thoughaship’sdeckistheplacetoenjoythem。OwhatAWFULscenery，fromaship’sdeck，inthetropics！PeopletalkabouttheAlps，butthecloudsofthetradewindarealoneforsublimity。
　　Nowtotryandtellyouwhathasbeenhappening。Thestateoftheseislands，andofMataafaandLaupepaMalietoa’sAMBOhadbeenmuchonmymind。IwenttothepriestsandsentamessagetoMataafa，atatimewhenitwassupposedhewasabouttoact。Hedidnotact，delayingintruenativestyle，andIdeterminedIshouldgotovisithim。Ihavebeenverygoodnottogosooner；tolivewithinafewmilesofarebelcamp，tobeanovelist，tohaveallmyfamilyforcingmetogo，andtorefrainallthesemonths，countsforvirtue。Buthearingthatseveralpeoplehadgoneandthegovernmentdonenothingtopunishthem，andhavinganerrandtherewhichwasenoughtojustifymyselfinmyowneyes，I
　　halfdeterminedtogo，andspokeofitwiththehalf-castepriest。AndhereconfounditupcameLaupepaandhisguardstocallonme；wekepthimtolunch，andtheoldgentlemanwasverygoodandamiable。HeaskedmewhyIhadnotbeentoseehim？Iremindedhimalawhadbeenmade，andtoldhimIwasnotasmallboytogoandaskleaveoftheconsuls，andperhapsberefused。HetoldmetopaynoattentiontothelawbutcomewhenIwould，andbeggedmetonameadaytolunch。ThenextdayIthinkitwasearlyinthemorning，amanappeared；hehadmetalbuttonslikeapoliceman-buthewasnoneofourApiaforce；hewasarebelpoliceman，andhadbeenallnightcomingroundinlandthroughtheforestfromMalie。HebroughtaletteraddressedILAUASUSUGATohisExcellencyMISIMEA。Mr。Thingumbob。
　　Soasnottocompromiseme。IcanreadSamoannow，thoughnotspeakit。ItwastoaskmeforlastWednesday。Mydifficultywasgreat；Ihadnomanherewhowasfit，orwhowouldhavecaredtowriteforme；andIhadtopostponethevisit。SoIgaveuphalf-a-daywithagroan，wentdowntothepriests，arrangedforMondayweektogotoMalie，andnamedThursdayasmydaytolunchwithLaupepa。IwassharplyillonWednesday，mailday。ButonThursdayIhadtotraildownandgothroughthedrearybusinessofafeast，intheKing’swretchedshanty，fullinviewofthePresident’sfinenewhouse；itmademyheartburn。
　　ThisgavememychancetoarrangeaprivateinterviewwiththeKing，andIdecidedtoaskMr。Whitmee，oneofourmissionaries，tobemyinterpreter。OnFriday，beingtoomuchexhaustedtogodown，Ibeggedhimtocomeup。Hedid，ItoldhimtheheadsofwhatImeanttosay；andhenotonlyconsented，butsaid，ifwegotonwellwiththeKing，hewouldevenproceedwithmetoMalie。Yesterday，inconsequence，IrodedowntoW。’shousebyeightinthemorning；waitedtillten；receivedamessagethattheKingwasstoppedbyameetingwiththePresidentandFAIPULE；madeanotherengagementforsevenatnight；cameup；wentdown；
　　waitedtilleight，andcameawayagain，BREDOUILLE，andadeadbody。Thepoor，weak，enslavedKinghadnotdaredtocometomeeveninsecret。NowIhaveto-dayforarest，andto-morrowtoMalie。ShallIbesufferedtoembark？Itisverydoubtful；theyareonthetrail。OnThursday，apolicemancameuptomeandbeganthataboyhadbeentoseehim，andsaidIwasgoingtoseeMataafa-’Andwhatdidyousay？’saidI-’ItoldhimIdidnotknowaboutwhereyouweregoing，’saidhe-’Averygoodanswer，’saidI，andturnedaway。Itislashingrainto-day，butto-morrow，rainorshine，Imustatleastmaketheattempt；andIamsoweary，andtheweatherlookssobad。Icouldhalfwishtheywouldarrestmeonthebeach。Allthisbotherandpothertotryandbringalittlechanceofpeace；allthisoppositionandobstinacyinpeoplewhoremainherebythemereforbearanceofMataafa，whohasagreatforcewithinsixmilesoftheirgovernmentbuildings，whichareindeedonlytheresidencesofwhiteofficials。TounderstandhowIhavebeenoccupied，youmustknowthat’MisiMea’hashadanotherletter，andthistimehadtoanswerhimself；thinkofdoingsoinalanguagesoobscuretome，withtheaidofaBible，concordanceanddictionary！WhatawonderfulBaboocompilationitmusthavebeen！IpositivelyexpectedtohearnewsofitsarrivalinMaliebythesoundoflaughter。I
　　doubtifyouwillbeabletoreadthisscrawl，butIhavemanagedtoscramblesomehowuptodate；andto-morrow，onewayoranother，shouldbeinteresting。Butasforme，Iamawreck，asIhavenodoubtstyleandhandwritingbothtestify。
　　Wonderfullyrested；feelalmostfitforto-morrow’sdrearyexcursion-notthatitwillbedrearyiftheweatherfavour，butotherwiseitwillbedeath；andanativefeast，andI
　　fearIaminforabigone，isathingIloathe。Iwonderifyoucanreallyconceivemeasapoliticianinthisextra-
　　mundanesphere-presidingatpublicmeetings，draftingproclamations，receivingmis-addressedlettersthathavebeencarriedallnightthroughtropicalforests？Itseemsstrangeindeed，andtoyou，whoknowmereally，mustseemstranger。
　　IdonotsayIamfreefromtheitchofmeddling，butGodknowsthisisnotemptingjobtomeddlein；IsmileatpicturesquecircumstancesliketheMisiMeaMONSIEURCHOSE
