Say half done. 1. _The Wrecker_.
Lloyd’s copy half done, mine not 2. _The Pearl Fisher_ (a novel
touched. promised to the _Ledger_, and
which will form, when it comes in
book form, No. 2 of our _South
Sea Yarns_).
Not begun, but all material 3. _The War Volume_.
ready.
Ditto. 4. _The Big Travel Book_, which
includes the letters.
You know how they stand. 5. _The Ballads_.
_Excusez du peu_! And you see what madness it would be to make any fresh
engagement. At the same time, you have _The Wrecker_ and the _War
Volume_, if you like either—or both—to keep my name in the Magazine.
It begins to look as if I should not be able to get any more ballads done
this somewhile. I know the book would sell better if it were all
ballads; and yet I am growing half tempted to fill up with some other
verses. A good few are connected with my voyage, such as the ‘Home of
Tembinoka’ sent herewith, and would have a sort of slight affinity to the
_South Sea Ballads_. You might tell me how that strikes a stranger.
In all this, my real interest is with the travel volume, which ought to
be of a really extraordinary interest.
I am sending you ‘Tembinoka’ as he stands; but there are parts of him
that I hope to better, particularly in stanzas III. and II. I scarce
feel intelligent enough to try just now; and I thought at any rate you
had better see it, set it up if you think well, and let me have a proof;
so, at least, we shall get the bulk of it straight. I have spared you
Teñkoruti, Tenbaitake, Tembinatake, and other barbarous names, because I
thought the dentists in the States had work enough without my assistance;
but my chiefs name is TEMBINOKA, pronounced, according to the present
quite modern habit in the Gilberts, Tembinok’. Compare in the margin
Tengkorootch; a singular new trick, setting at defiance all South Sea
analogy, for nowhere else do they show even the ability, far less the
will, to end a word upon a consonant. Loia is Lloyd’s name, ship becomes
shipé, teapot, tipoté, etc. Our admirable friend Herman Melville, of
whom, since I could judge, I have thought more than ever, had no ear for
languages whatever: his Hapar tribe should be Hapaa, etc.
But this is of no interest to you: suffice it, you see how I am as usual
up to the neck in projects, and really all likely bairns this time. When
will this activity cease? Too soon for me, I dare to say.