Well，hereisanewmove。ItislikelyImaystartwithGrahamnextweekandgotoHonolulutomeettheothersteamerandreturn:Idobelieveafortnightatseawoulddomegood；
　　yetIamnotyetcertain。ThecrowdedUP-steamersticksinmythroat。
　　TUESDAY，12THSEPT。
　　YesterdaywasperhapsthebrightestintheannalsofVailima。
　　IgotleavefromCaptainBickfordtohavethebandoftheKATOOMBAcomeup，andtheycame，fourteenof’em，withdrum，fife，cymbalsandbugles，bluejackets，whitecaps，andsmilingfaces。Thehousewasalldecoratedwithscentedgreeneryaboveandbelow。Wehadnotonlyourownnineout-
　　doorworkers，butacontractpartythatwetookonincharitytopaytheirwar-fine；thebandbesides，asitcameupthemountain，hadcollectedafollowingofchildrenbytheway，andwehadapickingofSamoanladiestoreceivethem。
　　Chicken，ham，cake，andfruitswereservedoutwithcoffeeandlemonade，andalltheafternoonwehadroundsofclaretnegusflavouredwithrumandlimes。Theyplayedtous，theydanced，theysang，theytumbled。OurboyscameintheendoftheverandahandgaveTHEMadanceforawhile。Itwasanxiousworkgettingthisstoppedonceithadbegun，butI
　　knewthebandwasgoingonaprogramme。FinallytheygavethreecheersforMr。andMrs。Stevens，shookhands，formedupandmarchedoffplaying-tillakickinghorseinthepaddockputtheirpipesoutsomethingofthesuddenest-wethoughtthebigdrumwasgone，butSimeleflewtotherescue。Andsotheywoundawaydownthehillwitheveranothercallofthebugle，leavingusextinctwithfatigue，butperhapsthemostcontentedhoststhateverwatchedthedepartureofsuccessfulguests。Simplyimpossibletotellhowwelltheseblue-
　　jacketsbehaved；amostinterestinglotofmen；thiseducationofboysforthenavyismakingaclass，whollyapart-howshallIcallthem？-akindoflower-classpublicschoolboy，well-mannered，fairlyintelligent，sentimentalasasailor。Whatismoreshallbewritonboardshipifanywhere。
　　PleasesendCATRIONAtoG。Meredith。
　　S。S。MARIPOSA。
　　To-morrowIreachHonolulu。Good-morningtoyourhonour。R。
　　DEARCOLVIN，-Mywifecameuponthesteamerandwegohometogetherin2days。Iampracticallyallright，onlysleepyandtiredeasily，sleptyesterdayfrom11to11。45，from1to2。50，wenttobedat8P。M。，andwithanhour’sintervalslepttill6A。M。，closeupon14hoursoutofthe24。Wesailto-morrow。Iamanxioustogethome，thoughthishasbeenaninterestingvisit，andpoliticshavebeencuriousindeedtostudy。WegotoP。P。C。onthe’Queen’thismorning；poor，recluselady，ABREUVEED’INJURESQU’ELLEEST。
　　HadaratherannoyinglunchonboardtheAmericanman-of-war，withamemberoftheP。G。provincialgovernment；andagooddealofanti-royalisttalk，whichIhadtositout-notonlyformyhost’ssake，butmyfellowguests。Atlast，Itooktheleadandchangedtheconversation。
　　R。L。S。
　　IambeingbustedherebypartynamedHutchinson。Seemsgood。
　　[VAILIMA-NOVEMBER。]
　　Homeagain，andfoundallwell，thankGod。Iamperfectlywellagainandruddierthanthecherry。Pleasenotethat8000isnotbadforavolumeofshortstories；theMERRYMEN
　　didagooddealworse；theshortstoryneversells。IhopeCATRIONAwilldo；thatistheimportant。Thereviewsseemmixedandperplexed，andonehadthepeculiarvirtuetomakemeangry。Iaminafairwaytoexpiscatemyfamilyhistory。
　　FannyandIhadalovelyvoyagedown，withournewC。J。andtheAmericanLandCommissioner，andonthewhole，andforthesedisgustingsteamers，apleasantship’scompany。I
　　cannotunderstandwhyyoudon’ttaketotheHawaiischeme。
　　Doyouunderstand？YoucrosstheAtlanticinsixdays，andgofrom’FriscotoHonoluluinseven。ThirteendaysatseaINALL-IhavenowishtopublishTHEEBBTIDEasabook，letitwait。Itwilllookwellintheportfolio。Iwouldlikeacopy，ofcourse，forthatend；andto’lookupon’tagain’-whichIscarcedare。