　　istheexactequivalentcorrespondence，butthebusinessasawholeboresandrevoltsme。Idonothingandsaynothing；
　　andthenadaycomes，andIsay’thiscangoonnolonger。’
　　Thewretchednativedilatorinessfindsmeout。Newshasjustcomethatwemustembarkatsixto-morrow；Ihavedividedthenightinwatches，andhopetobecalledto-morrowatfourandgetunderwaybyfive。Itisagreatchanceifitbemanaged；butIhavegivendirectionsandlentmyownclocktotheboys，andhopethebest。IfIgetcalledatfourweshalldoitnicely。Good-night；Imustturnin。
　　Well，wedidgetoffbyabout5。30，or，by’rlady！quarterofsix:myselfonDonald，thehugegreycart-horse，withaship-
　　bagacrossmysaddlebow，FannyonMusuandBelleonJack。
　　Wewereallfeelingprettytiredandsick，andIlookedlikeheavenknowswhatonthecarthorse:’deathonthepalehorse，’Isuggested-andyoungHuntthemissionary，whometmeto-dayonthesamecharger，squintedupatmyperchandremarked，’There’sasweetlittlecherubthatsitsupaloft。’
　　Theboatwasreadyandwesetoffdownthelagoonaboutseven，fouroars，andTalolo，mycook，steering。
　　MAY9THMONDAYANYWAY。
　　Andseewhatgoodresolutionscameto！Hereisallthistimepast，andnospeedmade。Well，wegottoMalieandwerereceivedwiththemostfriendlyconsiderationbytherebelchief。BelleandFannywereobviouslythoughttobemytwowives；theywereservedtheirkavatogether，aswereMataafaandmyself。Taloloutterlybrokedownasinterpreter；longspeechesweremadetomebyMataafaandhisorators，ofwhichhecouldmakenothingbuttheywere’verymuchsurprised’-
　　hiswayofpronouncingobliged-andashecouldunderstandnothingthatfellfrommeexceptthesameformofwords，thedialoguelanguishedandallbusinesshadtobelaidaside。
　　Wehadkava，andthenadishofarrowroot；oneendofthehousewasscreenedoffforuswithafinetapa，andwelayandslept，thethreeofusheadsandtails，uponthematstilldinner。Afterdinnerhisillegitimatemajestyandmyselfhadawalk，andtalkedaswellasmytwopennySamoanwouldadmit。Thentherewasadancetoamusetheladiesbeforethehouse，andwecamebackbymoonlight，theskypiledfullofhighfaintcloudsthatlongpreservedsomeoftheradianceofthesunset。Thelagoonwasveryshallow；wecontinuallystruck，forthemoonwasyoungandthelightbaffling；andforalongtimewewereaccompaniedby，andpassedandre-passed，ahugewhale-boatfromSavaii，pullingperhapstwelveoars，andcontainingperhapsfortypeoplewhosangintimeastheywentSotothehotel，whereweslept，andreturnedthenextTuesdaymorningonthethreesamesteeds。
　　Meanwhilemybusinesswasstilluntransacted。AndonSaturdaymorning，IsentdownandarrangedwithCharlieTaylortogodownthatafternoon。Ihadscarcegotthesaddlebagsfixedandhadnotyetmounted，whentherainbegan。Butitwasnousedelayingnow；offIwentinawildwaterspouttoApia；foundCharlieSaleTaylor-asesquipedalianyounghalf-caste-notyetready，hadasnackofbreadandcheeseatthehotelwhilewaitinghim，andthenofftoMalie。Itrainedalltheway，sevenmiles；theroad，whichbeginsintriumph，dwindlesdowntoanasty，boggy，rockyfootpathwithweedsuptoahorseman’sknees；andthereareeightpigfencestojump，nastybeastlyjumps-thenextmorningwefoundoneallmessedwithbloodwhereahorsehadcometogrief-butmyJackisacleverfencer；andaltogetherwemadegoodtime，andgottoMalieaboutdark。
　　Itisavillageofveryfinenativehouses，high，domed，ovalbuildings，openatthesides，oronlyclosedwithslattedVenetians。Tobesure，Mataafa’sisnottheworst。Itwasalreadyquitedarkwithin，onlyalittlefireofcocoa-shellblazedinthemidstandshowedusfourservants；thechiefwasinhischapel，whenceweheardthesoundofchaunting。
　　Presentlyhereturned；TaylorandIhadoursoakingclotheschanged，familyworshipwasheld，kavabrewed，Iwasexhibitedtothechiefsasamanwhohadriddenthroughallthatrainandriskeddeportationtoservetheirmaster；theywerebiddenlearnmyface，andrememberuponalloccasionstohelpandserveme。Thendinner，andpolitics，andfinespeechesuntiltwelveatnight-O，andsomemorekava-whenIcouldsitupnolonger；myusualbed-timeiseight，youmustremember。Thenoneendofthehousewasscreenedoffformealone，andabedmade-youneversawsuchacouch-I
　　believeofnearlyfiftyhalfatleastfinemats，byMataafa’sdaughter，Kalala。HereIreposedalone；andontheothersideofthetafa，Majestyandhishousehold。Armedguardsandadrummerpatrolledaboutthehouseallnight；
　　theyhadnoshift，poordevils；butstoodtoarmsfromsun-
　　downtosun-up。
　　Aboutfourinthemorning，Iwasawakenedbythesoundofawhistlepipeblownoutsideonthedark，verysoftlyandtoapleasingsimpleair；IreallythinkIhavehitthefirstphrase:
　　[Fragmentofmusicscorewhichcannotbereproduced]