woman, but not very smart." Later, while living in
Samoa, they were pained to hear of the death of their dear old friend
Tembinoka, king of the island where they had spent so many happy days.
It seemed that he had an abscess on his leg, and one of the native
doctors lanced it with an unclean fish-bone, which caused
blood-poisoning and the death of the king in great agony. For the
better protection of his heir he left directions that his body should
be buried in the centre of the royal residence, no doubt with the idea
of frightening away evil-doers through their superstitious fears.

This time they took with them a passenger, a German trader named
Hoeflich, of whom Lloyd Osbourne writes:

"When Paul Hoeflich, then trading in Butaritari, learned that Louis had
chartered the _Equator_ for Samoa, he packed up his merchandise and
with this and twenty tons of copra engaged passage for the neighboring
island of Maraki, distant about sixty miles. For this passage he paid
sixty dollars. In spite of all efforts, however, the _Equator_ failed
to reach Maraki, being foiled by light airs and violent currents; so
there was nothing left to do but to carry Paul on with us to Samoa,
and though the captain tried to make him pay an increased passage he
smilingly but firmly refused. We always thought that the twenty tons
of copra saved our lives, for it stiffened the ship in the dreadful
little hurricane that almost capsized us."

I shall let Paul Hoeflich tell his own story of the days when he
cruised with the Stevensons, in the letters he was kind enough to
write me:

"My dear Mrs. Sanchez:

"In reply to your letter to pen any little happenings concerning Mr.
R. L. Stevenson while I was with the Stevenson party on board the old
_Equator_, I may say that I am very pleased to do so, but I am afraid
the results will be meagre, for the length of time I had the pleasure
of being with them did not exceed ten weeks. Besides, it is now just
twenty-seven years ago. I boarded the _Equator_ while she was among
the islands cruising for copra, and in due time we reached Apemama and
dropped anchor in the lagoon near the king's boat fleet. Going on
shore we found the party hale and much pleased with the ship's
arrival. In the evening the king, a fat and clever native, paid a
visit and entertained us by telling about his ancestors. On the
mother's side they came from a shark, and the father resigned in his
favor, as he was not so high a chief as