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thou the poick's mind； With thy coriaceous ingratitude； The
P。 will be to your faults more than a little blind； And yours
is a far from handsome attitude。' Having thus dropped into
poetry in a spirit of friendship； I have the honour to
subscribe myself； Sir；
Your obedient humble servant；
SILAS WEGG。
I suppose by this you will have seen the lad … and his feet
will have been in the Monument … and his eyes beheld the face
of George。 Well！
There is much eloquence in a well！
I am； Sir
Yours
The Epigrammatist
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
FINIS … EXPLICIT
CHAPTER II
VAILIMA； TUESDAY； NOVEMBER 25TH； 1890。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … I wanted to go out bright and early to go
on with my survey。 You never heard of that。 The world has
turned； and much water run under bridges； since I stopped my
diary。 I have written six more chapters of the book； all
good I potently believe； and given up； as a deception of the
devil's； the High Woods。 I have been once down to Apia； to a
huge native feast at Seumanutafa's； the chief of Apia。 There
was a vast mass of food； crowds of people； the police
charging among them with whips； the whole in high good humour
on both sides； infinite noise； and a historic event … Mr。
Clarke； the missionary； and his wife； assisted at a native
dance。 On my return from this function； I found work had
stopped； no more South Seas in my belly。 Well； Henry had
cleared a great deal of our bush on a contract； and it ought
to be measured。 I set myself to the task with a tape…line；
it seemed a dreary business； then I borrowed a prismatic
compass； and tackled the task afresh。 I have no books； I had
not touched an instrument nor given a thought to the business
since the year of grace 1871； you can imagine with what
interest I sat down yesterday afternoon to reduce my
observations； five triangles I had taken； all five came
right； to my ineffable joy。 Our dinner … the lowest we have
ever been … consisted of ONE AVOCADO PEAR between Fanny and
me； a ship's biscuit for the guidman； white bread for the
Missis； and red wine for the twa。 No salt horse； even； in
all Vailima！ After dinner Henry came； and I began to teach
him decimals； you wouldn't think I knew them myself after so
long desuetude！
I could not but wonder how Henry stands his evenings here；
the Polynesian loves gaiety … I feed him with decimals； the
mariner's compass； derivations； grammar； and the like；
delecting myself； after the manner of my race； MOULT
TRISTEMENT。 I suck my paws； I live for my dexterities and by
my accomplishments； even my clumsinesses are my joy … my
woodcuts； my stumbling on the pipe； this surveying even … and
even weeding sensitive； anything to do with the mind； with
the eye； with the hand … with a part of ME； diversion flows
in these ways for the dreary man。 But gaiety is what these
children want； to sit in a crowd； tell stories and pass
jests； to hear one another laugh and scamper with the girls。
It's good fun； too； I believe； but not for R。 L。 S。； AETAT。
40。 Which I am now past forty； Custodian； and not one penny
the worse that I can see； as amusable as ever； to be on board
ship is reward enough for me； give me the wages of going on …
in a schooner！ Only； if ever I were gay； which I
misremember； I am gay no more。 And here is poor Henry
passing his evenings on my intellectual husks； which the
professors masticated； keeping the accounts of the estate …
all wrong I have no doubt … I keep no check； beyond a very
rough one； marching in with a cloudy brow； and the day…book
under his arm； tackling decimals； coming with cases of
conscience … how would an English chief behave in such a
case？ etc。； and； I am bound to say； on any glimmer of a jest；
lapsing into native hilarity as a tree straightens itself
after the wind is by。 The other night I remembered my old
friend … I believe yours also … Scholastikos； and
administered the crow and the anchor … they were quite fresh
to Samoan ears （this implies a very early severance） … and I
thought the anchor would have made away with my Simele
altogether。
Fanny's time； in this interval； has been largely occupied in
contending publicly with wild swine。 We have a black sow； we
call her Jack Sheppard； impossible to confine her …
impossible also for her to be confined！ To my sure knowledge
