eremony, and a gigantic tree, covered with carefully chosen presents
for everybody, from the head of the family down to the humblest Samoan
retainer, was set up in the large hall. Months before Mr. Stevenson
had sent to the army and navy stores in London and had a large boxful
of presents for the tree sent out. The diary gives us some account of
this, the last Christmas spent on earth by Robert Louis Stevenson:

"Our washerwomen," so it runs, "came with presents--_tapa_ and fans,
and Simile brought baskets and _tapa_. Our people were wild with
delight over their presents. Christmas we spent with friends in Apia,
where we had a most delightful evening. Each gave some performance to
add to the gaiety. Louis and Lloyd played, very badly indeed, on their
pipes. Teuila recited one of Louis's poems, and Austin poured out with
much dramatic fire _Lochinvar_. There was some very pretty Samoan
dancing by Mrs. Gurr and Mrs. Willis, who gave a sitting dance and
one with clubs. The next day we rode home, dashing at full speed
through mud and water, and reached there drenched to the skin by a
sudden shower. I was alarmed about Louis, but it did him no harm
whatever. We were happy to be at pleasant Vailima again.

"_January 3._ There has been a terrific storm, lasting three days, but
the hurricane shutters were put up, and proved a great protection,
though the house was dark and airless. Trees went crashing all around
us. There was a curious exhilaration in the air, and the natives
shouted with glee whenever anything came down. The road was filled
with debris from the storm, which had to be cleared away before any
one could pass. In the evening I was told that both the Fiji man and
Simi had been spitting blood. The Fiji man seems to have a touch of
pneumonia. Much to Simi's alarm we put the cupping glass on him, and
the whole party of house servants escorted him to bed, shouting and
laughing and dancing as they went.

"_January 7._ Lloyd sailed to-day for San Francisco, intending to make
the round trip only, for a change of air. In the afternoon Joe and I
jumped on one horse and galloped as fast as we could down to the
landing, only to find that all the boats were out. Just then the
American consul's boat returned to the landing. We sprang into it, and
with the American flag flying over us, went speeding over the water,
in spite of the fact that the German man-of-war was having target
practice (a most dangerous proceeding) right ac