Island reminiscences. A graphic, detailed romance of a life spent in the South sea islands

EX-LIBRIS

G. & N. INGLETON

Island Reminiscences

A graphic, detailed Romance
of a Life spent in the
South Sea Islands

BY

THOMAS TROOD

British Vice-Consul at Apia, Samoa

McCARRON, STEWART «• CO.

Printers and Publishers,
22-24- 26 Goulburn St.

19)2.

PREFACE.

TI E number of books dealing with the various islands of the
South Seas has notably increased during the past few years.
Their authors have described with more or less detail their
charm and romance from a tourist point of view, as well as their value
from the commercial standpoint. So great, however, is the field which
opens up before the imagination in dealing with these marvellous
islands that it is quite certain much more remains to be written
than has yet appeared. So far, the writings have with rare excep-
tions come from the pens of those who have visited the islands
especially for that purpose, either privately or as the specially
commissioned representatives of public journals or scientific
societies, the results being naturally superficial to a degree.

The present volume conies under an entirely new category, inas-
much as it deals in a most entertaining way with the reminiscences
of one whose life has been spent among the scenes depicted ; first
as trader, and later in an official position. The dramatic changes
which have marked the administration of political affairs in
Samoa during the last twenty years, for instance, has enabled
the author to deal with the subject as only one on the spot could,
other islands being similarly treated. The manners and customs
of the natives of the various groups, about which many have dis-
coiirsed with more or less accuracy, are here dealt with from the
standpoint of personal experience. These reminiscences, moreover,
enable one to penetrate into phases of native life and character
of which the historian or visiting scribe are necessarily ignorant,
and the conclusion is quickly reached that only an extended sojourn
among these interesting peoples, during which their complete
confidence is gained, can open the closely-barred and jealously-
guarded doors leading to those revelations of the native character
so essentially interesting to the psychologist. The personal touch
which ever transforms the commonplace into a subject of absorbing
interest is here in evidence, and the work will not only claim the
interest of the general reader, but the numerous " old-timers "
scattered all over the world in recognising as they read the graphi-
cally-described places and persons, will live their early lives all over
again with pleasure and zest,

. . Island Reminiscences . .

SAMOA.

" Amidst green islands in glittering seas,
Where fragrant forests perfume the breeze
And strange bright birds, on their starry wings,
Bear the rich hues of all glorious things."

— HEMANS,

APIA, the capital of German Samoa (Navigators' Islands), is
situated in 13 deg. 49 min. south latitude and 171 deg.
41 min. west longitude. Approached from the sea the
view is very beautiful ; the early voyagers, if they did not mind
the heat, may have half believed that they had stumbled by acci
dent on the long-lost Garden of Eden. Valley and. hill, " with
living verdure clad," in grand and lovely forms, crowned with
cocoanut palms, which wave languidly aloft their graceful
branches, stretch in panoramic view towards the clouds which rest
on the distant mountains. The town itself, a long row of nonde-
script buildings half native, half European, is built on the shores
of the bay which forms the harbour, a semi-circle of two miles in
length.

The anchorage is bad and scant, but Saluafata Bay, eight miles
to the eastward, is a well-sheltered harbour.

The population of the group is about 40,000, of which 400 are
whites.

All the natives have embraced Christianity. Their spiritual
wants are well attended to.

The London Missionary Society has six English and one
German missionary, and the Wesleyans three, both assisted by a
large staff of native teachers. The Protestant churches are at
present in the maiority.

The London Mission commenced operations seventy-six years
ago, then favourably received by the then head of the Malietoa
family. Twenty-seven thousand natives attend its churches, of
which 5,000 are church members. At its schools 9,000 children
are educated. The Bible, translated by the same organisation, has
been in the hands of the Samoans for many years, having gone
through several editions.

The Roman Catholic Mission has a staff of many priests,
besides several nuns.

The Mormons have also established themselves here during
the last few years.

On the whole the climate, although much too hot to be plea-
sant, is salubrious, but elephantiasis, in all its forms, is far too
common to make the islands a desirable residence ; at the same
time this dread disease may be staved off to a great extent by a
three months' trip to sea or the colonies once in every four years.

The j'early average temperature is 78 deg. Fahrenheit. In
January, the hottest month of the year, the mean height of the
thermometer is Si deg. Fahrenheit. In August, the coolest
month, 75 deg. Fahrenheit at Apia within doors, fifteen feet above
the sea. The difference of temperature between noon and mid-
night ranges always from 16 to 18 deg. Fahrenheit. The tem-
perature is much lower on the mountains. There. 2,000 feet
above the sea, the thermometer sometimes falls at night in the
winter months as low as 54 deg. Fahrenheit. Five hundred feet
above the sea, three miles from Apia, it is from four to five deg.
Fahr. lower, through the day and night, than it is in Apia ; and
on the south side of the island it is two deg. Fahr. lower than it is
on the north side. More rain falls on the south side of the island
than on the north side.

For some years previous to 1885 the islands were governed
by a King and a Vice-King, assisted by two councils, one composed
of hereditary chiefs, the other of (native) councillors, the whole
receiving the support of England, Germany, and America, through
their Consuls.

The Apia town and district were formed into a Municipality
(nearly 24 square miles in extent) through the advice of Sir Arthur
Gordon (Baron Stanmore) when he called here in 1879. The
municipality, thus formed, worked very well. The expenses were
met by a real property tax of i per cent, per annum, and by
store, hotel and other license fees. It yielded a revenue of five
thousand dollars gold per annum. The municipal board consisted
of three Consuls and three members of the three nations with
whom the King made the convention — one from each ; the latter
were nominated by their respective Consuls.

Subsequently in accordance with the Berlin Treaty of the
I4th June, 1889, the above was altered.

The Powers directed that " a Municipal Council should be
established consisting of six members and a president of the Coun-
cil, who shall also have a vote " ; the former "to be elected by
the taxpayers, and shall hold their appointments for a term of
two years. In the absence of the president the council may elect
a chairman pro iempore. Consular officers shall not be eligible as
councillors, nor shall councillors exercise any consular functions
during their term of office."

2

" All ordinances, £c., passed by this council before becoming
law shall be referred to the consular representatives of the three
Treaty Powers sitting conjointly as a Consular Board who shall
either approve and return such regulations or suggest such amend-
ments as may be unanimously deemed necessary by them."

" Should the Consular Board not be unanimous in approving
the regulations referred to them, or should the amendments unani-
mously suggested by the Consular Board not be accepted by a
majority of the Municipal Council then the regulations in question
shall be referred for modification and finaj approval to the Chief
Justice of Samoa."

" The Municipal Council shall appoint a Municipal Magistrate,
&c., &c., and fix the magistrate's salary."

'' To obtain the necessary revenue " duties on general mer-
chandise of 2 per cent, ad valorem, and on a sliding scale
on liquors, &c., were levied, together with capitation taxes, store,
hotel, and other license fees, also an export duty of 2i, 2 and li
per cent, on copra, coffee and cotton respectively.

The Chief Justice, receiving a salary of $6,000 gold per an-
num, was to be named by the three Signatory Powers in common
accord, or failing their agreement to be named by the King of
Sweden and Norway.

The President of the Municipality and Council, receiving a
salary of 85,000 gold per annum, was to be agreed upon by the
three Powers, failing such agreement other provisions were pro-
vided.

The first Chief Justice was C. Cedercrantz ; Clerk of the Court,
P. Hagberg. The last was W. L. Chambers ; Clerk of the Court,
J. H. Denvers.

The first President was Baron A. Senfft von Pilsach, succeeded
by Messrs. E. Schmidt, Dr. Raffel, and Dr. W. H. Solf, now the
Imperial German Governor.

The first Municipal Magistrate was W. Cooper ; the last was
R. L. Skeen.

Copra (dried cocoanut) was, at that time, the only native
product, of which from two to three thousand tons were made
yearly ; now eight thousand to nine thousand tons are annually
produced.

Cacao and rubber were then unknown.

The islands were discovered by Bougainville in 1768, and
La Perouse in 1787, and called by the latter the Navigators' Is-
lands on account of the large number of canoes seen moving along
their shores. The Bauman Islands seen by Jacob Roggewein,
the Hollander, in 1722, were probably the same, but he places
them nearly one thousand miles too far to the eastward.

Communism is the foundation on which all Samoan customs
and social privileges are built ; ail are expected to divide what

they have amongst their relatives and friends, not in a formal
manner or as an absolute right, but it comes to the same thing.
Those who have property arc expected, unless they can conceal it,
to distribute to the necessities of those who have none. Hard-
working Samoans support in this way numbers of lazy friends,
and " dropping in " unintentionally at dinner or other meals is
much practised by the acquaintances of industrious families.

It has been a custom of the Samoans from time immemorial
to make periodically long excursions, occupying twro or three
months in duration, and consequently they are always either
visiting or receiving visitors.

About once a year every town in the group launches its boats
and travels slowly round the islands, calling at nearly every vil-
lage on the way ; not in solemn silence, but chanting lively boat
songs, in which ail join, from the young urchin, who can barely
screech, to the grey-haired octogenarian.

Xo excuse is accepted by the visitors for scant hospitality —
food must be provided. Formerly if any important chiefs were
in the travelling party and the provisions supplied were meagre
they would order their henchmen to make a raid on all stray pigs
and fowls belonging to the town, and cook and devour them with
many ironical thanks to their perfunctory hosts.

The custom has its advantages, but many Samoans, par-
ticularly those of low caste, look angrily at strange boats making
for their village at nightfall.

Houses are provided in every town for the special use of
travellers, and sometimes the rich man of the village will erect
one at his own expense. It is understood that such visits shall
not be unnecessarily prolonged.

Every journey has for its destination the town of the near
relatives of the chief of the party, and is made with some object —
a marriage or betrothal, exchange of fine mats — (the irrimatenla
malorum — incentive to covetousness — in Samoa) or other pro-
perty. &c.

War, too, was planned on these excursions : sometimes it
grew out of them.

But in the capital the visits of strangers have been too fre-
quent for the custom to be kept up properly, the Apia natives
having been eaten out of house and home long ago, and " Apia
hospitality " is now a proverb amongst the Samoans, corresponding
to the Greek Kalends.

All industry is checked, stifled, and turned into ridicule by
the pernicious system of communism ; lying, hypocrisy, and their
kindred vices are fostered by it, every Samoan thinking himself
at perfect liberty to conceal his food or property in any possible
way, if by so doing the giving of it away can be avoided.

The group consists (besides Nuutele, Nuulua, Xamua, and
Fanuatapu at Aleipata, sometimes called the Fish Islands) of

eight islands, Manua. Olosega, Ofa, Tutuila, in which is the im-
pregnable harbour of Pago Pago, all under the United States flag ;
and of, all under the German flag, Upolu, in which is Apia ;
Manono ; Apolima, the island fortress; and Savaii, the largest
island ; the group having an area of about two thousand square
miles or, say, one million acres of land available for cultivation.

The soil is fertile. On the coast sugar and cotton do well ;
on the high lands coffee thrives ; cacao or rubber can be planted
almost everywhere.

One of the prominent objects seen by the voyager to the
south-east, when entering the harbour of Apia, is the large Vailele
cocoanut plantation of the D.H. & P.O. der Suedsee Inseln, of
Hamburg, covering several thousand acres and stretching far back
into the mountains to a height of one thousand feet or more.

Other large cocoanut plantations to the westward of Apia
were formed by the same company many years ago. They own
upwards of 100,000 acres in the group.

Samoa and all the surrounding islands owe much to the enter-
prise of the Godeffroy merchant family, who founded the D.H.
and P.G., and of the late Mr. Theodore Weber, their representative
here for many years, by whose direction large blocks of land were
purchased and plantations formed. It was their capital that
opened up Fiji in 1860 under the auspices of Messrs. F. and W.
Hennings.

Large tracts of land were also then purchased from the natives
by English and American capitalists, but the Land Commissioners,
in 1892-3-4, threw out most of the titles. F. Cornwall, deceased,
claiming 250,000 ares, was only allotted about 20,000 acres. The
San Francisco Syndicate, claiming 120,000 acres, were allotted
perhaps the same quantity. But the Godeffroy s, having bought
more carefully and in almost every instance having paid full value
to the Samoans for their lands, were more fortunate, and the
English, American and German Commissioners (three in all) rati-
fied generally their original titles.

A good deal of land in small blocks was also acquired at the
time mentioned by other Englishmen and Americans.

Now by Government regulations, primarily growing out of-
the Berlin Final Act in June, 1889, the natives are not allowed
to sell land situated outside the former municipal boundaries,
except under special permission from the authorities. However,
on long lease, forty to eighty years, land can be acquired from
them.

The Samoans are said, by some ethnologists, to be of Malayan
origin, are of a light brown colour, have straight hair, and are a
tall and well-formed people.

Many of the women have particularly small hands and feet
intimating that the race may have been formerly less barbarous
than at present.

The Tahitian, Hawaiian, Rarotongan, Tongan. Maori and
Samoan languages are closely allied.

Like all olive-coloured races they appear to suffer by inter-
course with civilisation, but since annexation in 1900 have begun
to increase in a small degree.

Lunacy is very rare, and I have only heard of one or two
cases of suicide in the last thirty years ; but there are many hunch-
backs and persons who have lost the sight of one eye.

Formerly the clergymen of the London Mission vaccinated
regularby the natives, but this is now in the hands of the Govern-
ment.

There is danger through the now regular steamer communi-
cation with the colonies and California of the small-pox being
brought here ; so vaccination is a boon to the Samoans, although
in some instances they object to it.

Tradition states that the group was originally colonised from
Manua, the easternmost island, and the chief (or king) of Manua
holds the highest rank and receives the first cup of kava in their
assemblies. They were, in fact, the highest chiefs in all the group,
but being " rois faineants," " kings without power," had almost
always to give way to their more active competitors, chiefs corre-
sponding to the " Mayors of the Palace."

The hereditary name of this family is " Moa " (fowl), and it
is Sa (tabooed or forbidden) at Manua to apply the word Moa to
any thing or person but the King himself. A fowl is, therefore, in
Manua, designated a" flying bird " ("manu lele"). Whether the
name of this group was affected by, or arose out of this kingly
reverence, assuming that fowls were found there in primitive times,
is for philologists to decide.

PITCAIRN ISLAND.

"Droops the heavy-blossom'd bower, hangs the heavy-fruited tree;
Summer isles of Eden lying in dark-purple spheres of sea."

— TENNYSON.

Reminiscences of the islands require some account of the
above and of Norfolk Island, where many descendants of the
Pitcairn people are now living.

The " Bounty," commanded by Lieut. Bligh, was sent in
1787 to Tahiti to procure breadfruit trees for the West Indian
plantations. Remaining in Tahiti for five months, he then pro-
ceeded to Tongatabu ; immediately after leaving that island the
vessel was seized by the mutineers.

In the year 1767, before Cook's memorable voyages, when
the English and French nations were vying with one another in
the planting of colonies, which would ultimately prove an outlet of
deliverance to the suffering millions of the home countries, and
also threatening a renewal of their contention for the supremacy
of the seas, Captain Philip Cartaret, commanding the sloop
" Swallow," belonging to His Majesty King George the Third,
ploughing the waters of the South Pacific Ocean discovered in
latitude 25 deg. south, longitude 130 de<*. west, at a great distance
from any other land, a small knoll seven miles round, one thousand
feet high, with no landing place or anchorage, and called it Pitcairn
Island after the officer who first saw it, subsequently drowned in
the " Aurora."

The discovery was duly reported at the Admiralty and noted
on the chart ; then Australia was practically unknown, and where
a fine city of more than five hundred thousand inhabitants now
extends from Port Jackson to Botany Bay no sound was heard
but the locust s note and the blackfellow's coo-ee.

When the mutineers of the " Bounty " forced Lieut.
Bligh over the ship's side and turned her head towards Tahiti,
Pitcairn Island was no doubt the place which Christian, the ring-
leader, had marked out as their final refuge. The vessel was
seized at Tofua on the 28th April, 1789, but it was not till January,
1790, that they reached Pitcairn where they ran the vessel ashore
in Bounty Bay ; she was then broken up and burned.

The mutineers had in the first instance proceeded to Tubuai»
in the Austral Group, intending to settle there, but the Tubuains
did not favour their project and they quarrelled amongst them-
selves. This was in May, 1789. Next month the vessel returned
to Tahiti, greatly to the surprise of the King and chiefs, but they
were informed that Captain Cook had been fallen in with at Aitu-
taki, where he was forming a settlement ; had been joined by
Lieut. Bligh and the others and stood in need of provisions and
live stock. Much pleased with this intelligence the Tahitians
supplied 312 hogs, 38 goats, TOO fowls, a bull and a cow,
with large quantities of other provisions, and the " Bounty "
sailed again for Tubuai, where the mutineers set about making a
fort nearly fifty yards square ; but quarrels between the whites
and natives became so frequent that this was discontinued, and
Christian took the ship again to Tahiti, where sixteen of the muti-
neers at their own request were landed, and finally, on the 2ist
September, 1789, the " Bounty " set forth on her last voyage,
having then on board — Fletcher Christian, acting-lieutenant ;
Edward Young, midshipman ; John Adams, William McCoy,
Matthew Quintal, John Williams and Isaac Martin, seamen ; John
Mells, gunner's mate. ; William Brown, botanist's assistant ; be-
sides six men and twelve women, natives of Tubuai and Tahiti ;
the blandishments of the latter, it is generally supposed, during

Bligh's stay at Tahiti having been one of the principal causes of
the mutiny.

Of those who remained at Tahiti, fourteen were made pri-
soners in March. 1791. and taken away in the " Pandora" when
that vessel was sent in search of the mutineers : of these, four
were drowned at the Great Barrier Reef on the Australian coast,
when the " Pandora " was lost there ; the remaining ten were
taken to England, of whom three were hanged for their share in
the mutiny ; the other seven were acquitted or pardoned.

The ship destroyed, and with her all possibility of return to
civilised life, the mutineers and their native companions began to
form a settlement ; but quarrels were continually arising, some-
times amongst the whites and at others amongst the natives.

In less than a year after their landing all the whites but four
were murdered by the Tahitian men, not, however, without pro
vocation, two of the latter having been previously shot down by
order of the whites. This calamity was caused by the licentious-
ness of Williams (or Adams in Dr. Bennett's account), who took
by force the wife of a Tahitian to live with him.

In revenge for this and the murder of their countrymen men-
tioned above, the whites in their turn were attacked and shot
down ; not long after the four surviving mutineers made an attack
on the Tahitian men and killed the whole of them.

McCoy and Quintal then began to manufacture liquor from
the tee root (draccena terminalis), and were in a constant state of
drunkenness, in a fit of which the former destroyed himself.

The latter then endeavoured to murder Young and Adams,
so that in self-defence they were compelled to kill him ; this was
in 1799.

There are various reports with regard to Christian ; one ac-
count states that he was shot, another says that he jumped from
the cliffs into the sea and so met his fate ; a third is to the effect
that Captain Heywood saw him again in Plymouth in 1809.

>,ine years had thus elapsed without any redeeming feature
appearing in the characters of the mutineers : but now the mid-
shipman Young and John Adams determined to make a stand
against the evils that had lured their friends to destruction, and
consequently, with the help of a Bible and prayer book, saved
irom the wreck of the " Bounty," set about forming the lives of
the settlers on the strict model of the Church of England worship
and discipline as laid down in the Church ritual. A year after
this Young died of asthma, and John Adams alone remained.

