ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
24 July 2010 | Vailima, Samoa
Sophie
Robert Louis Stevenson was the author of Treasure Island, The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and many other tales. He is best known for Treasure Island, a tale of pirates, secret islands, and men who drink too much rum. His writing career was indeed amazing. During the last four and a half years of his life, he wrote thirteen books. His works are still famous today.
Upon entering his house, I got the distinct impression that a lot of people had lived there with him. There were five bedrooms, a smoking room, a dining room, and a great hall. His mother, his stepdaughter, his wife, and his stepgrandson lived with him.
His mother, Margaret, never really fit in. The climate was too hot for her. Also, she didn't really get along with the samoans.
At one point in his stay, he met a girl whose birthday was on Christmas. He knew he was nearing the end of his life, and so he offered to swap birthdays with her. They even had the legal documents drawn up!
The first room we went to was the smoking room. There was a fireplace, a lion skin rug, a tea table, and a chaise lounge. Beautiful tapa designs covered the walls. There were mats on the ground to walk on so that you didn't step on the original flooring.
Before we left, we hiked a trail to the waterfall where R.L.S. and his family bathed. We were allowed to wade in the water. R.L.S. built a dam and a flood gate so that he could control how deep the water got. Mom took a picture of us wading by the waterfall.