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received with the most friendly consideration by the rebel
chief。 Belle and Fanny were obviously thought to be my two
wives； they were served their kava together； as were Mataafa
and myself。 Talolo utterly broke down as interpreter； long
speeches were made to me by Mataafa and his orators； of which
he could make nothing but they were 'very much surprised' …
his way of pronouncing obliged … and as he could understand
nothing that fell from me except the same form of words； the
dialogue languished and all business had to be laid aside。
We had kava； and then a dish of arrowroot； one end of the
house was screened off for us with a fine tapa； and we lay
and slept； the three of us heads and tails； upon the mats
till dinner。 After dinner his illegitimate majesty and
myself had a walk； and talked as well as my twopenny Samoan
would admit。 Then there was a dance to amuse the ladies
before the house； and we came back by moonlight； the sky
piled full of high faint clouds that long preserved some of
the radiance of the sunset。 The lagoon was very shallow； we
continually struck； for the moon was young and the light
baffling； and for a long time we were accompanied by； and
passed and re…passed； a huge whale…boat from Savaii； pulling
perhaps twelve oars； and containing perhaps forty people who
sang in time as they went So to the hotel； where we slept；
and returned the next Tuesday morning on the three same
steeds。
Meanwhile my business was still untransacted。 And on
Saturday morning； I sent down and arranged with Charlie
Taylor to go down that afternoon。 I had scarce got the
saddle bags fixed and had not yet mounted； when the rain
began。 But it was no use delaying now； off I went in a wild
waterspout to Apia； found Charlie （Sale） Taylor … a
sesquipedalian young half…caste … not yet ready； had a snack
of bread and cheese at the hotel while waiting him； and then
off to Malie。 It rained all the way； seven miles； the road；
which begins in triumph； dwindles down to a nasty； boggy；
rocky footpath with weeds up to a horseman's knees； and there
are eight pig fences to jump； nasty beastly jumps … the next
morning we found one all messed with blood where a horse had
come to grief … but my Jack is a clever fencer； and
altogether we made good time； and got to Malie about dark。
It is a village of very fine native houses； high； domed； oval
buildings； open at the sides； or only closed with slatted
Venetians。 To be sure； Mataafa's is not the worst。 It was
already quite dark within； only a little fire of cocoa…shell
blazed in the midst and showed us four servants； the chief
was in his chapel； whence we heard the sound of chaunting。
Presently he returned； Taylor and I had our soaking clothes
changed； family worship was held； kava brewed； I was
exhibited to the chiefs as a man who had ridden through all
that rain and risked deportation to serve their master； they
were bidden learn my face； and remember upon all occasions to
help and serve me。 Then dinner； and politics； and fine
speeches until twelve at night … O； and some more kava … when
I could sit up no longer； my usual bed…time is eight； you
must remember。 Then one end of the house was screened off
for me alone； and a bed made … you never saw such a couch … I
believe of nearly fifty （half at least） fine mats； by
Mataafa's daughter； Kalala。 Here I reposed alone； and on the
other side of the tafa； Majesty and his household。 Armed
guards and a drummer patrolled about the house all night；
they had no shift； poor devils； but stood to arms from sun…
down to sun…up。
About four in the morning； I was awakened by the sound of a
whistle pipe blown outside on the dark； very softly and to a
pleasing simple air； I really think I have hit the first
phrase：
＇Fragment of music score which cannot be reproduced＇
It sounded very peaceful； sweet and strange in the dark； and
I found this was a part of the routine of my rebel's night；
and it was done （he said） to give good dreams。 By a little
before six； Taylor and I were in the saddle again fasting。
My riding boots were so wet I could not get them on； so I
must ride barefoot。 The morning was fair but the roads very
muddy； the weeds soaked us nearly to the waist； Sale was
twice spilt at the fences； and we got to Apia a bedraggled