From that time till his death in 1829 he carried out rigorously
the rules of the Church ; every Friday, as laid down in the prayer
:book, was strictly observed either as a fast day, or certainly a day
of abstinence, while morning and evening prayers were said daily
in every family. Wine was allowed in moderation, neither was

8

the moderate use of tobacco interdicted ; but the prayer book for
form and discipline, and the Bible for doctrine, became the rule of
the lives of the Pitcairners, and, until the death of Adams, no
licentiousness of word or action disgraced the lives of the islanders.
They lived also in complete harmony with one another.

Unfortunately they removed to Tahiti in 1831, shortly after
Adams' death, and, although their stay there was short, not more
than a few months, the licentiousness of Tahitian manners pro-
diiced a very bad effect on the community. But the same causes
which, under Adams, had been the means of lifting them out of
the gulf into which they had fallen thirty years before, now (under
Buffet and Nobbs) again helped them ; the old discipline was re-
sumed, and the old results naturally followed. Dr. F. D. Bennett,
who visited the island in 1834, just after their return, gives a very
interesting account of the settlement at that time (" Whaling
Voyage Round the World"). To that work, to the "Mutineers
of the Bounty," Mr. Jegg, 1869, and to an article by the special
correspondent of the Auckland Weekly Herald, February 20, 1875,
I am indebted for much of the above and following particulars

Before Adams' death, a seafaring man (John Buffet) landed
on the island, and being a mechanic — shipwright's joiner — was of
great use there ; he also acted as schoolmaster, and assisted Adams
in the celebration of public worship.

In 1828 G. H. Nobbs arrived and took a position soon after
as clergyman and schoolmaster, occupying it till his death in 188—

Born of good parentage he entered the Royal Navy in 1811,
served there till icSi6, then entered the South American service,
where, in 1820, under Lord Cochrane, he assisted in the cutting
out of the frigate " Esmeralda " from under the Callao batteries ;
afterwards as lieutenant in a Chilian ship-of-war he commanded
two launches which cut out an armed brig at the island of St.
Mary's after a severe conflict ; he also commanded an expedition
to Africa, in which 48 of 64 were killed or wounded and the rest,
including himself, taken as prisoners. In that fight he received
a blow on the neck from which he suffered ever afterwards.
He belonged to the stock about which Pindar writes. See
Pythia iv. 185, " mee tina leipomenon tan akindunon para
matri menein aiona pessonta." " Who could not brook to be
left behind and remain by his mother's side, leading the sodden,
insipid life which is free from danger," so Donaldson translates
the words ; that life now praised by some before youngsters,
to prevent them from learning to use the rifle, by advocates —
men and women — of peace at any price ; or as, during the great
rebellion in 1865 in the United States, one ardent patriot
put it : '" The Union and peace even if Satan should be
president." Peace, even if that means slavery.

Quitting the Chilian navy, Nobbs, acting on the direction

on her death-bed of a very near relative, endeavoured to find
his way to Pitcairn.

After many hindrances, at last, in Callao, he met with
the owner of a launch, an invalid, who agreed to accompany
him to Pitcairn provided he would fit her out. This was done
and they left Callao, the two men only, on the voyage of 3,500 miles,
which they ac ^omplished in 42 days, in October, 1828, his companion
not long surviving the passage. He shortly after married one of
the island women. His descendants are living at Norfolk Island.
His arrival was a most fortunate event for the islanders ;
Mr. Nobbs' guidance of affairs — during the very critical juncture just
afterwards when they removed to Tahiti and on all subsequent
occasions — being of great help to them, and from that time to the
end he proved himself stanch and true. In 1852 he was taken to
England and ordained there in the same year by the Bishop of
London, returning to Pitcairn in 1853.

In 1856 the British Government, which has always taken a
lively interest in the settlers, decided on removing them to Nor-
folk Island, whither with a quantity of stock they were then
taken ; fifty acres, drawn by lot. being assigned to every male
adult ; but after a time some of the families hankered after their
original home and returned to Pitcairn, A friend, who visited
Norfolk Island at that time, informed me that the head of one of
the principal families told him that he and many others strongly
objected to the use of money in the community as causing, he
thought, many evils from which they had been free when there
was no such medium of exchange, and he with a good many others
returned to Pitcairn. In 1875 the community on Pitcairn num-
bered 76 ; in 1904, 141 persons ; that on Norfolk in 1875, 350 ; in
1902, including Melanesians, 971 ; where Captain Walter Drake,
R.X.. is the resident magistrate. The islanders are essentially
children of the sea ; to swim seven miles round the iron-bound
coast of their rocky island, or launch at Norfolk a whaleboat
through a dangerous surf and pull all night at sea in a gale of
wind through pitchy darkness to a ship in the offing used to be
common occurrences with them ; what they do now I cannot say,
but they keep up their reputation as fearless seamen I believe,
and two of the women, Miss McCoy and Miss Young, deceased,
have done us good service here as nurses in the American hospital,
Apia. Ashore they are inclined to be indolent. More than thirty
years ago I was acquainted with several persons who had visited
Pitcairn, most of them no friends to religion or religious training,
but they all stated to me that the island, then, was really, as far as
they could see, what it was then generally represented to be, free
to a very great extent at least from many of the blots which dis-
figure civilised as well as uncivilised communities.

But all this has altered ; " a change came o'er the spirit of
my dream ; " at least at Pitcairn Island. About six years ago one

10

of the islanders there committed wilful murder, and a high au-
thority, who visited the island officially just afterwards, informed me,
in 1900, that the grossest licentiousness was altogether a common
occurrence there, and that the " social evil," especially towards
strangers visiting Pitcairn, assumed a most aggravated form, but
not as a matter of course, amongst the majority of the families there.

Norfolk Island, known seventy years ago as " the island
hell " (where as far as I am aware the Pitcairners settled there
have not retrograded, being on a par with, or perhaps a trifle above
the religious level of other Christian small communities) was se-
lected by the British Government and occupied on the I5th
August, 1826, as a penal settlement, to which should be sent the
worst of the male criminals in New South \Yales and Van Diemen's
Land. " Specials " I think they were called. It had previously,
in 1879, been occupied under Governor Philip's rule by free set-
tlers and then abandoned on account of the bad landing.

It is in 29 deg. south latitude, 168 east longitude ; six
miles long and four miles broad, rock bound, with only two or
three landing places, all of which are exceptionally bad. It was
discovered by Captain Cook in 1774. Although under the strictest
control, many of its denizens during the period of its occupation —
twenty-nine years to May 7th, 1855 — managed to escape. Some
of the greatest scoundrels in the Pacific, principallv on the Line
Islands, were originally Norfolk Islanders. One of them, I be-
lieve, got to Samoa 75 years ago, and, after murdering scores of
natives, felling them as a butcher w^ould an ox, at the least provo-
cation, at last was decoyed and killed at Aana by two warriors,
whose relatives boast of it to the present day.

The convicts made repeated attempts to seize the Govern-
ment vessels bringing supplies to the island, and succeeded on
one or two occasions. All the horrors done under the pirate flag
were then outdone by the merciless wretches who had seized the
ship. To fasten cannon balls to one or both of the legs of each of
the sailors and then with much ironical politeness request them to
" walk the plank," was considered the finest joke in the world, as
they splashed overboard. But this was the essence of mercy
contrasted with the way in which the soldiers on board — their
prisoners — were treated.

Ashore things were just as bad. The dreadful creatures who
filled the gaols or clanked their chains as they went to and fro
from their work were to a very great extent worse than wild beasts,
and just as in a rush from a burning theatre the weak are trampled
to death by the strong, necessarily, so it was with those of the
unfortunate men sentenced to imprisonment on Norfolk Island,
who were looked upon by their comrades as better than them-
selves, whether in character or original social station. Nothing
but the sternest measures kept the convicts down, and so they
retaliated on the weak amongst themselves. A mass of moral

II

corruption, the worst men on earth, manacled by day, let loose in
the gaols at night. They were made worse, too, by the utter want
of sympathy shown them by free men until Captain Machonochie,
in the forties, came to the rescue, and succeeded in ameliorating
their condition ; the difficulties incident to which being very great ;
it being often impossible to discriminate between corrigible and
incorrigible criminals, and so avoid the danger of trusting the
latter ; for, after all, the bad as we complacently call one another,
belong to one or other of the two classes. But the " Captain of
Koepenick " incident at Berlin shows that it is not fair to drive
convicts striving to lead a decent life, as the " captain " was trying
to do, into robbing other people to save themselves from starvation

TONGA.

" Around she pointed to a spacious cave,
Whose only portal was the keyless wave."

— " THE ISLAND."

The islands in the South Pacific called the Tongan Group are
situated a few degrees to the southward of Samoa, between 17 dee.
and 22 deg. of south latitude and all in or about the same longi-
tude. For nearly three centuries they have been known to navi-
gators.

Nukualofa, the capital of Tongatabu (or Togamamao — far-off
Tonga — so railed by the Samoans) is in 21 deg. 7 min. south,
175.12 west.

In 1642, Abel Tasman, setting sail from Java, ran along the
west side of the Australian continent ; discovered Tasmania (or
Van Diemen's Land — so named by him after the Governor of
Batavia, with whose daughter, Maria, he was in love) ; crossed over
to New Zealand, to which he gave the name of Staaten Land (Land
of Estates), supposed by him to be a part of Australia ; and then
wending his way to the northward, discovered the southernmost
part of the Tongan Group — Eua, Tongatabu, and Namuka, named
respectively by him Middleburg. Amsterdam, and Rotterdam Islands.

From thence he set sail homewards, making the round trip
in about ten months. One hundred and fifty years transpired
before the islands were revisited by whites : when our great seaman,
Captain Cook, in 1777, rediscovered them, and made it and his
discovery of Australia (New Holland) known to the world, accord-
ing to the usual British fashion, " a fair field for all and no favour."

Cook called them the " Friendly " Islands because they re-
ceived him in a very hospitable manner on the surface ; not being
aware of the fact that at Haabai they had laid a plot to kill him
and all his officers at a great feast prepared for them. They were
present but a dispute arose ; Mariner says between Finau, the
leading chief, and other chiefs during the feast regarding the best

T2

plan to be adopted in the matter ; the majority favouring the
night time as better than the day, and so the fatal signal for knock-
ing them all on the head was not given, but it had all been pre-
viously arranged.

Thirty years rolled away, when, in 1806, an English whaler,
also a privateer, combining the slaughtering of whales and men
(when the latter refused to hand over their cash and other belong-
ings), a vessel of 500 tons with a crew of sixty men (originally 102
men when the vessel left Gravesend) anchored in that portion of
the group called Haabai — at Lefuka, the principal town there —
TOO miles to the north-west of Tongatabu, and was taken by the
natives, burned, and 26 of the crew massacred instanter. The
late King George, who died in 189 — about 95 years old, and at
that time perhaps twelve years of age, recollected well the cap-
ture of the vessel, and was on board just after the occurrence.
The vessel was partly loaded with whale oil, and when the
casks had been stoved in by the natives, some of them jumped in
the hold and were drowned in the oil, to the great surprise of
their comrades on deck.

Mariner, one of the tew survivors, then a youth, remained
in the group f ur years, when, with great difficulty, he
made his escape. Having considerable ability and a
remarkable memory, he learned thoroughly the language, and on
his return to England dictated to Dr. Martin, his friend, a full
account of the islands, with a dictionary of the language ; both
very accurate and containing the best account extant of the
manners and customs of the Tongans.

The advantages of enlightened civilisation now enjoyed by
the Tongans, Samoans, and other semi-savage races are shown by
Mariner's particulars of the state of Tonga in the old times, to be
really of a substantial nature. When he wrote, no Tongan chief
or commoner could retire to rest with even tolerable certainty
that he would not be clubbed before the morning. And in Samoa,
at the same period, it was nearly as bad ; in Fiji, very much worse.
Things have improved since then, and the islanders are fully aware
of it.

The Tongans are good fighters. According to Mariner Hala
api api, one of the chiefs, " would prefer two days' hard fighting
without food more readily than the most peaceable man would
two days' food without fighting." In fact they were in those
days always slaughtering others or being slaughtered themselves.
In their idea "war and strife were the noble employments of men,
and peace and pleasure worthy to be courted only by women and
the weak and effeminate."

The Tongans are a shade darker than the Samoans, who, it
is said, centuries ago, exploring in their large double canoes, in
which they sometimes got as far as New Zealand, called in on
their way thither and conquered and settled upon the islands.

13

The Fijians also intermixed with the Tongans, in consequence
of which the latter are much more of the negro or Papuan type
than their straight-haired Samoan ancestors, and are a sturdier
and less vacillating race.

When Mariner wrote, there was constant intercourse betw;vn
Tonga and Fiji (they are 150 to 200 miles apart) and the Fijians,
he says, were considered good warriors ; but in the last seventy
years that has been altered, and, up to the time of the British
annexation of Fiji. loth October, 1874, one Tongan could put to
flight fifty Fijians ; in fact, the Tongans then had the whole of the
eastern part of Fiji under actual control, and treated the Fijians
with scant courtesy. I learned in Loma Loma forty years ago
that any Tongan in that part of Fiji deemed it his privilege (often
exercised) to enter the house of any Fijian commoner and carry
away whatever he wished without making the slightest return,
and with very few excuses for his rudeness. The Biblical student
will remember Benhadad's message to Ahab illustrating the above
custom and Ahab's answer, " My Lord, O King, according to thy
saying I am thine and all that I have." The above was a brutal
travesty of the Samoan custom which requires a host to hand over
to his guests as presents anything on the premises which they may
admire. It is interesting to hear the compliments exchanged on
such occasions, especially when they are only compliments, and
listen to the savage comments on the guests and their ancestors
after they had departed with the " presents."

There are three distinct archipelagoes : — Yavau. in 18 deg.
39 south, 174 deg. west, population about 6.000; Haabai, in iq
deg. 50 soxith, population 8,000 ; Tongatabu, in 21 deg. 10 south,
longitude 175 deg. 10 west, population 8.000 : containing alto-
gether perhaps eighty islands more or less large and small. Xiuafou
and Keppel Islands, 150 miles to the north and north west of
Vavau, 100 miles apart, with, say, 2,500 inhabitants, belong to
the same group. So does Tasman's " Pylstaart " Island, 22 deg.
22 min. south, now uninhabited, a few miles to the southward of
Tongatabu The landing at and access to Pylstaart are of the
worst description.

At the beginning of last century all the groups were under
their own Kings or leading chiefs, and consequently, as said above,
always at war with one another ; but the late sovereign, George I.,
a man of extraordinary ability, great in stature — a very important
advantage in savage races — and great in mind, whose supporters
ooasted that he never in battle had occasion to strike a man twice
— the first blow always settling the matter — brought them after
years of hard fighting under one head — himself — sixty-five years
ago, and no revolution has disturbed Tonga since. He was hoi n in
U'ia, Haabai, of a high chief family. Towards the close of the
war he directed his arms against the last stronghold of the heat'ien
enemy, he himself fighting not only for the supreme ruV\ but for

Christianity, having at that time been a Christian for some years.
This was in Tongatabu, at Bea, four miles from the capital—
Nukualofa. The enemy was strongly entrenched.

At this juncture, in Tune, 1840, an English ship-of -war, the
" Favourite," dropped anchor in the harbour, and Captain Walter
Croker, commander, who appeared to have been an enthusiast,
hearing how matters stood, determined to assist King George in
reducing the fort, and with a party of men from the " Favourite "
dragged one or two small cannon to the Rea — where they still are
— and called on the occupants to surrender ; they, however, warned
him that if he did not retire he would be fired on, and followed it
up soon after by a volley, which mortally wounded him and several
of his men.

He is buried on the hill at Nukualofa, overlooking the har-
bour, a few feet from the Wesleyan Church, which stands on the
summit.

\Yhen going over the hill on his way to the fort, having, ap-
parently, a premonition of his approaching death, he reouested
those who were with him to bury him on this spot, should he be
killed in the engagement.

The climate is pleasant and salubrious, the thermometer in
the winter months — January to October — often falling at night
below 60 deg. Fahr., and the heat during the day i? never
great enough to prevent outdoor exercise. The scenery is very
beautiful, as in all the South Sea islands. Tongatabu will, no
doubt, be, in time, a favourite resort for invalids from the Aus-
tralias.

The group would seem to be in close proximity to a great
submarine volcano. Fifty-five years ago an inland, now called
Wesley Rock, close to Kao, black and sulphurous, suddenly
emerged from fathomless depths ; and some years afterwards
another island, twenty miles from Tongatabu — burning — was thrown
up by a submarine volcano, and since then has gradually been
subsiding.

Kao. an extinct volcano, towers 4,500 feet above- the ocean.
On a clear evening it and Tofuacan be seen distinctly from Lifuka,
the capital of Haabai, standing out, although forty miles distant,
in fine relief against the western sky.

Tofua — above — a smouldering volcano four miles from Kao
— inhabited — is 2,500 feet high. Its inhabitants have been com-
pelled, by sudden lava eruptions, to leai/e it on several occasions.
It is said on good authority that the extreme edge of an old burial
ground at the foot of the island Crops nut from under a layer of
lav;', on which is a layer of earth, covered again by another layer
of lava, in its turn covered again by earth, and so on, and -so on —
pointing to a very great antiquity of the burial ground mentioned.

The island and its locality are specially interesting, for there,
in 1789, Captain Bligh of the " Bounty," after having been put

15

into an open boat by the mutineers, with eighteen of the loyal
members of the crew, commenced the longest boat voyage ever
made, from thence to Timor making the passage — nearly 4,000
miles — in forty-one days in safety, but several died afterwards
from disease produced by the hardships of the long voyage.

A few miles hence the mutineers turned the bow of the
" Bounty " to the eastward and shouted " Hurrah for Tahiti."
At this spot Bligh touching afterwards to obtain a lew cocoanuts
for the voyage lost one of his men, John Norton. The inhospitable
natives having clubbed him tried to drag the boat ashore and
murder Bligh and the whole boat's crew. But the brave old dis-
ciplinarian beat them off and showed them, as he did New
South Wales rebels some years afterwards, of what stuff he was
made.

Vavau, the northernmost group, consists ol one 01 two large
and a cluster of small islands. It is about 600 feet above the sea
level, and covered \vith luxuriant vegetation down to the water's
edge. Here Mariner lived four years, and hence he escaped to a
whaler cruising in the offing. Vavau is singularly destitute of
water ; there is not a spring on the whole island ; indeed, the same
remark applies to all the Tongan group— not a river (or spring
worth mentioning) is to be found there. Against this drawback
water in Haabai and Tongatabu can be obtained by digging down
a few feet beneath the surface of the earth, but it is always slightly
brackish, although drinkable.

