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longer pioneering； I had struck an old track overgrown； and
was restoring an old path。 So I laboured till I was in such
a state that Carolina Wilhelmina Skeggs could scarce have
found a name for it。 Thereon desisted； returned to the
stream； made my way down that stony track to the garden；
where the smoke was still hanging and the sun was still in
the high tree…tops； and so home。 Here； fondly supposing my
long day was over； I rubbed down； exquisite agony； water
spreads the poison of these weeds； I got it all over my
hands； on my chest； in my eyes； and presently； while eating
an orange； A LA Raratonga； burned my lip and eye with orange
juice。 Now； all day； our three small pigs had been adrift；
to the mortal peril of our corn； lettuce； onions； etc。； and
as I stood smarting on the back verandah； behold the three
piglings issuing from the wood just opposite。 Instantly I
got together as many boys as I could … three； and got the
pigs penned against the rampart of the sty； till the others
joined； whereupon we formed a cordon； closed； captured the
deserters； and dropped them； squeaking amain； into their
strengthened barracks where； please God； they may now stay！
Perhaps you may suppose the day now over； you are not the
head of a plantation； my juvenile friend。 Politics
succeeded： Henry got adrift in his English； Bene was too
cowardly to tell me what he was after： result； I have lost
seven good labourers； and had to sit down and write to you to
keep my temper。 Let me sketch my lads。 … Henry … Henry has
gone down to town or I could not be writing to you … this
were the hour of his English lesson else； when he learns what
he calls 'long expessions' or 'your chief's language' for the
matter of an hour and a half … Henry is a chiefling from
Savaii； I once loathed； I now like and … pending fresh
discoveries … have a kind of respect for Henry。 He does good
work for us； goes among the labourers； bossing and watching；
helps Fanny； is civil； kindly； thoughtful； O SI SIC SEMPER！
But will he be 'his sometime self throughout the year'？
Anyway； he has deserved of us； and he must disappoint me
sharply ere I give him up。 … Bene … or Peni…Ben； in plain
English … is supposed to be my ganger； the Lord love him！
God made a truckling coward； there is his full history。 He
cannot tell me what he wants； he dares not tell me what is
wrong； he dares not transmit my orders or translate my
censures。 And with all this； honest； sober； industrious；
miserably smiling over the miserable issue of his own
unmanliness。 … Paul … a German … cook and steward … a glutton
of work … a splendid fellow； drawbacks； three： （1） no cook；
（2） an inveterate bungler； a man with twenty thumbs；
continually falling in the dishes； throwing out the dinner；
preserving the garbage； （3） a dr…； well； don't let us say
that … but we daren't let him go to town； and he … poor； good
soul … is afraid to be let go。 … Lafaele （Raphael）； a strong；
dull； deprecatory man； splendid with an axe； if watched； the
better for a rowing； when he calls me 'Papa' in the most
wheedling tones； desperately afraid of ghosts； so that he
dare not walk alone up in the banana patch … see map。 The
rest are changing labourers； and to…night； owing to the
miserable cowardice of Peni； who did not venture to tell me
what the men wanted … and which was no more than fair … all
are gone … and my weeding in the article of being finished！
Pity the sorrows of a planter。
I am； Sir； yours； and be jowned to you； The Planter；
R。 L。 S。
Tuesday 3rd
I begin to see the whole scheme of letter…writing； you sit
down every day and pour out an equable stream of twaddle。
This morning all my fears were fled； and all the trouble had
fallen to the lot of Peni himself； who deserved it； my field
was full of weeders； and I am again able to justify the ways
of God。 All morning I worked at the South Seas； and finished
the chapter I had stuck upon on Saturday。 Fanny； awfully
hove…to with rheumatics and injuries received upon the field
of sport and glory； chasing pigs； was unable to go up and
down stairs； so she sat upon the back verandah； and my work
was chequered by her cries。 'Paul； you take a spade to do
that … dig a hole first。 If you do that； you'll cut your
foot off！ Here； you boy； what you do there？ You no get
