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dollars。 Glad you liked the Scott voyage； rather more than I did
upon the whole。 As the proofs have not turned up at all； there can
be no question of returning them； and I am therefore very much
pleased to think you have arranged not to wait。 The volumes of
Adams arrived along with yours of October 6th。 One of the
dictionaries has also blundered home； apparently from the Colonies；
the other is still to seek。 I note and sympathise with your
bewilderment as to FALESA。 My own direct correspondence with Mr。
Baxter is now about three months in abeyance。 Altogether you see
how well it would be if you could do anything to wake up the Post
Office。 Not a single copy of the 'Footnote' has yet reached Samoa；
but I hear of one having come to its address in Hawaii。 Glad to
hear good news of Stoddard。 … Yours sincerely；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
P。S。 … Since the above was written an aftermath of post matter came
in； among which were the proofs of MY GRANDFATHER。 I shall correct
and return them； but as I have lost all confidence in the Post
Office； I shall mention here： first galley； 4th line from the
bottom； for 'AS' read 'OR。'
Should I ever again have to use my work without waiting for proofs；
bear in mind this golden principle。 From a congenital defect； I
must suppose； I am unable to write the word OR … wherever I write
it the printer unerringly puts AS … and those who read for me had
better； wherever it is possible； substitute OR for AS。 This the
more so since many writers have a habit of using AS which is death
to my temper and confusion to my face。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO LIEUTENANT EELES
VAILIMA PLANTATION； UPOLU； SAMOAN ISLANDS； NOVEMBER 15TH； 1892。
DEAR EELES； … In the first place； excuse me writing to you by
another hand； as that is the way in which alone all my
correspondence gets effected。 Before I took to this method； or
rather before I found a victim； it SIMPLY didn't get effected。
Thank you again and again； first for your kind thought of writing
to me； and second for your extremely amusing and interesting
letter。 You can have no guess how immediately interesting it was
to our family。 First of all； the poor soul at Nukufetau is an old
friend of ours； and we have actually treated him ourselves on a
former visit to the island。 I don't know if Hoskin would approve
of our treatment； it consisted； I believe； mostly in a present of
stout and a recommendation to put nails in his water…tank。 We also
（as you seem to have done） recommended him to leave the island； and
I remember very well how wise and kind we thought his answer。 He
had half…caste children （he said） who would suffer and perhaps be
despised if he carried them elsewhere； if he left them there alone；
they would almost certainly miscarry； and the best thing was that
he should stay and die with them。 But the cream of the fun was
your meeting with Burn。 We not only know him； but （as the French
say） we don't know anybody else； he is our intimate and adored
original； and … prepare your mind … he was； is； and ever will be；
TOMMY HADDON！ As I don't believe you to be inspired； I suspect you
to have suspected this。 At least it was a mighty happy suspicion。
You are quite right： Tommy is really 'a good chap；' though about
as comic as they make them。
I was extremely interested in your Fiji legend； and perhaps even
more so in your capital account of the CURACOA'S misadventure。
Alas！ we have nothing so thrilling to relate。 All hangs and fools
on in this isle of misgovernment； without change； though not
without novelty； but wholly without hope； unless perhaps you should
consider it hopeful that I am still more immediately threatened
with arrest。 The confounded thing is； that if it comes off； I
shall be sent away in the Ringarooma instead of the CURACOA。 The
former ship burst upon by the run … she had been sent off by
despatch and without orders … and to make me a little more easy in
my mind she brought newspapers clamouring for my incarceration。
Since then I have had a conversation with the German Consul。 He
said he had read a review of my Samoa book； and if the review were
fair； must regard it as an insult； and one that would have to be
resented。 At the same time； I learn that letters addressed to the
German squadron lie for them here in the Post Office。 Reports are
current of other English ships being on the way … I hope to
goodness yours will be among the number。 And I gather from one
thing and another that there must be a holy row going on between
the powers at home； and that the issue （like all else connected
with Samoa） is on the knees of the gods。 One thing； however； is
pretty sure … if that issue prove to be a German Protectorate； I
shall have to tramp。 Can you give us any advice as to a fresh
field of energy？ We have been searching the atlas； and it seems
difficult to fill the bill。 How would Rarotonga do？ I forget if
you have been there。 The best of it is that my new house is going
up like winking； and I am dictating this letter to the
accompaniment of saws and hammers。 A hundred black boys and about
a score draught…oxen perished； or at least barely escaped with
their lives； from the mud…holes on our road； bringing up the
materials。 It will be a fine legacy to H。I。G。M。's Protectorate；
and doubtless the Governor will take it for his country…house。 The
Ringarooma people； by the way； seem very nice。 I liked Stansfield
particularly。
Our middy has gone up to San Francisco in pursuit of the phantom
Education。 We have good word of him； and I hope he will not be in
disgrace again； as he was when the hope of the British Navy … need
I say that I refer to Admiral Burney？ … honoured us last。 The next
time you come； as the new house will be finished； we shall be able
to offer you a bed。 Nares and Meiklejohn may like to hear that our
new room is to be big enough to dance in。 It will be a very
pleasant day for me to see the Curacoa in port again and at least a
proper contingent of her officers 'skipping in my 'all。'
We have just had a feast on my birthday at which we had three of
the Ringaromas； and I wish they had been three CURACOAS … say
yourself； Hoskin； and Burney the ever Great。 （Consider this an
invitation。） Our boys had got the thing up regardless。 There were
two huge sows … oh； brutes of animals that would have broken down a
hansom cab … four smaller pigs； two barrels of beef； and a horror
of vegetables and fowls。 We sat down between forty and fifty in a
big new native house behind the kitchen that you have never seen；
and ate and public spoke till all was blue。 Then we had about half
an hour's holiday with some beer and sherry and brandy and soda to
restrengthen the European heart； and then out to the old native
house to see a siva。 Finally； all the guests were packed off in a
trackless black night and down a road that was rather fitted for
the CURACOA than any human pedestrian； though to be sure I do not
know the draught of the CURACOA。 My ladies one and all desire to
be particularly remembered to our friends on board； and all look
forward； as I do myself； in the hope of your return。 … Yours
sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
And let me hear from you again！
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
1ST DEC。 '92。
。 。 。 I have a novel on the stocks to be called THE JUSTICE…CLERK。
It is pretty Scotch； the Grand Premier is taken from Braxfield …
（Oh； by the by； send me Cockburn's MEMORIALS） … and some of the
story is … well … queer。 The heroine is seduced by one man； and
finally disappears with the other man who shot him。 。 。 。 Mind you；
I expect the JUSTICE…CLERK to be my masterpiece。 My Braxfield is
already a thing of beauty and a joy for ever； and so far as he has
gone FAR my best charac