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of New Zealand。 He spotted what my complaint was； told me that I
had no business to stay in Europe； that I should find all I cared
for； and all that was good for me； in the Navigator Islands； sat up
till four in the morning persuading me； demolishing my scruples。
And I resisted： I refused to go so far from my father and mother。
O； it was virtuous； and O； wasn't it silly！ But my father； who was
always my dearest； got to his grave without that pang； and now in
1890； I （or what is left of me） go at last to the Navigator
Islands。 God go with us！ It is but a Pisgah sight when all is
said； I go there only to grow old and die； but when you come； you
will see it is a fair place for the purpose。
Flaubert has not turned up； I hope he will soon； I knew of him only
through Maxime Descamps。 … With kindest messages to yourself and
all of yours； I remain；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
CHAPTER XI … LIFE IN SAMOA； NOVEMBER 1890…DECEMBER 1892
Letter： TO E。 L BURLINGAME
VAILIMA； APIA； SAMOA； NOV。 7； 1890。
I WISH you to add to the words at the end of the prologue； they
run； I think； thus； 'And this is the yarn of Loudon Dodd'； add；
'not as he told； but as he wrote it afterwards for his diversion。'
This becomes the more needful； because； when all is done； I shall
probably revert to Tai…o…hae； and give final details about the
characters in the way of a conversation between Dodd and Havers。
These little snippets of information and FAITS…DIVERS have always a
disjointed； broken…backed appearance； yet； readers like them。 In
this book we have introduced so many characters； that this kind of
epilogue will be looked for； and I rather hope； looking far ahead；
that I can lighten it in dialogue。
We are well past the middle now。 How does it strike you？ and can
you guess my mystery？ It will make a fattish volume！
I say； have you ever read the HIGHLAND WIDOW？ I never had till
yesterday： I am half inclined； bar a trip or two； to think it
Scott's masterpiece； and it has the name of a failure！ Strange
things are readers。
I expect proofs and revises in duplicate。
We have now got into a small barrack at our place。 We see the sea
six hundred feet below filling the end of two vales of forest。 On
one hand the mountain runs above us some thousand feet higher；
great trees stand round us in our clearing； there is an endless
voice of birds； I have never lived in such a heaven； just now； I
have fever； which mitigates but not destroys my gusto in my
circumstances。 … You may envy
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
。 。 。 O； I don't know if I mentioned that having seen your new tail
to the magazine； I cried off interference； at least for this trip。
Did I ask you to send me my books and papers； and all the bound
volumes of the mag。？ QUORUM PARS。 I might add that were there a
good book or so … new … I don't believe there is … such would be
welcome。
I desire … I positively begin to awake … to be remembered to
Scribner； Low； St。 Gaudens； Russell Sullivan。 Well； well； you
fellows have the feast of reason and the flow of soul； I have a
better…looking place and climate： you should hear the birds on the
hill now！ The day has just wound up with a shower； it is still
light without； though I write within here at the cheek of a lamp；
my wife and an invaluable German are wrestling about bread on the
back verandah； and how the birds and the frogs are rattling； and
piping； and hailing from the woods！ Here and there a throaty
chuckle； here and there； cries like those of jolly children who
have lost their way； here and there； the ringing sleigh…bell of the
tree frog。 Out and away down below me on the sea it is still
raining； it will be wet under foot on schooners； and the house will
leak； how well I know that！ Here the showers only patter on the
iron roof； and sometimes roar； and within； the lamp burns steady on
the tafa…covered walls； with their dusky tartan patterns； and the
book…shelves with their thin array of books； and no squall can rout
my house or bring my heart into my mouth。 … The well…pleased South
Sea Islander；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO E。 L。 BURLINGAME
＇VAILIMA； DECEMBER 1890。＇
MY DEAR BURLINGAME； … By some diabolical accident； I have mislaid
your last。 What was in it？ I know not； and here I am caught
unexpectedly by the American mail； a week earlier than by
computation。 The computation； not the mail； is supposed to be in
error。 The vols。 of SCRIBNER'S have arrived； and present a noble
appearance in my house； which is not a noble structure at present。
But by autumn we hope to be sprawling in our verandah； twelve feet；
sir； by eighty…eight in front； and seventy…two on the flank； view
of the sea and mountains； sunrise； moonrise； and the German fleet
at anchor three miles away in Apia harbour。 I hope some day to
offer you a bowl of kava there； or a slice of a pineapple； or some
lemonade from my own hedge。 'I know a hedge where the lemons grow'
… SHAKESPEARE。 My house at this moment smells of them strong； and
the rain； which a while ago roared there； now rings in minute drops
upon the iron roof。 I have no WRECKER for you this mail； other
things having engaged me。 I was on the whole rather relieved you
did not vote for regular papers； as I feared the traces。 It is my
design from time to time to write a paper of a reminiscential
（beastly word） description； some of them I could scarce publish
from different considerations； but some of them … for instance； my
long experience of gambling places … Homburg； Wiesbaden； Baden…
Baden； old Monaco； and new Monte Carlo … would make good magazine
padding； if I got the stuff handled the right way。 I never could
fathom why verse was put in magazines； it has something to do with
the making…up； has it not？ I am scribbling a lot just now； if you
are taken badly that way； apply to the South Seas。 I could send
you some； I believe； anyway； only none of it is thoroughly ripe。
If kept back the volume of ballads； I'll soon make it a respectable
size if this fit continue。 By the next mail you may expect some
more WRECKER； or I shall be displeased。 Probably no more than a
chapter； however； for it is a hard one； and I am denuded of my
proofs； my collaborator having walked away with them to England；
hence some trouble in catching the just note。
I am a mere farmer： my talk； which would scarce interest you on
Broadway； is all of fuafua and tuitui； and black boys； and planting
and weeding； and axes and cutlasses； my hands are covered with
blisters and full of thorns； letters are； doubtless； a fine thing；
so are beer and skittles； but give me farmering in the tropics for
real interest。 Life goes in enchantment； I come home to find I am
late for dinner； and when I go to bed at night； I could cry for the
weariness of my loins and thighs。 Do not speak to me of vexation；
the life brims with it； but with living interest fairly。
Christmas I go to Auckland； to meet Tamate； the New Guinea
missionary； a man I love。 The rest of my life is a prospect of
much rain； much weeding and making of paths； a little letters； and
devilish little to eat。 … I am； my dear Burlingame； with messages
to all whom it may concern； very sincerely yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
VAILIMA； APIA； SAMOA； DECEMBER 29TH； 1890。
MY DEAR HENRY JAMES； … It is terrible how little everybody writes；
and how much of that little disappears in the capacious maw of the
Post Office。 Many letters； both from and to me； I now know to have
been lost in transit： my eye is on the Sydney Post Office； a large
ungainly structure with a tower； as being not a hundred miles from
the scene of disappearance； but then I have no proof。 THE TRAGIC
MUSE you an