and who
desires education in the history of Samoa, with no population, no past,
no future, or the exploits of Mataafa, Malietoa, and Consul Knappe?
Colkitto and Galasp are a trifle to it. Well, it can't be helped, and it
must be done, and, better or worse, it's capital fun. There are two to
whom I have not been kind--German Consul Becker and the English Captain
Hand, R.N.

On Dec. 30th I rode down with Belle to go to (if you please) the Fancy
Ball. When I got to the beach, I found the barometer was below 29 deg., the
wind still in the east and steady, but a huge offensive continent of
clouds and vapours forming to leeward. It might be a hurricane; I dared
not risk getting caught away from my work, and, leaving Belle, returned
at once to Vailima. Next day--yesterday--it was a tearer; we had storm
shutters up; I sat in my room and wrote by lamplight--ten pages, if you
please, seven of them draft, and some of these compiled authorities, so
that was a brave day's work. About two a huge tree fell within sixty
paces of our house; a little after, a second went; and we sent out boys
with axes and cut down a third, which was too near the house, and
buckling like a fishing rod. At dinner we had the front door closed and
shuttered, the back door open, the lamp lit. The boys in the cook-house
were all out at the cook-house door, where we could see them looking in
and smiling. Lauilo and Faauma waited on us with smiles. The excitement
was delightful. Some very violent squalls came as we sat there, and
every one rejoiced; it was impossible to help it; a soul of putty had to
sing. All night it blew; the roof was continually sounding under
missiles; in the morning the verandahs were half full of branches torn
from the forest. There was a last very wild squall about six; the rain,
like a thick white smoke, flying past the house in volleys, and as
swift, it seemed, as rifle balls; all with a strange, strident hiss,
such as I have only heard before at sea, and, indeed, thought to be a
marine phenomenon. Since then the wind has been falling with a few
squalls, mostly rain. But our road is impassable for horses; we hear a
schooner has been wrecked and some native houses blown down in Apia,
where Belle is still and must remain a prisoner. Lucky I returned while
I could! But the great good is this; much bread-fruit and bananas have
been destroyed; if this be general through the islands, famine will be
imminent; and _whoever blows the coals, t