In the South Seas

by Robert Louis Stevenson, Neil Rennie (Editor)

In the South Seas records Stevenson's travels with his wife Fanny and their family in the Marquesas, the Paumotus and the Gilbert Islands during 1888-9. Originally drafted in journal form while Stevenson travelled, it was then ambitiously rewrittento describe the islands and islanders as well as Stevenson's own personal experiences. In the South Seas  was published posthumously in 1896. Its combination of personal anecdote and historical account, of autobiography and anthropology, of Stevenson and South Sea Islands, has a particular charm.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Classics, Literature, Biography, Adventure, Travelogue

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of English literature. He was greatly admired by many authors, including Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling and Vladimir Nabokov.

Most modernist writers dismissed him, however, because he was popular and did not write within their narrow definition of literature. It is only recently that critics have begun to look beyond Stevenson's popularity and allow him a place in the Western canon.

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

No cabe duda que Stevenson era un escritor con un don inherente para narrar historias; sea cual sea su temática, enfoque o calado. De los pocos escritores, en mi opinión, que consiguen mantenerte atrapado entre sus páginas; aunque te describa la función indígena de las hogueras o el funcionamiento de un palillo. Su lenguaje era exquisito, su halo refinado, sin resultar pedante, con una narración sumamente detallista y evocadora, sin que pesen en su ritmo, que sin ser endiablado (como en el presente caso), consigue dotar de agilidad a cualquier cosa que toque, por su maestría.
En esta obra ‘autobiográfica’ a retazos de sus experiencias en Las islas Gilbert, Marquesas, Pomotú y Apemama, no hace sino ratificar lo mencionado. Distando mucho de sus grandes obras, aquí encontramos, a priori, un tono mucho más personal, intimista y crítico, bastante adelantada par su tiempo (Si bien, en doctor Jekyll y Mr, Hyde ya lo hacía a modo de metáfora). El narrador se involucra, vertiendo su opinión (para bien y mal) en su radiografía de tales paraísos salvajes, y especialmente de su población e interactuación directa y profunda con ella, haciendo símiles entre las metodologías de éstos y las de los europeos, en tiempos pasados y no tanto.
En el libro, Stevenson narra de modo encadenado varios temas, historias, experiencias y mitos, incluyéndolos a placer, según su criterio. Por lo cual, no cabe esperar una historia cronológica y sucesiva, sino retazos de los más importante e imperioso que él quería destacar en su paso por unas tierras duras y complacientes al mismo tiempo, una suma de sus reflexiones. Con ello, no se resiente su desarrollo ni este resulta tosco, ya que un genio como él consigue sumergirte en su particular epopeya de inmersión y compresión de los nativos. Bien puede considerarse su obra como uno de los primeros ensayos periodísticos de siglo 19.
