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Vailima Letters
by Robert Louis Stevenson
CHAPTER I
IN THE MOUNTAIN； APIA； SAMOA；
MONDAY； NOVEMBER 2ND； 1890
MY DEAR COLVIN； … This is a hard and interesting and
beautiful life that we lead now。 Our place is in a deep
cleft of Vaea Mountain； some six hundred feet above the sea；
embowered in forest； which is our strangling enemy； and which
we combat with axes and dollars。 I went crazy over outdoor
work； and had at last to confine myself to the house； or
literature must have gone by the board。 NOTHING is so
interesting as weeding； clearing； and path…making； the
oversight of labourers becomes a disease； it is quite an
effort not to drop into the farmer； and it does make you feel
so well。 To come down covered with mud and drenched with
sweat and rain after some hours in the bush； change； rub
down； and take a chair in the verandah； is to taste a quiet
conscience。 And the strange thing that I mark is this： If I
go out and make sixpence； bossing my labourers and plying the
cutlass or the spade； idiot conscience applauds me； if I sit
in the house and make twenty pounds； idiot conscience wails
over my neglect and the day wasted。 For near a fortnight I
did not go beyond the verandah； then I found my rush of work
run out； and went down for the night to Apia； put in Sunday
afternoon with our consul； 'a nice young man；' dined with my
friend H。 J。 Moors in the evening； went to church … no less …
at the white and half…white church … I had never been before；
and was much interested； the woman I sat next LOOKED a full…
blood native； and it was in the prettiest and readiest
English that she sang the hymns； back to Moors'； where we
yarned of the islands； being both wide wanderers； till bed…
time； bed； sleep； breakfast； horse saddled； round to the
mission； to get Mr。 Clarke to be my interpreter； over with
him to the King's； whom I have not called on since my return；
received by that mild old gentleman； have some interesting
talk with him about Samoan superstitions and my land … the
scene of a great battle in his （Malietoa Laupepa's） youth …
the place which we have cleared the platform of his fort …
the gulley of the stream full of dead bodies … the fight
rolled off up Vaea mountain…side； back with Clarke to the
Mission； had a bit of lunch and consulted over a queer point
of missionary policy just arisen； about our new Town Hall and
the balls there … too long to go into； but a quaint example
of the intricate questions which spring up daily in the
missionary path。
Then off up the hill； Jack very fresh； the sun （close on
noon） staring hot； the breeze very strong and pleasant； the
ineffable green country all round … gorgeous little birds （I
think they are humming birds； but they say not） skirmishing
in the wayside flowers。 About a quarter way up I met a
native coming down with the trunk of a cocoa palm across his
shoulder； his brown breast glittering with sweat and oil：
'Talofa' … 'Talofa； alii … You see that white man？ He speak
for you。' 'White man he gone up here？' … 'Ioe （Yes）' …
'Tofa； alii' … 'Tofa； soifua！' I put on Jack up the steep
path； till he is all as white as shaving stick … Brown's
euxesis； wish I had some … past Tanugamanono； a bush village
… see into the houses as I pass … they are open sheds
scattered on a green … see the brown folk sitting there；
suckling kids； sleeping on their stiff wooden pillows … then
on through the wood path … and here I find the mysterious
white man （poor devil！） with his twenty years' certificate of
good behaviour as a book…keeper； frozen out by the strikes in
the colonies； come up here on a chance； no work to be found；
big hotel bill； no ship to leave in … and come up to beg
twenty dollars because he heard I was a Scotchman； offering
to leave his portmanteau in pledge。 Settle this； and on
again； and here my house comes in view； and a war whoop
fetches my wife and Henry （or Simele）； our Samoan boy； on the
front balcony； and I am home again； and only sorry that I
shall have to go down again to Apia this day week。 I could；
and would； dwell here unmoved； but there are things to be
attended to。
Never say I don't give you details and news。 That is a
picture of a letter。
I have been hard at work since I came； three chapters of THE
WRECKER； and since that； eight of the South Sea book； and；
