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comes down a wonderful fine glen； at least 200 feet of cliffs
on either hand； winding like a corkscrew； great forest trees
filling it。 At the top there ought to be a fine double fall；
but the stream evades it by a fault and passes underground。
Above the fall it runs （at this season） full and very gaily
in a shallow valley； some hundred yards before the head of
the glen。 Its course is seen full of grasses； like a flooded
meadow； that is the sink！ beyond the grave of the grasses；
the bed lies dry。 Near this upper part there is a great show
of ruinous pig…walls； a village must have stood near by。
To walk from our house to Wreck Hill （when the path is buried
in fallen trees） takes one about half an hour； I think； to
return； not more than twenty minutes； I daresay fifteen。
Hence I should guess it was three…quarters of a mile。 I had
meant to join on my explorations passing eastward by the
sink； but； Lord！ how it rains。
（LATER。）
I went out this morning with a pocket compass and walked in a
varying direction； perhaps on an average S。 by W。； 1754
paces。 Then I struck into the bush； N。W。 by N。； hoping to
strike the Vaituliga above the falls。 Now I have it plotted
out I see I should have gone W。 or even W。 by S。； but it is
not easy to guess。 For 600 weary paces I struggled through
the bush； and then came on the stream below the gorge； where
it was comparatively easy to get down to it。 In the place
where I struck it； it made cascades about a little isle； and
was running about N。E。； 20 to 30 feet wide； as deep as to my
knee； and piercing cold。 I tried to follow it down； and keep
the run of its direction and my paces； but when I was wading
to the knees and the waist in mud； poison brush； and rotted
wood； bound hand and foot in lianas； shovelled
unceremoniously off the one shore and driven to try my luck
upon the other … I saw I should have hard enough work to get
my body down； if my mind rested。 It was a damnable walk；
certainly not half a mile as the crow flies； but a real
bucketer for hardship。 Once I had to pass the stream where
it flowed between banks about three feet high。 To get the
easier down； I swung myself by a wild…cocoanut … （so called；
it bears bunches of scarlet nutlets） … which grew upon the
brink。 As I so swung； I received a crack on the head that
knocked me all abroad。 Impossible to guess what tree had
taken a shy at me。 So many towered above； one over the
other； and the missile； whatever it was； dropped in the
stream and was gone before I had recovered my wits。 （I
scarce know what I write； so hideous a Niagara of rain roars；
shouts； and demonizes on the iron roof … it is pitch dark too
… the lamp lit at 5！） It was a blessed thing when I struck
my own road； and I got home； neat for lunch time； one of the
most wonderful mud statues ever witnessed。 In the afternoon
I tried again； going up the other path by the garden； but was
early drowned out； came home； plotted out what I had done；
and then wrote this truck to you。
Fanny has been quite ill with ear…ache。 She won't go； hating
the sea at this wild season； I don't like to leave her； so it
drones on； steamer after steamer； and I guess it'll end by no
one going at all。 She is in a dreadful misfortune at this
hour； a case of kerosene having burst in the kitchen。 A
little while ago it was the carpenter's horse that trod in a
nest of fourteen eggs； and made an omelette of our hopes。
The farmer's lot is not a happy one。 And it looks like some
real uncompromising bad weather too。 I wish Fanny's ear were
well。 Think of parties in Monuments！ think of me in
Skerryvore； and now of this。 It don't look like a part of
the same universe to me。 Work is quite laid aside； I have
worked myself right out。
CHRISTMAS EVE。
Yesterday； who could write？ My wife near crazy with ear…
ache； the rain descending in white crystal rods and playing
hell's tattoo； like a TUTTI of battering rams； on our sheet…
iron roof； the wind passing high overhead with a strange dumb
mutter； or striking us full； so that all the huge trees in
the paddock cried aloud； and wrung their hands； and
brandished their vast arms。 The horses stood in the shed
like things stupid。 The sea and the flagship lying on the
jaws of the bay vanished in sheer rain。 All day it lasted； I
