from
a marriage, I think; it would bring her in the wrong frame of mind. Once
I can get her, _sola_, on the highway, all were well with my narrative.
Perpend. And help if you can.

Lafaele, long (I hope) familiar to you, has this day received the visit
of his _son_ from Tonga; and the _son_ proves to be a very pretty,
attractive young daughter! I gave all the boys kava in honour of her
arrival; along with a lean, side-whiskered Tongan, dimly supposed to be
Lafaele's step-father; and they have been having a good time; in the end
of my verandah, I hear Simi, my present incapable steward, talking
Tongan with the nondescript papa. Simi, our out-door boy, burst a
succession of blood-vessels over our work, and I had to make a position
for the wreck of one of the noblest figures of a man I ever saw. I
believe I may have mentioned the other day how I had to put my horse to
the trot, the canter and (at last) the gallop to run him down. In a
photograph I hope to send you (perhaps with this) you will see Simi
standing in the verandah in profile. As a steward, one of his chief
points is to break crystal; he is great on fracture--what do I
say?--explosion! He cleans a glass, and the shards scatter like a
comet's bowels.

_N.B._--If I should by any chance be deported, the first of the rules
hung up for that occasion is to communicate with you by
telegraph.--Mind, I do not fear it, but it _is_ possible.

_Monday, 25th._--We have had a devil of a morning of upset and bustle;
the bronze candlestick Faauma has returned to the family, in time to
take her position of step-mamma, and it is pretty to see how the child
is at once at home, and all her terrors ended.

_27th. Mail day._--And I don't know that I have much to report. I may
have to leave for Malie as soon as these mail packets are made up. 'Tis
a necessity (if it be one) I rather deplore. I think I should have liked
to lazy; but I dare say all it means is the delay of a day or so in
harking back to David Balfour; that respectable youth chides at being
left (where he is now) in Glasgow with the Lord Advocate, and after five
years in the British Linen, who shall blame him? I was all forenoon
yesterday down in Apia, dictating, and Lloyd typewriting, the conclusion
of _Samoa_; and then at home correcting till the dinner bell; and in the
evening again till eleven of the clock. This morning I have made up most
of my packets, and I think my mail is all ready but two more, and the
tag