Forty miles to the westward of Vavau the volcano Late rises
abruptly 2,000 feet from the sea, now quiescent, but in 1853 or
1854. I think, after remaining quiet for a great number of years it
suddenly leaped into activity with a terrific roar heard at an
incredible distance. This was on a fine Sunday morning about
noon. The English Wesleyan service was just concluded and the
European residents were making their way homeward when, as
Captain John Lyons, of the brig " Ocean " (who was then there)
told me, the ground began to undulate as much as the sea in a
heavy ground swell, producing nausea in some of those present.
The air was presently darkened in broad daylight with vast masses
of ashes thrown out by Late, which with subterranean noises,
mingled with short interval pulsation roars of the distant volcano,
made up an indescribable scene of terror, continuing for three
days conjoined with repeated shocks of earthquake, accompanied
by startling reports from the earth beneath them, to the conster-
nation of the inhabitants. In 1847 the island of Amargura or
Fanua lai, 35 miles to the X.W. of Vavau, burst in two by the
eruption of its crater, which was heard at Niuafou, 160 miles dis-
tant, and it damaged the crops and trees at Vavau. Ashes were
thrown in large quantities on passing ships, 500 and 600 miles to
the north-east. — Admiralty Sailing Directions, Vol. ii

16

Vavau harbour, taken all round, is superior to that at Pago
Pago, Tutuila, but the bottom, like the latter, is deep and lumpy.
There are two splendid steamer passages, one from the northward,
pointing to the S.E., and one from the southward, pointing to
Kilikili : the depth in the middle of both passages varies bet\\ ^i
50 and Go fathoms, but in both instances there are no side reefs,
and the rocks on both sides in both passages can be closely shaved
by vessels large and small. At Xeiafu and Kilikili. the anchorage
varies between 15 and 30 fathoms. As at Pago Pago, it is rocky
and anchors sometimes foul. The harbour can be rendered im-
pregnable much more easily than is the case with Pago Pago, for,
being completely land-locked, it could only be shelled with great
difficulty, if at all, by attacking squadrons. The Xeiafu harbour
is not as large as Pago Pago, but that and the Kilikili anchorage
are quite large enough to hold any squadron kept there for de-
fensive or reconnoitering purposes, and the military engineer who
might be called on to fortify Vavau would rejoice at its fitness for
defence ; for it bristles with points easily turned to that account by a
sea power like England requiring coaling bases, should Tonga be
annexed by Britain. The soil is remarkably fertile, and the scenery
much superior to that of the other portions of the Tongan group.

Sharks are numerous and fierce, especially on the sandspit in
the narrow turn of the channel which opens Xeiafu. Several
persons, when -bathing on it have been eaten by them. They lie on
the sandy bottoms lurking there.

The Tongans are daring navigators, and the older men have,
sufficient knowledge of the stars to find their way to Fiji an-1
Samoa without much difficulty, making the distance in ordinary
weather within a few hours of their calculations. Formerly they
used large double canoes of the Ladrone pattern, capable of carry-
ing 100 to 150 men, and sailing exceedingly close to the wind —
within four points — at the rate of ten, twelve, and off the wind
fifteen miles per hour. In going to Samoa they usually ran down
to the north-west on Xiuafou, where, on the sandy beach at its
west end, they would haul up the canoes, feast and carouse for a
few days, and then set sail again for Samoa, beating up to Keppel
Island — 100 miles — and then standing across easily to Savaii ; but
sometimes they were never heard of again, either through the
wind increasing to a storm and shifting so much that when the
weather moderated they were too far out of their course to be
able to pick it up again, and had to run before the wind until they
fell in with some unknown land, or, much more frequently, their
canoe fastenings made out of sinet rope and twine of the twisted
husk of the cocoanut, broke adrift from the trunk of the canoe and
everything went to pieces. In Xukualofa I saw them in 1875
or 1876 launch a large double canoe for a voyage to Samoa via
Haabai, carrying about seventy men, women and children. In a
few days news arrived that it had foundered at Namuka (Tasman's

17

" Rotterdam ") about four miles from the island, the fastenings
being rotten : it had been laid up ashore too long. All but one
man, who managed almost miraculously to reach the shore alive,
where he was found in a half-conscious state, were devoured, so the
survivor said, by the myriads of sharks infesting that part of
Haabai. who, he said, when the craft went to pieces, rushed to
and fro amongst the frenzied swimmers, biting off their limbs in
fierce rivalry with one another at their ghastly feast.

I remember seeing in 1861, at the south side of Upolu. two
such canoes carrying nearly 200 people arrive from Tonga. In
those days tatooing in Tonga was strictly forbidden by the Wes-
ley an Mission there, and they had come up to be tatooed by the
Samoans. who are noted throughout the Pacific for their skill in
this handicraft.

Tongatabu (Tasman's " Amsterdam") is about 25 miles long
and, say, eight miles broad, perfectly flat, the highest land (on the
hill close to the anchorage) being only sixty feet above the sea.
But at Fuamotu, the south-east end of the island, it rises to a
height of 150 feet. The harbour is of great extent, the reefs sur-
rounding it extending 20 miles east and west to a distance of 12
miles from the mainland. At the west end is Tasman's anchor-
age, called by him after his mistress. Maria harbour. There are
several islands in the lagoon formerly inhabited by tribes of fisher-
men, whose duty it was to provide fish for any high chiefs calling
there who claimed suzerainty over them. On one occasion in the
remote past, a powerful chief from Haabai called at the eastern-
most islet with a small number of followers and demanded the
usual tribute, but was met with a rebuff and insolence, to which
he replied that in a very short time he would return and teach
them obedience. After his departure they, with the fishermen of
the other islands, left their homes and sailed to the westernmost
and largest island in the lagoon called Atataa, where are extensive
caves in which they took refuge, but before doing so neglected to
destroy or conceal effectually their canoes. Almost immediately
afterwards the chief returned, and proceeding from island to island
and finding no living creatures on them reached Atataa, where at
first, until he saw the canoes, he concluded that they had escaped
to the mainland. He waited several days, and, although much
puzzled by the canoes, was just on the point of returning to
Haabai. About the same time the inmates of the cave, perhaps
200 in number, began to run short of cocoanuts, and were obliged
to send someone out to procure water, always to be found oozing
from the sand at low water mark. This was done on one or two
evenings after dark, when a man of the chief's party happening to
be at that time in the vicinity of the cave, thought he saw some
object moving, and following it up, discovered a child filling its
calabash with water : waiting until the little fellow had gone back
to the cave, he then apprised the chief, who ordered the mouth to

18

be blocked up with brush and firewood. This was set on fire, and
in an hour's time every soul in the cave was smothered. I had the
story from the late Mr. Moss, secretary to the late King George
for many years. Many skeletons are still to be seen in the caves.

Christianity, under the auspices of the Wesleyan Mission, was
first brought to Tonga more than 75 years ago. Great success has
attended it. The natives, thirty years ago, before the schism in
the church there, contributed more towards its support than
perhaps any other people in the world — white or black — their
contributions in 1875 were at the rate of twelve shillings per head
per annum for every man, woman and child in the islands. It is
invidious where so many workers call for notice to mention names,
but the Rev. Dr. J. Egan Moulton — the reviser of the New
Testament translation — has done much for this mission, and
richly deserves the esteem with which he is regarded throughout
the group.

The Roman Catholic French Mission has been also established
in Tonga for many years, and during the last three decades has
met with much more success than in the earlier part of its career.
Bishop Lamaze, who died some time ago, was liked and es-
teemed by all who knew him. I enjoyed the privilege of his good
wishes for many years, as also those of Father Schale, deceased,
who came to Samoa with me in the " Maid of Alicante," schooner,
a long time ago ; and of many other clergymen in the islands of
that Church.

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin" — even
Roman Catholics and Protestants — strange though this may
appear to stiff necked religionists of both communions.

The Tongans conquered Samoa and ruled it with an iron hand
for some time. The distinctive name of the Malietoa family has
its origin in a circumstance arising at the close of the war when
the Tongans were driven out. While in Samoa they compelled
the conquered race to make roads, some of which, stone causeways,
remain to the present day ; but perhaps 250 years ago they carried
matters too far and harried the Samoans into combining and
organising united resistance to the common foe.

At a grand feast, made expressly on the Tongans' behalf, a
signal was made, at which the Samoans drew forth their concealed
weapons and attacked their enemies, who, after war, which must
have lasted for a considerable period, retreated slowly to the west
cud of Upolu, at Vainuu, where they were compelled to take to
their " alias " (canoes, already described), but before the fleet had
turned its prows towards the islands whence /they came, and to
the south, to return no more, the Tongan general stood on the
bow of the hindmost vessel and shouted to the Samoans on the
shore : —

' Malie ' (well done), ' Malietoa ' (well done, brave warrior),
' Malietau ' (warring nobly)."

19

The Samoan chief had taken prisoner the wife of the Tongan
leader, but generously restored her to him during the close of the
conflict, while the Tongans were preparing to set sail.

So runs the legend, which I believe to be true ; although it is
said to have happened 250 years ago.

I have amongst my books one which was printed at Frankfort
in the year MDCVII., so the title says.

When I r turn over the pages and consider how many kings and
rulers have lived and died since the pressman 300 years ago lifted
its printed sheets from the " forme on the platen " my thoughts
are stirred, and

" Visions of the days departed ; shadowy phantoms fill my brain ;
They who live in history only seem to walk the earth again,"

as Longfellow, the American poet, sings ; one of the most loving
and lovable writers who ever put pen to paper ; whose poems, I
believe, with those of Mrs. Hemans and Mrs. Browning, will be
read and treasured when those of far more distinguished writers
are forgotten.

FIJI.

" The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty."

— ANCIENT ORACLES.

Fiji was discovered by Tasman, 6th February, 1643, and
called by him the " Prince William " Islands.

Cook landed and made astronomical observations at Turtle
Island between Tongatabu and Kadavu (pronounced Kandavu) in

1773-

Bligh in 1789 passed Moala after he was thrust overboard from
the " Bounty." In 1792, in the " Providence," he saw Fiji again
under happier circumstances.

Wilson, missionary ship " Duff," in 1807 passed some of the
eastern islands.

In 1827 D'Urville (" Astrolabe ") examined the group and
made the first chart of the islands.

Captain Bethune in 1838 visited Rewa and made some im-
portant observations.

Commodore Wilkes, United States Exploring Expedition, in
1840, stayed six months in the group and made a survey of the
whole archipelago, while in the same year Sir Edward Belcher
surveyed Xukulau and Rewa roads.

Since then Captain Worth in 1849, and Captain Denham
1854-6 have added considerably to the hydrography of the group.

The above appears in the 1891 '' Sailing Directions." Since
then, no doubt, much more surveying has been done in the group,
but T have no particular^

20

Fiji was annexed by England on the ist September, 1875.

My first acquaintance with it dates from 1860, when, on 0111
way to Rotumah, Captain Atwood, master of the schooner be-
longing to Hort Brothers, of Tahiti and Apia, called in at I.evuka,
Ovalau, for a few days ; T being a passenger.

Suva, except on the chart, was then unknown. Levuka
being the chief city, a long (perhaps a mile and a half in extent)
and straggling town, made up of buildings of all sizes and descrip-
tions, mostly insignificant, from the almost palatial-looking mission-
ary house on the hill at the south end of the town (at least it was
palatial bv comparison with its less pretentious brother buildings
around) down to the peculiar-shaped but very comfortable, when
you get inside, huts of the indigenous inhabitants, which, to speak
the truth, were much more in vogue in the capital at that time
than buildings constructed of weatherboard and galvanised iron ;
brick and stone structures, it is almost needless to add, being
iitterly unknown.

Henrv, Beddoes, Hennings, Scott, Cox, Thurston, Brower,
Swanston. Moore (missionary), and others, whose names I have
forgotten, were then in Ovalau or the adjacent islands.

Sir John Thurston (deceased, afterwards Governor of the
group) was, at that time — I had a speaking acquaintance with him
— practising photography ; subsequently he was clerk to Consul
Captain Jones, V.C. , and then by ability and what men call chance
— or providence — as the irreligious or religious may select the
phrase, came into the hands of Sir Arthur Gordon and was
moulded by him into one of the best colonial Governors. Thurs-
ton came from Australia, of a good family there. A very decent
fellow.

His knowledge of the islands, when Sir Hercules Robinson.
Governor of New South Wales, came down to Fiji in 1874-5 was of
considerable use to Sir Hercules ; he having previously. 1 believe,
been one of the leading members of a Provisional Government of
the islands formed some years before by him and other settlers to
promote order there. Henry Maafu, the great Tongan chief, who,
at the time, was practically ruler of all the eastern part of the
islands, also assisted in the matter.

As the story goes, when Sir Hercules arrived and the chiefs
went on board the ship-of-war to sign with the King Cakobau
(pronounced Thakombau) the transfer to Her late Majesty Queen
Victoria, two or three of the more powerful chiefs attempted to
hinder this proceeding, on which Maafu stood up in the cabin and
informed the dissentients that as he and all other chiefs of im-
portance were satisfied with the transfer, he would regard the
former as rebels, and treat them accordingly, as soon as they left
the ship. This announcement allayed their scruples and they
signed without a murmur. I must mention that on his arrival
Sir Hercules had informed the chiefs that unless they all agreed to

21

and signed the document making over the islands to Her Majesty
he would at once go back to Sydnev and leave matters in r.t-itn quo.

Maafu, who died in 1881, was, like his relative, King George,
a magnificent specimen of manhood, both in stature -and intellect.
He employed a European secretary, Mr. Milford, a son of whom
by a Samoan lady, Henry, is now living in Apia.

Maafu had some years before joined his forces with Tui-ca-cau
of Some Somo, Taviuni, the leading Fijian chief in all the eastern
group, and subjugated completely that portion of Fiji.

His headquarters were at Loma Loma (Vanua Mblavu). I
saw him repeatedly there in the sixties, having to do so on several
visits to Fiji on business in which he and others were interested, in
connection with the large Apia British firm, which I represented
on those occasions, Charles McFarland and Andrew McFarland.

It is not generally known that just before British annexation
in 1875 Maafu had made extensive preparations for war, having
ordered from Europe many thousand rifles with the view of depos-
ing Cakobau and of making himself King of the whole group.
There can be no doubt whatever that he would have succeeded in
doing this had not the islands been taken over by England. As
the Tongans do not at all favour the coming under a foreign flag,
and England has been always unwilling to annex territory with-
out the consent of those possessing it, it is probable, in fact, almost
certain, that had Maafu carried out his purpose (and it was the
nearest possible miss that he did not), Fiji would have eventually
been snapped up by some power like Japan, seeking predominance
in these seas. Had this been written ten years ago Europeans and
Australasians would have laughed at it, but nobody now will
laugh.

A brutal custom existed formerly in Fiji, viz., the murdering
by their children or relatives of very old, infirm people, usually by
burying alive.

An atrocity of this kind happened, only then ceasing to be
used, when I visited Wairiki (Taviuni) in the early sixties, which,
if I remember rightly, had been committed a short time before
Charles McFarland and T called there. The Fijians declared that
in doing this they were solely actuated by their love for their
parents which prompted them in .this manner to put an end to the
misery inseparably attached to their continuing in life under cir-
cumstances of great weakness and infirmity. They added that
their parents fully recognised this fact and were perfectly willing
to die under such conditions.

The incident was very interesting, for it showed both of us to
what a fearful extent heathenism may sometimes reach.

However, the reader must not rush at the conclusion that
barbarity characterised all the islanders, or that they all, like some
ol the Fijians, believed that kindness to old people consisted only
in putting an end to their pains ; on the contrary, in some

22

instances, they set foreigners a good example as was (and is now)
often the case in Samoa respecting the aged and toothless of both
sexes, who, when very old and infirm, were and are fed like chil-
dren in the most affectionate and ttnder manner, particularly
chiefs and chief women, with " vaisalo " and other soft food, so
that in this way some of them are said to have reached an age
much past a hundred years, which I quite believe, and although
they had never heard the fifth commandment, acted (and I believe
still act, many of them at least) as, in the following words of a.
great writer, did Corporal Trim, who had fought at Xamur, in
Belgium, under Marlborough :—

' The corporal went through his manual with exactness, my
father at its end remarking that Trim had not any one determinate
idea annexed to any one word he had repeated.

" ' Prythee, Trim,' quoth my father, turning round to him,
' what dost thou mean by honouring thy father and mother ? '

1 'Allowing them, an' please your Honour, three halfpence a
day out of my pay when they grow old.'

" • And did'st thou do that, Trim ? ' said Yorrick.

" ' He did, indeed,' replied my uncle Toby.

' Then, Trim,' said Yorrick, ' thou art the best commentator
upon that part of the decalogue.' '

A very unfortunate circumstance occurred in connection with
the annexation of Fiji. One of the King's sons visited Sydney in
the ship-ot-war, and, contracting the measles there, was the means
of bringing it into the group.

In consequence 50,000 Fijians, a third part of the population,
died in a few weeks' time.

The disease was not of an especially virulent nature, but the
Fijians refused to attend to any directions given them by our
medical men.

They rushed into the waterholes when the fever came on in
almost every instance, and died right off.

It was no unusual thing to see scores of bodies of men, women
and children lying unburied around much frequented bathing
places, who had died in this manner. Indeed, in some of the
smaller towns, none were left alive to perform the last sad rites of
the dead.

Subsequently in i8q — the measles visited Samoa, and Tonga
again after that, but in neither case was the mortality very great,
although, indeed, much greater than it is ever in civilised countries.

I believe that it would be an advantage to the islanders to
have this disease always amongst them, so that infants might in
every case contract it in a light form, and thus when grown up be
free from this danger, as it has been said that it rarely affects
people twice in their lives.

Fiji, even in the beginning of the sixties, was still heathen in
many places.

23

Captain Atxvood told me that a few years before our voyage
he had been fishing round the group for beche-de-mer in a large
schooner, and that during the hurricane season, when anchored in
one of the harbours on the north coast of Vanua Levu, a hurricane
came on.

Taking advantage of which, the natives on shore made exten-
sive preparations for a grand feast in hovour of the crew, making
sure that the latter would have to take refuge on shore. Great
fires were lighted, large cooking pots were brought — the Fijians
are skilled potters — and all arrangements completed for their
reception as soon as the cables parted and the ship touched the
shore.

But, fortunately, she weathered the storm. Atwood told me
that the suspense was disagreeable, especially as, between the
occasional lulls, always occurring in a hurricane, the sound of the
native drums and monotonous chant taking place solely on their
account (just as we politely say " thanking you in anticipation " )
reached the crew's ears.

I fear that some literary cynics will say that I belong to the
tribe of Herodotus, although I ought to rather take that as a com-
pliment than a rebuke, for that fine old historian is most interesting
reading.

Vairiki, Somo Somo Straits, Taviuni, is one of the most roman-
tic places in Fiji, the surrounding scenery being grandly beautiful,
but the heat is terrific, for being situated about the middle of the
west side of the island, which rises behind it to a height of 4,040 feet,
all wind from the eastward and southward is completely blocked ;
while on the west all wind from that quarter is entirely shut out
by the large island of Vanua Levu, the principal bay, or rather
gulf of which, 50 miles long and 25 to 30 broad (Xateva Bay),
being known at the time of which I write to sailors there as " the
Deep Sea " on account of the almost perpetual calms occurring in it.

Tuicakau made Vairiki his headquarters when I visited it,
1865. The genial Captain Henry, a son of one of the original
L.M.S. " Duff " missionaries to Tahiti, living then in Loma Loma,
acted as our pilot through the group and negotiated the purchase
of Naitamba Island from Tuicakau by McFarland.

