wormhead。Likeallourbrooks，thewaterispureasair，andrunsoverredstoneslikerubies。Thefoliagealongbothbanksverythickandhigh，theplaceclose，thewalkingexceedinglylaborious。Bythetimetheexpeditionreachedthefork，itwasfeltexceedinglyquestionablewhethertheMORALoftheforceweresufficientlygoodtoundertakemoreextendedoperations。Ahaltwascalled，themenrefreshedwithwaterandabath，anditwasdecidedatadrumheadcouncilofwartocontinuethedescentoftheEmbassyWaterstraightforVailima，whithertheexpeditionreturned，inratherpoorcondition，andwettothewaist，about4。P。M。
　　Thusintwodaysthetwomainwatercoursesofthiscountryhavebeenprettythoroughlyexplored，andIconceivemyinstructionsfullycarriedout。ThemainbodyofthesecondexpeditionwasbroughtbackbyanotherofficerdespatchedforthatpurposefromVailima。Casualties:onehorsewounded；
　　onemanbruised；nodeaths-asyet，butthebruisedmanfeelsto-dayasifhiscasewasmightyserious。
　　DEC。25，’91。
　　Yournotewithaverydespicablebulletinofhealtharrivedonlyyesterday，themailbeingadaybehind。ItcontainedalsotheexcellentTIMESarticle，whichwasasightforsoreeyes。IamstillTABOO；theblessedGermanswillhavenoneofme；andIonlyhopetheymayenjoytheTIMESarticle。
　　’Tismyrevenge！Iwishyouhadsentthelettertoo，asI
　　havenocopy，anddonotevenknowwhatIwrotethelastday，withabadheadache，andthemailgoingout。However，itmusthavebeenaboutright，fortheTIMESarticlewasinthespiritIwishedtoarouse。Ihopewecangetridofthemanbeforeitistoolate。Hehassetthenativestowar；butthenatives，byGod’sblessing，donotwanttofight，andI
　　thinkitwillfizzleout-nothankstothemanwhotriedtostartit。ButIdidnotmeantodriftintothesepolitics；
　　rathertotellyouwhatIhavedonesinceIlastwrote。
　　Well，IworkedawayatmyHistoryforawhile，andonlygotonechapterdone；nodoubtthisspateofworkisprettylownow，andwillbesoondry；but，Godblessyou，whatalotI
　　haveaccomplished；WRECKERdone，BEACHOFFALESAdone，halftheHISTORY:C’ESTETONNANT。IhearfromBurlingame，bytheway，thathelikestheendoftheWRECKER；’tiscertainlyaviolent，darkyarnwithinteresting，plainturnsofhumannature，thenLloydandIwentdowntoliveinHaggard’srooms，whereFannypresentlyjoinedus。Haggard’sroomsareinastrangeoldbuilding-oldforSamoa，andhastheeffectoftheantiquelikesomestrangemonastery；Iwouldtellyoumoreofit，butIthinkI’mgoingtouseitinatale。Theannexeclosebyhaditsdoorsealed；poorDowdneylostatseainaschooner。Theplaceishaunted。Thevastemptysheds，theemptystore，theairless，hot，long，lowrooms，theclapsofwindthatseteverythingflying-astrangeuncannyhousetospendChristmasin。
　　JAN。1ST，’92。
　　ForadayortwoIhavesatcloseandwroughthardattheHISTORY，andtwomorechaptersareallbutdone。Aboutthirtypagesshouldgobythismail，whichisnotwhatshouldbe，butallIcouldovertake。Willanyoneeverreadit？I
　　fancynot；peopledon’treadhistoryforreading，butforeducationanddisplay-andwhodesireseducationinthehistoryofSamoa，withnopopulation，nopast，nofuture，ortheexploitsofMataafa，Malietoa，andConsulKnappe？
　　ColkittoandGalaspareatrifletoit。Well，itcan’tbehelped，anditmustbedone，and，betterorworse，it’scapitalfun。TherearetwotowhomIhavenotbeenkind-
　　GermanConsulBeckerandEnglishCaptainHand，R。N。
　　OnDec。30thIrodedownwithBelletogotoifyouplease
　　theFancyBall。WhenIgottothebeach，Ifoundthebarometerwasbelow29degrees，thewindstillintheeastandsteady，butahugeoffensivecontinentofcloudsandvapoursformingtoleeward。Itmightbeahurricane；Idarednotriskgettingcaughtawayfrommywork，and，leavingBelle，returnedatoncetoVailima。Nextday-yesterday-
　　itwasatearer；wehadstormshuttersup；Isatinmyroomandwrotebylamplight-tenpages，ifyouplease，sevenofthemdraft，andsomeofthesecompiledfromasmanyassevendifferentandconflictingauthorities，sothatwasabraveday’swork。Abouttwoahugetreefellwithinsixtypacesofourhouse；alittleafter，asecondwent；andwesentoutboyswithaxesandcutdownathird，whichwastoonearthehouse，andbucklinglikeafishingrod。Atdinnerwehadthefrontdoorclosedandshuttered，thebackdooropen，thelamplit。Theboysinthecook-housewerealloutatthecook-
　　housedoor，wherewecouldseethemlookinginandsmiling。
　　LauiloandFaaumawaitedonuswithsmiles。Theexcitementwasdelightful。Someveryviolentsquallscameaswesatthere，andeveryonerejoiced；itwasimpossibletohelpit；