enough pair。 All the way along the coast； the pate （small
wooden drum） was beating in the villages and the people
crowding to the churches in their fine clothes。 Thence
through the mangrove swamp； among the black mud and the green
mangroves； and the black and scarlet crabs； to Mulinuu； to
the doctor's； where I had an errand； and so to the inn to
breakfast about nine。 After breakfast I rode home。 Conceive
such an outing； remember the pallid brute that lived in
Skerryvore like a weevil in a biscuit； and receive the
intelligence that I was rather the better for my journey。
Twenty miles ride； sixteen fences taken； ten of the miles in
a drenching rain； seven of them fasting and in the morning
chill； and six stricken hours' political discussions by an
interpreter； to say nothing of sleeping in a native house； at
which many of our excellent literati would look askance of
itself。
You are to understand： if I take all this bother； it is not
only from a sense of duty； or a love of meddling … damn the
phrase； take your choice … but from a great affection for
Mataafa。 He is a beautiful； sweet old fellow； and he and I
grew quite fulsome on Saturday night about our sentiments。 I
had a messenger from him to…day with a flannel undershirt
which I had left behind like a gibbering idiot； and
perpetrated in reply another baboo letter。 It rains again
to…day without mercy； blessed； welcome rains； making up for
the paucity of the late wet season； and when the showers
slacken； I can hear my stream roaring in the hollow； and tell
myself that the cacaos are drinking deep。 I am desperately
hunted to finish my Samoa book before the mail goes； this
last chapter is equally delicate and necessary。 The prayers
of the congregation are requested。 Eheu！ and it will be
ended before this letter leaves and printed in the States ere
you can read this scribble。 The first dinner gong has
sounded； JE VOUS SALUE； MONSIEUR ET CHER CONFRERE。 TOFA；
SOIFUA！ Sleep！ long life！ as our Samoan salutation of
farewell runs。
FRIDAY； MAY 13TH。
Well； the last chapter； by far the most difficult and
ungrateful； is well under way； I have been from six to seven
hours upon it daily since I last wrote； and that is all I
have done forbye working at Samoan rather hard； and going
down on Wednesday evening to the club。 I make some progress
now at the language； I am teaching Belle； which clears and
exercises myself。 I am particularly taken with the FINESSE
of the pronouns。 The pronouns are all dual and plural and
the first person； both in the dual and plural； has a special
exclusive and inclusive form。 You can conceive what fine
effects of precision and distinction can be reached in
certain cases。 Take Ruth； i。 VV。 8 to 13； and imagine how
those pronouns come in； it is exquisitely elegant； and makes
the mouth of the LITTERATEUR to water。 I am going to
exercitate my pupil over those verses to…day for pronoun
practice。
TUESDAY。
Yesterday came yours。 Well； well； if the dears prefer a
week； why； I'll give them ten days； but the real document；
from which I have scarcely varied； ran for one night。 I
think you seem scarcely fair to Wiltshire； who had surely；
under his beast…ignorant ways； right noble qualities。 And I
think perhaps you scarce do justice to the fact that this is
a place of realism A OUTRANCE； nothing extenuated or
coloured。 Looked at so； is it not； with all its tragic
features； wonderfully idyllic； with great beauty of scene and
circumstance？ And will you please to observe that almost all
that is ugly is in the whites？ I'll apologise for Papa
Randal if you like； but if I told you the whole truth … for I
did extenuate there！ … and he seemed to me essential as a
figure； and essential as a pawn in the game； Wiltshire's
disgust for him being one of the small； efficient motives in
the story。 Now it would have taken a fairish dose to disgust
Wiltshire。 … Again； the idea of publishing the Beach
substantively is dropped … at once； both on account of
expostulation； and because it measured shorter than I had
expected。 And it was only taken up； when the proposed
volume； BEACH DE MAR； petered out。 It petered out thus： the
chief of the short stories got sucked into SOPHIA SCARLET …
and Sophia is a book I am much taken with； and mean to get
to； as soon as … but not before … I have done DAVID BALFOUR
and THE YOUNG CHEVALIER。 So you see you are li