Post #630655 by TikiTomD on Fri, Mar 30, 2012 9:42 AM

But for a drunken tramp steamer captain, Dr. Funk might have made the acquaintance of Rudyard Kipling, who intended to visit Robert Louis Stevenson in Apia, Samoa. The two famous authors had never met in person, but had exchanged letters, as RLS thought the young Kipling had tremendous potential. Here’s the story as recounted from newspaper archives...

The Auckland Star October 19, 1891

The Wanganui Chronicle December 4, 1891

Kipling gave a more complete version of why “the steamer did not connect” in this excerpt from Rudyard Kipling - Something of Myself and Other Autobiographical Writings edited by Thomas Pinney (1990)...

So, a drunken fruit boat captain destined that Kipling and RLS were never to meet, but remain as purely epistolatory friends.

**Stephenson, M S - Photograph of Rudyard Kipling and "Grandad", [ca 1930]
Reference Number: PAColl-0070**
Rudyard Kipling in conversation with (probably) N F Kennedy at (also probably) 11 Budock Road. Auckland. Caption on photograph says - `a chat with Rudyard Kipling in New Zealand'.

-Tom