Islands were cheap in those days and indeed although life on
small islands far distant from places like Levuka and Suva, has
comparatively few cares, there being no bills to meet on the fourth
day after the quarter, it is still a mode of existence which does not
particularly attract ordinary island rangers. For a picnic indeed
it is all right, but to spend years there is quite another matter.

I confess with sorrow that I am not at any time disposed to
allow woman the chief place above man as regards judgment in
most sublunary things.

24

But no doubt in matters of this sort her judgment is much
superior generally to that of men. No female Robinson Crusoe
is to be found in the world.

Tennyson's lines : " There to wander far away, on from island
unto island, at the gateways of the day," well express voyaging in
the Fiji group. And alwdys in the trade wind season when hur-
ricane; are unknown, cruising round the archipelago — or as one of
my friends, an island skipper, said to me during one of our fine
weather voyages together in Fiji, " If the weather and other sur-
roundings were always like this all the old ladies in the world would
follow the sea."

But " when the stormy winds do blow " and a hurricane
occurs woe betide the unfortunate vessel caught in the net of shoals
and reefs encircling the archipelago.

To remain in it is certain death ; to escape from it by finding
a way out through one of the passages to greater sea room is the
next thing to impossible and so many gallant ships and brave souls
have found on these ghastly reefs a last resting-place.

As a consequence of Tongan conquests the islanders in the
eastern parts of the group are of a much lighter colour than those
to the westward, where, at VitiLevuand the adjacent islands, they
are as dark -coloured as West Indian negroes.

Just after annexation the chiefs of the inlan:! towns on Viti
Levu, many of them still cannibals, refused to acknowledge the
authority of Sir Arthur Gordon, and he was compelled in the public
interest to take immediate and decisive steps to bring them in
and put a stop to their atrocities.

This was done and those men who had committed murder
were dealt with according to their deserts, the result being that up
to the present date no disturbances worth mentioning have occurred
with the exception of an attempt, under Sir John Thurston's
government, at Vanua Levu, the second large it island in the group,
to raise a revolt, also put down by prompt action.

A short time before the Rev. Mr. Baker, a zealous Wesleyan
missionary, desiring to introduce Christianity into a large cannibal
district in the mountainous islands of Viti Levu sent there a mes-
senger asking for permission to come himself and begin this work

The chief replied that he was at perfect liberty to carry out
his purpose and visit them as proposed, but that if he did, he and
all his attendants would be killed (and eaten) by him.

Mr. Baker, however, having made up his mind to preach to
them went there, and, with all his followers (one excepted, purposely
by the chief, that he might state what had happened) was brutally
murdered.

The incident teaches us that notwithstanding the sneers of
some superficial observers of missionary work, their task is oc-
casionally fraught with great disaster, as in the case of the Rev.
Mr. Chalmers (L.M.S.^ at New Guinea, and of many others indeed

25

who have perished in like manner. Scarcely a group in the Pacific
so far visited by missionaries, with the exception of Samoa, escapes
the reproach of having murdered some of the workers in all societies,
Protestant and Roman Catholic.

FIJIAN BELIEFS.

In Ovalau during the early sixties dysentery was prevalent ;
at that time there was a considerable influx of new comers from
Australia and many died.

This disease would seem to have been always the principal
malady in that group, much more so than is the case in Samoa and
the other eastern groups. By some it is supposed to be caused by
faults in the water from the springs.

When I was at Loma Loma an old resident told me that if a
tumbler was filled with water from the springs there and allowed
to stand for some hours the bottom of the vessel would then be
completely hidden by a dense black sediment.

Others attribute it to the universal use there of the yam in-
stead of the taro ; and perhaps both circumstances. A friend,
resident many years in Fiji and then living here for some years,
informed me that his experience assured him that the universal
use of taro here, instead of in Fiji of the yam, was certainly the reason
why dysentery seldom occurred amongst the natives of Samoa.

The Fijians, at that time, appeared to have remedies against it
far superior to European medicine : at least in that group.

The Fijians were believed to possess the knowledge of many
powerful medicines useful in ether diseases. It is also said that
they were skilful poisoners and used means by which they brought
about the death of their enemies speedily or by slow degrees at
their option generally by mixing poison in the kava drunk by their
victims. In fact even in my day no sensible person would think
of drinking kava prepared in the houses of natives who probably,
or even possibly, did not wish them well ; and it would almost seem
as if in the matter of poisoning the kava, they were as skilful adepts
as were the Borgias in the I5th century, who were able to divide for
their victims by means of a poisoned knife apple or fruit in such a
manner that their side of the apple was innocuous, while the other
was poisoned in such a way to cause the instant death of the person
who ate it.

Mr. Winter mentioned a circumstance of this kind which had
happened in his experience. An employee of a firm there rather
quarrelsome in his disposition had an altercation one day, while
Mr. Winter was present, with a Fijian about some articles of barter,
and it ended, I think, by his striking the native violently. The
latter went away muttering vengeance. My informant advised
the former, a new comer, to be more careful in dealing with the

natives as they were not to be trifled with, and recommended him
to make up friends at once with the man, he being in the wrong.

But the good advice was offensive to the young man.

Shortly afterwards the native returned bearing no signs of anger
and completed his barter with the employee who, a few days after-
wards, departed this life by sudden illness, doubtless, Mr. Winter
told me, not by a natural death.

Mariner (Vol. I., Chapter VIII.) tells us " that in the Fiji
Islands a man seldom goes out even perhaps with his greatest
friend, without being armed and cautiously upon his guard."

He also informs us that (Chapter X.) " the principal wife of
a chief, if her husband dies first, must be strangled on the day of
his death, ar'd afterwards buried with him," and mentions a case
that came under his own observation in which the widow of a Fijian
who died at Vavau refused to live any longer and compelled two of
her Fijian retainers to thus put her to death, that she might be
buried with her husband.

It would thus seem as if what the civilised called crime was,
in those days, virtue among the Fijians. As far as I could learn
the eastern portion of the group under Tongan rule was entirely
free from the atrocities which disgraced Viti Levu and the western
portion of the islands, so far at least as the Tongans were able to
control their Fijian allies. Mariner, fifty years before the time
of which I am writing, said that " Viti Levu was more troubled
by intestine war than the other Fiji Islands, and the people are
greater cannibals." (Chapter X.) When travelling as the natives
always walk in single file it was ever necessary in heathen times
to take care that people about whom there was any suspicion
preceded you in the path with their clubs instead of following you.

In Futuna, as in Fiji, they had many barbarous customs.
The King in old times, when a great feast was to be held, used to
send his chief purveyor and head butcher round the island. He
with his satellites, when they saw any fat-cheeked, plump young
woman (the sex being alwrays preferred) would engage her in earnest
conversation till at a signal from him one of his men behind her
would despatch her with one blow.

My informant assured me that really very little pain was caused
by the blow, it being on the back of the head.

Summing up all the reliable evidence regarding the character
of the natives of three groups it would appear as if Samoa appeared
to the most advantage. Tonga being next, and Fiji the worst,
but no doubt even among the Fijians many good points were to
be found, and after all, we, of the civilised nations, are very far
from perfection.

It is perhaps well to say that what has been written applies
only to the past. At the present moment all the Fijians from end
to end of the group are at least nominally Christians, and it is highly
probable that a good many of them, as far as helping the poor and

27

persons in distress goes, stand on a higher platform of charity
than do the majority of Christians in civilised countries.

Mariner (Chapter IX.) speaks of the extraordinary value
attached by the Fijians to whales' teeth, saying that it would be
dangerous for a man, unless he were a great chief, and even then
if he were a white man to be known to have one about him : it would
endanger his life. He further relates an anecdote re the Vavau
chief Finau who, on one occasion, made his servants despatch with
clubs a man and woman (of small account) because they concealed
one or twro. It appears that (as he tells us) the Tongans, using
before they had European tools sharp stones, cut the teeth into
smaller pieces, each preserving the shape of a whale' s tooth, from
an inch to four inches long, having a hole in the broadest part.
Through this hole they were closely strung and put round the neck,
the largest being in front and the others decreasing in size on each
side up to the back of the neck.

He tells a story of an " enormous lizar 1 " found at Bau which
having devoured several of the inhabitants was at last caught and
killed by means of a running noose with a long rope at the end of
it. and supposes it to have been a crocodile, which, by some acci-
dent, had found his way there.

The South Sea islands are noted for beauty of scenery, and a
trip from island to island in the Fiji group in a sailing vessel is,
as I have often found, an experience not to be surpassed in any
other part of the world, as the islands lie so close together that the
voyager is never out of sight of land. They cover a distance from
east to west of 950 miles. The barrier reefs prevent in ordinary
weather any very heavy sea except in the large passages. In Samoa
and Tonga this is not the case. Samoa by some, and Tahiti by others,
are said to be the most beautiful islands in the Pacific ; but I think
that taking it all round Fiji is superior to them both on account
of the constant kaleidoscopic alteration of the scenery as one passes
from island to island ; although nothing that I have seen in Fiji,
not even in Ovalau and Taviuni, is equal to the panoramic view
of that part of the island of Upolu which is seen from the outer
haibour of Apia, Samoa.

RECOLLECTIONS OF SAMOA.

" In the year since Jesus died for men,
Eighteen hundred years and ten,
We were a gallant company ;
Riding o'er land, and sailing o'er sea,
Oh ! but we went merrily ;
But some are in a far countree,
And some all restlessly at home,
And never more, oh, never we
Shall meet to revel, or to roam."

— BYRON, " Siege of Corinth."

It was December, 1857 ; then, as now, the bay of Apia, like
that of Naples, presented from the outer harbour (at least it did so
then to me) a picture of beauty not to be met with elsewhere in
the Pacific, I firmly believe.

Cocoanut palms, some of which may be still standing, those
which the ravages of native wars or equally destructive hurricanes
have not destroyed, lifted high their feathery fronds above the
Samoan huts, then lining the beach from end to end.

Canoes of all kinds, fishing, the ordinary dug-out trunks of
trees, and war canoes (for from then to 1900 the Samoans were
either settling up affairs incident to recent war, or preparing for
fresh war, or engaging in actual warfare) full of natives shouting,
laughing, and in every case chanting strains of sentimental or
sarcastic rhyme, passed and repassed the vessel on whose deck I
stood — my own — the " Maid of Alicante," formerly a Mediterranean
fruitere; , who fetched wherever she headed for (like her owner),
being long-heeled, and never sagged to leeward (in that particular
not like her owner).

It does not affect the story, but I may mention that her remains
may still be seen in Loma Loma harbour, in the eastern part of
Fiji, where she was condemned some years afterwards.

Old Baker, the pilot, a salt of the real British kind, took us in.
He could bring vessels safely into Apia or Saluafata harbour on
the darkest night in the heaviest weather, but like most pilots had
a decided objection to go further out to meet them than the three-
mile limit which separates the high seas from Government sea dis-
tricts ; and not being a teetotaller, occasionally mixed for himself
and friends a drop of drink, but only in a seldom sort of way.

I may mention that in those days teetotalism was not popular
in Samoa ; teetotallers themselves being regarded by the mul-
titude as a decided lot of cranks. People therefore who, like Pilot
Baker, only took a little were considered by their less fortunate
brethren, who constantly took too much, to be paragons of virtue,

29

though sometimes abused by them for not joining their uproarious
festivities.

Brandy was the favourite beverage, of extremely bad quality
I am sorry to say. Some of this, although it had been improved
at Port Jackson by various additions to its strength, was finally
(in Samoa before it reached the stomachs of Apia citizens) much
more improved by frugal publicans.

As beer was only then beginning to be introduced moderate
drinkers had to choose between the aforesaid brandy, gin, or ram ;
those from the Land o' Cakes longed vainly for a " drap o' the
mountain dew," and remembered "Auld Reekie " with feelings
of a most patriotic nature. (Here I strongly recommend travellers
in other islands than Samoa to choose gin as the safest drink where
beer cannot be had.) The last mentioned, rum, like the first,
having also been subjected to various improvement processes,
was much in favour with some of the residents on account of its
peculiar strength ; a very little going a long way.

The reader must not object to all these particulars or call them
digressions. Being absolutely necessary to the proper under-
standing by him (or her of course) of my story, they will often appear
in this narrative, for it is my wish to show " the very age and body
of the time," " his form and pressure," and so bring again before
the public in phantasmagoria the leading personages in those days,
with their sundry idiosyncrasies, and be interesting ; for how else,
I should like to know, can I get everybody to read me, this being
the sole object of my ambition ?

We had hardly dropped anchor when Fred. Hennings came
alongside ; for in those days the arrival of any vessel from Sydney
caused a considerable stir in the population.

Milne, of Sydney, and Frost, of whaling fame, accompanied
him. Captain Bowles, of our vessel, knew them all, so there was
nv) difficulty in the introduction.

Father Schale (R.I. P.) and two other French missionaries,
whose names I have forgotten, passengers with me, soon found
their way ashore to the Mission House at Mulivai.

All the above, I think, have journeyed long since to the " far
countree " whither everybody sooner or later has to travel.
r 05 Milne (Australian) in the Line Islands. Hennings (Prussian)
in Fiji. Frost (American) in Samoa. Bowles (English) in England.

Hennings was at that time Abraham and Alfred Hort's manager
at £300 a year. He had been one of the numerous staff in a large
Sydney house, and like many others was attracted to the islands
by the glowing reports concerning them — just as we see at night
moths fluttering round our lamps.

His establishment — he was a bachelor — was of the simplest
kind. Hort's store and dwelling-house at Matautu, a large con-
crete building, with a stock of perhaps /5,ooo (to £6,000) and up-
wards, consisted of store, parlour and dining room below, and bed-

30

J. M. Coe, formerly United States Consul, Samoa.

rooms upstairs. It was burned down by accident two years after-
wards, a ruinous loss to the owners. They, a Jewish firm, stanchest
friends when they took to a man, like all the Jews that I have known,
had been established in Tahiti for many years before this, and
owned a small fleet of sailing vessels, from the " Caroline Hort,"
400 tons, down to ten-ton boats cruising round the islands.

Hennings, a tall, spare-framed, active young man, of two-and-
twenty, bustled to and fro in pyjamas and slippers amidst the
crowd of natives in the store and on the verandah.

J. M. Coe, from a good N"ew York family, acted as his co-
adjutor ; he was subsequently United States Consul for several
years, almost up to the time of his death.

At the other end of the bay — Matafele — was the rival business,
managed by A. Unshelm, J. C. Godeffroy & Son's representative,
who had come here from Valparaiso about four years before.

His surroundings were also unpretentious and gave no indi-
cation of the strength of the money power in Hamburg behind them.

Unshelm, a man of great ability and esteemed by everybody,
had brought his wife, a German lady, with him, and so was in a
position to run free from the various drawbacks which then, as
now, assail unmarried young men coming into the islands. It is
not my business to philosophise and so I leave it to the candid
reader to decide which is most to blame in such matters ; the
island brunettes or the white strangers.

Hennings, a few months after this, went to Fiji and there
started a large business on his own account, backed by the
Godeffroys. His firm, which has undergone numerous changes
and vicissitudes, still prospers there under the direction of one of
the family relations.

Coe turned his attention to political affairs. He married
a Samoan lady from Falealili, whose daughter Emma (now in New
Britain with other offshoots of the Coe family) was a perfect beauty ;
one of those women about whom you often read but seldom see,
and like many Euronesian Somoan belles, very shrewd and clever.

The principal hotel was the International at Matafele on the
same premises as now. Clarke — a very good fellow — and, re-
markable in a publican, always sober, conducted this establishment.

At that time a bowling alley was connected with it ; the resort of
the elite of Apia every night but Sundays. Devoe and Barrie, both
from the States, had their store close to it, where Mr. Dexter now lives,
and Volkmann ultimately bought them out. He married Maria,
another pretty Euronesian, the daughter of W. Cowley, an old
British man-of-war sailor. He was the brother-in-law of A. Uns-
helm ; had had a fine education and was a classical scholar. He
belonged to Westphalia. The above, the local medico, and several
others of the same stamp made up the company on such occasions.

It was very interesting, but if you lost rather expensive, and ran
sometimes into an outlay of ten dollars per night. But there was
no card-playing.

At the other end of the bay, near the Vaisigano River, was, and
is now, the London Missionary Society's premises, the denizens
of which, regarded, I fear only too justly, the " beer and skittles "
flourishing at the International end of the town, as not conducive
to the welfare of their votaries. But " youth at the prow, and
pleasure at the helm " what else is to be expected ?

Between, at Apia, where the Market Hall is, John C. Williams
lived ; then carrying on a business for Captain Malcolm of Sydney,
combining auctioneering with it. He was the son of the celebrated
missionary John Williams, who was murdered with Mr. Harris
at Erromanga, their companions escaping. One of them, a surgeon,
whose name appears fictitiously as " Dr. Longghost " in one of
Herman Melville's island novels, I saw at Conception, Chile, in 1856,
where he had married and settled. Unless he is considerably over
a hundred, he must long since have joined the majority.

The English Church at that time, a very plain building but
nearly as large as the present, and occupying the same position,
near the Vaisigano River, was presided over by the Rev. A. W. Mur-
ray, of Scotch descent, and of pronounced Presbyterian views.

He was a rigid church disciplinarian ; believed in " the stool
of repentance " ; so do I ; and consequently stood no nonsense
from his congregation, keeping, good Presbyterian churchman that
he was, his eye well upon them. The anecdote will appear in a
future chapter. A fine old man, although some of the ladies found
fault with him, but no man is perfect. He and his wife, with
nine others, the Revs. T. Heath, C. Hardie, W. Mills, A.
McDonald and their wives, and the Rev. G. Barnden, were the pio-
neers in this part of the Pacific. They sailed in 1835 from Gravesend,
in the " Dunnottar Castle," 186 tons, for Samoa, via Cape Horn,
the Marquesas, Tahiti, Rarotonga, and were five months from land
to land. His book " Forty years' Mission Work in Polynesia "
is somewhat dry but very instructive. I recommend its perusal ;
it may do good.

Captain Cornelius Turnbull, British master mariner, having,
as was generally the case in those days, a Samoan helpmate ; even
half-caste ladies being then remarkably scarce, and not as it is now,
when the marriage market is swamped to really an alarming extent,
lived close to the church. Cold-blooded men and women, whites,
of course, look on unsympathetically at this state of things,
but I don't ; it is really shocking, and the only remedy I can at
present think of, being at my wits' end to suggest something, is a
" Marriage Promotion Samoan Company and Trust." I think
a society of this kind exists in France. But I diverge. Captain
Turnbull was the local authority on all marine subjects. Chrono-
meters from ships arriving were always left with him to regulate,

32

and fix their error ; 85.00 was the fee, and no respectable marine
survey took place at which Cornelius Turnbull was not present.
I say " respectable " for in the late forties or early fifties some very
shady ships' surveys and subsequent condemnations were reported
to have happened.

In those days the only export was cocoanut oil, now it is copra.
The nuts, having been husked and cut in pieces, were placed in
canvas and exposed to the sun's rays until they rotted' and turned
into cocoanut oil, occupying a period of a fortnight or more. The
oil was then strained off and put in large bamboos holding perhaps
three or four gallons each, and so carried to the trader for sale when
it was emptied into casks. The price then was a shilling a gallon
or about £12 per ton. This trade had been carried on for several
years, and, before competition began, left very large profits; the
oil having been purchased from the Samoans at low rates.