Recalco ‘Autobiográfica’, pues cuando el autor nos narra, por ejemplo, su experiencia de hipnosis por parte del curandero del rey de Apemama, las tradiciones funerarias de Pomotú o pasajes acerca de personajes míticos de las islas; una sospecha que interviene algo del ‘cuentacuentos’ y su mano para incrementar su intensidad o atmósfera; pero esta, pese a ser una suposición, si fuera certera, no altera para nada la esencia de visión articulista de los mares del caribe; pues la enriquece.
El libro está dividido en cuatro partes: Las Maquesas, Las Pomotú, Las Gilbert y Gilbert – Apemama.
En su primer tramo, el más extenso, hace eco, entre otras se hace eco de los extranjeros solitarios de los parajes, las causas más comunes de la muerte nativa, el canibalismo histórico y su huella, los tabúes sociales, personalidad y evolución social de los habitantes, modo de vida, leyendas, morfología y lenguaje, comunicación, personajes célebres, misiones y misioneros, presidio, castigo y tortura, entre otros. Stevenson dota a la narración de contrastes, deja ver a un pueblo educado, invadido por los franceses que han transgredido y pervertido y confundido, con principios y contradicciones entre su pasado y presente; sus modales y salvajismo que conforman presente y pasado, que resaltan de su paradisíaca isla. Esta parte puede considerarse una extensa y notable radiografía social, que toca temas muy delicados.
En la referente a Pomotú, mucho más inhóspita y alejada, paradisiaca pero llena de peligro (atolones, arrecifes y corrientes internas) y escasez de alimentación, El escritor hace énfasis en su elemento salvaje y caprichoso físicamente hablando, para ambientar un paraje nómada, plácido, aislado y solitario; igualmente cautivador. Su pueblo resulta humilde, religioso, pero por el gusto por la estafa, las supersticiones y la doble moral de a pie (al igual que los ‘avanzados’; nosotros). En resumen, un tramo más tranquilo y anecdótico en narración, no tan truculento, pero igualmente crítico y analista.
Las Gilbert, por su lado, las describe Europeizadas y cosmopolitas, avocados a la bebida, el robo y el acoso debido a la ‘prohibición’ de esta, realizando una radiografía excelente de su insidiosa y tiránica jerarquía Real (esclavistas de mujeres y poseedores de harenes), que con el paso de los tiempos ha derivado tal actitud Mahometana (como el propio Stevenson cita), en el equilibrio particular del poder por parte del poseedor material de cada hogar, sin importar su género. Una parte que disecciona las jerarquías tiránicas, y las consecuencias de estas magistralmente.
En su última parte; Apemama, Stevenson sigue el hilo de las jerarquías, concretando en el rey de ésta singular isla (que bajo su mandato, pretende eradicar todo los errores de sus islas vecinas, dotándolo de un paraíso selecto y en orden; no sin su tiranía operante) , en la que tuvo que pedir permiso para entrar y ser supervisado por el monarca de primera mano a lo largo de toda su estancia. Este es ,seguramente, el tramo de impronta más personal, por lo que llega a desnudarse narrativamente mediante su involucración personal con el monarca, sus conversaciones, protección por parte de este, y sus sentimientos encontrados entre la amistad y gratitud, y el terror que tienen los lugareños a su monarca; pues los seres de poder, tienen claro oscuros, mucho más apreciables desde la cercanía y el compromiso; como refleja el escritor perfectamente; aún no pretendiendo que compremos su perspectiva, sino traspasándola solamente mediante su retrato versado en macro.

