to England by way of America in
the following summer, but the state of Mr. Stevenson's health was
still not good enough to warrant this venture, and, besides, the short
cruise among the islands in the _Casco_ had but whetted their
appetites for more. It was finally decided that while the elder Mrs.
Stevenson went on a visit to Scotland the rest of the party should
sail again for the South Seas, and they began at once to make
preparations. The charter of the _Casco_ having come to an end, it was
necessary to find another vessel. All these details were taken in hand
by Mrs. Stevenson and her son, while Louis went to Molokai to visit
the leper colony, in which he had become intensely interested after
discovering that every island visited in the _Casco_ was afflicted
with the curse of leprosy. They saw many distressing cases, and their
admiration for Father Damien and his unexampled heroism rose higher
and higher. It was while they were in Honolulu that Mr. Stevenson read
the letter written by the Reverend Mr. Hyde, and printed in a
missionary paper, which inspired his eloquent defence of Father
Damien, afterwards written and published in Sydney, Australia.

In the meantime Mrs. Stevenson made arrangements to charter the
_Equator_, a trading schooner of only sixty-four tons register, but
stanchly built and seaworthy, and having the added advantage of being
commanded by a skilful mariner, Captain Denny Reid. On June 24, 1889,
taking the faithful Ah Fu as cook, and this time accompanied by Mrs.
Stevenson's son-in-law, Joseph Strong, they sailed away for the
Gilbert Islands. During their stay in Honolulu they had struck up a
great friendship with the interesting and genial King Kalakaua, and on
the day of their departure he appeared at the wharf with the royal
band of musicians to see them off in proper style.

As Mrs. Strong, Mrs. Stevenson's daughter, did not wish to leave her
son Austin and the voyage was considered too hazardous for so young a
child, she went to Sydney to await the arrival of the _Equator_.

Through lovely days and glorious nights they sailed along, the little
schooner lying so low in the water that they were brought close to the
sea, "with a sort of intimacy that those on large ships, especially
steamers, can never know."

Captain Reid is described by Mrs. Stevenson as "a small fiery
Scotch-Irishman, full of amusing eccentricities, and always a most gay
and charming companion." Beneath this jolly sea-