she has been in an interesting condition for longer than any
other sow in story； else she had long died the death； as soon
as she is brought to bed； she shall count her days。 I
suppose that sow has cost us in days' labour from thirty to
fifty dollars； as many as eight boys （at a dollar a day） have
been twelve hours in chase of her。 Now it is supposed that
Fanny has outwitted her； she grins behind broad planks in
what was once the cook…house。 She is a wild pig； far
handsomer than any tame； and when she found the cook…house
was too much for her methods of evasion； she lay down on the
floor and refused food and drink for a whole Sunday。 On
Monday morning she relapsed； and now eats and drinks like a
little man。 I am reminded of an incident。 Two Sundays ago；
the sad word was brought that the sow was out again； this
time she had carried another in her flight。 Moors and I and
Fanny were strolling up to the garden； and there by the
waterside we saw the black sow； looking guilty。 It seemed to
me beyond words； but Fanny's CRI DU COEUR was delicious： 'G…
r…r！' she cried； 'nobody loves you！'
I would I could tell you the moving story of our cart and
cart…horses； the latter are dapple…grey； about sixteen hands；
and of enormous substance； the former was a kind of red and
green shandry…dan with a driving bench； plainly unfit to
carry lumber or to face our road。 （Remember that the last
third of my road； about a mile； is all made out of a bridle…
track by my boys … and my dollars。） It was supposed a white
man had been found … an ex…German artilleryman … to drive
this last； he proved incapable and drunken； the gallant
Henry； who had never driven before； and knew nothing about
horses … except the rats and weeds that flourish on the
islands … volunteered； Moors accepted； proposing to follow
and supervise： despatched his work and started after。 No
cart！ he hurried on up the road … no cart。 Transfer the
scene to Vailima； where on a sudden to Fanny and me； the cart
appears； apparently at a hard gallop； some two hours before
it was expected； Henry radiantly ruling chaos from the bench。
It stopped： it was long before we had time to remark that the
axle was twisted like the letter L。 Our first care was the
horses。 There they stood； black with sweat； the sweat
raining from them … literally raining … their heads down；
their feet apart … and blood running thick from the nostrils
of the mare。 We got out Fanny's under…clothes … couldn't
find anything else but our blankets … to rub them down； and
in about half an hour we had the blessed satisfaction to see
one after the other take a bite or two of grass。 But it was
a toucher； a little more and these steeds would have been
foundered。
MONDAY； 31ST？ NOVEMBER。
Near a week elapsed； and no journal。 On Monday afternoon；
Moors rode up and I rode down with him； dined； and went over
in the evening to the American Consulate； present； Consul…
General Sewall； Lieut。 Parker and Mrs。 Parker； Lafarge the
American decorator； Adams an American historian； we talked
late； and it was arranged I was to write up for Fanny； and we
should both dine on the morrow。
On the Friday； I was all forenoon in the Mission House；
lunched at the German Consulate； went on board the SPERBER
（German war ship） in the afternoon； called on my lawyer on my
way out to American Consulate； and talked till dinner time
with Adams； whom I am supplying with introductions and
information for Tahiti and the Marquesas。 Fanny arrived a
wreck； and had to lie down。 The moon rose； one day past
full； and we dined in the verandah； a good dinner on the
whole； talk with Lafarge about art and the lovely dreams of
art students。 Remark by Adams； which took me briskly home to
the Monument … 'I only liked one YOUNG woman … and that was
Mrs。 Procter。' Henry James would like that。 Back by
moonlight in the consulate boat … Fanny being too tired to
walk … to Moors's。 Saturday； I left Fanny to rest； and was
off early to the Mission； where the politics are thrilling
just now。 The native pastors （to every one's surprise） have
moved of themselves in the matter of the native dances；
desiring the restrictions to be removed； or rather to be made
dependent on the character of the dance。 Clarke； who had
feared censure and all kinds of trouble； is； of course；
rejoicing greatly。 A characteristic fea