Soon；
toiling down in that pit of verdure； I heard blows on the far
side； and then laughter。 I confess a chill settled on my
heart。
Being so dead alone； in a place where by rights none should
be beyond me； I was aware； upon interrogation； if those blows
had drawn nearer； I should （of course quite unaffectedly）
have executed a strategic movement to the rear； and only the
other day I was lamenting my insensibility to superstition！
Am I beginning to be sucked in？ Shall I become a midnight
twitterer like my neighbours？ At times I thought the blows
were echoes； at times I thought the laughter was from birds。
For our birds are strangely human in their calls。 Vaea
mountain about sundown sometimes rings with shrill cries；
like the hails of merry； scattered children。 As a matter of
fact； I believe stealthy wood…cutters from Tanugamanono were
above me in the wood and answerable for the blows； as for the
laughter； a woman and two children had come and asked Fanny's
leave to go up shrimp…fishing in the burn； beyond doubt； it
was these I heard。 Just at the right time I returned； to
wash down； change； and begin this snatch of letter before
dinner was ready； and to finish it afterwards； before Henry
has yet put in an appearance for his lesson in 'long
explessions。'
Dinner： stewed beef and potatoes； baked bananas； new loaf…
bread hot from the oven； pine…apple in claret。 These are
great days； we have been low in the past； but now are we as
belly…gods； enjoying all things。
WEDNESDAY。 （HIST。 VAILIMA RESUMED。）
A gorgeous evening of after…glow in the great tree…tops and
behind the mountain； and full moon over the lowlands and the
sea； inaugurated a night of horrid cold。 To you effete
denizens of the so…called temperate zone； it had seemed
nothing； neither of us could sleep； we were up seeking extra
coverings； I know not at what hour … it was as bright as day。
The moon right over Vaea … near due west； the birds strangely
silent； and the wood of the house tingling with cold； I
believe it must have been 60 degrees！ Consequence； Fanny has
a headache and is wretched； and I could do no work。 （I am
trying all round for a place to hold my pen； you will hear
why later on； this to explain penmanship。） I wrote two
pages； very bad； no movement； no life or interest； then I
wrote a business letter； then took to tootling on the
flageolet； till glory should call me farmering。
I took up at the fit time Lafaele and Mauga … Mauga； accent
on the first； is a mountain； I don't know what Mauga means …
mind what I told you of the value of g … to the garden； and
set them digging； then turned my attention to the path。 I
could not go into my bush path for two reasons： 1st； sore
hands； 2nd； had on my trousers and good shoes。 Lucky it was。
Right in the wild lime hedge which cuts athwart us just
homeward of the garden； I found a great bed of kuikui …
sensitive plant … our deadliest enemy。 A fool brought it to
this island in a pot； and used to lecture and sentimentalise
over the tender thing。 The tender thing has now taken charge
of this island； and men fight it； with torn hands； for bread
and life。 A singular； insidious thing； shrinking and biting
like a weasel； clutching by its roots as a limpet clutches to
a rock。 As I fought him； I bettered some verses in my poem；
the WOODMAN； the only thought I gave to letters。 Though the
kuikui was thick； there was but a small patch of it； and when
I was done I attacked the wild lime； and had a hand…to…hand
skirmish with its spines and elastic suckers。 All this time；
close by； in the cleared space of the garden； Lafaele and
Mauga were digging。 Suddenly quoth Lafaele； 'Somebody he
sing out。' … 'Somebody he sing out？ All right。 I go。' And
I went and found they had been whistling and 'singing out'
for long； but the fold of the hill and the uncleared bush
shuts in the garden so that no one heard； and I was late for
dinner； and Fanny's headache was cross； and when the meal was
over； we had to cut up a pineapple which was going bad； to
make jelly of； and the next time you have a handful of broken
blood…blisters； apply pine…apple juice； and you will give me
news of it； and I request a specimen of your hand of write
five minutes after … the historic moment when I tackled this
history。 My day so far。
Fanny was to have rested。 Blessed Paul began making a duck…
house； she let him be； the duck…house fell down； and she had
to set her hand to it。 He was then to make a drinking…place
for the pigs； she let him be again … he made a stair by which
the pigs will probably escape this evening； and she was near
weeping。 Impossible to blame the indefatigable fellow；
energy is too rare and goodwill too noble a thing to
discourage； but it's trying when she wants a rest。 Then she
had to cook the dinner； then； of course … like a fool and a
woman … must wait dinner for me； and make a flurry of
herself。 Her day so far。 CETERA ADHUC DESUNT。
FRIDAY … I THINK。
I have been too tired to add to this chronicle； which will at
any rate give you some guess of our employment。 All goes
well； the kuikui … （think of this mispronunciation having
actually infected me to the extent of misspelling！ tuitui is
the word by rights） … the tuitui is all out of the paddock …
a fenced park between the house and boundary； Peni's men
start to…day on the road； the garden is part burned； part
dug； and Henry； at the head of a troop of underpaid
assistants； is hard at work clearing。 The part clearing you
will see from the map； from the house run down to the strea