The Life of Robert Louis Stevenson for Boys and Girls

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hours of his life.... In it were the treasures of his far off Scottish
home.... The Samoans passed in procession beside his bed, kneeling and
kissing his hand, each in turn, before taking their places for the long
night watch beside him. No entreaty could induce them to retire, to
rest themselves for the painful arduous duties of the morrow. It would
show little love for Tusitala, they said, if they did not spend their
last night beside him. Mournful and silent, they sat in deep dejection,
poor, simple, loyal folks, fulfilling the duty that they owed their
chief.

"A messenger was dispatched to a few chiefs connected with the family,
to announce the tidings and bid them assemble their men on the morrow
for the work there was to do....

"The morning of the 4th of December broke cool and sunny.... A meeting
of chiefs was held to apportion the work and divide the men into
parties. Forty were sent with knives and axes to cut a path up the steep