John C. Williams, before mentioned, had made several thousand
pounds by it ; all of which, however, he unfortunately lost in
Sydney in the forties, through his purchase of the " Ebenezer "
coal mine at Port Macquarie, to the northward of Sydney ; the coal
proving itself of an unsatisfactory quality, and the expenses of
working it being greater than the returns.

Several other island traders, who had made large sums in this
and other groups by their island business, have met with the same
disaster when, returning to civilisation, they embarked in new
ventures.

Xearly all important business was carried on in the Matafele
or west side of the bay ; but at Matautu, the east end, Hort Brothers,
Frost, Ford, and one or two more, had stores.

Just beyond them, where Hamilton's house is, " Pauuna,"
a coloured man from the States, did a thriving business as publican
and ship's purveyor. Being a native chief, as called above (he was
generally known as Black Billy) his influence with the Samoans
was considerable ; as long as he was in a position to pay for the name
and the honour, but no longer ; for the reader must be told that no
titles are accorded gratis by the islanders, either to one another or
to Europeans ; in the latter case the " quid " is ordinarily very
considerably greater than the " quo." However, Pauuna, so I
understood from himself, did not think so. Some of his children
are still living in Samoa.

33

THE BRITISH CONSUL.

Besides that of Pauuna there were several other liquor saloons.
In those days every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
There was no liquor licenses, or taxes of any description whatever ;
really a golden age ; the Native Government existing more in name
than in fact ; de jure certainly but by no means de facto.

The British Consul was William T. Pritchard, son of the
missionary George Pritchard who, in the year 1844, was compelled
in consequence of differences between the Protestant and Catholic
missionaries, in which he played a leading part, to leave Tahiti
where the London Missionary Society had placed him.

In 1847 tne British Government appointed him Consul here,
and he continued in office for nine years.

The old gentleman on one occasion during this period was
induced to show his authority in a decisive manner to a captain of
a whaler lying in the port, who, calling at the office on business,
was excessively rude, styling him an old jackass or something to
that effect, winding up with the remark that it was well the Consul
had on his consular coat otherwise he would baste him.

Mr. Pritchard having, when young, before his " conversion/'
learned the pugilistic art, immediately took off the " consular coat,"
and although years out of practice, administered to the astonished
skipper (Mr. P. on some Sundays preached in the English
church) as sound a thrashing as the mariner, himself a pugilist,
had ever before experienced.

His son, William, as said, now occupied his place ; but was
appointed Consul for Fiji during the following year, 1858. He was
a man of very great energy. Having been in Fiji but a few months
he obtained from the leading chiefs there a cession of the Fiji Group
to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and without obtaining leave of
absence went to England with it for the purpose of pushing through
the matter at headquarters. Lord Palmerston was then in power,
and mildly rebuking Pritchard for leaving his post, told him that
he was let off this time but must not do it again.

R. S. Swanston, afterwards British Consul in Samoa in 1878-9,
who was in 1857 United States Vice-Consul in Apia acted for
Pritchard in Fiji during his absence in England. The latter resigned
his Fijian appointment in 1862. He was too extravagant and thus
split on the rock on which many fine fellows' lives have gone to
pieces, viz., the living beyond their means. R. S. Swanston, a
genial soul, was the son of Captain Swanston, a retired army officer,
and came here from Australia. He oscillated between Apia and

34

Fiji, occupying important positions in both groups. One of the
principal streets in Melbourne is called after his father, who at one
time, owned much property there.

None of the foregoing encouraged bacheloristic views, and
those who favoured a cross with the Samoan strain were in the
majority. I can hardly remember a single instance of any European
here at that time being without a wife. Pritchard's first wife was
a Samoan lady. His two children and his sister, together with the
United States Consul Gardner and Mrs. Gardner were lost at sea
in January, 1863, in the " Anita " with captain and crew.

As I remember the circumstance the ship drifted ashore in
a hurricane on one of the islands near Vavau — but no person was
found on board of her, and much speculation existed at that time
regarding their reason for leaving the ship. Some of Miss Pritchard's
luggage was washed ashore at the Haabai group, sixty miles to the
southward of the spot where the vessel went ashore, and while her
brother, who happened to be there on his way from Fiji to Samoa —
e>- route to England — (a most singular fact) was on the beach,
taking a walk with his second wife, this very luggage was washed
to their feet.

In the middle of 1858, Pritchard sailed for Fiji, and John C.
Williams took his place. He continued in office for more than
twenty years, dying in Sydney, of cancer, in the sixties. A man
much respected and very well liked ; of the class and stamp that has
obtained for England many of her foreign possessions. He left
a numerous family. His eldest son is one of the leading brokers
in Sydney.

As nearly all of the missionaries were of a sturdy nature — the
fact of their coming out to such places at all, proved that they
and their children exercised in almost every instance that silent
influence for good on other civilians which counts for much in daily
life, and, as Goldsmith says, it sometimes happened in their ex-
perience that men who went to the church " to scoff " left it with
very different views in their head.

For some reason or another the Apia English Church was better
attended then by far than it is now ; perhaps the offertory
as now taken may explain this.

I recommend the church authorities to do away with the hand-
ing round the plates to the congregation during the service as is
now done, and let the " sidesmen " stand at the church doors after
service and collect there the offerings of the faithful as they leave
the church as was done, in my recollection, years ago, at old St.
Philip's, Sydney, Dr. Cowper's church.

I believe that under such conditions the congregation would
largely increase, and the offertory, ultimately, yield perhaps more
than it does now ; some persons not being willing to omit putting
something into the plate if handed to them, and yet not finding it

35

convenient to do so at every service. But certainly the plates
must be held at the doors ; to merely leave them, untended, at the
sides of the doors would be tempting fate.

At this time the English Consul acted as United States Consul
also, but in 1859 Dr. J. C. Dirickson, a southerner, was sent from
the States to act as American Consul.

I saw a good deal of him in that year and liked him very much ;
he soon returned home again.

A year or two afterwards J. M. Coe took his place, a man of
good family in the States. He, like many others of the same class,
had drifted on to the islands. The men who for some years
previously had also done this were, in almost every case, well edu-
cated and of respectable families. Some left again but the greater
number remained.

The old objectionable settlers, escapees from Xorfolk Island
and other penal settlements (for Samoa had been cursed with
a few bad characters of this description), had, at the time of
which I write, either died off or been murdered by the natives, or
thoroughly reformed themselves.

A few years before one of them (like Sitivi recently) kept the
whole of the island in a ferment. A thorough desperado, he would
settle himself in a town, and there demand from the natives, on
penalty of death, whatever he took a fancy to, and being of an
amorous disposition selected as concubines any pretty girls who
came, or threw themselves, in his way. This being not altogether
contrary to the native practice who regarded plurality of wives
as a chief's perquisite, it excited little condemnatory attention ;
indeed I fear that some of the ladies rather felt flattered at being
selected ; while some again felt annoyed because they were not
selected. But unfortunately for himself he did not stop there,
but marched from town to town with his retinue, demanding all
kinds of subsidies from the Sa moans, and finally on very slight
pretexts knocking them on the.head. Consequently they combined,
and having lured him at Aana into a convenient spot, knocked him
on the head, and so got rid of this troublesome individual, as Sinbad
the Sailor served " the old man of the sea " under similar circum-
stances.

SAMOAN LAWLESSNESS.

The Line Islands had a particularly bad reputation as regards
the character of the whites settled there, whether deserved or not
I cannot say, but at Pleasant Island (Nauru) more than one vessel
was taken, and all on board murdered by the natives, the captains
having been allured into false security by lying statements from
white men living on the island. Whalers calling there always
fenced off the forward and after parts of the ship, allowing no male
natives on any pretext whatever, under penalty of death, to over-
step these limits.

I am not aware that in Samoa any vessel, at least in the last
century, was ever cut off in this manner. In fact the Samoans
rather turned the tables on us in that respect. More than forty
years ago an old Samoan tulafale (orator) assured me that what had
always surprised his countrymen wrxs the terribly severe manner
in which, when going on board ships in the offing to trade off fruit,
&c., they were treated when found thieving, being, he said, in most
cases shot down like dogs. To him the thing seemed an outrageous,
perversion of justice.

A hundred or more years ago all ships were regarded as be-
longing to and managed by demons of whom " Tuti " (Captain
Cook) was the head. Every vessel appearing in the distance was
called " Tuti's " ship ; the Samoans, it would seem, having heard
from Tonga reports respecting our renowned navigator.

At my first visit to Apia, 1857, lasting five months, the natives
were excessively impudent and overbearing to foreigners. It was
hardly possible to walk the street without meeting with some in-
solence from some of the young men. This, I gathered from Mr.
Hennings, had principally arisen out of the murder by a chief
at Savaii of one of the settlers there, — a man named Fox, — and the
abortive attempts to bring this fellow to justice. Pritchard and
Swanston went down to Savaii to inquire into the matter in the
middle of 1857, and demanded that he should be delivered up to
them.

The Savaii people replied by decapitating an old man belonging
to the chief's tribe of no account, and not otherwise especially
useful to it, while he was working in the bush, alone, on his taro
patch, and bringing his gory head to the two Consuls. The reader
must understand that the proceeding was quite in accord with
Samoan custom — blood for blood certainly — but suitable blood.
Fox being a plebeian, the life of a Samoan plebeian suited the case
exactly ; for in their idea it would have been monstrous to take

•T7

away the life of a chief as payment for that of one of the pro-
fanum vulgus Consul Pritchard had therefore to refer the matter
to the Foreign Office and state the following particulars : —

Fox, on a day when the chief called on him, missed some to-
bacco, and, most unwisely, stated to the natives in his house that
he believed the chief had stolen it ; which coming to the ears of the
latter, he called again on Fox, this time with a loaded gun, and,
standing in the doorway, asked him whether it was true that he,
a chief, had been accused by Fox of stealing. Fox, at the time
filling his pipe, said yes ! Then, answered the chief, "If you say
it again I will shoot you." " Certainly," said Fox, " and what is
more I believe that you stole from me." At once the chief
levelled his gun, shot him, and he fell dead.

In 1859 Her Majesty's ship " Cordelia " was sent here to bring
the murderer to justice. Not being in Samoa at the time I can
only give a hearsay report of what took place, without vouching
for its accuracy.

On the ship's arrival the commander demanded the man from
the local authorities.

They referred him to the Savaii chiefs.

They in turn pleaded inability to trace him in the mountains
whither he had fled.

On stern proceedings being taken by the ship, marines landed,
canoes destroyed, houses burned, they at once traced and delivered
him on board.

As the story goes, the Rev. A. W. Murray went off and pleaded
for his life ; and was requested to return on board the next morning
at nine and receive his answer. But at 8 a.m., as the ensign was
hoisted, the murderer was run up to the yard arm and put into a
condition that prevented him from murdering any more of his fellow-
beings ; and at nine o'clock the body enclosed in a neat coffin was
delivered to his relations.

The moral effect of this execution on the natives was amazing ;
all the insolence which had characterised them on my first visit
in 1857, at once in 1860, after this, vanished.

In case of dispute with them all that was necessary to obtain
a fair hearing was to threaten appeal to the Consul and the power
behind him.

Xo doubt the bad qualities of some of the earliest settlers
mentioned above had much to do with the insolence found in 1857
to 1858 ; and the old standing feud between missionary and lay
settlers in the islands helped to increase it ; for my readers must
be told that the old proverb " two of a trade can never agree " was
beautifully illustrated, both classes being pioneers, at the islands
down to not such a very remote period. The former seemed to
think that the ordinary settlers had no business here, especially
when they took to themselves native wives, smoked tobacco, played

33

skittles, &c., and if they had only thought this it would have been
all right, but they went much further, and expressed themselves
pretty freely to that effect to the Samoans.

The latter, hearing this, of course were wrathful and gave the
natives to understand that they had as much right to be on the
islands as the missionaries, and in fact a good deal more having
children more resembling in colour the Samoans than the mis-
sionaries did, with numerous other arguments. Probably truth lay
between. Doubtless, too, in some cases, as Milton says, " new
Presbyter was but old Priest writ large."

I believe the dispute would have gone on to the present day
had not commerce come to the rescue and introduced to the islands
men with whose origin and education not even the most fastidious
could find fault.

Before Mr. Unshelm started the Godeffroy business hardly
any Germans had settled here ; the foreign population being mainly
English and Americans. The missionaries were all English ex-
cepting the Rev. Mr. Schmidt, a German greatly liked as well as
respected, who died in 1864. No sick people were neglected when
he was round. Charity with him was not merely a declaration
of goodwill. " Haud ignara mali, malis succurrere disco " (" Ex-
pert in suffering, I help the wretched") Dido says, Aen. I. 630,
his experience also.

As this is an age of inquiry I should like to know why, at the
time of my visit to Sydney, lasting six months, during which he
died. I being ignorant of his death, dreamed vividly that I plainly
saw and accosted him in the streets of Apia, while he turned silent
away ?

At the present day the mission staff of the London Missionary
Society consists of Englishmen, assisted by one German missionary
and two German ladies — the Misses Schultze.

The Wesleyan Church having a very powerful Australian
organisation sends mostly Australians as ministers here. In Tonga,
however, the case is different, the rule being to supply Wesleyan
ministers both from England and the colonies.

Looking back on the last fifty years it seems to me that the
people who have come to the islands during that period to settle
have been somewhat stupid for doing so ; but there is a breeziness
about the island life which, when it is compared with the stuffy
air of colonial town life, attracts nearly everybody. Sour-minded,
illiberal critics talk about the folly, nay, even wickedness of " saun-
tering through life." In fact to hear some of them, you would
suppose that the only proper thing for a man to do is to march
through life, wearing always, when he goes abroad, a high bell-
topper with long mourning hatband hanging down from it and a
countenance full of grief and sorrow, especially when before him,
any foolish person attempts to make " goaks." Although here
again long, mournful faces are sometimes found amongst those —

39

Mark Twain for instance — whose conduct, excepting in the case"
of the aforesaid critics, suggests that altogether the reverse of
mournful and " like to like " ; as long as temperance is not
overstepped, and we were the pioneers.

A PEARL-SHELLING ENTERPRISE.

I was absent from Samoa during nearly the whole of 1859
on a voyage in search of a new pearl-shell island ; leaving Sydney
towards the end of 1858 and finishing the voyage at Samoa in March,
1860, unsuccessful.

Some of the particulars may interest the reader.

At the beginning of 1858 Captain Bowles, in charge of my
vessel (mentioned previously), advised me to interview a man
called William Masters, who was said to know the position of a
new shell island.

On doing so, Masters stated that some years before, when
trading master and interpreter on board the schooner " Sally,"
of Honolulu, and proceeding thence to this part of the Pacific,
they fell in with a low island to the northward and eastward of
Penrhyn Island, not marked on the chart, from which canoes
came off to the ship, their occupants having shell ornaments and
shell-fitted weapons, &c.

On consultation with the skipper it was arranged that Masters
should be put ashore during the night at the lee end of the island,
where it was comparatively smooth, he swimming ashore through
the surf, remain there two or three months, and then, having fully
ascertained the capabilities of the island, be taken off by the vessel
again, which was to return for that purpose.

All this happened, he said, and resulted in an arrangement by
which the vessel was to proceed to Honolulu, obtain suitable trade,
beads, knives, iron hoop, &c., and above all fifty men or more as
divers and to protect the vessel while lying in the lagoon, for the
natives, he told me (although they treated him well, being an un-
heard of novelty, at once insisting upon his marrying amongst them,
which took place as a matter of course), were a very rough set,
and would certainly capture any vessel going there for the sake
of the trade on board if this could be conveniently done by them.
He took pains to assure me that they would do this, not out of
bloodthirstiness, but with the best intentions, just as most usurers
in our own countries skin people alive, merely as a matter of
business.

Further, the island was as large as Penrhyn, with about 1,000
inhabitants, and would produce say 1,000 tons of pearl-shell, with
the help of the divers mentioned in say 12 or 14 months. Two

40

passages in and out suitable for fairly large vessels were in the
lagoon. Seven or more boats would be required for the shelling,
and suitable trade could be got in Sydney.

He was willing to work his passage to Sydney in the " Tickler,"
schooner, Captain Martin ; the vessel by which I was leaving for
the colonies.

I may mention that passengers with me were Captain Moore,
of the Moore's Wharf family, and Captain and Mrs. Clinch (whose
brother subsequently was captain of a large intercolonial steamer).

We were 35 days going up although she was a pilot boat, and
one of the fastest schooners in the Pacific.

Masters' terms were : — ist, The exact position of the island not
to be made known to me until the divers were on board at Penrhyn
and the vessel outside bound for the island. His wife being a
Penrhyn woman he entertained no doubt about his being able to
procure them at that island. 2nd, He was to receive eight tons out
of every hundred tons of shells collected, either at the island or
landed in Sydney, free of freight as he might elect. Also the vessel
must carry at least twelve white men before the mast ; have four
cannon of four or five pounders, with chain shot and rivet shot for
emergencies, and all on board must be well armed with cutlasses
and revolvers, and know well how to use them. Boarding nettings
would not be required as the divers would obviate this otherwise
necessity.

The " Sally," he said, after landing him on one of the islands
to the northward of Penryhn to wait for her return from Honolulu,
sailed, and never was heard of more.

As he spoke fluently several island languages, could swim like
a fish, and was afraid of nothing, like all the island rangers that I
have known, whatever may be their faults in other respects, his
story attracted me, especially as Bowles, many years in the islands,
believed in it, and I closed with him.

The island, he said, was declared by the Penrhyn Islanders
t:> be. according to ancient tradition, that place whence their
ancestors had come many generations ago, and was known to them
by a name which I have forgotten.

As shell, at the time, was worth £120 a ton in Paris, the prospect
was enticing ; for it does not often happen in a man's life that he
has a plausible chance of making £50,000 in one year.

After some delays unnecessary to detail we sailed at last for
Penrhyn to get our divers, calling in, on the way, at other islands
and at Apia, where we laid off and on, an 1 sent in the ship's boat
to take off Masters' wife who had remained in Apia during his
absence.

" Adventures." says Disraeli in one of his novels, " are to the
adventurous," and I found it so in that voyage, having more hair-
breadth escapes therein from death and disaster than I ever had
before, ind have ever had since, which is saying a good deal.

We called afterwards at Danger Island, and at Nassau Island,
then having only half a dozen cocoanut trees on it ; now there are
several thousand.

The voyage was fraught with bad omens. At Wallis Island,
where we stopped to get water, &c., as they were hoisting out one
of the ground tier of tun butt casks, requiring a very large block
to be rove on the hoisting tackle aloft, the block parted from the
tackle and dashed heavily on the deck at my feet, knocking off as
it did so from my head the cabbage-tree hat I was wearing. It
was merely an inch close shave and made me uncomfortable for a
minute or two.

Next, we got ashore in the passage going into Penrhyn and
only escaped the total loss of the vessel by the merest chance.

Bowles and I fell out over this and he left the ship, Mr. Byrnes
the mate taking his place.

Finally, Masters doing his very best was utterly unable to pro-
cure divers ; the native authorities setting their face dead against
it, and the result was that after waiting for some months in the
hope that something would turn up our hopes were frustrated
and Masters and I quarrelled.

