ThefirstoftheseincidentsbroughtmeinacquaintancewithacertainSanFranciscocharacter，whohadsomethingofanamebeyondthelimitsofthecity，andwasknowntomanyloversofgoodEnglish。Ihaddiscoveredanewslum，aplaceofprecarious，sandycliffs，deep，sandycuttings，solitary，ancienthouses，andthebutt-endsofstreets。Itwasalreadyenvironed。
Theranksofthestreet-lampsthreadeditunbroken。Thecity，uponallsidesofit，wastightlypacked，andgrowledwithtraffic。To-day，Idonotdoubttheverylandmarksareallsweptaway；butitofferedthen，withinnarrowlimits，adelightfulpeace，andinthemorning，whenIchieflywentthereaseclusionalmostrural。Onasteepsand-hill，inthisneighbourhood，toppled，onthemostinsecurefoundation，acertainrowofhouses，eachwithabitofgarden，andallIhavetopresumeinhabited。ThitherIusedtomountbyacrumblingfootpath，andinfrontofthelastofthehouses，wouldsitdowntosketch。TheveryfirstdayIsawIwasobserved，outoftheground-floorwindowbyayoungish，good-lookingfellow，prematurelybald，andwithanexpressionbothlivelyandengaging。Thesecond，aswewerestilltheonlyfiguresinthelandscape，itwasnomorethannaturalthatweshouldnod。
Thethird，hecameoutfairlyfromhisintrenchments，praisedmysketch，andwiththeimpromptucordialityofartistscarriedmeintohisapartment；whereIsatpresentlyinthemidstofamuseumofstrangeobjects，——paddlesandbattle-clubsandbaskets，rough-hewnstoneimages，ornamentsofthreadedshell，cocoanutbowls，snowycocoanutplumes——evidencesandexamplesofanotherearth，anotherclimate，anotherrace，andanotherifaruderculture。Nordidtheseobjectslackafittingcommentaryintheconversationofmynewacquaintance。
Doubtlessyouhavereadhisbook。Youknowalreadyhowhetrampedandstarved，andhadsofineaprofitofliving，inhisdaysamongtheislands；andmeetinghim，asIdid，oneartistwithanother，aftermonthsofofficesandpicnics，youcanimaginewithwhatcharmhewouldspeak，andwithwhatpleasureIwouldhear。Itwasinsuchtalks，whichwewerebotheagertorepeat，thatIfirstheardthenames——firstfellunderthespell——oftheislands；anditwasfromoneofthefirstofthemthatIreturnedahappymanwith_Omoo_underonearm，andmyfriend’sownadventuresundertheother。
Thesecondincidentwasmoredramatic，andhad，besides，abearingonmyfuture。Iwasstanding，oneday，nearaboat-