work？ You go find Simele； he give you work。 Peni； you tell
this boy he go find Simele； suppose Simele no give him work；
you tell him go 'way。 I no want him here。 That boy no
good。' … PENI （from the distance in reassuring tones）； 'All
right； sir！' … FANNY （after a long pause）； 'Peni； you tell
that boy go find Simele！ I no want him stand here all day。
I no pay that boy。 I see him all day。 He no do nothing。' …
Luncheon； beef； soda…scones； fried bananas； pine…apple in
claret； coffee。 Try to write a poem； no go。 Play the
flageolet。 Then sneakingly off to farmering and pioneering。
Four gangs at work on our place； a lively scene； axes
crashing and smoke blowing； all the knives are out。 But I
rob the garden party of one without a stock； and you should
see my hand … cut to ribbons。 Now I want to do my path up
the Vaituliga single…handed； and I want it to burst on the
public complete。 Hence； with devilish ingenuity； I begin it
at different places； so that if you stumble on one section；
you may not even then suspect the fulness of my labours。
Accordingly； I started in a new place； below the wire； and
hoping to work up to it。 It was perhaps lucky I had so bad a
cutlass； and my smarting hand bid me stay before I had got up
to the wire； but just in season； so that I was only the
better of my activity； not dead beat as yesterday。
A strange business it was； and infinitely solitary； away
above； the sun was in the high tree…tops； the lianas noosed
and sought to hang me； the saplings struggled； and came up
with that sob of death that one gets to know so well； great；
soft； sappy trees fell at a lick of the cutlass； little tough
switches laughed at and dared my best endeavour。 Soon；
toiling down in that pit of verdure； I heard blows on the far
side； and then laughter。 I confess a chill settled on my
heart。
Being so dead alone； in a place where by rights none should
be beyond me； I was aware； upon interrogation； if those blows
had drawn nearer； I should （of course quite unaffectedly）
have executed a strategic movement to the rear； and only the
other day I was lamenting my insensibility to superstition！
Am I beginning to be sucked in？ Shall I become a midnight
twitterer like my neighbours？ At times I thought the blows
were echoes； at times I thought the laughter was from birds。
For our birds are strangely human in their calls。 Vaea
mountain about sundown sometimes rings with shrill cries；
like the hails of merry； scattered children。 As a matter of
fact； I believe stealthy wood…cutters from Tanugamanono were
above me in the wood and answerable for the blows； as for the
laughter； a woman and two children had come and asked Fanny's
leave to go up shrimp…fishing in the burn； beyond doubt； it
was these I heard。 Just at the right time I returned； to
wash down； change； and begin this snatch of letter before
dinner was ready； and to finish it afterwards； before Henry
has yet put in an appearance for his lesson in 'long
explessions。'
Dinner： stewed beef and potatoes； baked bananas； new loaf…
bread hot from the oven； pine…apple in claret。 These are
great days； we have been low in the past； but now are we as
belly…gods； enjoying all things。
WEDNESDAY。 （HIST。 VAILIMA RESUMED。）
A gorgeous evening of after…glow in the great tree…tops and
behind the mountain； and full moon over the lowlands and the
sea； inaugurated a night of horrid cold。 To you effete
denizens of the so…called temperate zone； it had seemed
nothing； neither of us could sleep； we were up seeking extra
coverings； I know not at what hour … it was as bright as day。
The moon right over Vaea … near due west； the birds strangely
silent； and the wood of the house tingling with cold； I
believe it must have been 60 degrees！ Consequence； Fanny has
a headache and is wretched； and I could do no work。 （I am
trying all round for a place to hold my pen； you will hear
why later on； this to explain penmanship。） I wrote two
pages； very bad； no movement； no life or interest； then I
wrote a business letter； then took to tootling on the
flageolet； till glory should call me farmering。
I took up at the fit time Lafaele and Mauga … Mauga； accent
on the first； is a mountain； I don't know what Mauga means …
mind what I told you of the value of g … to the garden； and
set them digging； then turned my attention to the path。 I
could not go into my bush path for t