People always quarrel when bad luck attends their partner-
ships, and he went ashore at Manihiki Island.

Subsequently I heard he found his way to Palmerston Island,
and I think died there years ago.

Whether or not his story about going ashore and remaining
on the island is true may be an unknown quantity ; but that he had
been on board a vessel which called at an island declared by the
captain to be not charted, where apparently hostile natives, having
pearl ornaments and weapons in their canoes came off to the ship, I
quite believe.

Some months after he left the vessel we stood out to the north-
ward and eastward, going out south first for easting ; but looking
for an unknown low island (not visible from the deck when fifteen
miles only distant) in such a manner hundreds of miles to the north-
ward and eastward of Penrhyn in latitudes where the current to the
westward ordinarily runs like a mill race, sometimes setting vessels
to the westward off their course at the rate of 50 to 60 miles
in 24 hours for eight degrees north and south of the equator is the
last resort of desperation.

Before I left Sydney, Mr. Sawyer (deceased), shipowner, offered
to take a half-share in the whole venture ; combining and working
together the cocoanut oil trade in which I was then engaged, and
the pearl speculation, supplying two vessels and putting in £4,000
(I had £2,000 in it), but I unwisely rejected his offer, and so lost all
I was worth by staking it upon the " cast " of the pearl island.

Captain Byrnes, who afterwards settled in Tahiti, navigated
the ship, I assisting him, during the remainder of the voyage,
in which we turned our attention to the shell trade at Penrhyn,

running down to Manihiki, filling the vessel there with cocoanuts,
and then beating back, 180 miles, to Penrhyn, selling the nuts
there for shells, the natives being short of food. Captain Parker
(deceased), of Sydney, who, like myself, had left Sydney on a
similar speculation in the barque " Eliza," afterwards lost at
Rakahanga about 20 or 25 miles from Manihiki, very kindly gave
me advice and the cue on this head.

Bowles, Parker, and Byrnes who I hope is still alive, were all
good, sensible men. I remember them with pleasure.

John Brander, merchant (deceased), of Tahiti, generously
offered a couple of years afterwards to fit me out again that I might
again search for the island ; but the game had then lost its zest.

I suppose, assuming that such an island (cannibal, Masters
told me) exists, it is a very good thing that Byrnes and I when we
looked for it without divers to protect us, did not find it.

" There's a divinity that shapes our ends
Rough hew them as we will."

Divers or no divers the venture stood thick with dangers.

Unless Masters was deceived by the captain and the island
he saw was Danger Island, a very improbable thing, then without
doubt there exists somewhere in that part of the ocean a large
inhabited lagoon shell island still uncharted.

One or two occurrences in the voyage not bearing directly on
its object may be referred to later on.

MY FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH FIJI.

In 1860, I saw Fiji for the first time ; then exciting little at-
tention in Australia, but three or four years afterwards, on the
outbreak of the great American rebellion, many persons with capital
went there to plant cotton, at that time fetching abnormal prices,
and large tracts of land were purchased by them from the Fijians.
This inaugurated there a new era. F. and W. Hennings, who had
established their business in Ovalau in 1859-60 and had acquired
several islands and much other land in the group, profited consider-
ably by this, and sold land again to the new comers at a fair profit,
taking it all round, on their original outlay. William Hennings
came out from Prussia in that year, 1860, to join his brother, and
was my fellow-passenger in the " Caroline Hort," 400 tons (sailed
by Captain Hamilton), from Apia to Levuka ; a man of great business
ability, well read, genial, without which the former do not much
count, and of a superior education. He, I believe, is still in the
land of the living. Levuka, Ovalau, at that time, was about on
a par with Apia as regards the quality of the denizens of both.
All the original residents had either died off, killed one another,

43

or been killed by the natives, and a new class of men had come into
the groups, some of very superior education and antecedents, all
quite equal as regards mental quality and ability to any other
pioneers in any other part of the globe, notwithstanding the de-
rogatory remarks that have been made on them by ignorant critics
and by those who not ignorant of the subject profess to be so,
and so prevaricate.

Island rangers then were a peculiar class ; so they are now.
They have their weaknesses and their faults, but unfortunately
for them all these drawbacks do their possessors more harm than
happens thereby to their neighbours ; one good point at any rate
in their favour. White ladies generally, I am told, do not quite
take the same view of the subject, but much as I admire the former
I am constrained to follow Hamlet's advice, not theirs, and " hold
as 'twere the mirror up to nature."

The clergy too, I understand, are much inclined to support
the ladies in this matter, but I join issue with them again, and
defend, tooth and nail as ladies do, my island compeers. The
planters were, with one or two exceptions (the Ryder family, for
instance, who bought Mago Island and turned it into a valuable
plantation, cotton, coffee and cocoanuts), altogether unsuccessful.
Cotton went down again in price at the close of the war in the
States and nearly all the cotton plantations had to be given up.
One or two very sad instances of the kind occurring in which men
had given up lucrative positions in Australia to come down to
Fiji and plant cotton under the idea that all that was necessary
to success was to sit under a cocoanut tree all day, protected from
the weather by an umbrella, and read novels while coloured men
gathered in their crops. Tragedy was the result only too often I
fear. In one instance a friend, middle-aged, had given up a good
appointment in the Mint to follow this ignis fatuus, and going
afterwards to Samoa and thence to New Guinea found there his
death.

New Guinea and New Britain, at that time, were not much
visited by foreigners, having an exceedingly bad reputation as re-
gards fever and the native inhabitants. Still existing, and still
based on solid truth.

I was conversing, rece itl v, with a German acquaintance
settled there who informed me that it is absolutely necessary to
take pretty often in the course of the year from thirty to forty
grains of quinine daily, best in whisky or gin, to keep the dread
New Guinea fever at arm's length ; a queer sort of place to settle
permanently in. Thirty years ago one of my wealthiest and best
friends, with the best intentions, made me a very flattering offer
in connection with this, which would require my living there. I
declined on the ground that, although I had comparatively little
aversion to reside there for a time, I had the greatest possible
objection by doing so, to die there before my time But some

44

people weather through it all. The Coe family and their offshoots,
the Forsyth family and the Parkinsons keep their health well in
spite of the fever, and have accumulated considerable wealth,
for land is cheap and native labourers, not as in Samoa, obtainable
at low wages. I suppose they live on the mountains where the
climate, as in all mountain districts, is free from malaria. The
Xew Hebrides, I believe, are open to the same objection, and so
I suppose are some at least of the Solomon Islands. But Xew
Caledonia is a healthier locality than is Sydney, and it may be
taken for granted that wherever in the tropics a large native popu-
lation inhabits the towns much fever will prevail ; certainly disease
is caused everywhere by overcrowding, but in hot climates this is
especially the case. I hear that the port of St. Louis in the Mauri-
tius was, before coolie labourers and other coloured people had over-
crowded it, one of the most salubrious towns in the southern hemi-
sphere ; now it is, or was a few years ago, a perfect hotbed of disease ;
my informant telling me that on this account no whites who could
afford to have dwelling houses in the suburbs ever thought of running
the risk of sleeping even for a single night in the town. Fiji, like
the Mauritius, produces enormous quantities of sugar. One of
the largest sugar-mills in the world is to be found there, belonging
to the Colonial Sugar Company of Sydney, whose shares, when I
was younger than I am (for the information of my readers I may
mention that I have turned fifty), returned dividends of 25 per cent,
per annum on the original snares. They controlled the Sydney
market at the time of which I am writing. I remember when
Mr. Knox, Senr., if I mistake not, was the managing director, that
Mr. Macnamara. Senr., of Macnamara's Wharf, imported two or
three cargoes of sugar from the Mauritius, all arriving within a
few days or each other. The company at once offered Macnamara
what they thought was a proper price for his sugar with the alter-
native of their reducing their price for their sugar to a figure several
pounds per ton lower than their offer, and of course he had to
" swallow the leek."

45

SOME WELL-KNOWN SYDNEY MEN.

As I have wandered off to Sydney I may as well remain there
a little longer.

The Dibbs Brothers (3) were then shipbrokers in a large way.
When I was in Sydney last, Thomas Dibbs was manager of the
Commercial Banking Company. A clever family, one of them
(George Richard) was afterwards knighted. I had the pleasure
just before annexation of dining at Mulinuu at President Schmidt's
house with some of their sons or grandsons. Henry Parkes, not then
knighted, had just started the Empire newspaper in 1851 in op-
position to the Sydney Morning Herald, and a terrible contest
for him it was. Parkes will always loom up as a majestic figure in
the history of the colony. He also had his faults, but who is fault-
less or always wise I should like to know ? A remark which will
be thoroughly appreciated by the ladies, their favourite proverb
being " There's no fool like an old fool," although wise virgins
amongst them usually qualify it with the refrain " Better to be
an old man's darling than a young man's slave." The critics will
wrongfully say that this is beside the question ; I don't. In all
the books written nowadays the principal thing that makes them
interesting is matter of this kind, and why should I be debarred
from making my work interesting on the same lines ? No, sir ! as
an illustrious poet, who understood such matters, says : —

" 'Tis love, 'tis love, 'tis love, 'tis love
That makes the world go round.1'

He (Parkes) began his career in the forties by putting on the
press a small volume of poetry, some excellent and some execrable,
most of it excellent. Afterwards in 1851 he commenced in Hunter
Street, exactly opposite to where his old shop of ivory turnery and
nic'- nac • s had been, his rivalry with the then only daily paper in all
Australia, led by the Fairfaxes. They had a mint of money behind
them ; he had none, only dogged resolution and talent. Mr. Heydon
with others helped him, and the paper was carried on for many
years, until Parkes, relinquishing his hold of the press, stepped
on to the Macquarie Street platform as a legislator. What the
man had to encounter in the early days of the journal Empire can
only be understood by those who have had similar struggles in life
to fight their way against all kinds of foes, envy, hate, scorn, and last
but not by any means least, want of ready cash, necessitating the
hardest of work from " morn till dewy eve/' and then from dewy
eve till morn again for consecutive days and nights. My colonial
friends, leading Sybarite lives, will call this " caviare," but it is

46

the truth for all that ; I was on the spot and saw it all. As regards
his public life that is matter of history and does not need any clap-
trap from the weak pen of an humble umbra like the author.

Another figure prominent in Sydney life rises before me, T. S.
Mort, the mainspring of the commercial energy of New South Wales,
who commercially was to the community what Parkes was politi-
cally. His statue in Bridge Street, in front of the Exchange, is
a mute but valid witness to the esteem with which colonists regarded
him.

I remember well, and so perhaps do a few more, although it
is a long time ago, how, in the middle of 1855 on the fourth of the
month, all the banks held a joint meeting on the point whether
they should continue to discount his bills. Had they refused a
commercial crisis would have swept over the colony, and thousands
of wealthy families, in the squatting interests especially, would
have been totally ruined.

G. A. Lloyd, another Sydney man, was another striking
instance of what pluck and push will sometimes do.

He belonged to the Pitt Street Congregational Church, and with
the Fairfaxes formed its principal pillars. Parkes and Mort were,
I think, churchmen.

The salary of the minister of that church (or chapel) sometimes
ran up to over £1,500 a year, but it was an intellectual treat to
listen to him. (The Rev. Cuthbertson and the Rev. Dr. Jefferis.)
Had I belonged to the congregation (I didn't) I should certainly
have gladly thrown in my mite towards his support.

As I incline towards Quakerism like some of my ancestors
my sympathies in such matters are of a cosmopolitan nature, and
turn more towards the Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, Baptists,
Presbyterians, the Anglican Church, and on occasion the Romish
Church. It generally happens to people of this sort who flit from
pulpit to pulpit as do bees from flower to flower that they are
ostracised by the whole crowd, and this, by the easiest gradation
in the world, to which I invite the attention of the critics, leads
me to say that this was precisely the case with G. A. Lloyd. He
was a much ostracised man. In the forties he failed for £20,000.
Then in the fifties he paid his creditors in full. In 1851-2-3 he
made large sums of money by buying gold, hypothecating it with
the banks and shipping it to London, realising one-fourth more
there than he paid for it on the gold-fields. And finally in con-
sequence of gigantic flour speculations, which threw on his hands
at a loss all the flour arriving then from abroad, he failed in 1866
for £250,000. Had he lived long enough and saved enough he
would, I firmly believe, have paid for the second time in full his
creditors, although it was £250,000.

By another easy step I come back again to Apia for G. A. Lloyd,
being the backer of the merchants here, in whose counting-house I

47

officiated, we, as a matter of course, failed too ; but as that comes
a great deal later on the reader will have to wait for further par-
ticulars on that head.

Sydney and the islands have been bound up together for more
than a hundred years. As long ago as 1806 Mariner tells us the
" Port au Prince," having captured the Spanish brig " Santa
Isidora " off the Gallipagos Islands, 600 miles from Panama, she
was sent to Port J ackson for sale there.

As regards commerce Auckland now is competing strenuously
with Sydney, and in time, no doubt, will compel Sydney to leave
the field, but not in the immediate future.

It is worth noticing how colonisation has leaped forward since
the day that Cook entered Botany Bay and took possession of the
vast island in the name of King George the Third, and how from
thence to New Zealand and thence again to the islands, Sydney
has poured forth a swarm of settlers, laymen, and clergy who have
made the islands what they are, with of course, especially in Samoa,
the help of American, Teuton, and Gallic fellow-workers.

SOME OLD APIA IDENTITIES.

Amongst the Americans that I knew were Devoe, from St.
Louis, and Barrie, the former of whom died in 1859. Their store
at Matafele was then the leading retail business there. Devoe is
buried in the cemetery on the road leading to the hospital ; the
inscription on his tombstone being almost effaced by age. In
that sad spot rest many more who, like him, met with too early
an end.

In 1861, Charles McFarland, accompanied by his brother
Andrew appeared on the scene. Charles took Hennings' position,
and when, in 1862, the Horts gave up their Samoa business, pur-
chased their premises at Matautu (then, having been rebuilt, the
largest warehouse in the group ; it cost £2,000} and, under the
auspices of John Brander of Tahiti, started on his own account.
Before doing this, however, he commenced business at Matafele
where the timber yard of the D.H. & P.G. is now. There were
then two roads to Matafele ; one on the beach, a wide path, passing
at the front of the present and then International Hotel ; the other
being the present road, and, as it is now, narrow and inconvenient.
In the same year, 1861, Charles married the daughter of John C.
Williams, British Consul, and the business was continued by him,
his brother, and his widow (he died in Sydney in 1871) until her
death in 1875. He came from a good north of Ireland family.

It is impossible for me, who lived in their family for eight
years — 1861 to 1869 — to pass over the episode of their coming
into the islands in a cursory way.

48

Andrew died in 1869 ; he also rests in the Apia cemetery, cut oft
in the flower of his age as was Devoe ; as were many others.

His brother's widow, Miss Williams her sister, and Charles'
three children, with Captain Hamilton, left Apia for Tonga on their
way to Europe in November, 1875, and from that day to this no
trace has been found of them.

Charles McFarland and his wife exercised unbounded hos-
pitality, and their house was noted throughout this part of the
Pacific on that account ; neither again was it a lavish, wasteful
hospitality ; the man was in business and, although glad to find you
accepting his invitation to table, still expected that you would
not cross the bay to the rival establishment to buy what he was
offering at the same price.

Another thing, he took people who were hard up, or had been
unfortunate, under his wing, provided they would work and were
not lazy. In this manner he assisted a great many persons, some
of whom would have gone to the wall altogether if he had not pro-
tected them by giving them employment, the best kind of protection
for young men at the islands or anywhere else.

Like the good Samaritan, he befriended many whom " the
priest and Levite," looked on certainly, but, nevertheless, " passed
by on the other side."

British ships-of-war often called here in those days. McFar-
land's house was to them a pleasant place of meeting and
entertainment while they remained in port.

Three or four American whalers, too, generally came into
port from April to July to purchase yams and provisions and give
their men a run. Their captains and families, for several carried
their wives with them, always stayed at the McFarlands', and their
custom as also that of the ships-of-war materially assisted his
business. The American skippers were all of a good sort, practical,
not devoid of common sense, and men who never turned their back
on either friend or enemy. John Brander, of Tahiti, under whose
auspices McFaiiand commenced his Samoan business (the latter
had previously been engaged in commercial pursuits at Tahiti)
was a man who came out to the Pacific more than 60 years ago,
and belonged to an old Scottish family, had received a liberal and
classical education, was a scholar in fact, and, in short, of a very
superior type. His relations were wealthy but he began his mer-
cantile operations in a very small way until, having made a lucky
speculation, he rose into prominence through investing in pearl
shell in Tahiti when the market was depressed at £8 per ton, and
selling it subsequently in Europe at £100 per ton. He continued
successfully his mercantile career up to the time of his death, when
, his estate was worth about £150,000.

" Alas, what shadows are we and what shadows do we pursue,"
as Burke eloquently says.

49

Brander lost the use of his mind a year or two before his death
and died in that distressed condition.

In the same year, 1861, came amongst us Mr. Samuel Dean,
of London (who died in Sydney in 1903), with his wife, formerly
Mrs. Skelton, the widow of the deceased Captain Skelton, of Tahiti.

The business which he started at Matafele though almost
entirely retail proved more successful than some of the larger
concerns, and he had at the time of his death amassed a considerable
sum of money.

He and Mrs. Dean and her daughter Miss Skelton were also
very hospitable, but necessarily on a much smaller scale than the
" fine old Irish " style that characterised McFarland's establish-
ment. His son, W. C. Dean, is carrying on the same business,
on the same spot, but in much larger premises.

Mr. Dean's uncle was a Sydney auctioneer in the fifties and
sixties, turning over one million of pounds yearly in his business.
The custom with him and some other auctioneers was a system in
which though the profits were great, so also was the risk.

The commission on the actual sales was 5 per cent, only,
but for an extra commission of 5 per cent or 10 in all, the auc-
tioneer guaranteed and disbursed to the seller less bank discount,
all credit sales (usually at three or four months) for which the pur-
chasers gave bills so dated to him, when he endorsing the bills
got the banks to cash them, less discount ; thus making himself
liable to the bank should the drawers fail.

In 1866 a great commercial crisis occurred in Sydney ; few
merchants but those of the oldest standing escaping unscathed.

The crisis lasted some days ; on the last dav Dean locked
himself in his private office, directing his confidential clerk to report
to him during the afternoon all intelligence regarding the few
remaining houses on whose solvency his own depended.

" O'er him %vho loves, or hates, or fears,
Such moment pours the grief of years.1'

But one after the other went down that day, and at four o'clock
the clerk having reported to him that the last two firms who might
have saved him had gone under in the general crash, he fell senseless
to the ground, and died a few hours afterwards that night. As with
other great concerns of life so with commerce it has its tragedies.

It will be remembered that years ago (1894) our gifted
compatriot, R. L. Stevenson, died at Vailima, from overwork in
the same manner.

At that time steamers were unknown in the Pacific ; indeed,
the first steamer that visited this port was the " Janet Nicol " in
1866

The regular trading vessels here were those commanded by
Captains Lyons, Sustenance, McLeod, Clulow, Robinson, Watson
and others ; vessels from 150 tons upwards.

