Today in History: Robert Louis Stevenson died on December 3, 1894, at his home in Vailima, Samoa, at the age of 44. His death was attributed to a cerebral hemorrhage, though he had suffered from poor health throughout his life having been diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. He is buried on Mount Vaea in Samoa. On 3 December 1894, Robert Louis Stevenson is said to have been talking to his wife while opening a bottle of wine when he suddenly exclaimed, “What’s that?” He then asked her, “Does my face look strange?”, and collapsed. Within a few hours, he had died.
Stevenson had purchased about 400 acres in Upolu and was enchanted with the South Pacific. He was convinced his health could not endure another winter in Scotland and the climate of the tropics suited him. The regular postal service meant he could continue easy correspondence with his publishers. Stevenson lived on his estate, Vailima, in the hills of Apia and took the name ‘Tusitala‘, the “Teller of Tales”.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
Stevenson became a popular and well-respected member of the community and continued to write, the climate suiting his health, until his death. He is buried on top of Mount Vaea, overlooking the sea.
After his death, the Samoan people stood guard over Stevenson’s body throughout the night, and carried him on their shoulders up the long, steep incline, to nearby Mount Vaea the next morning, where he was buried with great local ceremony in a spot overlooking the sea.
“More than forty Samoans, including some chiefs, came promptly the next day and began the seemingly impossible task of clearing the virgin jungle up the mountainside,” writes biographer Claire Harman. The instant roadway, adds Harman, “was a feat of love as well as industry, the latest and greatest mark of the Samoans’ respect and affection for their most sympathetic sojourner.”
After visiting a number of islands for extended stays, where Stevenson found a great interest in immersing himself in the local lifestyle, they reached Samoa in 1889 for a six-week stay. After a stint in Sydney, he returned to Samoa and set up life in the Vailima house in what is today the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.
Today, the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum includes excerpts from his work and family memorabilia.
- Queensland Legend Darius Boyd Named New Maroons Coach - September 4, 2026
- Nepal Flood Death Toll Tops 1,000, More Than 3,900 Missing - September 2, 2026
- 13-Year-Old Handel Makes His Mark at Va’a World Sprints - August 26, 2026
