. Pray
remember, speed is now all that can be asked, hoped, or wished. I give
up all hope of proofs, revises, proof of the map, or sic like; and you
on your side will try to get it out as reasonably seemly as may be.

Whole Samoa book herewith. Glory be to God.--Yours very sincerely,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO SIDNEY COLVIN

The following consists of scraps merely, taken from a letter almost
entirely occupied with private family affairs.

_[Vailima] Saturday, 2nd July 1892._

The character of my handwriting is explained, alas! by scrivener's
cramp. This also explains how long I have let the paper lie plain.

1 P.M.--I was busy copying _David Balfour_ with my left hand--a most
laborious task--Fanny was down at the native house superintending the
floor, Lloyd down in Apia, and Belle in her own house cleaning, when I
heard the latter calling on my name. I ran out on the verandah; and
there on the lawn beheld my crazy boy with an axe in his hand and
dressed out in green ferns, dancing. I ran downstairs and found all my
house boys on the back verandah, watching him through the dining-room. I
asked what it meant?--"Dance belong his place," they said.--"I think
this no time to dance," said I. "Has he done his work?"--"No," they told
me, "away bush all morning." But there they all stayed on the back
verandah. I went on alone through the dining-room, and bade him stop. He
did so, shouldered the axe, and began to walk away; but I called him
back, walked up to him, and took the axe out of his unresisting hands.
The boy is in all things so good, that I can scarce say I was afraid;
only I felt it had to be stopped ere he could work himself up by dancing
to some craziness. Our house boys protested they were not afraid; all I
know is they were all watching him round the back door and did not
follow me till I had the axe. As for the out boys, who were working with
Fanny in the native house, they thought it a very bad business, and made
no secret of their fears.

_Wednesday, 6th._--I have no account to give of my stewardship these
days, and there's a day more to account for than mere arithmetic would
tell you. For we have had two Monday Fourths, to bring us at last on the
right side of the meridian, having hitherto been an exception in the
world and kept our private date. Business has filled my hours sans
intermission.

_Tuesday, 12th._--I am doing no work and my mind is in abeyance. Fanny
and Belle