The export was cocoanut oil solely. For the imports there

50

was always a great rush on board the arriving ships by rival store-
keepers to secure the articles most in demand at the time.

The passage from Sydney occupied on an average about
thirty days.

Customs duties were not then known, the only " Government "
official being the pilot. In this capacity Elisha Hamilton acted
for many years, subsequently being appointed United States
Consul after J. M. Coe retired.

He was another American of an excellent type, not particularly
good tempered, somewhat crusty in fact, but still a very good fellow
when you did not jump on his corns. That he not only objected
to, but, although a member of the church, was apt to forcibly
return the compliment. His place too knows him no more.

E. A. Alvord, his friend, cast in an altogether different mould,
also from the States, was of a kindly disposition. He had been on
the stage, and arrived in Samoa in a vessel bound to Sydney from
California, in the later fifties, in which was a company of actors.
Of a good family and well educated. During the latter part of his
life he carried on business here successfully as an auctioneer.

Augustus Unshelm, before mentioned, the Godeffroys' agent,
had succeeded in laying the foundation of a prosperous business
when, at the end of 1863, he set sail for Fiji in the " Charlotte,"
schooner, never to return ; the vessel foundering in the midst of
the Fijian archipelago, on her return trip, on the 3ist March, 1864.
In the same hurricane young Captain Malcolm of Sydney also
perished ; the only record of the fate of both vessels being a few
pieces of plank and spars, identified as having belonged to them.
Captain Sustenance, caught in the same hurricane, escaped through
being happily outside the group and so able to claw off the reefs. The
" All Serene," a large Californian ship, was lost in the same storm,
but some of the crew reached Fiji on a raft. Mr. Unshelm's death
was a great misfortune to the community, and to me personally,
as an advantageous arrangement of a provisional nature had been
made by him with me to be completed on his return to Apia. At
his death, Theodore Weber, who came from Hamburg in 1861,
being then a very young man, was compelled to take charge of the
business, but some years elapsed on account of his youth before
the Godeffroys placed him in full charge of the business. He was
another striking personality in the history of the islands ; for carry-
ing on Unshelm's work he had, by the end of 1869, established a
net-work of trading stations from New Britain on the north to
Tongatabu on the south, including the Line Islands. At that
time all these stations were under his direction at Apia. Now
the New Guinea and Line Companies are under separate manage-
ment. Weber possessed extraordinary ability, never going back
on his friends and supporters, even though he and they might
sometimes differ on various points. His private life, too, was
most estimable, and he took the greatest care of his two children.

51

As he lived in my house at Tongatabu for more than twelve months
I saw necessarily a good deal of him.

He had been trained as an accountant at Hamburg in the
Godeffroys' office, under the senior Mr. Godeffroy's own eye, he told
me once.

In the seventies and earlier he made the^ acquisition of land
by his firm a leading object, and succeeded in acquiring for them
about 150,000 acres, most of which was confirmed to them by the
three Land Commissioners in 1892-3, a sure proof that the purchases
had been made in a fair and above board way

I have but seldom met in my life a man whom I could more
highly value and esteem than Theodore Weber, although he was
a sceptic when I last saw him. He died in Germany in 1887 or 1888.

His endeavours to advance the interests of his country in the
Pacific were of a highly patriotic nature, although there he and I
differed in toto, in consequence of which I left the service of the
company he represented in 1879.

Copra — dried cocoanut — was introduced by him in the later
sixties and gradually pushed the old staple export cocoanut oil
entirely out of the market. At the same time he commenced large
cocoanut plantations, all of which have been in full bearing for
many years, affording the company a substantial income. His
career, in fact, was a splendid refutation of the " labour " doctrine
that every man is as good as any other man, &c.

At the same time it must never be forgotten that whatever
the triumphs of commerce in the islands have been, they would
never have taken place had not the missionaries first gone there,
and by humanising the natives prepared fully the way for them.
It is not my intention to write a panegyric on these men, for did I,
then some of them, being of the headachey species, would promptly
set their bristles on end and request me to mind my own business,
bu t honour must be rendered to those to whom it is due even though
it may be met in an ungracious spirit by its recipients, as the cele-
brated Quaker said when, on the occasion of a religious row, his
windows were broken by the Catholics because he was believed to
favour the Protestants, and afterwards his house was looted and he
himself was well abused by the Protestants as they returned from
the field of battle with black eyes and damaged noses because they
supposed that he sympathised with the Catholics.

Cotton planting began in 1863-4, Thomas Dickson at Faleasiu
leading the van, just as R. H. Carruthers and H. J. Moors have done
with cacao. T. Dickson, long deceased, was another prominent
man in our midst : he and D. S. Parker were, in the seventies and
eighties, the leading importers of Calif ornian goods, and both
amassed many thousand pounds each. Their vessel the " Ada
May " made regular trips between Apia and California. The
foreign reader will perceive that not all island residents were beach-
combers as some of the foreign critics have ill-naturedly said.

«J2

Dickson was an Englishman. Parker, still living, is from the States.
He does not at present prof ess religion, anymore than Rockefeller,
but like the latter he can be liberal, and gave the Rev. Dr. Brown,
three or four years ago, money enough to enable him to put up a
very pretty Wesleyan Church in Apia. On this subject Rockefeller
has lately given six millions sterling for charitable purposes. It
is £6,400,000, but as the odd thousands are hardly worth mentioning
I have called it in i ound numbers six millions. I wish some of the
rich clerical and lay Pharisees who abuse him would follow
his example in that respect and so help their poorer and weaker
brethren as he has done as well as preach to them.

In 1864 Mr. Winter, another island personality, made his
appearance amongst us, for a short time only, when on his way to
Fiji.

He, a true Irishman, a Roman Catholic, came from Melbourne,
where he had, by unfortunate speculations, run through a fortune
of £90,000. He had been a member of the Colonial Parliament,
and could talk like Demosthenes, not evolving his discourse from
mere imagination, but drawing it from an extraordinarily rich store
of knowledge, making it a very pleasant thing to listen, to. He,
like most island rangers, had, too, his faults, but not in the liquoring
department ; that he shunned absolutely. I wonder whether any
of my readers have ever seen a man (or — of course, but at the same
time in untiring deference to the ladies — a woman) who, according
to their ideas, was perfect. I never have but if this should have
happened to any perhaps they will be kind enough to oblige by
dropping a line stating particulars to the authcr.

No enterprise however chimeric was too fantastic for him.
After leaving Samoa he went from Fiji to the States to make him-
self thoroughly acquainted with the growth and cultivation of
sugar-cane, thus anticipating by 20 years the work now being
carried on in Fiji by the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. and others.

But I am not aware that he was able on his return to Fiji
to make any use of this knowledge. He died there some years ago.

53

MORE APIA IDENTITIES.

Cotton planting begun by Dickson in 1863-4 was then taken
up by many other settlers, amongst whom was Ben Hughes, master
mariner, a Welshman, who married a Samoan lady and afterwards
settled in Fiji. It proved a failure with them all, the price falling
to a very low figure in 1866. The natives also cultivated the
Brazilian quality largely, and the firm of J. C. Godeffroy & Son
used it for a set off to the expenses incident to weeding the young
cocoanut plantations, continuing it in fact for more than 20 years
after this, thus enabling them to keep the young cocoanut trees free
of undergrowth without any cost for three years or more while the
land continued in cotton. After three years the cotton trees ceased
to bear enough cotton to pay for the expense of weeding them.

In the early sixties a number of Scandinavians settled amongst
us, C. Netzler, A. Nelson, Oscar Hammrell my old Tongan ac-
quaintance, C. Hellesoe, F. Wilson, P. Fabricius, &c., &c., of whom
I cannot here speak particularly, but must for the present
pass by in silence, excepting to mention the fact that their sons,
and especially their daughters, are now beginning to occupy very
important positions in the history of Samoa.

About this time another personality arrived from Scotland,
Frank Cornwall who, for three months during the year 1877, was
Acting British Consul.

Properly it should come later on but being important it will
be best for me at once to sketch his history as far as the islands
are concerned.

Cornwall, a printer, came here to carry on the London Mis-
sionary Society's publishing work, which has always been con-
siderable ; subsequently he gave this up and, in connection with A.
Nelson above, started as a copra merchant in the seventies. Having
accumulated perhaps a thousand pounds, he sought, like Norval's
father, to " increase his store," and in order to carry out what, as
he unwisely imagined, would be the best way to do this joined him-
self foolishly to a large colonial firm and bought up more than
300,000 acres of native land hoping that he would be able to obtain
outside help from capitalists in the colonies and in England, and so,
as Th. Weber and the Godeffroys had done, establish a powerful
company based on landed property in the islands.

The same grand enterprise a little before the same time had
been initiated by Sir Julius Vogel, the Premier of New Zealand,
on a larger scale. He introduced a bill into the New Zealand
Parliament by which the Government undertook to guarantee

54

for twenty years interest at the rate of 5 per cent, per a.mum on
shares amounting to, I think, three millions sterling for twenty
years. This or a less sum to be employed in buying up all foreign
interest in the South Pacific and making them British, and establish-
ing besides new British interests. The Bill passed both houses in
New Zealand but the Foreign Office refused to sanction it, and so
it fell to the ground. Had the English Government made it law
British trade in the Pacific would be now in a very different position
from what it is at present.

Cornwall, then, following in the same track, sought the same
object, but the British public left Cornwall to himself and to failure
just as they had done with Vogel, just as in a matter of much greater
importance than trade interests, viz., that on which the stability
of the Empire depends, they are leaving Lord Roberts to stem
alone the tide of opposition to his scheme to prevent successful
invasion, for although in the latter part of the seventies Cornwall
went to England to try and float his company, the public would
have none of him, and returning thence a disappointed man, he
made the fatal blunder of quarrelling with the firm who had started
him, and thence, this is my apology to the reader for dwellin so
long on his affairs, arose what is a cause celebre in island history,
for the firm enraged at this, in 1880, declared him insolvent, took
possession of all his lands and property, sold some, occupied and
worked some, and in fact took all he had, as I much fear most firms
would have done under similar circumstances. Thereupon he
instituted the action above mentioned against them for damages
on this account.

The first action took place in 1886 in the High Commissioner's
Court here ; was then on appeal, referred to Fiji. Then, on a
new plea, a new action was brought in which Mr. Napier, of Auckland,
of brilliant talent argued for Cornwall in the High Commissioner's
Court here ; again referred to Fiji, and finally to the Privy Council
in England, the result being that about the year 1890, he was
victorious, the Lords assigning him all the landed property and
£20,000 besides for the unlawful use since 1880 of his property by
the firm.

A son of one of the gentlemen mentioned previously, a
lawyer in Fiji, found out the strong points in Cornwall's case
and this encouraged him to go on with the action.

Further he was assisted with funds by a powerful colonial
syndicate, the law expenses, as may be supposed, being enormous.
Report states that the firm suffered in all to the extent of £50,000.

But the events described were disastrous both to him and
them, driving him into an early grave.

Regarding the question whether Cornwall or the firm was in
the right it is impossible now to judge.

55

B. th he and the head of the firm have passed into the unseen
world, and it is reasonable to hope that in the High Court there this
point will be settled, and, if Cornwall was in the right, deliver him,
poor soul, " out of the land of the spoiler " and from the evils,
though principally self-inflicted, which destroyed him.

CAPTAIN ("BULLY") HAYES.

" Bully " Hayes, of the schooners " Rona," " Samoa," and
subsequently the " Leonora," named after one of his daughters,
first visited Samoa in 1867.

He had previously sailed as a trader on the Australian and
New Zealand coasts, but not, as some have said, as a pirate.

He appears to have visited, at one time, Chinese ports, and a
story is current that he ran a cargo of Chinese coolies into Mel-
bourne, at a time when they were allowed to land only on payment
of a very heavy tax per head, by a daring ruse ; signalling to the
harbour authorities in Hobson's Bay that his vessel was sinking
and applying for tugs to come alongside his vessel at once and save
the lives of all on board by transferring them to some place on shore
before the ship sank. There being no reason to doubt his story,
all appearances on board having been arranged by him to colour
the falsehood, the coolies were taken off and a few hours afterwards
he managed to take the ship to sea and got clear off ; probably,
as he was not the man to entertain unprofitable scruples of con-
science, taking the pilot with him.

An old and much respected colonist, Mr. C. Netzler, who arrived
here in 1867 from Sweden, communicates to me some interesting
particulars regarding Captain Hayes. He made several voyages
with him and informs me that, in his belief, Hayes never committed
murder, and that he had some sort of affection for his wife, although
occasionally circumstances induced her to think otherwise.

His custom was to obtain goods, &c., on credit, and then not
pay for them except in cases where he wished to renew similar
credit transactions, in which case he generally managed to make the
latter of larger amount than the former.

He carried several cargoes of fruit from the islands to the
colonies, and brought, on various occasions, from Savage Island
to Apia full cargoes of hogs, which he sold to great advantage.
Sometimes he paid for them and sometimes he did not.

When in a passion he was a perfect demon, and spared neither
friend, foe, nor himself either.

He was killed at the Line Islands by the man at the tiller with
whom he had words. Hayes muttering threats went down below,
presumably for the purpose of getting his revolver, and, either
while going down the companion ladder or returning from the

56

cabin, the man struck him over the head with the iron handle of
the tiller and so killed him. He may have intended to shoot this
man, but I think otherwise. The latter, however, may be said
to have been in a great extent justified.

In one of the " Rona's " voyages to Xiue, in 1867, in which
Mrs. Hayes was a passenger, both happened to be on shore together
and \vords passed between them ; Hayes going on board in a tower-
ing rage and ordering the mate to heave up the anchor at once.

At this island there is no proper anchorage, only a narrow
shelf of coral running out a few fathoms from the shore : at all
times dangerous, even when the wind is off the land.

Hayes was evidently anxious to wreck the ship, for when in
such fits of passion he would take any means of wreaking ven-
geance on those who opposed him, however much it might injure
himself.

Only two or three men were on deck, and as Hayes' orders from
aft were peremptory to heave on the windlass, none could possibly
be spared to loosen any of the sails, by which, when the anchor was
up, the vessel could get away on her and get clear of the land now
only a few feet astern.

The two men, mate, and second mate therefore arranged it
in such a way that as fast as the chain was hove in by the one it
was paid out again by the other until, after a time in one way or
another, they had managed to set a couple of sails, when these filled
and so put an end to the danger, the ship forging away, after the
anchor was up, into deep water.

On another occasion having a fit of very bad temper he rushed
on deck with a cash-box containing five hundred sovereigns and
threw it into the sea. My informant, who was at the wheel at the
time, saw him do it.

Originally he owned the schooner " Shamrock," and sailed
for some time on the New Zealand coast ; selling this vessel, he
partly purchased the brig " Rona " with the proceeds.

After losing her he went to China and obtained command
of a large brig called by him afterwards, as said before, the
" Leonora."

Having made several voyages with cargoes of rice on the China
coast for the owners of the vessel, he suddenly disappeared thence,
and soon after he was again heard of in his old habitat, the South
Sea Islands.

Lieutenant Sterndale, mentioned, I think, in "The Earl and
the Doctor," was a passenger with him once or twice. So also was
J. E. Alvord.

Hayes was temperate, never drinking to excess, neither would
he allow any of the crew to do so. Liquor he carried on board
ior sale, but when purchased by those in the vessel they were warned
that they must not drink it on board the ship unless they wished
to be thrown overboard, but must use it on shore only.

57

During one of his voyages from New Zealand to Rarotonga
when nearing the island, he came on deck in ill temper and ordered
the ship's head to be put round and directed again towards New
Zealand. This was done and the vessel ran back for several hours
before the wind when the mate brought her on the wind again
and the voyage was resumed, Hayes not objecting.

On arrival at Rarotonga he went on shore and ordered a
cargo of oranges. When ready the natives demanded payment of
the previous cargo which he had obtained from them on credit, to
which he immediately assented, surprised and indignant that they
should suppose him capable to cheat them, and the cases were
accordingly shipped ; the trade to pay for them having been pre-
viously brought on shore. Xo\v arose the question as to the price
of his goods — the bargain having been previously struck at so much
per case — in merchandise.

And a diffculty presented itself, for he demanded one dollar
per fathom for all his cloth without distinction of material or quality.

The natives objecting to this, he gave orders to reship the trade
and threatened to leave, having this cargo also on credit. So they
were obliged to give in and take payment at the prices mentioned.
This, it seems, was always his rule, not only to the natives but to
the sailors on board, and others buying from him when they could
not get it anywhere else ; the price of his cloth, whatever it might
be, was a dollar a fathom.

He lost the " Leonora " at Ocean Island in 1874. From
thence he went to San Francisco where Mr. Netzler saw him in 1876.
He was then being put in charge of a large yacht and thence went
to the Marshall Group, his death, as recorded, taking place not long
afterwards.

Captain Hayes visited us first in 1867.

Hayes (it seems, of Irish parentage) was either born or brought
up in the States, and I am informed, whether true or not, when al-
most a boy, began his dark career by robbing his benefactor and
running away to sea with the money ; from that time to his death
little that is good can be said of the man ; although, as is always
the case with such people, his faults have been much exaggerated.
There is one story, of which some say he was the principal actor,
to the effect that many years ago some stranger called in at the
Chatham Islands and made there trn acquaintance of a wealthy far-
mer who had a son and daughter, both 16 to 17 years of age. As he
was anxious to send them to New Zealand to school, the stranger,
being of fascinating manners, easily persuaded him to do so in his
schooner, and also to load up the vessel with a cargo of wool and
produce to be sold on his account promising soon to return with
the proceeds. But from that day to this nothing has been heard
of any of them. It has been stated that Hayes was the man, but
there is no proof of it ; for if so, what became of the lad and his
sister ?

58

There is another story about him to the effect that at some port
in New Zealand he managed to capsize the boat in which he and
his first wife were either going off to, or coming ashore from, his
vessel, in consequence of which she was drowned. But there is
no proof of this again.

Some people too, who formed part of his crew, on various
occasions, accuse him of all kinds of atrocities, but as they cer-
tainly, according to their own account, were much mixed up them-
selves in them at the time, their testimony does not go for very
much. One thing is pretty certain that, bad as he was, he never
robbed the poor, excepting, perhaps, on one or two occasions,
in a serio-j ocular way (which put money in his pocket) the poor
natives.

Mr. Charles Netzler, who sailed on board his vessel for many
months, tells me that really he saw nothing atrocious about Hayes
excepting his temper which was demoniacal.

Hayes took a house in Matautu, furnished it, and Mrs. Hayes
and his two girls — twins — then quite young, lived there for many
months, Hayes going backwards and forwards on his voyages
and sometimes remaining weeks in port. As not one of the three
Consuls then in Apia, English, American and German, ever inter-
fered with him, I presume that at that time, 1866 to 1870, no com-
plaints worth listening to were made to them regarding him. How-
ever, as generally, where there is much smoke some fire will be
found, we may conclude that he was no saint.

John C. Williams, H.B.M. Consul here for 24 years, bought
much land from the natives, but mostly round Apia on indisput-
able titles. He and his son-in-law, McFarland, started a small
cotton plantation, 45 acres at Faleula, in the year 1864, and subse-
quently turned it into a cocoanut plantation in 1867.

