of this. I would never deny (as D. B. might say) that I was rather
tired of it. But I have a damned good dose of the devil in my pipe-stem
atomy; I have had my little holiday outing in my kick at _The Young
Chevalier_, and I guess I can settle to _David Balfour_ to-morrow or
Friday like a little man. I wonder if any one had ever more energy upon
so little strength?--I know there is a frost; the Samoa book can only
increase that--I can't help it, that book is not written for me but for
Miss Manners; but I mean to break that frost inside two years, and pull
off a big success, and Vanity whispers in my ear that I have the
strength. If I haven't, whistle ower the lave o't! I can do without
glory and perhaps the time is not far off when I can do without coin. It
is a time coming soon enough, anyway; and I have endured some two and
forty years without public shame, and had a good time as I did it. If
only I could secure a violent death, what a fine success! I wish to die
in my boots; no more Land of Counterpane for me. To be drowned, to be
shot, to be thrown from a horse--ay, to be hanged, rather than pass
again through that slow dissolution.

I fancy this gloomy ramble is caused by a twinge of age; I put on an
under-shirt yesterday (it was the only one I could find) that barely
came under my trousers; and just below it, a fine healthy rheumatism has
now settled like a fire in my hip. From such small causes do these
valuable considerations flow!

I shall now say adieu, dear Sir, having ten rugged miles before me and
the horrors of a native feast and parliament without an interpreter, for
to-day I go alone.--Yours ever,

R. L. S.

TO SIDNEY COLVIN

Describing a family expedition to visit Mataafa at Malie.

_[Vailima] Sunday, 29th May [1892]._

How am I to overtake events? On Wednesday, as soon as my mail was
finished, I had a wild whirl to look forward to. Immediately after
dinner, Belle, Lloyd, and I set out on horseback, they to the club, I to
Haggard's, thence to the hotel, where I had supper ready for them. All
next day we hung round Apia with our whole house-crowd in Sunday array,
hoping for the mail steamer with a menagerie on board. No such luck; the
ship delayed; and at last, about three, I had to send them home again, a
failure of a day's pleasuring that does not bear to be discussed. Lloyd
was so sickened that he returned the same night to Vailima, Belle and I
held on, sat most of the eve