along and about and in between； a hatful of verses。 Some day
I'll send the verse to you； and you'll say if any of it is
any good。 I have got in a better vein with the South Sea
book； as I think you will see； I think these chapters will do
for the volume without much change。 Those that I did in the
JANET NICOLL； under the most ungodly circumstances； I fear
will want a lot of suppling and lightening； but I hope to
have your remarks in a month or two upon that point。 It
seems a long while since I have heard from you。 I do hope
you are well。 I am wonderful； but tired from so much work；
'tis really immense what I have done； in the South Sea book I
have fifty pages copied fair； some of which has been four
times； and all twice written； certainly fifty pages of solid
scriving inside a fortnight； but I was at it by seven a。m。
till lunch； and from two till four or five every day； between
whiles； verse and blowing on the flageolet； never outside。
If you could see this place！ but I don't want any one to see
it till my clearing is done； and my house built。 It will be
a home for angels。
So far I wrote after my bit of dinner； some cold meat and
bananas； on arrival。 Then out to see where Henry and some of
the men were clearing the garden； for it was plain there was
to be no work to…day indoors； and I must set in consequence
to farmering。 I stuck a good while on the way up； for the
path there is largely my own handiwork； and there were a lot
of sprouts and saplings and stones to be removed。 Then I
reached our clearing just where the streams join in one； it
had a fine autumn smell of burning； the smoke blew in the
woods； and the boys were pretty merry and busy。 Now I had a
private design：…
＇Map which cannot be reproduced＇
The Vaita'e I had explored pretty far up； not yet the other
stream； the Vaituliga （g=nasal n； as ng in sing）； and up
that； with my wood knife； I set off alone。 It is here quite
dry； it went through endless woods； about as broad as a
Devonshire lane； here and there crossed by fallen trees； huge
trees overhead in the sun； dripping lianas and tufted with
orchids； tree ferns； ferns depending with air roots from the
steep banks； great arums … I had not skill enough to say if
any of them were the edible kind； one of our staples here！ …
hundreds of bananas … another staple … and alas！ I had skill
enough to know all of these for the bad kind that bears no
fruit。 My Henry moralised over this the other day； how hard
it was that the bad banana flourished wild； and the good must
be weeded and tended； and I had not the heart to tell him how
fortunate they were here； and how hungry were other lands by
comparison。 The ascent of this lovely lane of my dry stream
filled me with delight。 I could not but be reminded of old
Mayne Reid； as I have been more than once since I came to the
tropics； and I thought； if Reid had been still living； I
would have written to tell him that； for； me； IT HAD COME
TRUE； and I thought； forbye； that； if the great powers go on
as they are going； and the Chief Justice delays； it would
come truer still； and the war…conch will sound in the hills；
and my home will be inclosed in camps； before the year is
ended。 And all at once … mark you； how Mayne Reid is on the
spot … a strange thing happened。 I saw a liana stretch
across the bed of the brook about breast…high； swung up my
knife to sever it； and … behold； it was a wire！ On either
hand it plunged into thick bush； to…morrow I shall see where
it goes and get a guess perhaps of what it means。 To…day I
know no more than … there it is。 A little higher the brook
began to trickle； then to fill。 At last； as I meant to do
some work upon the homeward trail； it was time to turn。 I
did not return by the stream； knife in hand； as long as my
endurance lasted； I was to cut a path in the congested bush。
At first it went ill with me； I got badly stung as high as
the elbows by the stinging plant； I was nearly hung in a
tough liana … a rotten trunk giving way under my feet； it was
deplorable bad business。 And an axe … if I dared swing one …
would have been more to the purpose than my cutlass。 Of a
sudden things began to go strangely easier； I found stumps；
bushing out again； my body began to wonder； then my mind； I
raised my eyes and looked ahead； and； by George； I was no
longer pioneering； I had struck an old tr