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teeth； and a real curiosity； a thing that can never be seen
again； and the group is annexed and Tembinoka dead。 I
wonder； couldn't you send out to me the FIRST five Butaritari
letters and the Low Archipelago ones （both of which I have
lost or mislaid） and I can chop out a perfectly fair volume
of what I wish to be preserved。 It can keep for the last of
the series。
TRAVELS AND EXCURSIONS； vol。 II。 Should it not include a
paper on S。 F。 from the MAG。 OF ART？ The A。 E。； the New
Pacific capital； the Old ditto。 SILVER。 SQUAT。 This would
give all my works on the States； and though it ain't very
good； it's not so very bad。 TRAVELS AND EXCURSIONS； vol。
III。； to be these resuscitated letters … MISCELLANIES； vol。
II。 … COMME VOUS VOUDREZ； CHER MONSIEUR！
MONDAY； Aug。 13TH
I have a sudden call to go up the coast and must hurry up
with my information。 There has suddenly come to our naval
commanders the need of action； they're away up the coast
bombarding the Atua rebels。 All morning on Saturday the
sound of the bombardment of Lotuanu'u kept us uneasy。 To…day
again the big guns have been sounding further along the
coast。
To…morrow morning early I am off up the coast myself。
Therefore you must allow me to break off here without further
ceremony。 … Yours ever；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
CHAPTER XLIII
VAILIMA； 1894。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … This must be a very measly letter。 I have
been trying hard to get along with ST。 IVES。 I should now
lay it aside for a year and I daresay I should make something
of it after all。 Instead of that； I have to kick against the
pricks； and break myself； and spoil the book； if there were
anything to spoil； which I am far from saying。 I'm as sick
of the thing as ever any one can be； it's a rudderless hulk；
it's a pagoda； and you can just feel … or I can feel … that
it might have been a pleasant story； if it had been only
blessed at baptism。
Our politics have gone on fairly well； but the result is
still doubtful。
SEPT。 10TH。
I know I have something else to say to you； but unfortunately
I awoke this morning with collywobbles； and had to take a
small dose of laudanum with the usual consequences of dry
throat； intoxicated legs； partial madness and total
imbecility； and for the life of me I cannot remember what it
is。 I have likewise mislaid your letter amongst the
accumulations on my table； not that there was anything in it。
Altogether I am in a poor state。 I forgot to tell Baxter
that the dummy had turned up and is a fine； personable…
looking volume and very good reading。 Please communicate
this to him。
I have just remembered an incident that I really must not let
pass。 You have heard a great deal more than you wanted about
our political prisoners。 Well； one day； about a fortnight
ago； the last of them was set free … Old Poe； whom I think I
must have mentioned to you； the father…in…law of my cook； was
one that I had had a great deal of trouble with。 I had taken
the doctor to see him； got him out on sick leave； and when he
was put back again gave bail for him。 I must not forget that
my wife ran away with him out of the prison on the doctor's
orders and with the complicity of our friend the gaoler； who
really and truly got the sack for the exploit。 As soon as he
was finally liberated； Poe called a meeting of his fellow…
prisoners。 All Sunday they were debating what they were to
do； and on Monday morning I got an obscure hint from Talolo
that I must expect visitors during the day who were coming to
consult me。 These consultations I am now very well used to；
and seeing first； that I generally don't know what to advise；
and second that they sometimes don't take my advice … though
in some notable cases they have taken it； generally to my own
wonder with pretty good results … I am not very fond of these
calls。 They minister to a sense of dignity； but not peace of
mind； and consume interminable time always in the morning
too； when I can't afford it。 However； this was to be a new
sort of consultation。 Up came Poe and some eight other
chiefs； squatted in a big circle around the old dining…room
floor； now the smoking…room。 And the family； being
represented by Lloyd； Graham； Belle； Austin and myself；
proceeded to exchange the necessary courtesies。 Then their
talking man began。 He said that they had been in prison；
that I had always taken an interest in them； that they had
now been set at liberty without condition； whereas some of
the other chiefs who had been liberated before them were
still under bond to work upon the roads； and that this had
set them considering what they might do to testify their
gratitude。 They had therefore agreed to work upon my road as
a free gift。 They went on to explain that it was only to be
on my road； on the branch that joins my house with the public
way。
Now I was very much gratified at this compliment； although
（to one used to natives） it seemed rather a hollow one。 It
meant only that I should have to lay out a good deal of money
on tools and food and to give wages under the guise of
presents to some workmen who were most of them old and in
ill…health。 Conceive how much I was surprised and touched
when I heard the whole scheme explained to me。 They were to
return to their provinces； and collect their families； some
of the young men were to live in Apia with a boat； and ply up
and down the coast to A'ana and A'tua （our own Tuamasaga
being quite drained of resources） in order to supply the
working squad with food。 Tools they did ask for； but it was
especially mentioned that I was to make no presents。 In
short； the whole of this little 'presentation' to me had been
planned with a good deal more consideration than goes usually
with a native campaign。
（I sat on the opposite side of the circle to the talking man。
His face was quite calm and high…bred as he went through the
usual Samoan expressions of politeness and compliment； but
when he came on to the object of their visit； on their love
and gratitude to Tusitala； how his name was always in their
prayers； and his goodness to them when they had no other
friend； was their most cherished memory； he warmed up to
real； burning； genuine feeling。 I had never seen the Samoan
mask of reserve laid aside before； and it touched me more
than anything else。 A。M。）
This morning as ever was； bright and early up came the whole
gang of them； a lot of sturdy； common…looking lads they
seemed to be for the most part； and fell to on my new road。
Old Poe was in the highest of good spirits； and looked better
in health than he has done any time in two years； being
positively rejuvenated by the success of his scheme。 He
jested as he served out the new tools； and I am sorry to say
damned the Government up hill and down dale； probably with a
view to show off his position as a friend of the family
before his work…boys。 Now； whether or not their impulse will
last them through the road does not matter to me one hair。
It is the fact that they have attempted it； that they have
volunteered and are now really trying to execute a thing that
was never before heard of in Samoa。 Think of it！ It is
road…making … the most fruitful cause （after taxes） of all
rebellions in Samoa； a thing to which they could not be wiled
with money nor driven by punishment。 It does give me a sense
of having done something in Samoa after all。
Now there's one long story for you about 'my blacks。' … Yours
ever；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
CHAPTER XLIV
VAILIMA； SAMOA；
OCT。 6TH； 1894。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … We have had quite an interesting month and
mostly in consideration of that road which I think I told you
was about to be made。 It was made without a hitch； though I
confess I was considerably surprised。 When they got through；
I wrote a speech to them； sent it down to a Missionary to be
translated； and invited the lot to a feast。 I thought a good
deal of this feast。 The occasion was really interesting。 I
wanted to pitch it in hot。 And I wished to have as many
influential witnesses present as possible。 Well； as it drew
towards the day I had nothing but refusals。 Everybody
supposed it was to be a political occasion； that I had made a
hive of rebels up here； and was going to push for new
hostilities。
The Amanuensis has been ill； and after the above trial
petered out。 I must return to my own； lone Waverley。 The
captain refused； telling me why； and at last I had to beat up
for people almost with prayers。 However； I got a good lot；
as you will see by the accompanying newspaper report。 The
road contained this inscription； drawn up by the chiefs