En resumen, ‘en los mares del sur’ es una lectura de viajes más que notable, por su singularidad en concepto, su reflexión, abarcamiento de radiografía, visión sin tabúes ni pelos en lengua de las islas sur en una época en pleno cambio de era y civilización. Una lectura que cuenta con 500 páginas, y se lee en un suspiro, incluso no teniendo un ritmo vertiginoso. Mucho más apreciable en una relectura, incluso. En definitiva, una lectura rica, personal, llena de matices y reflexiones.

[Sara Jesus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stevenson ficou famoso por escrever livros de aventuras como " A ilha do tesouro" e "A flecha negra",que polvilham o imaginário de muitos adolescentes. Tal como muitos escritores encantou-se pelos mares do Pacífico.

Neste relato de viagens, o escritor escocês descreve-nos com detalhe cada ilha que visita. Através dele
conhecemos os locais, sua maioria indígenas, seus hábitos e tradições. Destaco a última parte, a figura do rei de Apanema intrigou-me bastante.

Um livro perfeito para esta época de pandemia. Podemos imaginar estar numa dessas ilhas paradisíacas...

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stevenson himself makes a very interesting character study, even amongst the colourful Islanders. Lots of anecdotes and insights. Do the Islanders' provide any sketches of their visitors, I wonder.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this in the hopes that there would be some stories about Stevenson's time in Hawaii, but it was more about his travels in other South Sea islands. Some of it was interesting--I loved his tales of local ghost stories and some of the characters he met. He also had some lovely descriptions of the landscape and some insightful observations of human behavior. That said, these pieces were very much of Stevenson's time, being somewhat condescending and racist (though Stevenson was definitely better than many of his contemporaries). Mostly I was disappointed that I didn't get to hear about his time with King Kalakaua in Hawaii.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting account of Stevenson's journey through the islands of the Pacific Ocean. It's much better written than Martin Johnson's book on the same subject and describes in much more detail his adventures among the Polynesians.
Comparing both books, it is surprising how much things changed in just 15 years.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stevenson's relation of his experiences aboard a yacht cruising through the South Seas. The sequences about cannibal high places are stuck in my mind forever. He has a way of bringing alive the ocean and its islands like no other author I've read.

[Claudia Vannucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno dei più bei libri di viaggio mai scritti.
Stevenson alla scoperta delle isole del Pacifico è pura avventura, curiosità e spirito d'osservazione.
Ne parlo in modo approfondito nell'episodio del podcast Il Milione: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kUs...

[Bonnye Reed]

The Archive

[R.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Κριτική στα Ελληνικά πιο κάτω...

I really enjoyed this book. It's not one of those reads you can't put down, but it's a very interesting one. I guess your averrage person in my part of the globe hears about French Polynesia and Kiribati and we don't really know where they're located, and/or we envision endless beaches and coconut trees and hammocks. What else does the average Greek know? Nothing. So it's time to learn something more. If it involves one of my favorite authors and his real-life adventures, even better!

I really liked that R.L. Stevenson tries to connect and bond with the locals and to understand them and that he approaches them with a very open mind for the era. He is not perfect, he carries some prejudices of both the time period and himself, but in general he is not possessed by the racism and sexism and the depravity of the average European man at the time.

His observations, sometimes correct sometimes not so much about the customs and traditions of each place he visits, the descriptions of the landscape, flora and fauna, architecture and much more, the little history lessons of each place, the anecdotes about the acquaintances he makes and many other elements, kept my attention very much. I enjoyed his train of thought and mentallity too, for example recalling and narrating old Scottish legends and tales, so that local people open up and narrate their own beliefs and folklore in turn. Or making parallels between European society and local society on some aspects and much more. I liked that the book wasn't only very informative but that it put me in a process of thinking about many things and researching to acquire more knowledge.

What makes the book less attractive is that it does not have as much coherence as one would expect. Excerpts from the author's diary and his notes are used to create the book and the narration sometimes jumps abruptly from one point to another or from one topic to another, or the chronological order in which he mentions some things could be different. Furthermore, some terminology takes some time to figure out. But you'll get there.

All in all, I found it a very good and interesting read...



Το ευχαριστήθηκα πάρα πολύ αυτό το βιβλίο. Δεν είναι από αυτά που δεν μπορείς να αφήσεις κάτω, είναι όμως τρομερά ενδιαφέρον. Δηλαδή ακούμε Γαλλική Πολυνησία και Κιριμπάτι και καλά-καλά δεν ξέρουμε που πέφτουν ή οραματιζόμαστε ατελείωτες παραλίες και κοκοφοίνικες και αιώρες. Τι άλλο ξέρει ο μέσος Έλληνας; Τίποτα. Καιρός να μάθουμε λοιπόν και κάτι. Άμα αφορά και έναν από τους αγαπημένους μου συγγραφείς και τις πραγματικές του περιπέτειες, ακόμα καλύτερα!

Μου άρεσε πολύ που ο Stevenson προσπαθεί να συνδεθεί με τους ντόπιους και να τους καταλάβει και τους προσεγγίζει με πολύ ανοιχτό μυαλό για την εποχή του. Δεν είναι τέλειος, κουβαλάει κάποιες προκαταλήψεις και της εποχής και του ίδιου, αλλά σε γενικές γραμμές δεν διακατέχεται από τον ρατσισμό και το σεξισμό και την ξερολίαση του μέσου Ευρωπαίου άντρα της εποχής του.