　　[LATER。]
　　Thisisdisgraceful。Ihavedonenothing；neitherworknorletters。OntheMeMayday，wehadagreattriumph；ourProtestantboys，insteadofgoingwiththeirownvillagesandfamilies，wentoftheirownaccordintheVailimauniform；
　　Bellemadecoatsforthemonpurposetocompletetheuniform，theyhavingboughtthestuff；andtheywerehailedastheymarchedinastheTama-ona-therichman’schildren。Thisisreallyascore；itmeansthatVailimaispubliclytakenasafamily。Thenwehadmybirthdayfeastaweeklate，owingtodiarrhoeaontheproperoccasion。ThefeastwaslaidintheHall，andwasasingularmassoffood:15pigs，100lbs。
　　beef，100lbs。pork，andthefruitandfiligreeinaproportion。Wehadsixtyhorse-postsdriveninthegatepaddock；howmanyguestsIcannotguess，perhaps150。Theycamebetweenthreeandfourandleftaboutseven。Seumanugavemeoneofhisnames；andwhenmynamewascalledattheavadrinking，behold，itwasAUMAITAUAMAMANU-VAO！Youwouldscarcerecogniseme，ifyouheardmethusreferredto！
　　Twodaysafter，wehiredacarriageinApia，Fanny，Belle，LloydandI，anddroveingreatstyle，withanativeoutrider，totheprison；ahugegiftofavaandtobaccoundertheseats。TheprisonisnowunderthePULEofanAustrian，CaptainWurmbrand，asoldieroffortuneinServiaandTurkey，acharming，clever，kindlycreature，whoisadoredby’HIS
　　chiefs’ashecallsthemmeaningOURpoliticalprisoners。
　　Andwecameintotheyard，walledaboutwithtinnediron，anddrankavawiththeprisonersandthecaptain。Itmayamuseyoutohearhowitispropertodrinkava。Whenthecupishandedyou，youreachyourarmoutsomewhatbehindyou，andslowlypouralibation，sayingwithsomewhatthemannerofprayer，’IATAUMAFAELEATUA。UAMATAGOFIELEFESILAFAIGA
　　NEI。’’Beithigh-chiefpartakenofbytheGod。Howhighchiefbeautifultoviewisthishighchiefgathering。’
　　Thispaganpracticeisveryqueer。Ishouldsaythattheprisonavawasofthatnotverywelcomeformthatweelegantlycallspit-ava，butofcoursetherewasnoescape，andithadtobedrunk。FannyandIrodehome，andI
　　moralisedbytheway。CouldweeverstandEuropeagain？didsheappreciatethatifwewereinLondon，weshouldbeACTUALLYJOSTLEDinthestreet？andtherewasnobodyinthewholeofBritainwhoknewhowtotakeavalikeagentleman？
　　’Tisfunnytobethusoftwocivilisations-or，ifyoulike，ofonecivilisationandonebarbarism。And，asusual，thebarbarismisthemoreengaging。
　　Colvin，youhavetocomehereandseeusinour{native/
　　mortal}spot。Ijustdon’tseemtobeabletomakeupmymindtoyournotcoming。Bythistime，youwillhaveseenGraham，Ihope，andhewillbeabletotellyousomethingaboutus，andsomethingreliable，IshallfeelforthefirsttimeasifyouknewalittleaboutSamoaafterthat。Fannyseemstobeintherightwaynow。Imustsaysheisvery，verywellforher，andcomplainsscarceatall。Yesterday，shewentdownSOLAatleastaccompaniedbyagroomtopayavisit；Belle，LloydandIwentawalkupthemountainroad-
　　thegreatpublichighwayoftheisland，whereyouhavetogosinglefile。TheobjectwastoshowBellethatgaudyvalleyoftheVaisiganowhichtheroadfollows。Iftheroadistobemadeandopened，asournewChiefJusticepromises，itwillbeoneofthemostbeautifulroadsintheworld。Butthepointisthis:IforgotIhadbeenthreemonthsincivilisation，wearingshoesandstockings，andItellyouI
　　sufferedonmysoftfeet；cominghome，downhill，onthatstairwayofloosestones，Icouldhavecried。Oyes，anotherstory，IknewIhad。Thehouseboyshadnotbeenbehavingwell，sotheothernightIannouncedaFONO，andLloydandI
