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rot so long on land？ But on the Banks I caught a cold； and I have
not yet got over it。 My reception here was idiotic to the last
degree。。。。 It is very silly； and not pleasant； except where humour
enters； and I confess the poor interviewer lads pleased me。 They
are too good for their trade； avoided anything I asked them to
avoid； and were no more vulgar in their reports than they could
help。 I liked the lads。
O； it was lovely on our stable…ship； chock full of stallions。 She
rolled heartily； rolled some of the fittings out of our state…room；
and I think a more dangerous cruise （except that it was summer） it
would be hard to imagine。 But we enjoyed it to the masthead； all
but Fanny； and even she perhaps a little。 When we got in； we had
run out of beer； stout； cocoa； soda…water； water； fresh meat； and
（almost） of biscuit。 But it was a thousandfold pleasanter than a
great big Birmingham liner like a new hotel； and we liked the
officers； and made friends with the quartermasters； and I （at
least） made a friend of a baboon （for we carried a cargo of apes）；
whose embraces have pretty near cost me a coat。 The passengers
improved； and were a very good specimen lot； with no drunkard； no
gambling that I saw； and less grumbling and backbiting than one
would have asked of poor human nature。 Apes； stallions； cows；
matches； hay； and poor men…folk； all； or almost all； came
successfully to land。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
＇NEWPORT； U。S。A。； SEPTEMBER 1887。＇
MY DEAR JAMES； … Here we are at Newport in the house of the good
Fairchilds； and a sad burthen we have laid upon their shoulders。 I
have been in bed practically ever since I came。 I caught a cold on
the Banks after having had the finest time conceivable； and enjoyed
myself more than I could have hoped on board our strange floating
menagerie： stallions and monkeys and matches made our cargo； and
the vast continent of these incongruities rolled the while like a
haystack； and the stallions stood hypnotised by the motion； looking
through the ports at our dinner…table； and winked when the crockery
was broken； and the little monkeys stared at each other in their
cages； and were thrown overboard like little bluish babies； and the
big monkey； Jacko； scoured about the ship and rested willingly in
my arms； to the ruin of my clothing； and the man of the stallions
made a bower of the black tarpaulin； and sat therein at the feet of
a raddled divinity； like a picture on a box of chocolates； and the
other passengers； when they were not sick； looked on and laughed。
Take all this picture； and make it roll till the bell shall sound
unexpected notes and the fittings shall break lose in our state…
room； and you have the voyage of the LUDGATE HILL。 She arrived in
the port of New York； without beer； porter； soda…water； curacoa；
fresh meat； or fresh water； and yet we lived； and we regret her。
My wife is a good deal run down； and I am no great shakes。
America is； as I remarked； a fine place to eat in； and a great
place for kindness； but； Lord； what a silly thing is popularity！ I
envy the cool obscurity of Skerryvore。 If it even paid； said
Meanness！ and was abashed at himself。 … Yours most sincerely；
R。 L S。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
＇NEW YORK： END OF SEPTEMBER 1887。＇
MY DEAR S。 C。； … Your delightful letter has just come； and finds me
in a New York hotel； waiting the arrival of a sculptor （St。
Gaudens） who is making a medallion of yours truly and who is （to
boot） one of the handsomest and nicest fellows I have seen。 I
caught a cold on the Banks； fog is not for me； nearly died of
interviewers and visitors； during twenty…four hours in New York；
cut for Newport with Lloyd and Valentine； a journey like fairy…land
for the most engaging beauties； one little rocky and pine…shaded
cove after another； each with a house and a boat at anchor； so that
I left my heart in each and marvelled why American authors had been
so unjust to their country； caught another cold on the train；
arrived at Newport to go to bed and to grow worse； and to stay in
bed until I left again； the Fairchilds proving during this time
kindness itself； Mr。 Fairchild simply one of the most engaging men
in the world； and one of the children； Blair； AET。 ten； a great joy
and amusement in his solemn adoring attitude to the author of
TREASURE ISLAND。
Here I was interrupted by the arrival of my sculptor。 I have
begged him to make a medallion of himself and give me a copy。 I
will not take up the sentence in which I was wandering so long； but
begin fresh。 I was ten or twelve days at Newport； then came back
convalescent to New York。 Fanny and Lloyd are off to the
Adirondacks to see if that will suit； and the rest of us leave
Monday （this is Saturday） to follow them up。 I hope we may manage
to stay there all winter。 I have a splendid appetite and have on
the whole recovered well after a mighty sharp attack。 I am now on
a salary of 500 pounds a year for twelve articles in SCRIBNER'S
MAGAZINE on what I like； it is more than 500 pounds； but I cannot
calculate more precisely。 You have no idea how much is made of me
here； I was offered 2000 pounds for a weekly article … eh heh！ how
is that？ but I refused that lucrative job。 The success of
UNDERWOODS is gratifying。 You see； the verses are sane； that is
their strong point； and it seems it is strong enough to carry them。
A thousand thanks for your grand letter； ever yours；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO W。 E。 HENLEY
NEW YORK ＇SEPTEMBER 1887＇
MY DEAR LAD； … Herewith verses for Dr。 Hake； which please
communicate。 I did my best with the interviewers； I don't know if
Lloyd sent you the result； my heart was too sick： you can do
nothing with them； and yet … literally sweated with anxiety to
please； and took me down in long hand！
I have been quite ill； but go better。 I am being not busted； but
medallioned； by St。 Gaudens； who is a first…rate； plain； high…
minded artist and honest fellow； you would like him down to the
ground。 I believe sculptors are fine fellows when they are not
demons。 O； I am now a salaried person； 600 pounds a year； to write
twelve articles in SCRIBNER'S MAGAZINE； it remains to be seen if it
really pays； huge as the sum is； but the slavery may overweigh me。
I hope you will like my answer to Hake； and specially that he will。
Love to all。 … Yours affectionately；
R。 L。 S。
（LE SALARIE）。
Letter： To R。 A。 M。 STEVENSON
SARANAC LAKE； ADIRONDACKS； NEW YORK； U。S。A。 ＇OCTOBER 1887＇。
MY DEAR BOB； … The cold ＇of Colorado＇ was too rigorous for me； I
could not risk the long railway voyage； and the season was too late
to risk the Eastern； Cape Hatteras side of the steamer one； so here
we stuck and stick。 We have a wooden house on a hill…top；
overlooking a river； and a village about a quarter of a mile away；
and very wooded hills； the whole scene is very Highland； bar want
of heather and the wooden houses。
I have got one good thing of my sea voyage： it is proved the sea
agrees heartily with me； and my mother likes it； so if I get any
better； or no worse； my mother will likely hire a yacht for a month
or so in summer。 Good Lord！ What fun！ Wealth is only useful for
two things： a yacht and a string quartette。 For these two I will
sell my soul。 Except for these I hold that 700 pounds a year is as
much as anybody can possibly want； and I have had more； so I know；
for the extry coins were for no use； excepting for illness； which
damns everything。
I was so happy on board that ship； I could not have believed it
possible。 We had the beastliest weather； and many discomforts； but
the mere fact of its being a tramp…ship gave us many comforts； we
coul