　　asoulofputtyhadtosing。Allnightitblew；theroofwascontinuallysoundingundermissiles；inthemorningtheverandahswerehalffullofbranchestornfromtheforest。
　　Therewasalastverywildsquallaboutsix；therain，likeathickwhitesmoke，flyingpastthehouseinvolleys，andasswift，itseemed，asrifleballs；allwithastrange，stridenthiss，suchasIhaveonlyheardbeforeatsea，and，indeed，thoughttobeamarinephenomenon。Sincethenthewindhasbeenfallingwithafewsqualls，mostlyrain。Butourroadisimpassableforhorses；wehearaschoonerhasbeenwreckedandsomenativehousesblowndowninApia，whereBelleisstillandmustremainaprisoner。LuckyIreturnedwhileIcould！Butthegreatgoodisthis；muchbread-fruitandbananashavebeendestroyed；ifthisbegeneralthroughtheislands，faminewillbeimminent；andWHOEVERBLOWSTHE
　　COALS，THERECANBENOWAR。DoIthenpreferafaminetoawar？youask。Notalways，butjustnow。Iamsurethenativesdonotwantawar；Iamsureawarwouldbenefitnoonebutthewhiteofficials，andIbelievewecaneasilymeetthefamine-oratleastthatitcanbemet。Thatwouldgiveourofficialsalegitimateopportunitytocovertheirpasterrors。
　　JAN。2ND。
　　Iwokethismorningtofindtheblowquiteended。Theheavenwasallamottledgray；eventheeastquitecolourless；thedownwardslopeoftheislandveiledinwaftsofvapour，bluelikesmoke；notaleafstirredonthetallesttree；only，threemilesawaybelowmeonthebarrierreef，Icouldseetheindividualbreakerscurlandfall，andheartheirconjunctroaringrise，asitstillrisesat1P。M。，liketheroarofathoroughfarecloseby。Ididagoodmorning’swork，correctingandclarifyingmydraft，andhavenowfinishedforpresseightchapters，ninety-onepages，ofthispieceofjournalism。Fourmorechapters，sayfiftypages，remaintobedone；Ishouldgainmywagerandfinishthisvolumeinthreemonths，thatistosay，theendshouldleavemeperFebruarymail；IcannotreceiveitbacktillthemailofApril。Yes，itcanbeoutintime；prayGodthatitbeintimetohelp。
　　Howdojournalistsfetchuptheirdrivel？Iaimonlyatclearnessandthemostobviousfinish，positivelyatnohigherdegreeofmerit，notevenatbrevity-Iamsureitcouldhavebeenalldone，withdoublethetime，intwo-thirdsofthespace。Andyetithastakenmetwomonthstowrite45，500words；and，bedamnedtomywickedprowess，Iamproudoftheexploit！Therealjournalistmustbeamannotofbrassonly，butbronze。ChapterIX。gapesforme，butI
　　shrinkonthemargin，andgoonchatteringtoyou。ThislastpartwillbemuchlessoffensivestrangetosaytotheGermans。ItisBeckertheywillneverforgivemefor；KnappeIpityanddonotdislike；BeckerIscornandabominate。
　　Hereisthetableau。I。ElementsofDiscord:Native。II。
　　ElementsofDiscord:Foreign。III。TheSorrowsofLaupepa。
　　IV。Brandeis。V。TheBattleofMatautu。VI。LastExploitsofBecker。VII。TheSamoanCamps。VIII。AffairsofLautiiandFangalii。IX。’FURORCONSULARIS。’X。TheHurricane。
　　XI。StuebelRecluse。XII。ThePresentGovernment。I
　　estimatethewholeroughlyat70，000words。Shouldanybodyeverdreamofreadingit，itwouldbefoundamusing。
　　70000/300=233printedpages；arespectablelittlefive-bobvolume，tobloomunreadinshopwindows。Afterthat，I’llhaveaspankatfiction。Andrest？Ishallrestinthegrave，orwhenIcometoItaly。Ifonlythepublicwillcontinuetosupportme！Ilostmychancenotdying；thereseemsbloominglittlefearofitnow。Iworkedcloseonfivehoursthismorning；thedaybefore，closeonnine；andunlessIfinishmyselfoffwiththisletter，I’llhaveanotherhourandahalf，orAIBLINSTWA，beforedinner。Poorman，howyoumustenvyme，asyouhearoftheseorgiesofwork，andyouscarceableforaletter。ButLord，Colvin，howluckythesituationsarenotreversed，forIhavenosituation，noramfitforany。Lifeisasteighbrae。Here，haveatKnappe，andnomoreclavers！
　　Therewasneveranymanhadsomanyironsinthefire，exceptJimPinkerton。IforgottomentionIhavethemostgallantsuggestionfromLang，withanofferofMS。authorities，whichturnsmybrain。It’sallaboutthethroneofPolandandburiedtreasureintheMackaycountry，andAlanBreckcanfigurethereinglory。
　　Yesterday，J。andIsetofftoBlacklock’sAmericanConsul
　　wholivesnotfarfromthatlittlevillageIhavesooftenmentionedaslyingbetweenusandApia。IhadsomequestionstoaskhimformyHistory；thencewemustproceedtoVailele，whereIhadalsotocross-examinetheplantationmanageraboutthebattlethere。WewentbyatrackIhadneverbeforefolloweddownthehilltoVaisigano，whichflowshereinadeepvalley，andwasunusuallyfull，sothatthehorsestrembledintheford。