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17TH。
The poem did not get beyond plovers and lovers。 I am still；
however； harassed by the unauthentic Muse； if I cared to
encourage her … but I have not the time； and anyway we are at
the vernal equinox。 It is funny enough； but my pottering
verses are usually made （like the God…gifted organ voice's）
at the autumnal； and this seems to hold at the Antipodes。
There is here some odd secret of Nature。 I cannot speak of
politics； we wait and wonder。 It seems （this is partly a
guess） Ide won't take the C。 J。 ship； unless the islands are
disarmed； and that England hesitates and holds off。 By my
own idea； strongly corroborated by Sir George； I am writing
no more letters。 But I have put as many irons in against
this folly of the disarming as I could manage。 It did not
reach my ears till nearly too late。 What a risk to take！
What an expense to incur！ And for how poor a gain！ Apart
from the treachery of it。 My dear fellow； politics is a vile
and a bungling business。 I used to think meanly of the
plumber； but how he shines beside the politician！
THURSDAY。
A general； steady advance； Fanny really quite chipper and
jolly … self on the rapid mend； and with my eye on FORESTS
that are to fall … and my finger on the axe； which wants
stoning。
SATURDAY； 22。
Still all for the best； but I am having a heart…breaking time
over DAVID。 I have nearly all corrected。 But have to
consider THE HEATHER ON FIRE； THE WOOD BY SILVERMILLS； and
the last chapter。 They all seem to me off colour； and I am
not fit to better them yet。 No proof has been sent of the
title； contents； or dedication。
CHAPTER XXIX
25TH APRIL。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … To…day early I sent down to Maben
（Secretary of State） an offer to bring up people from Malie；
keep them in my house； and bring them down day by day for so
long as the negotiation should last。 I have a favourable
answer so far。 This I would not have tried； had not old Sir
George Grey put me on my mettle； 'Never despair；' was his
word； and 'I am one of the few people who have lived long
enough to see how true that is。' Well； thereupon I plunged
in； and the thing may do me great harm； but yet I do not
think so … for I think jealousy will prevent the trial being
made。 And at any rate it is another chance for this
distracted archipelago of children； sat upon by a clique of
fools。 If； by the gift of God； I can do … I am allowed to
try to do … and succeed： but no； the prospect is too bright
to be entertained。
To…day we had a ride down to Tanugamanono； and then by the
new wood paths。 One led us to a beautiful clearing； with
four native houses； taro； yams； and the like； excellently
planted； and old Folau … 'the Samoan Jew' … sitting and
whistling there in his new…found and well…deserved well…
being。 It was a good sight to see a Samoan thus before the
world。 Further up； on our way home； we saw the world clear；
and the wide die of the shadow lying broad； we came but a
little further； and found in the borders of the bush a
Banyan。 It must have been 150 feet in height； the trunk； and
its acolytes； occupied a great space； above that； in the
peaks of the branches； quite a forest of ferns and orchids
were set； and over all again the huge spread of the boughs
rose against the bright west； and sent their shadow miles to
the eastward。 I have not often seen anything more satisfying
than this vast vegetable。
SUNDAY。
A heavenly day again！ the world all dead silence； save when；
from far down below us in the woods； comes up the crepitation
of the little wooden drum that beats to church。 Scarce a
leaf stirs； only now and again a great； cool gush of air that
makes my papers fly； and is gone。 … The King of Samoa has
refused my intercession between him and Mataafa； and I do not
deny this is a good riddance to me of a difficult business；
in which I might very well have failed。 What else is to be
done for these silly folks？
MAY 12TH。
And this is where I had got to； before the mail arrives with；
I must say； a real gentlemanly letter from yourself。 Sir；
that is the sort of letter I want！ Now； I'll make my little
proposal。 I will accept CHILD'S PLAY and PAN'S PIPES。 Then I
want PASTORAL； THE MANSE； THE ISLET； leaving out if you like
all the prefacial matter and beginning at I。 Then the
