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. R. L. S. TO JAMES PAYN _February_ 4_th_, 1890, _SS._ ‘_Lübeck_.’