t moved; no
thanks to our idiot governors. They have shot their bolt; they have made
a rebel of the only man (_to their own knowledge, on the report of their
own spy_) who held the rebel party in check; and having thus called on
war to fall, they can do no more, sit equally "expertes" of _vis_ and
counsel, regarding their handiwork. It is always a cry with these folks
that he (Mataafa) had no ammunition. I always said it would be found;
and we know of five boat-loads that have found their way to Malie
already. Where there are traders, there will be ammunition; aphorism by
R. L. S.

Now what am I to do next?

Lives of the Stevensons? _Historia Samoae_? A History for Children?
Fiction? I have had two hard months at fiction; I want a change.
Stevensons? I am expecting some more material; perhaps better wait.
Samoa? rather tempting; might be useful to the islands--and to me; for
it will be written in admirable temper; I have never agreed with any
party, and see merits and excuses in all; should do it (if I did) very
slackly and easily, as if half in conversation. History for Children?
This flows from my lessons to Austin; no book is any good. The best I
have seen is Freeman's _Old English History_; but his style is so
rasping, and a child can learn more, if he's clever. I found my sketch
of general Aryan history, given in conversation, to have been
practically correct--at least what I mean is, Freeman had very much the
same stuff in his early chapters, only not so much, and I thought not so
well placed; and the child remembered some of it. Now the difficulty is
to give this general idea of main place, growth, and movement; it is
needful to tack it on a yarn. Now Scotch is the only history I know; it
is the only history reasonably represented in my library; it is a very
good one for my purpose, owing to two civilisations having been face to
face throughout--or rather Roman civilisation face to face with our
ancient barbaric life and government, down to yesterday, to 1750 anyway.
But the _Tales of a Grandfather_ stand in my way; I am teaching them to
Austin now, and they have all Scott's defects and all Scott's hopeless
merit. I cannot compete with that; and yet, so far as regards teaching
History, how he has missed his chances! I think I'll try; I really have
some historic sense, I feel that in my bones. Then there's another
thing. Scott never knew the Highlands; he was always a Borderer. He has
missed that whole, long, st