Οι παρατηρήσεις του, άλλοτε σωστές άλλοτε ίσως όχι τόσο για τα ήθη και τα έθιμα του κάθε τόπου που επισκέπτεται, οι περιγραφές του τοπίου, της χλωρίδας και πανίδας, της αρχιτεκτονικής και πολλά άλλα, τα μικρά μαθήματα ιστορίας κάθε τόπου, τα ανέκδοτα για τις γνωριμίες που κάνει και πολλά άλλα στοιχεία, μου κρατήσαν πάρα πολύ την προσοχή και με βάλαν σε διαδικασία σκέψης για πολλά πράγματα και έρευνας για απόκτηση περισσότερης γνώσης. Επίσης μου άρεσε πολύ να παρακολουθώ τον τρόπο σκέψης του συγγραφέα, π.χ. να ανακαλεί και να διηγείται παλιούς μύθους της Σκωτίας ώστε οι ντόπιοι να ανοιχτούν και να διηγηθούν με τη σειρά τους τις δικές τους ιστορίες ή τι πιστεύουν. Ή όταν ο συγγραφέας κάνει παραλληλισμούς ανάμεσα στην Ευρωπαϊκές κοινωνίες και στις κοινωνίες που παρατηρεί.

Αυτό που κάνει το βιβλίο λιγότερο ελκυστικό είναι ότι δεν έχει τόσο συνοχή όσο θα περίμενε κανείς. Έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί αποσπάσματα από το ημερολόγιο και τις σημειώσεις του συγγραφέα και κάποιες φορές πετάγεται απότομα από το ένα σημείο στο άλλο ή από το ένα θέμα στο άλλο, ή θα μπορούσε να είναι διαφορετική η χρονική σειρά που αναφέρονται κάποια πράγματα. Χρειάζεται και κάποιος χρόνος για να καταλάβει ο μέσος αναγνώστης τι σημαίνουν κάποιοι όροι κτλ.

Γενικά εγώ πάντως το βρήκα ένα πολύ καλό κι ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα...

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 2 out of 5]

Robert Louis Stevenson's description of his journey to the South Seas should have been if not inspirational, at least fulfilling from the standpoint of subsequent influences on the author's life and works. Alas, it fails entirely. I couldn't understand why until I investigated and found out that RLS had abandoned this work during his lifetime because he was unable to find the "right form" for it. Subsequently, an edited publication emerged after his death.

And form is what it misses. South Seas is disjointed, sporadic, and frequently murky in its descriptions and stories. Such a shame it is that a master storyteller such as RLS should have his name attached to experiences that never rise above the drab and ordinary. The book spends two chapters, for instance, describing RLS's fear that the Gilbert Islanders will get drunk and kill him. Later, he sets himself up with the help of a Gilbert Islander potentate and RLS proceeds to interfere and, to my eyes disgrace himself. He does so most damningly when he has one of the islands' limited water wells marked as tabu except for himself and his family, making the common people islanders shift for themselves. RLS also fears these same islanders might rise up against their king and slay the king's friends, namely RLS and family.

Otherwise, there is much purple prose in this volume. I have a weakness for purple prose serving the purpose of travel writing or even autobiography. But here it's repetitious. Lots of beaches, sand, copra, and cocoanuts. Less than two decades later, Jack London undertook a similar trip and his book, The Cruise of the Snark, is a much better and exciting travel story. Meanwhile, RLS doesn't care much for the low island atolls, much preferring the volcanic islands and their much more dramatic landscapes. He also doesn't have much time for the hoi polloi, opting for island royalty. For a man who valued the romance of storytelling above all, it's a pity his editor fashioned this work into such an ordinary and dull recounting of a fascinating time and place.

