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destiny throughout； and live a voluntary exile； and have my
head filled with the blessed； beastly place all the time！
And now a word as regards the delusions of the dear Ross； who
remembers； I believe； my letters and Fanny's when we were
first installed； and were really hoeing a hard row。 We have
salad； beans； cabbages； tomatoes； asparagus； kohl…rabi；
oranges； limes； barbadines； pine…apples； Cape gooseberries …
galore； pints of milk and cream； fresh meat five days a week。
It is the rarest thing for any of us to touch a tin； and the
gnashing of teeth when it has to be done is dreadful … for no
one who has not lived on them for six months knows what the
Hatred of the Tin is。 As for exposure； my weakness is
certainly the reverse； I am sometimes a month without leaving
the verandah … for my sins； be it said！ Doubtless； when I go
about and； as the Doctor says； 'expose myself to malaria；' I
am in far better health； and I would do so more too … for I
do not mean to be silly … but the difficulties are great。
However； you see how much the dear Doctor knows of my diet
and habits！ Malaria practically does not exist in these
islands； it is a negligeable quantity。 What really bothers
us a little is the mosquito affair … the so…called
elephantiasis … ask Ross about it。 A real romance of natural
history； QUOI！
Hi！ stop！ you say THE EBB TIDE is the 'working out of an
artistic problem of a kind。' Well； I should just bet it was！
You don't like Attwater。 But look at my three rogues；
they're all there； I'll go bail。 Three types of the bad man；
the weak man； and the strong man with a weakness； that are
gone through and lived out。
Yes； of course I was sorry for Mataafa； but a good deal
sorrier and angrier about the mismanagement of all the white
officials。 I cannot bear to write about that。 Manono all
destroyed； one house standing in Apolima； the women stripped；
the prisoners beaten with whips … and the women's heads taken
… all under white auspices。 And for upshot and result of so
much shame to the white powers … Tamasese already conspiring！
as I knew and preached in vain must be the case！ Well； well；
it is no fun to meddle in politics！
I suppose you're right about Simon。 But it is Symon
throughout in that blessed little volume my father bought for
me in Inverness in the year of grace '81； I believe … the
trial of James Stewart； with the Jacobite pamphlet and the
dying speech appended … out of which the whole of Davie has
already been begotten； and which I felt it a kind of loyalty
to follow。 I really ought to have it bound in velvet and
gold； if I had any gratitude！ and the best of the lark is；
that the name of David Balfour is not anywhere within the
bounds of it。
A pretty curious instance of the genesis of a book。 I am
delighted at your good word for DAVID； I believe the two
together make up much the best of my work and perhaps of what
is in me。 I am not ashamed of them； at least。 There is one
hitch； instead of three hours between the two parts； I fear
there have passed three years over Davie's character； but do
not tell anybody； see if they can find it out for themselves；
and no doubt his experiences in KIDNAPPED would go far to
form him。 I would like a copy to go to G。 Meredith。
WEDNESDAY。
Well； here is a new move。 It is likely I may start with
Graham next week and go to Honolulu to meet the other steamer
and return： I do believe a fortnight at sea would do me good；
yet I am not yet certain。 The crowded UP…steamer sticks in
my throat。
TUESDAY； 12TH SEPT。
Yesterday was perhaps the brightest in the annals of Vailima。
I got leave from Captain Bickford to have the band of the
KATOOMBA come up； and they came； fourteen of 'em； with drum；
fife； cymbals and bugles； blue jackets； white caps； and
smiling faces。 The house was all decorated with scented
greenery above and below。 We had not only our own nine out…
door workers； but a contract party that we took on in charity
to pay their war…fine； the band besides； as it came up the
mountain； had collected a following of children by the way；
and we had a picking of Samoan ladies to receive them。
Chicken； ham； cake； and fruits were served out with coffee
and lemonade； and all the afternoon we had rounds of claret
negus flavoured with rum and limes。 They played to us； they
danced； they sang； they tumbled。 Our boys came in the end of
the verandah and gave THEM a dance for a while。 It was
anxious work getting this stopped once it had begun； but I
knew the band was going on a programme。 Finally they gave
three cheers for Mr。 and Mrs。 Stevens； shook hands； formed up
and marched off playing … till a kicking horse in the paddock
put their pipes out something of the suddenest … we thought
the big drum was gone； but Simele flew to the rescue。 And so
they wound away down the hill with ever another call of the
bugle； leaving us extinct with fatigue； but perhaps the most
contented hosts that ever watched the departure of successful
guests。 Simply impossible to tell how well these blue…
jackets behaved； a most interesting lot of men； this
education of boys for the navy is making a class； wholly
apart … how shall I call them？ … a kind of lower…class public
school boy； well…mannered； fairly intelligent； sentimental as
a sailor。 What is more shall be writ on board ship if
anywhere。
Please send CATRIONA to G。 Meredith。
S。 S。 MARIPOSA。
To…morrow I reach Honolulu。 Good…morning to your honour。 R。
L。 S。
CHAPTER XXXIV
WAIKIKI； HONOLULU； H。 1。
OCT。 23rd； 1893。
DEAR COLVIN； … My wife came up on the steamer and we go home
together in 2 days。 I am practically all right； only sleepy
and tired easily； slept yesterday from 11 to 11。45； from 1 to
2。50； went to bed at 8 P。M。； and with an hour's interval
slept till 6 A。M。； close upon 14 hours out of the 24。 We
sail to…morrow。 I am anxious to get home； though this has
been an interesting visit； and politics have been curious
indeed to study。 We go to P。P。C。 on the 'Queen' this
morning； poor； recluse lady； ABREUVEE D'INJURES QU'ELLE EST。
Had a rather annoying lunch on board the American man…of…war；
with a member of the P。G。 （provincial government）； and a good
deal of anti…royalist talk； which I had to sit out … not only
for my host's sake； but my fellow guests。 At last； I took
the lead and changed the conversation。
R。 L。 S。
I am being busted here by party named Hutchinson。 Seems
good。
＇VAILIMA … NOVEMBER。＇
Home again； and found all well； thank God。 I am perfectly
well again and ruddier than the cherry。 Please note that
8000 is not bad for a volume of short stories； the MERRY MEN
did a good deal worse； the short story never sells。 I hope
CATRIONA will do； t