given us his
theories as to the Polynesian language and the probable good or evil
results of the missionary influence instead of _Omoo_ and _Typee_, or
Kinglake[32] instead of _Eothen_. Louis says it is a stern sense of duty
that is at the bottom of it, which is more alarming than anything else.
I am so sure that you will agree with me that I am going to ask you to
throw the weight of your influence as heavily as possible in the scales
with me. Please refer to the matter in the letters we shall receive at
our first stopping place, otherwise Louis will spend a great deal of
time in Sydney actually reading up other people's books on the Islands.
What a thing it is to have a "man of genius" to deal with. It is like
managing an overbred horse. Why with my own feeble hand I could write a
book that the whole world would jump at. Please keep any letters of mine
that contain any incidents of our wanderings. They are very exact as to
facts, and Louis may, in this conscientious state of mind (indeed I am
afraid he has), put nothing in his diary but statistics. Even if I
thought it a desirable thing to write what he proposes, I should still
think it impossible unless after we had lived and studied here some
twenty years or more.

Now I am done with my complaining, and shall turn to the pleasanter
paths. Louis went to one of the other islands a couple of weeks ago,
quite alone, got drenched with rain and surf, rode over mountain
paths--five and a half hours one day--and came back none the worse for
it. To-day he goes to Molokai, the leper island. He never has a sign of
hemorrhage, the air cushion is a thing of the past, and altogether he is
a new man. How he will do in the English climate again I do not know,
but in these latitudes he is very nearly a well man, nothing seems to do
him harm but overwork. That, of course, is sometimes difficult to
prevent. Now, however, the _Master_ is done, we have enough money to go
upon and there is no need to work at all. I must stop. My dear love to
you all.

FANNY V. DE G. STEVENSON.]

TO MRS. R. L. STEVENSON

The following two letters were written during and immediately after
Stevenson's trip to the noted leper settlement, the scene of Father
Damien's labours, at Molokai.

_Kalawao, Molokai [May 1889]._

DEAR FANNY,--I had a lovely sail up. Captain Cameron and Mr. Gilfillan,
both born in the States, yet the first still with a strong Highland, and
the second