vailima letters-第6章
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but I cannot strangle Jack into submission。
I have given up the big house for just now； we go ahead right
away with a small one； which should be ready in two months；
and I suppose will suffice for just now。
O I know I haven't told you about our AITU； have I？ It is a
lady； AITU FAFINE： she lives on the mountain…side； her
presence is heralded by the sound of a gust of wind； a sound
very common in the high woods； when she catches you； I do not
know what happens； but in practice she is avoided； so I
suppose she does more than pass the time of day。 The great
AITU SAUMAI…AFE was once a living woman； and became an AITU；
no one understands how； she lives in a stream at the well…
head； her hair is red； she appears as a lovely young lady；
her bust particularly admired； to handsome young men； these
die； her love being fatal； … as a handsome youth she has been
known to court damsels with the like result； but this is very
rare； as an old crone she goes about and asks for water； and
woe to them who are uncivil！ SAUMAI…AFE means literally；
'Come here a thousand！' A good name for a lady of her
manners。 My AITU FAFINE does not seem to be in the same line
of business。 It is unsafe to be a handsome youth in Samoa； a
young man died from her favours last month … so we said on
this side of the island； on the other； where he died； it was
not so certain。 I； for one； blame it on Madam SAUMAI…AFE
without hesitation。
Example of the farmer's sorrows。 I slipped out on the
balcony a moment ago。 It is a lovely morning； cloudless；
smoking hot； the breeze not yet arisen。 Looking west； in
front of our new house； I saw； two heads of Indian corn
wagging； and the rest and all nature stock still。 As I
looked； one of the stalks subsided and disappeared。 I dashed
out to the rescue； two small pigs were deep in the grass …
quite hid till within a few yards … gently but swiftly
demolishing my harvest。 Never be a farmer。
12。30 P。M。
I while away the moments of digestion by drawing you a
faithful picture of my morning。 When I had done writing as
above it was time to clean our house。 When I am working； it
falls on my wife alone； but to…day we had it between us； she
did the bedroom； I the sitting…room； in fifty…seven minutes
of really most unpalatable labour。 Then I changed every
stitch； for I was wet through； and sat down and played on my
pipe till dinner was ready； mighty pleased to be in a mildly
habitable spot once more。 The house had been neglected for
near a week； and was a hideous spot； my wife's ear and our
visit to Apia being the causes： our Paul we prefer not to see
upon that theatre； and God knows he has plenty to do
elsewhere。
I am glad to look out of my back door and see the boys
smoothing the foundations of the new house； this is all very
jolly； but six months of it has satisfied me； we have too
many things for such close quarters； to work in the midst of
all the myriad misfortunes of the planter's life； seated in a
Dyonisius' （can't spell him） ear； whence I catch every
complaint； mishap and contention； is besides the devil； and
the hope of a cave of my own inspires me with lust。 O to be
able to shut my own door and make my own confusion！ O to
have the brown paper and the matches and 'make a hell of my
own' once more！
I do not bother you with all my troubles in these
outpourings； the troubles of the farmer are inspiriting …
they are like difficulties out hunting … a fellow rages at
the time and rejoices to recall and to commemorate them。 My
troubles have been financial。 It is hard to arrange wisely
interests so distributed。 America； England； Samoa； Sydney；
everywhere I have an end of liability hanging out and some
shelf of credit hard by； and to juggle all these and build a
dwelling…place here； and check expense … a thing I am ill
fitted for … you can conceive what a nightmare it is at
times。 Then God knows I have not been idle。 But since THE
MASTER nothing has come to raise any coins。 I believe the
springs are dry at home； and now I am worked out； and can no
more at all。 A holiday is required。
DEC。 28TH。 I have got unexpectedly to work again； and feel
quite dandy。 Good…bye。
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER IV
S。 S。 LUBECK； BETWEEN APIA AND SYDNEY；
JAN。 17TH； 1891。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … The Faamasino Sili； or Chief Justice； to
speak your low language； has arrived。 I had ridden down with
Henry and Lafaele； the sun was down； the night was close at
hand； so we rode fast； just as I came to the corner of the
road before Apia； I heard a gun fire； and lo； there was a
great crowd at the end of the pier； and the troops out； and a
chief or two in the height of Samoa finery； and Seumanu
coming in his boat （the oarsmen all in uniform）； bringing the
Faamasino Sili sure enough。 It was lucky he was no longer；
the natives would not have waited many weeks。 But think of
it； as I sat in the saddle at the outside of the crowd
（looking； the English consul said； as if I were commanding
the manoeuvres）； I was nearly knocked down by a stampede of
the three consuls； they had been waiting their guest at the
Matafele end； and some wretched intrigue among the whites had
