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MONDAY； 10TH。
Some news that Mataafa is gone to Savaii by way of Manono；
this may mean a great deal more warfaring； and no great
issue。 （When Sosimo came in this morning with my breakfast
he had to lift me up。 It is no joke to play lawn tennis
after carrying your right arm in a sling so many years。）
What a hard； unjust business this is！ On the 28th； if
Mataafa had moved； he could have still swept Mulinuu。 He
waited； and I fear he is now only the stick of a rocket。
WEDNESDAY； 12TH。
No more political news； but many rumours。 The government
troops are off to Manono； no word of Mataafa。 O； there is a
passage in my mother's letter which puzzles me as to a date。
Is it next Christmas you are coming？ or the Christmas after？
This is most important； and must be understood at once。 If
it is next Christmas； I could not go to Ceylon； for lack of
gold； and you would have to adopt one of the following
alternatives： 1st； either come straight on here and pass a
month with us； 'tis the rainy season； but we have often
lovely weather。 Or （2nd） come to Hawaii and I will meet you
there。 Hawaii is only a week's sail from S。 Francisco；
making only about sixteen days on the heaving ocean； and the
steamers run once a fortnight； so that you could turn round；
and you could thus pass a day or two in the States … a
fortnight even … and still see me。 But I have sworn to take
no further excursions till I have money saved to pay for
them； and to go to Ceylon and back would be torture unless I
had a lot。 You must answer this at once； please； so that I
may know what to do。 We would dearly like you to come on
here。 I'll tell you how it can be done； I can come up and
meet you at Hawaii； and if you had at all got over your sea…
sickness； I could just come on board and we could return
together to Samoa； and you could have a month of our life
here； which I believe you could not help liking。 Our horses
are the devil； of course； miserable screws； and some of them
a little vicious。 I had a dreadful fright … the passage in
my mother's letter is recrossed and I see it says the end of
/94： so much the better； then； but I would like to submit to
you my alternative plan。 I could meet you at Hawaii； and
reconduct you to Hawaii； so that we could have a full six
weeks together and I believe a little over； and you would see
this place of mine； and have a sniff of native life； native
foods； native houses … and perhaps be in time to see the
German flag raised； who knows？ … and we could generally yarn
for all we were worth。 I should like you to see Vailima； and
I should be curious to know how the climate affected you。 It
is quite hit or miss； it suits me； it suits Graham； it suits
all our family； others it does not suit at all。 It is either
gold or poison。 I rise at six； the rest at seven； lunch is
at 12； at five we go to lawn tennis till dinner at six； and
to roost early。
A man brought in a head to Mulinuu in great glory； they
washed the black paint off； and behold！ it was his brother。
When I last heard he was sitting in his house； with the head
upon his lap； and weeping。 Barbarous war is an ugly
business； but I believe the civilised is fully uglier； but
Lord！ what fun！
I should say we now have definite news that there are THREE
women's heads； it was difficult to get it out of the natives；
who are all ashamed； and the women all in terror of
reprisals。 Nothing has been done to punish or disgrace these
hateful innovators。 It was a false report that the head had
been returned。
THURSDAY； 13TH；
Mataafa driven away from Savaii。 I cannot write about this；
and do not know what should be the end of it。
MONDAY； 17TH。
Haggard and Ahrens （a German clerk） to lunch yesterday。
There is no real certain news yet： I must say； no man could
SWEAR to any result； but the sky looks horribly black for
Mataafa and so many of our friends along with him。 The thing
has an abominable； a beastly； nightmare interest。 But it's
wonderful generally how little one cares about the wounded；
hospital sights； etc。； things that used to murder me。 I was
far more struck with the excellent way in which things were
managed； as if it had been a peep…show； I held some of the
things at an operation； and did not care a dump。
TUESDAY； 18TH。
Sunday came the KATOOMBA； Captain Bickford； C。M。G。
Yesterday； Graham and I went down to call； and find he has
orders to suppress Mataafa at once； and has to go down to…day
before daybreak to Manono。 He is a very capable； energetic
man； if he had only come ten days ago； all this would have
gone by； but now the questions are thick and difficult。 （1）
Will Mataafa surrender？ （2） Will his people allow themselves
to be disarmed？ （3） What will happen to them if they do？
（4） What will any of them believe after former deceptions？
The three consuls were scampering on horseback to Leulumoega
to the King； no Cusack…Smith； without whose accession I could
not send a letter to Mataafa。 I rode up here； wrote my
letter in the sweat of the concordance and with the able…
bodied help of Lloyd … and dined。 Then down in continual
showers and pitchy darkness； and to Cusack…Smith's； not re…
returned。 Back to the inn for my horse； and to C。…S。's； when
I find him just returned and he accepts my letter。 Thence
home； by 12。30； jolly tired and wet。 And to…day have been in
a crispation of energy and ill…temper； raking my wretched
mail together。 It is a hateful business； waiting for the
news； it may come to a fearful massacre yet。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XXXII
AUGUST； 1893。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Quite impossible to write。 Your letter is
due to…day； a nasty； rainy…like morning with huge blue
clouds； and a huge indigo shadow on the sea； and my lamp
still burning at near 7。 Let me humbly give you news。 Fanny
seems on the whole the most； or the only； powerful member of
the family； for some days she has been the Flower of the
Flock。 Belle is begging for quinine。 Lloyd and Graham have
both been down with 'belly belong him' （Black Boy speech）。
As for me； I have to lay aside my lawn tennis； having （as was
to be expected） had a smart but eminently brief hemorrhage。
I am also on the quinine flask。 I have been re…casting the
beginning of the HANGING JUDGE or WEIR OF HERMISTON； then I
have been cobbling on my grandfather； whose last chapter
（there are only to be four） is in the form of pieces of
paper； a huge welter of inconsequence； and that glimmer of
faith （or hope） which one learns at this trade； that somehow
and some time； by perpetual staring and glowering and
rewriting； order will emerge。 It is indeed a queer hope；
there is one piece for instance that I want in … I cannot put
it one place for a