[Juan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tengo este libro en una edición "pulp" de Siete Leguas, pero por la foto que aparece en portada imagino que es el mismo. Un final del siglo XIX pasado en diferentes archipiélagos del Pacífico: Las Gilbert, las Marshall, comentando a la vez vivencias de tiempo pasado en Hawaii o en Tahití.
El libro, con un prólogo un tanto rimbombante, sigue a Stevenson y a su señora en sus encuentros con los ex-caníbales, reyezuelos de un atolón, y mercaderes diversos; hay un cierto intento antropológico por explicar conceptos como el "tapu" o tabú y la teología de algunas tribus, así como una cierta reivindicación del "buen salvaje" y las vidas perdidas por la colonización europea. Pero todo acaba siendo una confusa relación de anécdotas, cocoteros e islas que ahí siguen, que hoy tendrán resorts, paradas de cruceros y a lo mejor una base naval china, y que no serán nunca más de la misma forma.
Al final, resulta entretenido, pero difícilmente imprescindible, ni siquiera para los muy aficionados al autor de "La isla del tesoro".

[Seth Crumrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasure it was to dig into this poignant and sprawling nonfiction account of the author's travels throughout the South Seas. Stevenson truly had an affection and deep respect for the people and places that he encountered. At a time when colonialism and manifest destiny were being perpetrated by the British and old white dudes across the world, the author chose to sink into the cultures that he visited rather than imposing his own upbringing and background like a bludgeon. To me, there was not an exoticizing of stimuli from Stevenson, he really engaged in a way where the male gaze was toned down and he kind of just existed alongside the islanders that he came across. It made me want to read more of his stuff. Everyone knows of Treasure Island but I think people imagine it as a children's story when its adventurous adult prose. Over time it has been co-opted as a immature narrative.

[Albert Pickwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un Stevenson diferente al de sus conocidas novelas, pero que demuestra en cada página su magistral pluma. La ingenuidad en algunas de sus descripciones de las gentes de las islas Marquesas, Gilbert, Paumotus, no disminuye el encanto de su narración y el profundo respeto por su cultura. La tuberculosis que lo llevó a sus viajes, acabó con él en Samoa a muy temprana edad, pero quedarán para siempre la magia de los relatos de las costumbres, clima, naturaleza, mitos y gentes de los atolones más aislados de nuestro planeta.

[Julie MacKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to read Stevenson’s account of his experiences in the South Seas in the 1800s at the cusp of change with colonialisation and religion which had started to have an impact. As he is a novelist, sometimes his scenery descriptions were a bit long and flowery for my liking for this kind of book. It also gives a bit of an insight into Stevenson’s personality, which it was interesting to discover.

[Daniela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've stopped with 64 pages left to read I can't read it anymore.
This book was nothing that I was expecting, the cannibalism and the ghost stories, were the "enough is enough" for me. I was hoping a chill book, with chill days and stories, not something that would put my mind stressing with different realities.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic must read!

[L. M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

While by no means his best work, this posthumously assembled collection of travel letters still contains some of his deepest, most insightful writing.

[Kåge Klang · Rating 3 out of 5]

En del har höjt den till skyarna, vet inte riktigt varför. Men den ger en god bild av det leverne han hade att förhålla sig till på öarna. Därför kanske det dokumentära gav extra kickar förr.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sensing a theme with his books

[Filipa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite interesting piece of travel/anthropology writing, namely the bits on tapu/taboo.
Read for country Kiribati, challenge of the Around the World in 80 Books group.

[Ginny_1807 · Rating 4 out of 5]

In genere non amo i libri di viaggi, li trovo aridi e tediosi.
Ma quando a narrare è uno scrittore come Stevenson anche il più oggettivo resoconto geografico prende vita e si carica di significato, rivelando intimi echi dell'animo dell'autore e dando luogo a un prodotto letterario di prima qualità. Così me lo sono gustato dalla prima all'ultima pagina.