portrait of Robert Hunter； beginning 'Whether he was
originally big or little；' and ending 'fearless and gentle。'
So much for MEM。 AND PORTRAITS。 BEGGARS； sections I。 and
II。； RANDOM MEMORIES II。； and LANTERN BEARERS； I'm agreeable。
These are my selections。 I don't know about PULVIS ET UMBRA
either； but must leave that to you。 But just what you
please。
About DAVIE I elaborately wrote last time； but still DAVIE is
not done； I am grinding singly at THE EBB TIDE； as we now
call the FARALLONE； the most of it will go this mail。 About
the following； let there be no mistake： I will not write the
abstract of KIDNAPPED； write it who will； I will not。
Boccaccio must have been a clever fellow to write both
argument and story； I am not； ET JE ME RECUSE。
We call it THE EBB TIDE： A TRIO AND QUARTETTE； but that
secondary name you may strike out if it seems dull to you。
The book； however； falls in two halves； when the fourth
character appears。 I am on p。 82 if you want to know； and
expect to finish on I suppose 110 or so； but it goes slowly；
as you may judge from the fact that this three weeks past； I
have only struggled from p。 58 to p。 82： twenty…four pages；
ET ENCORE sure to be rewritten； in twenty…one days。 This is
no prize…taker； not much Waverley Novels about this！
MAY 16TH。
I believe it will be ten chapters of THE EBB TIDE that go to
you； the whole thing should be completed in I fancy twelve；
and the end will follow punctually next mail。 It is my great
wish that this might get into THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS for
Gordon Browne to illustrate。 For whom； in case he should get
the job； I give you a few notes。 A purao is a tree giving
something like a fig with flowers。 He will find some
photographs of an old marine curiosity shop in my collection；
which may help him。 Attwater's settlement is to be entirely
overshadowed everywhere by tall palms； see photographs of
Fakarava： the verandahs of the house are 12 ft。 wide。 Don't
let him forget the Figure Head； for which I have a great use
in the last chapter。 It stands just clear of the palms on
the crest of the beach at the head of the pier； the flag…
staff not far off； the pier he will understand is perhaps
three feet above high water； not more at any price。 The
sailors of the FARALLONE are to be dressed like white sailors
of course。 For other things； I remit this excellent artist
to my photographs。
I can't think what to say about the tale； but it seems to me
to go off with a considerable bang； in fact； to be an
extraordinary work： but whether popular！ Attwater is a no
end of a courageous attempt； I think you will admit； how far
successful is another affair。 If my island ain't a thing of
beauty； I'll be damned。 Please observe Wiseman and Wishart；
for incidental grimness； they strike me as in it。 Also；
kindly observe the Captain and ADAR； I think that knocks
spots。 In short； as you see； I'm a trifle vainglorious。 But
O； it has been such a grind！ The devil himself would allow a
man to brag a little after such a crucifixion！ And indeed
I'm only bragging for a change before I return to the darned
thing lying waiting for me on p。 88； where I last broke down。
I break down at every paragraph； I may observe； and lie here
and sweat； till I can get one sentence wrung out after
another。 Strange doom； after having worked so easily for so
long！ Did ever anybody see such a story of four characters？
LATER； 2。30。
It may interest you to know that I am entirely TAPU； and live
apart in my chambers like a caged beast。 Lloyd has a bad
cold； and Graham and Belle are getting it。 Accordingly； I
dwell here without the light of any human countenance or
voice； and strap away at THE EBB TIDE until （as now） I can no
more。 Fanny can still come； but is gone to glory now； or to
her garden。 Page 88 is done； and must be done over again to…
morrow； and I confess myself exhausted。 Pity a man who can't
work on along when he has nothing else on earth to do！ But I
have ordered Jack； and am going for a ride in the bush
presently to refresh the machine； then back to a lonely
dinner and durance vile。 I acquiesce in this hand of fate；
for I think another cold just now would just about do for me。
I have scarce yet recovered the two last。
MAY 18TH。
My progress is crabwis