brought him to Apia； and the consuls had to run all the
length of the town and come too late。
The next day was a long one； I was at a marriage of G。 the
banker to Fanua； the virgin of Apia。 Bride and bridesmaids
were all in the old high dress； the ladies were all native；
the men； with the exception of Seumanu； all white。
It was quite a pleasant party； and while we were writing； we
had a bird's…eye view of the public reception of the Chief
Justice。 The best part of it were some natives in war array；
with blacked faces； turbans； tapa kilts； and guns； they
looked very manly and purposelike。 No； the best part was
poor old drunken Joe； the Portuguese boatman； who seemed to
think himself specially charged with the reception； and ended
by falling on his knees before the Chief Justice on the end
of the pier and in full view of the whole town and bay。 The
natives pelted him with rotten bananas； how the Chief Justice
took it I was too far off to see； but it was highly absurd。
I have commemorated my genial hopes for the regimen of the
Faamasino Sili in the following canine verses； which； if you
at all guess how to read them； are very pretty in movement；
and （unless he be a mighty good man） too true in sense。
We're quarrelling； the villages； we've beaten the wooden
drum's；
Sa femisai o nu'u； sa taia o pate；
Is expounded there by the justice；
Ua Atuatuvale a le faamasino e；
The chief justice； the terrified justice；
Le faamasino sili； le faamasino se；
Is on the point of running away the justice；
O le a solasola le faamasino e；
The justice denied any influence； the terrified justice；
O le faamasino le ai a； le faamasino se；
O le a solasola le faamasino e。
Well； after this excursion into tongues that have never been
alive … though I assure you we have one capital book in the
language； a book of fables by an old missionary of the
unpromising name of Pratt； which is simply the best and the
most literary version of the fables known to me。 I suppose I
should except La Fontaine； but L。 F。 takes a long time； these
are brief as the books of our childhood； and full of wit and
literary colour； and O； Colvin； what a tongue it would be to
write； if one only knew it … and there were only readers。
Its curse in common use is an incredible left…handed
wordiness； but in the hands of a man like Pratt it is
succinct as Latin； compact of long rolling polysyllables and
little and often pithy particles； and for beauty of sound a
dream。 Listen； I quote from Pratt … this is good Samoan； not
canine …
O le afa；
1 2 3
ua taalili ai
4
le ulu vao；
1
ua pa mai
le faititili。
1 almost WA； 2 the two A'S just distinguished； 3 the AI is
practically suffixed to the verb； 4 almost VOW。 The
excursion has prolonged itself。
I started by the LUBECK to meet Lloyd and my mother； there
were many reasons for and against； the main reason against
was the leaving of Fanny alone in her blessed cabin； which
has been somewhat remedied by my carter； Mr。 …； putting up in
the stable and messing with her； but perhaps desire of change
decided me not well； though I do think I ought to see an
oculist； being very blind indeed； and sometimes unable to
read。 Anyway I left； the only cabin passenger； four and a
kid in the second cabin； and a dear voyage it had like to
have proved。 Close to Fiji （choose a worse place on the map）
we broke our shaft early one morning； and when or where we
might expect to fetch land or meet with any ship； I would
like you to tell me。 The Pacific is absolutely desert。 I
have sailed there now some years； and scarce ever seen a ship
except in port or close by； I think twice。 It was the
hurricane season besides； and hurricane waters。 Well； our
chief engineer got the shaft … it was the middle crank shaft
… mended； thrice it was mended； and twice broke down； but now
keeps up … only we dare not stop； for it is almost impossible
to start again。 The captain in the meanwhile crowded her
with sail； fifteen sails in all； every stay being gratified
with a stay…sail； a boat…boom sent aloft for a maintop…
gallant yard； and the derrick of a crane brought in service
as bowsprit。 All the time we have had a fine； fair wind and
a smooth sea； to…day at noon our run was 203 miles （if you
please！）； and we are within some 360 miles of Sydney。
Probably there has never been a more gallant success； and I
can say honestly it was well worked for。 No flurry； no high
words； no long faces； only hard work and honest thought； a
pleasant； manly business to be present at。 All the chances
were we might have been six weeks … ay； or three months at
sea … or never turned up at all； and now it looks as though
we should reach our destination some five days too late。
CHAPTER V
＇ON BOARD SHIP BETWEEN SYDNEY AND APIA； FEB。 1891。＇
MY DEAR COLVIN； … The JANET NICOLL stuff was rather worse
than I had looked for； you have picked out all that is fit to
stand； bar two others （which I don't dislike） … the Port of
Entry and the House of Temoana； that is for a present
opinion； I may condemn these also ere I have done。 By this
time you should have another Marquesan letter； the worst of
the lot； I think； and seven Paumotu letters； which are not
far out of the vein； as I wish it； I am in hopes the Hawaiian
stuff is better yet： time will show； and time will make
perfect。 Is something of
