STEVENSON’S TOMB NEGLECTED.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144197, 13 September 1913, Page 7

STEVENSON’S TOMB NEGLECTED.

"While in Samoa recently, Mr. Frank L. Packard, Canadian novelist, visited the tomb of the late Robert Louis Stevi'nson. In an interview with n New York journalist, Mr. Packard said :—“I visiied.ihe tomb of Stevenson while at Apia. The road from bis old home, Vailima, up tho side of Mount Vaca to the tomb at the summit, has become so choked with vegetation that it is almost impossible to make the as- - cent. Tho natural obstacles of the mountain side are bad enough, and I have sinoo wondered how the native bearers ever brought the coffin to the top, but years of luxurious tropical undergrowth have-added a barrier that would stem almost anyone. Three of ns started—two men from Canada and myself—and we wore lost before wo had gone 100 yards from the base of the mountain. It was impossible to go straight ahead. Wo had to windour way through tho thick -growth and; grope and guess at tho right direction. One of the party had to drop back be- - for the ascent was half finished. The other man and I finished tho climb, hot wo were scratched and torn and; so bruised from falls that wo were lame - for days afterwards. I talked about this sad condition of affairs with H. J. Moors, who was one of Stevenson’s friends at Apia, and he told mo that at an expense of about 300 dollars a year, perhaps a little less, the path could bo kept open. I have been wondering whether Stevenson’s admirers might not get together and raise a fund of about 5000 dollars, tho interest to bo devoted to keeping the road to his tomb. Stevenson called his home Vailima because that meant Five Waters.. In his time ho could Bee four different streams ind tho sea from the windows of bis bouse. This is not possible to-day, though the old Vailima stands. The property has been added to and it is now owned by tho Gorman Government. Tho German Chief Justice lives in tho house.” Asked bow Stevenson is remembered in the islands, Mr. Packard said: —"The old natives who knew him still mourn him as a lost brother or father. He was very good to them, and these kind, generous people loved him. There are few loft of the old chiefs who were his friends, and those who are alive speak of him with the greatest reverence. To them always he will be their ‘tusitala,’ or teller of tales. But when I mentioned Stevenson to a German caretaker at Vailima ho said, '‘Oh, Stevenson is dead.’ To tho practical German mind that was tho end of it; the man no longer was important because ho no longer lived. Or, perhaps, the memory of tho novelist is not held dear by the Germans for the reason ho always took the side of tho natives against German rule and his influence was large.”