　　wentintotheboys’quarters，andItalkedtothemIsupposeforhalfanhour，andTalolotranslated；Lloydwasthereprincipallytokeepanotherearontheinterpreter；elsetheremaybedreadfulmisconceptions。Irubbedalltheirears，excepttwowhomIparticularlypraised；andoneman’swagesIannouncedIhadcutdownbyonehalf。Imaginehistakingthissmiling！Eversince，hehasbeenspeciallyattentiveandgreetsmewithafaceofreallyheavenlybrightness。Thisisanothergoodsignoftheirreallyandfairlyacceptingmeasachief。WhenIfirstcamehere，ifI
　　hadfinedamanasixpence，hewouldhavequitworkthathour，andnowIremovehalfhisincome，andheisgladtostayon-nay，doesnotseemtoentertainthepossibilityofleaving。Andthisinthefaceofoneparticulardifficulty-
　　Imeanourhouseinthebush，andnosociety，andnowomensocietywithindecentreach。
　　IthinkImustgiveyouourstaffinatabularform。
　　HOUSE。
　　oSOSIMO，provostandbutler，andmyvalet。
　　oMISIFOLO，whoisFannyandBelle’schamberlain。
　　KITCHEN
　　oTALOLO，provostandchiefcook。
　　oIOPU，secondcook。
　　TALI，hiswife，nowages。
　　TI’A，Samoancook。
　　FEILOA’I，hischild，nowages，likewisenowork-Belle’spet。
　　oLEUELU，Fanny’sboy，gardener，oddjobs。
　　INAPIA。
　　ELIGA，washmananddailyerrandman。
　　OUTSIDE。
　　oHENRYSIMELE，provostandoverseasofoutsideboys。
　　LU。
　　TASISELE。
　　MAIELE。
　　PULU，whoisalsoourtalkingmanandcriestheava。
　　Thecrossesmarkoutthereallyexcellentboys。Ti’aisthemanwhohasjustbeenfinedhalfhiswages；heisabeautifuloldman，thelivingimageof’FightingGladiator，’myfavouritestatue-butadreadfulhumbug。Ithinkwekeephimonalittleonaccountofhislooks。Thissignomarksthosewhohavebeentwoyearsorupwardsinthefamily。I
　　noteallmyoldboyshavethecrossofhonour，exceptMisifolo；well，poordog，hedoeshisbest，Isuppose。Youshouldseehimscour。Itisaremarkthathasoftenbeenmadebyvisitors:youneverseeaSamoanrun，exceptatVailima。Doyounotsupposethatmakesmeproud？
　　IampleasedtoseewhatasuccessTHEWRECKERwas，havingalreadyinlittlemorethanayearoutstrippedTHEMASTEROF
　　BALLANTRAE。
　　AboutDAVIDBALFOURintwovolumes，doseethattheymakeitadecent-lookingbook，andtellme，doyouthinkalittlehistoricalappendixwouldbeofservice？Langbleatsforone，andIthoughtImightaddressittohimasakindofopenletter。
　　MYDEARCOLVIN，-OnepageoutofmypicturebookImustgiveyou。Fineburningday；halfpasttwoP。M。Wefourbegintorouseupfromreparatoryslumbers，yawn，andgroan，getacupoftea，andmiserablydress:wehavehadapartythedaybefore，X’masDay，withalltheboysabsentbutone，andlatterlytwo；wehadcookedalldaylong，acolddinner，andlo！attwoourguestsbegantoarrive，thoughdinnerwasnottillsix；theyweresixteen，andfifteensleptthenightandbreakfasted。Conceive，then，howunwillinglyweclimbonourhorsesandstartoffinthehottestpartoftheafternoontoride4andahalfmiles，attendanativefeastinthegaol，andridefourandahalfmilesback。Butthereisnohelpforit。Iamasortoffatherofthepoliticalprisoners，andhaveCHARGED’AMESinthatriotouslyabsurdestablishment，ApiaGaol。Thetwenty-threeIthinkitis
　　chiefsactasundergaolers。TheotherdaytheytoldtheCaptainofanattempttoescape。Oneofthelesserpoliticalprisonerstheotherdayeffectedaswiftcapture，whiletheCaptainwastrailingaboutwiththewarrant；themancametoseewhatwaswanted；came，too，flankedbytheformergaoler；
　　myprisonerofferstoshowhimthedarkcell，shoveshimin，andlocksthedoor。’Whydoyoudothat？’criestheformergaoler。’Awarrant，’sayshe。Finally，thechiefsactuallyfeedthesoldierywhowatchthem！
　　Thegaolisawretchedlittlebuilding，containingalittleroom，andthreecells，oneachsideofacentralpassage；itissurroundedbyafenceofcorrugatediron，andshows，overthetopofthat，onlyagableendwiththeinscriptionOLE