locked up my papers in the iron box； in case it was a
hurricane； and the house might go。 We went to bed with
mighty uncertain feelings； far more than on shipboard； where
you have only drowning ahead … whereas here you have a smash
of beams； a shower of sheet…iron； and a blind race in the
dark and through a whirlwind for the shelter of an unfinished
stable … and my wife with ear…ache！ Well； well； this
morning； we had word from Apia； a hurricane was looked for；
the ships were to leave the bay by 10 A。M。； it is now 3。30；
and the flagship is still a fixture； and the wind round in
the blessed east； so I suppose the danger is over。 But
heaven is still laden； the day dim； with frequent rattling
bucketfuls of rain； and just this moment （as I write） a
squall went overhead； scarce striking us； with that singular；
solemn noise of its passage； which is to me dreadful。 I have
always feared the sound of wind beyond everything。 In my
hell it would always blow a gale。
I have been all day correcting proofs； and making out a new
plan for our house。 The other was too dear to be built now；
and it was a hard task to make a smaller house that would
suffice for the present； and not be a mere waste of money in
the future。 I believe I have succeeded； I have taken care of
my study anyway。
Two favours I want to ask of you。 First； I wish you to get
'Pioneering in New Guinea；' by J。 Chalmers。 It's a
missionary book； and has less pretensions to be literature
than Spurgeon's sermons。 Yet I think even through that； you
will see some of the traits of the hero that wrote it； a man
that took me fairly by storm for the most attractive； simple；
brave； and interesting man in the whole Pacific。 He is away
now to go up the Fly River； a desperate venture； it is
thought； he is quite a Livingstone card。
Second； try and keep yourself free next winter； and if my
means can be stretched so far； I'll come to Egypt and we'll
meet at Shepheard's Hotel； and you'll put me in my place；
which I stand in need of badly by this time。 Lord； what
bully times！ I suppose I'll come per British Asia； or
whatever you call it； and avoid all cold； and might be in
Egypt about November as ever was … eleven months from now or
rather less。 But do not let us count our chickens。
Last night three piglings were stolen from one of our pig…
pens。 The great Lafaele appeared to my wife uneasy； so she
engaged him in conversation on the subject； and played upon
him the following engaging trick。 You advance your two
forefingers towards the sitter's eyes； he closes them；
whereupon you substitute （on his eyelids） the fore and middle
fingers of the left hand； and with your right （which he
supposes engaged） you tap him on the head and back。 When you
let him open his eyes； he sees you withdrawing the two
forefingers。 'What that？' asked Lafaele。 'My devil；' says
Fanny。 'I wake um； my devil。 All right now。 He go catch
the man that catch my pig。' About an hour afterwards；
Lafaele came for further particulars。 'O； all right；' my
wife says。 'By and by； that man he sleep； devil go sleep
same place。 By and by； that man plenty sick。 I no care。
What for he take my pig？' Lafaele cares plenty； I don't
think he is the man； though he may be； but he knows him； and
most likely will eat some of that pig to…night。 He will not
eat with relish。
SATURDAY 27TH。
It cleared up suddenly after dinner； and my wife and I
saddled up and off to Apia； whence we did not return till
yesterday morning。 Christmas Day I wish you could have seen
our party at table。 H。 J。 Moors at one end with my wife； I
at the other with Mrs。 M。； between us two native women；
Carruthers the lawyer； Moors's two shop…boys … Walters and A。
M。 the quadroon … and the guests of the evening； Shirley
Baker； the defamed and much…accused man of Tonga； and his
son； with the artificial joint to his arm … where the
assassins shot him in shooting at his father。 Baker's
appearance is not unlike John Bull on a cartoon； he is highly
interesting to speak to； as I had expected； I found he and I
had many common interests； and were engaged in puzzling over
many of the same difficulties。 After dinner it was quite
pretty to see our Christmas party； it was so easily pleased
and prettily behaved。 In the morning I should say I had been
to lunch at the German consulate； where I had as usual a very
pleasant time。 I shall miss