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of interest and beauty that escaped my ignorance； and the brilliant
colours of your style would have carried into a thousand sickrooms
the sea air and the strong sun of tropic islands。 It was otherwise
decreed。 But suffer me at least to connect you； if only in name
and only in the fondness of imagination； with the voyage of the
'SILVER SHIP。'
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
DEAR SYMONDS； … I send you this （November 11th）； the morning of its
completion。 If I ever write an account of this voyage； may I place
this letter at the beginning？ It represents … I need not tell you；
for you too are an artist … a most genuine feeling； which kept me
long awake last night； and though perhaps a little elaborate； I
think it a good piece of writing。 We are IN HEAVEN HERE。 Do not
forget
R。 L。 S。
Please keep this： I have no perfect copy。
TAUTIRA； ON THE PENINSULA OF TAHITI。
Letter： TO THOMAS ARCHER
TAUTIRA； ISLAND OF TAHITI ＇NOVEMBER 1888＇。
DEAR TOMARCHER； … This is a pretty state of things！ seven o'clock
and no word of breakfast！ And I was awake a good deal last night；
for it was full moon； and they had made a great fire of cocoa…nut
husks down by the sea； and as we have no blinds or shutters； this
kept my room very bright。 And then the rats had a wedding or a
school…feast under my bed。 And then I woke early； and I have
nothing to read except Virgil's AENEID； which is not good fun on an
empty stomach； and a Latin dictionary； which is good for naught；
and by some humorous accident； your dear papa's article on
Skerryvore。 And I read the whole of that； and very impudent it is；
but you must not tell your dear papa I said so； or it might come to
a battle in which you might lose either a dear papa or a valued
correspondent； or both； which would be prodigal。 And still no
breakfast； so I said 'Let's write to Tomarcher。'
This is a much better place for children than any I have hitherto
seen in these seas。 The girls （and sometimes the boys） play a very
elaborate kind of hopscotch。 The boys play horses exactly as we do
in Europe； and have very good fun on stilts； trying to knock each
other down； in which they do not often succeed。 The children of
all ages go to church and are allowed to do what they please；
running about the aisles； rolling balls； stealing mamma's bonnet
and publicly sitting on it； and at last going to sleep in the
middle of the floor。 I forgot to say that the whips to play
horses； and the balls to roll about the church … at least I never
saw them used elsewhere … grow ready made on trees； which is rough
on toy…shops。 The whips are so good that I wanted to play horses
myself； but no such luck！ my hair is grey； and I am a great； big；
ugly man。 The balls are rather hard； but very light and quite
round。 When you grow up and become offensively rich； you can
charter a ship in the port of London； and have it come back to you
entirely loaded with these balls； when you could satisfy your mind
as to their character； and give them away when done with to your
uncles and aunts。 But what I really wanted to tell you was this：
besides the tree…top toys （Hush…a…by； toy…shop； on the tree…top！）；
I have seen some real MADE toys； the first hitherto observed in the
South Seas。
This was how。 You are to imagine a four…wheeled gig； one horse； in
the front seat two Tahiti natives； in their Sunday clothes； blue
coat； white shirt； kilt （a little longer than the Scotch） of a blue
stuff with big white or yellow flowers； legs and feet bare； in the
back seat me and my wife； who is a friend of yours； under our feet；
plenty of lunch and things： among us a great deal of fun in broken
Tahitian； one of the natives； the sub…chief of the village； being a
great ally of mine。 Indeed we have exchanged names； so that he is
now called Rui； the nearest they can come to Louis； for they have
no L and no S in their language。 Rui is six feet three in his
stockings； and a magnificent man。 We all have straw hats； for the
sun is strong。 We drive between the sea； which makes a great
noise； and the mountains； the road is cut through a forest mostly
of fruit trees； the very creepers； which take the place of our ivy；
heavy with a great and delicious fruit； bigger than your head and
far nicer； called Barbedine。 Presently we came to a house in a
pretty garden； quite by itself； very nicely kept； the doors and
windows open； no one about； and no noise but that of the sea。 It
looked like a house in a fairy…tale； and just beyond we must ford a
river； and there we saw the inhabitants。 Just in the mouth of the
river； where it met the sea waves； they were ducking and bathing
and screaming together like a covey of birds： seven or eight
little naked brown boys and girls as happy as the day was long； and
on the banks of the stream beside them； real toys … toy ships； full
rigged； and with their sails set； though they were lying in the
dust on their beam ends。 And then I knew for sure they were all
children in a fairy…story； living alone together in that lonely
house with the only toys in all the island； and that I had myself
driven； in my four…wheeled gig； into a corner of the fairy…story；
and the question was； should I get out again？ But it was all
right； I guess only one of the wheels of the gig had got into the
fairy…story； and the next jolt the whole thing vanished； and we
drove on in our sea…side forest as before； and I have the honour to
be Tomarcher's valued correspondent； TERIITEPA； which he was
previously known as
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
YACHT 'CASCO；' AT SEA； 14TH JANUARY； 1889。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Twenty days out from Papeete。 Yes； sir； all
that； and only （for a guess） in 4 degrees north or at the best 4
degrees 30 minutes； though already the wind seems to smell a little
of the North Pole。 My handwriting you must take as you get； for we
are speeding along through a nasty swell； and I can only keep my
place at the table by means of a foot against the divan； the
unoccupied hand meanwhile gripping the ink…bottle。 As we begin （so
very slowly） to draw near to seven months of correspondence； we are
all in some fear； and I want to have letters written before I shall
be plunged into that boiling pot of disagreeables which I
constantly expect at Honolulu。 What is needful can be added there。
We were kept two months at Tautira in the house of my dear old
friend； Ori a Ori； till both the masts of this invaluable yacht had
been repaired。 It was all for the best： Tautira being the most
beautiful spot； and its people the most amiable； I have ever found。
Besides which； the climate suited me to the ground； I actually went
sea…bathing almost every day； and in our feasts （we are all huge
eaters in Taiarapu） have been known to apply four times for pig。
And then again I got wonderful materials for my book； collected
songs and legends on the spot； songs still sung in chorus by
perhaps a hundred persons； not two of whom can agree on their
translation； legends； on which I have seen half a dozen seniors
sitting in conclave and debating what came next。 Once I went a
day's journey to the other side of the island to Tati； the high
chief of the Tevas … MY chief that is； for I am now a Teva and
Teriitera； at your service … to collect more and correct what I had
already。 In the meanwhile I got on with my work； almost finished
the MASTER OF BALLANTRAE； which contains more human work than
anything of mine but KIDNAPPED； and wrote the half of another
ballad； the SONG OF RAHERO； on a Taiarapu legend of my own clan；
sir … not so much fire as the FEAST OF FAMINE； but promising to be
more even and correct。 But the best fortune of our stay at Tautira
was my knowledge of Ori himself； one of the finest creatures
ext