"Un poco più tardi, lo stesso giorno, vedemmo, in condizioni migliori, l'isola di Taiaro. Perduta nel mare, forse questo vuol dire il suo nome. Ed era così che ci appariva, perduta nel mare azzurro e nel cielo, un anello di spiaggia bianca, una boscaglia verde, e palme dondolanti colore di gemma, d'una bellezza favolosa e celestiale. La spuma dei marosi la circondava, bianca come la neve, e si rompeva in un punto lontano, che somigliava a uno scoglio, non segnato sulle carte. Non c'era fumo, non c'era traccia di vita umana; certo l'isola non è abitata, ma solo visitata ad intervalli. Eppure un mercante (Mr. Narii Salmon) osservava dalla spiaggia, meravigliato, il battello inatteso.
Dopo, ho passato lunghi mesi nelle Isole Basse, conosco il tedio delle loro giornate sempre uguali, conosco il peso della loro vita. Per quanto potesse essere grande il desiderio col quale guardavamo dal ponte quei recessi di verzura, era certo dieci volte più grande quello di Mr. Salmon e dei suoi compagni mentre ci vedevano dirigere il nostro rapido battello verso il largo.
La notte discese straordinariamente deliziosa. Dopo che la luna scomparve il cielo si coprì di una meraviglia di stelle. E mentre riposavo nel cassero e guardavo il pilota, mi ricordavo i versi di Emerson:
E il marinaio solitario, tutta la notte naviga attonito tra le stelle.

[James Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tahiti was the setting for Herman Melville’s Omoo, published in 1847. This was the second of Melville’s novels — a sequel to Typee and so a second “Peep at Polynesian Life.” While both of his books were popular, another of my favorite authors also wrote eloquently of his travels including Tahiti. While he had previously travelled with a donkey, Robert Louis Stevenson in 1888 travelled to Tahiti, and after two more voyages settled in the Samoan Islands for the remainder of his life. It was from his time in Tahiti that he was inspired to write some of his most evocative poetry including the following:

Let me fathom out with my arms the length of golden-bred Tahiti
And number one by one the lands of Tautira.
I am seized with fear at Tepari
I shall stop short at Vaita
Clouds are over the sun and it blows a bad wind,
And my home is beyond at Faaroa.
At Vaiumete is a ledge where a man must go with the arms spread.
I must measure with my arms the face of that weary cliff.

Stevenson loved Tahiti and developed a close friendship with a Tahitian named Ori, becoming a "brother" to the Tahitian subchief (Bell, p 217). While he published three tales about Tahiti his collection of travel essays, In the South Seas, did not include essays on the time he spent in Tahiti. I have always marveled at the various, often famous, adventure novels by Stevenson. My fascination with this author is enhanced by his life story, for as a sickly child, would grow up to trvel extensively, often because of his illness. Needless, his wanderlust led in part to the wonderful novels of adventure that we have today.

[John Brissette · Rating 4 out of 5]

An almost two century old travel blog! Amazing.

I picked this up as I am a frequent traveler to Polynesia & have adopted the islands as a second home. I was intending it to be an almost "required reading" type read. What it was, as Stevenson's end of life memoir of his travels is an amazingly modern feeling record of his travels that is almost blog like and fresh despite being nearly two centuries old. It reads almost like something you'd see a modern travel writer like Bourdain do & perhaps Stevenson affected much of his style, who knows. But a great read and a great surprise for me.

[Victoria & David Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

RLS is the perfect guide for the armchair traveler. His sojourns in the Marquesas, the Paumotus, Tahiti, the Hawaiian Islands, the Gilberts, Samoa, the Marshall Islands and others between the years 1888 and 1890 are in many cases but one decade removed from when traditional island culture was paramount. His visit to the lazaretto on Molokai is especially memorable.

[Patrick Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty and charming, the depictions of the Gilberts (a region skimmed over in favour of Polynesia and Melanesia by writers of the region) are particularly welcome. The depictions of atoll life are stunning. The really interesting stuff is talking about how these different islands engaged with one another as a cohesive region.

[Fritz Galt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Louis Stevenson has the right word for everything, and the right observations of every new culture he encounters on his trips around the Pacific. He captures people just before and during the invasion of traders to their islands. A remarkable anthropological and personal account.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This man is so interesting, and so ahead of his time.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to see what travel to the islands was like back in the 1800's.

[Reelika Raimet · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://raamaturiiulike.wordpress.com...

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samoa