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ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
HONOLULU； APRIL 1889。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … As usual； your letter is as good as a cordial；
and I thank you for it； and all your care； kindness； and generous
and thoughtful friendship； from my heart。 I was truly glad to hear
a word of Colvin； whose long silence has terrified me； and glad to
hear that you condoned the notion of my staying longer in the South
Seas； for I have decided in that sense。 The first idea was to go
in the MORNING STAR； missionary ship； but now I have found a
trading schooner； the EQUATOR； which is to call for me here early
in June and carry us through the Gilberts。 What will happen then；
the Lord knows。 My mother does not accompany us： she leaves here
for home early in May； and you will hear of us from her； but not； I
imagine； anything more definite。 We shall get dumped on
Butaritari； and whether we manage to go on to the Marshalls and
Carolines； or whether we fall back on Samoa； Heaven must decide；
but I mean to fetch back into the course of the RICHMOND … （to
think you don't know what the RICHMOND is！ … the steamer of the
Eastern South Seas； joining New Zealand； Tongatabu； the Samoas；
Taheite； and Rarotonga； and carrying by last advices sheep in the
saloon！） … into the course of the RICHMOND and make Taheite again
on the home track。 Would I like to see the SCOTS OBSERVER？
Wouldn't I not？ But whaur？ I'm direckit at space。 They have nae
post offishes at the Gilberts； and as for the Car'lines！ Ye see；
Mr。 Baxter； we're no just in the punkshewal CENTRE o' civ'lisation。
But pile them up for me； and when I've decided on an address； I'll
let you ken； and ye'll can send them stavin' after me。 … Ever your
affectionate；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
HONOLULU； 10TH MAY 1889。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … I am appalled to gather from your last just to
hand that you have felt so much concern about the letter。 Pray
dismiss it from your mind。 But I think you scarce appreciate how
disagreeable it is to have your private affairs and private
unguarded expressions getting into print。 It would soon sicken any
one of writing letters。 I have no doubt that letter was very
wisely selected； but it just shows how things crop up。 There was a
raging jealousy between the two yachts； our captain was nearly in a
fight over it。 However； no more； and whatever you think； my dear
fellow； do not suppose me angry with you or …； although I was
ANNOYED AT THE CIRCUMSTANCE … a very different thing。 But it is
difficult to conduct life by letter； and I continually feel I may
be drifting into some matter of offence； in which my heart takes no
part。
I must now turn to a point of business。 This new cruise of ours is
somewhat venturesome； and I think it needful to warn you not to be
in a hurry to suppose us dead。 In these ill…charted seas； it is
quite on the cards we might be cast on some unvisited； or very
rarely visited； island； that there we might lie for a long time；
even years； unheard of； and yet turn up smiling at the hinder end。
So do not let me be 'rowpit' till you get some certainty we have
gone to Davie Jones in a squall； or graced the feast of some
barbarian in the character of Long Pig。
I have just been a week away alone on the lee coast of Hawaii； the
only white creature in many miles； riding five and a half hours one
day； living with a native； seeing four lepers shipped off to
Molokai； hearing native causes； and giving my opinion as AMICUS
CURIAE as to the interpretation of a statute in English； a lovely
week among God's best … at least God's sweetest works …
Polynesians。 It has bettered me greatly。 If I could only stay
there the time that remains； I could get my work done and be happy；
but the care of my family keeps me in vile Honolulu； where I am
always out of sorts； amidst heat and cold and cesspools and beastly
HAOLES。 What is a haole？ You are one； and so； I am sorry to say；
am I。 After so long a dose of whites； it was a blessing to get
among Polynesians again even for a week。
Well； Charles； there are waur haoles than yoursel'； I'll say that
for ye； and trust before I sail I shall get another letter with
more about yourself。 … Ever your affectionate friend
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
HONOLULU； （ABOUT） 20TH MAY '89。
MY DEAR LOW； … The goods have come； many daughters have done
virtuously； but thou excellest them all。 … I have at length
finished THE MASTER； it has been a sore cross to me； but now he is
buried； his body's under hatches； … his soul； if there is any hell
to go to； gone to hell； and I forgive him： it is harder to forgive
Burlingame for having induced me to begin the publication； or
myself for suffering the induction。 … Yes； I think Hole has done
finely； it will be one of the most adequately illustrated books of
our generation； he gets the note； he tells the story … MY story： I
know only one failure … the Master standing on the beach。 … You
must have a letter for me at Sydney … till further notice。
Remember me to Mrs。 Will。 H。； the godlike sculptor； and any of the
faithful。 If you want to cease to be a republican； see my little
Kaiulani； as she goes through … but she is gone already。 You will
die a red； I wear the colours of that little royal maiden； NOUS
ALLONS CHANTER A LA RONDE； SI VOUS VOULEZ！ only she is not blonde
by several chalks； though she is but a half…blood； and the wrong
half Edinburgh Scots like mysel'。 But； O Low； I love the
Polynesian： this civilisation of ours is a dingy； ungentlemanly
business； it drops out too much of man； and too much of that the
very beauty of the poor beast： who has his beauties in spite of
Zola and Co。 As usual； here is a whole letter with no news： I am
a bloodless； inhuman dog； and no doubt Zola is a better
correspondent。 … Long live your fine old English admiral … yours； I
mean … the U。S。A。 one at Samoa； I wept tears and loved myself and
mankind when I read of him： he is not too much civilised。 And
there was Gordon； too； and there are others； beyond question。 But
if you could live； the only white folk； in a Polynesian village；
and drink that warm； light VIN DU PAYS of human affection； and
enjoy that simple dignity of all about you … I will not gush； for I
am now in my fortieth year； which seems highly unjust； but there it
is； Mr。 Low； and the Lord enlighten your affectionate
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MRS。 R。 L。 STEVENSON
KALAWAO； MOLOKAI ＇MAY 1889＇。
DEAR FANNY； … I had a lovely sail up。 Captain Cameron and Mr。
Gilfillan； both born in the States； yet the first still with a
strong Highland； and the second still with a strong Lowland accent；
were good company； the night was warm； the victuals plain but good。
Mr。 Gilfillan gave me his berth； and I slept well； though I heard
the sisters sick in the next stateroom； poor souls。 Heavy rolling
woke me in the morning； I turned in all standing； so went right on
the upper deck。 The day was on the peep out of a low morning bank；
and we were wallowing along under stupendous cliffs。 As the lights
brightened； we could see certain abutments and buttresses on their
front where wood clustered and grass grew brightly。 But the whole
brow seemed quite impassable； and my heart sank at the sight。 Two
thousand feet of rock making 19 degrees （the Captain guesses）
seemed quite beyond my powers。 However； I had come so far； and； to
tell you the truth； I was so cowed with fear and disgust that I
dared not go back on the adventure in the interests of my own self…
respect。 Presently we came up with the leper promontory： lowland；
quite bare and bleak and harsh； a little town of wooden houses； two
churches； a landing…stair； all unsightly； sour； northerly； lying