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DEUS EX MACHINA。 I THINK just now of calling it THE TAIL OF
THE RACE； no … heavens！ I never saw till this moment … but
of course nobody but myself would ever understand Mill…Race；
they would think of a quarter…mile。 So … I am nameless
again。 My melancholy young man is to be quite a Romeo。 Yes；
I'll name the book from him： DYCE OF YTHAN … pronounce
Eethan。
Dyce of Ythan
by R。 L。 S。
O； Shovel … Shovel waits his turn； he and his ancestors。 I
would have tackled him before； but my STATE TRIALS have never
come。 So that I have now quite planned：…
Dyce of Ythan。 （Historical； 1750。）
Sophia Scarlet。 （To…day。）
The Shovels of Newton French。 （Historical； 1650 to 1830。）
And quite planned and part written：…
The Pearl Fisher。 （To…day。） （With Lloyd a machine。）
David Balfour。 （Historical； 1751。）
And； by a strange exception for R。 L。 S。； all in the third
person except D。 B。
I don't know what day this is now （the 29th）； but I have
finished my two chapters； ninth and tenth； of SAMOA in time
for the mail； and feel almost at peace。 The tenth was the
hurricane； a difficult problem； it so tempted one to be
literary； and I feel sure the less of that there is in my
little handbook； the more chance it has of some utility。
Then the events are complicated； seven ships to tell of； and
sometimes three of them together； O； it was quite a job。 But
I think I have my facts pretty correct； and for once； in my
sickening yarn； they are handsome facts： creditable to all
concerned； not to be written of … and I should think； scarce
to be read … without a thrill。 I doubt I have got no
hurricane into it； the intricacies of the yarn absorbing me
too much。 But there … it's done somehow； and time presses
hard on my heels。 The book； with my best expedition； may
come just too late to be of use。 In which case I shall have
made a handsome present of some months of my life for nothing
and to nobody。 Well； through Her the most ancient heavens
are fresh and strong。
30TH。
After I had written you； I re…read my hurricane； which is
very poor； the life of the journalist is hard； another couple
of writings and I could make a good thing； I believe； and it
must go as it is！ But； of course； this book is not written
for honour and glory； and the few who will read it may not
know the difference。 Very little time。 I go down with the
mail shortly； dine at the Chinese restaurant； and go to the
club to dance with islandresses。 Think of my going out once
a week to dance。
Politics are on the full job again； and we don't know what is
to come next。 I think the whole treaty RAJ seems quite
played out！ They have taken to bribing the FAIPULE men
（parliament men） to stay in Mulinuu； we hear； but I have not
yet sifted the rumour。 I must say I shall be scarce
surprised if it prove true； these rumours have the knack of
being right。 … Our weather this last month has been
tremendously hot； not by the thermometer； which sticks at 86
degrees； but to the sensation： no rain； no wind； and this the
storm month。 It looks ominous； and is certainly
disagreeable。
No time to finish；
Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XVIII
MAY 1ST。 1892。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … As I rode down last night about six； I saw
a sight I must try to tell you of。 In front of me； right
over the top of the forest into which I was descending was a
vast cloud。 The front of it accurately represented the
somewhat rugged； long…nosed； and beetle…browed profile of a
man； crowned by a huge Kalmuck cap； the flesh part was of a
heavenly pink； the cap； the moustache； the eyebrows were of a
bluish gray； to see this with its childish exactitude of
design and colour； and hugeness of scale … it covered at
least 25 degrees … held me spellbound。 As I continued to
gaze； the expression began to change； he had the exact air of
closing one eye； dropping his jaw； and drawing down his nose；
had the thing not been so imposing； I could have smiled； and
then almost in a moment； a shoulder of leaden…coloured bank
drove in front and blotted it。 My attention spread to the
rest of the cloud； and it was a thing to worship。 It rose
from the horizon； and its top was within thirty degrees of
the zenith； the lower parts were like a glacier in shadow；
varying from dark indigo to a clouded white in exquisite
gradations。 The sky behind； so far as I could see； was all
of a blue already enriched and darkened by the night； for the
hill had what lingered of the sunset。 But the top of my
Titanic cloud flamed in broad sunlight； with the most
excellent softness and brightness of fire and jewels；
enlightening all the world。 It must have been far higher
than Mount Everest； and its glory； as I gazed up at it out of
the night； was beyond wonder。 Close by rode the little
crescent moon； and right over its western horn； a great
planet of about equal lustre with itself。 The dark woods
below were shrill with that noisy business of the birds'
evening worship。 When I returned； after eight； the moon was
near down； she seemed little brighter than before； but now
that the cloud no longer played its part of a nocturnal sun；
we could see that sight； so rare with us at home that it was
counted a portent； so customary in the tropics； of the dark
sphere with its little gilt band upon the belly。 The planet
had been setting faster； and was now below the crescent。
They were still of an equal brightness。
I could not resist trying to reproduce this in words； as a
specimen of these incredibly beautiful and imposing meteors
of the tropic sky that make so much of my pleasure here；
though a ship's deck is the place to enjoy them。 O what
AWFUL scenery； from a ship's deck； in the tropics！ People
talk about the Alps； but the clouds of the trade wind are
alone for sublimity。
Now to try and tell you what has been happening。 The state
of these islands； and of Mataafa and Laupepa （Malietoa's
AMBO） had been much on my mind。 I went to the priests and
sent a message to Mataafa； at a time when it was supposed he
was about to act。 He did not act； delaying in true native
style； and I determined I should go to visit him。 I have
been very good not to go sooner； to live within a few miles
of a rebel camp； to be a novelist； to have all my family
forcing me to go； and to refrain all these months； counts for
virtue。 But hearing that several people had gone and the
government done nothing to punish them； and having an errand
there which was enough to justify myself in my own eyes； I
half determined to go； and spoke of it with the half…caste
priest。 And here （confound it） up came Laupepa and his
guards to call on me； we kept him to lunch； and the old
gentleman was very good and amiable。 He asked me why I had
not been to see him？ I