Stout now; and the Old Man
Virulent much a creature of the past. My dear Colvin, I owe you and
Fleeming Jenkin, the two older men who took the trouble and knew how to
make a friend of me, everything that I have or am: if I have behaved
ill, just hold on and give me a chance, you shall have the slanging of
me and I bet I shall prefer it to this silence.--Ever, my dear Colvin,
your most affectionate

R. L. S.

[MRS. R. L. STEVENSON to MRS. SITWELL

This letter brought to friends in England the first news of the
intended prolongation of the cruise among the remoter islands of the
Pacific.

_Honolulu, towards the end of March 1889._

MY DEAR FRIEND,--Louis has improved so wonderfully in the delicious
islands of the South Seas, that we think of trying yet one more voyage.
We are a little uncertain as to how we shall go, whether in a missionary
ship, or by hiring schooners from point to point, but the "unregenerate"
islands we must see. I suppose we shall be off some time in June, which
will fetch us back to England in another year's time. You could hardly
believe it if you could see Louis now. He looks as well as he ever did
in his life, and has had no sign of cough or hemorrhage (begging pardon
of Nemesis) for many months. It seems a pity to return to England until
his health is firmly reestablished, and also a pity not to see all that
we can see quite easily starting from this place: and which will be our
only opportunity in life. Of course there is the usual risk from hostile
natives, and the horrible sea, but a positive risk is so much more
wholesome than a negative one, and it is all such joy to Louis and
Lloyd. As for me, I hate the sea, and am afraid of it (though no one
will believe that because in time of danger I do not make an
outcry--nevertheless I _am_ afraid of it, and it is not kind to me), but
I love the tropic weather, and the wild people, and to see my two boys
so happy. Mrs. Stevenson is going back to Scotland in May, as she does
not like to be longer away from her old sister, who has been very ill.
And besides, we do not feel justified in taking her to the sort of
places we intend to visit. As for me, I can get comfort out of very
rough surroundings for my people, I can work hard and enjoy it; I can
even shoot pretty well, and though I "don't want to fight, by jingo if I
must," why I can. I don't suppose there will be any occasion for that
sort of thing--only in case.

I