_Taiti_, _as ever was_, 6_th_ _October_ 1888.
MY DEAR CHARLES,—. . . You will receive a lot of mostly very bad proofs
of photographs: the paper was so bad. Please keep them very private, as
they are for the book. We send them, having learned so dread a fear of
the sea, that we wish to put our eggs in different baskets. We have been
thrice within an ace of being ashore: we were lost (!) for about twelve
hours in the Low Archipelago, but by God’s blessing had quiet weather all
the time; and once, in a squall, we cam’ so near gaun heels ower hurdies,
that I really dinnae ken why we didnae athegither. Hence, as I say, a
great desire to put our eggs in different baskets, particularly on the
Pacific (aw-haw-haw) Pacific Ocean.
You can have no idea what a mean time we have had, owing to incidental
beastlinesses, nor what a glorious, owing to the intrinsic interest of
these isles. I hope the book will be a good one; nor do I really very
much doubt that—the stuff is so curious; what I wonder is, if the public
will rise to it. A copy of my journal, or as much of it as is made,
shall go to you also; it is, of course, quite imperfect, much being to be
added and corrected; but O, for the eggs in the different baskets.
All the rest are well enough, and all have enjoyed the cruise so far, in
spite of its drawbacks. We have had an awfae time in some ways, Mr.
Baxter; and if I wasnae sic a verra patient man (when I ken that I _have_
to be) there wad hae been a braw row; and ance if I hadnae happened to be
on deck about three in the marnin’, I _think_ there would have been
_murder_ done. The American Mairchant Marine is a kent service; ye’ll
have heard its praise, I’m thinkin’; an’ if ye never did, ye can get _Twa
Years Before the Mast_, by Dana, whaur forbye a great deal o’ pleisure,
ye’ll get a’ the needcessary information. Love to your father and all
the family.—Ever your affectionate friend,