As previously said McFarland's business failed at that time
through the suspension of G. A. Lloyd, in Sydney, but the Skinner
Brothers there advanced enough to McFarland to buy back the
estate, at 53. 6d. in the £, and that -brought into the islands Mr.
Montgomery Betham as their representative, and to assist McFar-
land to work the estate, and so recoup them the £6,000 or £7,000
they had paid to the creditors. Henderson and Moore of Sydney
also assisted in the matter. Betham in consequence settled per-
manently in the islands, marrying in 1870 a half-caste lady, Miss
Anna Silva, who had been brought up and educated by Mrs. McFar-
land. He died in April, iqoi.

Born in Hertford, England, in 1832, he went out when a young
man to the Australian colonies, and after spending some time on
the gold-fields obtained a responsible position in the firm of A.
Me Arthur & Co., Sydney. Subsequently in 1866 or 1867 he came
to Samoa and managed for several years the business of Charles
McFarland. Afterwards he purchased the island of Naitamba
in Fiji, but returned here again after a few years, and then going

59

to Vavau entered the service of the D.H. & P.G., where he re-
mained for a considerable time. From Vavau he came back to
Apia and took the management of the Savalalo Store for the same
firm, which position he occupied almost up to the time of his death.
A man of great energy, of the most kindly disposition, and
thoroughly genial. My oldest friend in Samoa. Several of his
sons are in the service of the D H. & P.O. One of his daughters
is married to Captain Hufnagel, and another to Mr. Stuenzner.
The third daughter is married to Mr. Reye of the D.S.G. Mr.
Kronfeld, of Auckland, is his brother-in-law.

E. Ripley, of Tutuila, from the States, father of the present
E. Ripley, and grandfather of Mrs. Caroline Paul, the wife of Mr.
Paul, builder and contractor, Apia, was a very early settler, and had,
when he died, about the time of which I am writing, accumulated
much property ; in the course of which some stirring experiences
had been his lot. On one occasion, when attempting to supply
arms to an adjacent tribe at war with his own, the latter detected
the business, and he consequently had to skedaddle through the
bush on a bad road for many miles with his pursuers panting in
the reai to secure his head " only this and nothing more," as Rip-
ley's countryman, Poe, says in "The Raven." After that he re-
linquished transactions of that kind, having made a satisfactory
explanation to the aggrieved parties.

G. A. Pritchard, surveyor, who married in the fifties Adalina,
the daughter of the Pilot, Baker, mentioned earlier, returned to
Samoa not long after the period of which I am writing, and taking
up and purchasing land at Siusega and Vaiusu lived there with
his family until his wife's death in the eighties. He, like his father,
was full of vigour and a most energetic colonist. He died a few
years since. A. Campbell, of Auckland, lately deceased, married
his only daughter. His two surviving sons are resident, one
(Alfred) at Tutuila and the other (Frank) at Vaiusu. One of the
sons-in-law of Campbell, young Gladding, resided here recently
for a couple of years.

In 1867 and 1868 the two dominant chiefs in this part of the
group and at Savaii, uncle and nephew, Malietoa Talavou and
Malietoa Laupepa quarrelled with one another and both made
extensive preparations for war, the former occupying Mulinuu and
the district to the westward, the latter Apia and the district
to the eastward. In 1869 matters came to a head, Laupepa's
forces constructed a cement breastwork along the beach road from
Vaiala as* far as Matautu ; Talavou occupying Matafele and making
breastworks where the office of the Zeitung is : altogether perhaps
8,000 men and upwards being encamped round Apia, but without
the slightest danger to the white residents. For in those days
the natives took the utmost precautions when at war, not to kill
or injure any of the whites, partly from fear of the foreign Govern-
ments, but principally out of goodwill and a desire to avoid the

60

shedding of blood unnecessarily. Here and there certainly, just
as is the case with us, were found men who took delight in murder,
but they were very few in number.

Withal that it was not a pleasant state of things, as occasionally
stray bullets were likely to do harm, neither intended nor desired
by those who fired them off.

Subsequently in the nineties, when through international
quarrels, the Europeans took sides, the reverse became the case
as indeed it was reasonable to expect.

THE NATIVE CIVIL WAR OF 1869.

The first shot was fired on the night of Good Friday, 1869 ;
I saw the flash from McFarland's verandah where I was sitting, and
for three days and nights afterwards the battle raged around the
town. Talavou was held at bay, his forces being the greatest, bv a
palisade extending from the Mulivai River to Vaea hill on the west,
and from Moataa on the east to a spot some distance inland.
Laupepa placed his troops who were in full possession of Apia
proper, and of the coast line as far as Moataa ; under a system of
watch and watch every four hours, and their food was obtained
by purchase from the stores. In this year, principally through
the war, the natives in order to raise money to buy arms and food
supplies began to mortgage and sell their land.

For nearly two years previously several thousand men,
through being under arms, had been prevented from working on
their food plots or otherwise doing anything to support their families,
and so the sale of land as stated became absolutely necessary ;
for like nearly all the island races the Samoans are thoroughly
improvident ; what will become of them or their children and
successors in future years gives them no anxiety so long as the
present necessity is grappled with ; and pieces of land which would
have supported them and their families for the next hundred
years were bartered away for a rifle or a few tins of biscuits ; their
full cash value, and as proved subsequently more than their value,
as far as the purchasers were concerned, but of a value to the
natives who sold them not to be reckoned in money.

The battle was carried on, as said, around Apia for 72 con-
secutive hours, without any intermission, during which time
perhaps a couple of hundred men were killed or dangerously
wounded.

Then on a signal given by a cannon shot from Matautu by
Laiafi, one of Laupepa's commanders, at midnight, the main part
of his troops began their march across the island on the Falealili
road, of which they had retained possession, detachment after

61

detachment following them until a little before daybreak the
remainder — picked men left behind to scout and fire occasional
shots along the palisades and so prevent the enemy from perceiving
the retreat — broke into a full run along the road and ultimately
•joined the main body. Proceeding then to Safata they entrenched
themselves there so strongly that it was impossible to dislodge them,
and ultimately some months afterwards peace was patched up be-
tween the two men, but in a temporary form only, for war in one way
or another continued between them or their supporters until the year
before Talavou's death (in 1880) when he, Laupepa, and Mataafa
formed a joint government at Mulinuu under the protection of
the three Consuls. It is worth noticing that in consequence of events
arising out of such disturbances the de facto Samoan Government
in the beginning of 1878 assigned to the United States Government
the privilege of establishing a naval coaling station at the port of
Pago Pago.

The scene along the palisades and in other places where there
had been hand to hand conflicts was one not easily forgotten.

Bodies half buried left to be torn to pieces by the dogs, arms
and limbs partly covered with soil, partly stretched out above it,
the conquerors making brutal jokes at the spectacle.

Their temper when they took possession of Apia proper on the
morning referred to was of the worst kind ; the eyes of many seemed
to be starting from their heads positively protruding from the
socket in an abnormal and uncanny manner. At first Andrew
McFarland and I thought that they might attack us, but they had
no such intention, even sparing those Europeans, the British Consul
for instance, who had espoused Laupepa's cause, although they
gave him a mild hint of their feelings towards him by shooting at
his hall door one of their own men who had been \vounded, and then
attaching his head to one of the fence palings in its front.

Having taken possession of Apia and all the coast line on the
north side of Upolu the victors began to sell the land belonging
to their enemies, and as they were in want of money disposed of
it at very cheap rates. In consequence of this the latter when
they returned to Apia, a good many months afterwards, were
disagreeably surprised at the course events had taken, and many
disputes arose between them and the foreigners who had acquired
their land, some of which was carried into the Courts, but I am
unable to say with what result, excepting that in one or two cases
which came under my notice, such " war titles," were declared
valid ; that fact, however, not protecting the occupants against
the repeated attempts of the original owners to regain possession
of the lands which they believed to belong properly to themselves ;
in one instance continuing till the present day. Certainly such
sales ought to have been at once barred by the authorities, although
here again the war did away with all native authority, and the
Consuls had no power to act in the matter.

Although the fighting took place in the very streets of Apia
the combatants took every precaution to safeguard foreigners,
and business was not interrupted by it. People passing from the
east to the west end of Apia, on foot or horseback, were requested
as they reached the palisades to cross over the road or bridge in
front of them as quickly as possible so that the firing might con-
tinue ; having done which the combatants renewed hostilities.
Being fairly good marksmen any men who taking cover behind
cocoanut trees as most of them did, exposed incautiously their
elbow or foot were certain to be picked off, a good many deaths from
wounds of this nature being caused by tetanus. At the back of
th? town on the adjacent hills where scouts from both sides were
posted, one or two of them lost their lives in a singular way. Men
employed on this service always blackened their faces to prevent
identification and so those referred to having fallen in with other
scouts also with faces blackened they gave the wrong answers to
their questioners, and so were shot down by their own party
generally too much in a hurry to make lengthened enquiries,
especially if the circumstances were suspicious.

It is interesting to note the difference between the attitude
then, 1869, of the Samoans towards foreigners and that in the 1899
\var.

In the latter the war between Mataafa and Malietoa every
foreigner's house, situated within five miles of Apia, was looted by
both parties, although no Europeans were attacked by the natives,
ominous threats were made more than once against the whole
European population, showing the danger of interfering in native
wars between rival war parties. Had a massacre taken place in
1899, the natives could hardly have been made responsible for it.

It may be said that important interests were at stake
necessitating interference, and that is, to a certain extent, strict
truth ; but when the safety of hundreds of Europeans and their
families was trembling in the balance is evident that the action
of some individuals, whoever they may be, calls for something
more than a mild rebuke on the part of the historian who may
write impartially on the occurrences which took place in Samoa
between the 3ist December, 1898, and the I4th May, 1899, when
the Commissioners arrived bringing peace in their hands

A WEIRD HAPPENING.

MEDICINE AND MISSIONARIES.

Tn 1866 a very singular event happened in McFarland's
Matautu store. On a large beam, twelve feet from the ground,
extending from side to side of the building, hanging on heavy
nails placed there for that purpose, were several large eight-day
pendulum clocks, not going, for sale, belonging to the stock.

Outside, against the wall of the store in which these were
suspended, and not visible from any part of it, was a large 400-
gallon iron square tank, placed there to catch water from the
roof, for the use of the kitchen and bathroom.

Suddenly, in the middle of the day, the store doors being open
and business going on as usual, Mr. Betham and Meisake being both
together in the store, a loud knocking on the side of the tank de-
scribed was heard and at the same time — almost incredible to relate,
but true for all that — one of the clocks mentioned threw itself out
in a very gradual manner from its perpendicular position on the
beam, until it had reached a horizontal position, when it slowly
returned again to its pristine perpendicular standing. It repeated
this action several times, when the singular phenomenon and
knocking came to an end.

Meisake, then about 18 years old, now interpreter to the
Imperial Government, was at the time native salesman at
McFarland's.

At the hour stated I was absent at Letogo, but returned to
the store at 3 or 4 o'clock of the same day, when Mr. Betham
told me of what happened.

As the Psychical Society is making useful enquiry re such"
phenomena, I thought it well to state the above, for it cannot be
explained by any laws of nature at present known to us. Neither
can it be explained away as having happened through legerde-
main ; nor as not having happened at all — the witnesses being
thoroughly trustworthy.

An old identity, Dr. Carter, who died at Tutuila, a very
clever medical man, but like many more, at the islands of the
same class, his own enemy, hovered round Apia and Tutuila for
many years, previous to this living principally with Mr. Ripley.
As my recollection of him is not very distinct I suppose hardly any
of my readers will have seen him, he was very useful in his time,
and, since no qualified medico existed then within hundreds of
miles of Samoa, his services were pretty constantly in requisition.

64

In those days the missionaries, as far as they knew, supplied
the public with medical comforts and medical advice, the smallest
contributions to the public medical necessities being always thank-
fully received. For the natives that invaluable medicine Epsom
salts was ever freely prescribed, and certainly if any drug is, or ap-
proaches, to be, a panacea it is salts. It has been truly said by
experts that if this medicine were worth a guinea an ounce instead
of a farthing its demand would be enormous, but, as with many
other things, the fact of its being easily obtained causes it often to
be neglected. While on this subject I must not forget my old friend
in many a time of need Cockle's Pills, almost as valuable as salts.
Byron once said that if all the books in the world were on the point
of being burned up he should hesitate between Shakespeare and
Pope if only one book could be saved, but only for a second and then
snatch Pope from the flames. With me if it were a question as
regards drugs, with a similar alternative, I should hesitate between
the ordinary box of salts and the usual bundle of Cockles, but only
for an instant and then snatch Bargem Cockle's admirable remedy
from the devouring element. The missionaries gave out liberally
many other medicines besides salts, properly insisting on the natives
making a fit return in fowls and vegetables, &c., but not cash.

Further, several medical missionaries have come out from
the religious societies. Dr. George Turner, M.D., son of the Rev.
Dr. G. Turner, LL.D., a very early Scotch missionary — both
deceased — and Dr. Davis, now, I think, in the East.

The Rev. Father Didier, R.C.. was also a medical missionary.
He, some years ago, being a passenger with a lay brother on board
an island vessel was lost as supposed with all on board, the ship
being missing. A great loss to the community, he being a very
clever physician. And in fact nearly all the missionaries now sent
to the islands have some knowledge of medicine, it being absolutely
necessary for them, as they are at times called upon to act promptly
in places were no doctor can be brought to the spot until days have
elapsed.

Dr. George Brown, LL.D., afterwards director of the Wesleyan
missionary work in the islands, especially in the Solomon and
adjacent groups, was, at that time, 1866, living at Satupaitea on
Savaii ; now an old man, but full of vigour. He had originally
been a sailor, but by conviction brought into the Wesleyan ministry,
has done much service to the church. No bigot, but a genial
worker, and not one of those men whom you desire not to mix
with neither in this world nor in the world to come.

Samoa has not wanted during the last fifty years and more
the religious element, for every morning, a little after daybreak,
have been heard, during all that time, the bells of the Roman
Catholic Cathedral summoning the laity to early prayer ; while
at the other end of Apia, in the English Protestant Church, divine
service has been celebrated in the English language every Sunday

65

and every Thursday since the forties and sixties. Both churches,
Protestant and Catholic, call for sympathy from the laity, in that
both for many years have offered the consolations of religion to
the public, and really, I speak entirely as a man of the world, it
seems almost ungrateful on the part of the English residents to
allow men, Sunday after Sunday, to say prayers and preach to
empty benches in the churches, when this is entirely a labour of
love on the latter 's part, for which they receive no payment and
sometimes no thanks.

During the sixties, apart from the native schools, there was,
as I remember, only one school for the children of foreigners.
The admirable R.C. boys' and girls' schools, under the Marist
Brothers and nuns, not being then in existence, but coming on,
I think, in the seventies. The institution mentioned begun in the
fifties and continued for many years under the auspices of the
London Missionary Society and a strong committee of lay Pro-
testants here, was conducted by Messrs. Stears, Schmidt, Meredith.
Alvord and others, successively until late in the seventies when
Mr. and Mrs. O'Byrne, skilled teachers, were engaged in Sydney at
a joint salary amounting with fees to about £250 a year, and did
good service for several years, succeeded again in 1883 by Mr.
and Mrs. Bell, also certificated teachers, who continued their
educational work until 1895 when Mr. Bell died.

The rising generation and those educated in the school
mentioned, owe many obligations to both families, but especially
to the Bells who continuing so many years in the position, were
able to confirm thoroughly the work begun by the O'Byrnes and
themselves, and they did it thoroughly. Reference later on will
be made to the schools now existing.

66

FACTS AND LEGENDS.

The octopus sometimes attains a very large size in these seas.
There is a native story to the effect that outside the main reef
at Letogo, four miles from Apia, an enormous creature of this
species suddenly rose from the depths alongside a canoe in which
some Samoans were fishing, and throwing its monstrous arms
over the canoe and its occupants, dragged them all under and
destroyed them. I was inclined to disbelieve the circumstance
until Mr. F. \V. Gabriel, builder and contractor, who came here in
the early sixties, informed me that many years ago when living at
Falealili something similar occurred of which he was an eye witness
at Salani.

A native in a canoe was fishing quite close to the shore and in
diving so disturbed a gigantic octopus. The creature rose to the
surface threw one of its tentacles round the neck of the unfortunate
man, and before any assistance, although prompt, was rendered
from the shore dragged him down and choked him. The villagers
went out immediately and succeeded in destroying the octopus,
but the man was dead.

Sharks, too, in Apia harbour, and on the coast are dangerous.

The same informant reminds me, although I had forgotten it,
that at Matafele two children were missing who had been bathing
in the sea. Mr. Weber prepared a chain with circular hook, and,
having well baited it, placed it on the reef opposite the German store,
commonly known as Cape Horn, the result being that a shark
twenty-four feet long took the bait and was then dragged ashore
by two horses and despatched. In his maw were found the bones
of the two children and the booted leg of a man.

It appears that sharks of this species frequent the mouths
of the coastal rivers after freshets caused by heavy rain, and many
Samoans, he tells me, having been carried into them by the stream
while attempting to ford it, and there meeting the surf where the
sharks so congregate, have been devoured by them.

Sea snakes are not numerous although sometimes met with.
Experts say that some are innocuous and some poisonous, giving
a deadly bite, and seldom, or never, if let alone, make any attack.
There is a native story that at the Pa, on the south coast, a woman
going inland, when some distance from the coast, was attacked
by a large snake who wound himself round her body and crushed
her to death, but whether true or not I cannot say — probably it is.

On Savaii many land snakes are met with near the shore in
one part of the island but they are harmless, but report says that

67

on Upolu, at Laulii or Lotuanuu, a snake supposed to be dangerous
of a red colour and making a singular noise like the crowing of a
rooster is occasionally seen.

Wild cattle in herds, and bush hogs abound in several places
on the Upolu mountains ; the pigs occasionally doing much damage
to the native yam and taro plantations there, especially at the
present time when the Samoans can no longer hunt them as
formerly with firearms, through the want of ammunition, it being
necessary, as in Fiji, to greatly restrict the sale of the latter.

Although I have traversed the mountain paths on many
occasions I have never fallen in with either. I suppose they fre-
quent spots not easily accessible by man, and as on the mountain
tops water is to be found everywhere, they are not obliged to come
down to the lowlands to quench their thirst.

It is difficult to describe the weird spots occasionally met
with on the mountains. Waterfalls 50 to 100 feet high embosomed
in strange-looking trees and shrubs give such places a most un-
canny impression, and probably this fact has induced the natives
to believe that the forests inland are the possession of and fre-
quented by myriads of demons, wrho alternately move about on
the land and on the sea in canoes of each a hundred masts, pass
their existence, sometimes manifesting themselves to mortal men.
So rooted was this belief formerly in the native mind that, many
years ago, at Letogo, I had in my employment young Samoans from
Laulii, none of whom would, except under very pressing circum-
stances, go alone at midday in the thick Laulii forest lest he should
meet there some malific demon. Some of the native superstitions
are most peculiar. They believe, for instance, that the spirits of
their dead relatives when angry not only revisit the earth, but
declare sometimes what takes place in the state in which they
are, as Shakespeare makes the ghost of Hamlet's father do.

Quite recently in an assemblage of Samoans for the purpose
of holding divine service, at which I was present, one of them stood
up and, addressing the meeting, stated that a good many months
since, a deacon belonging to a church in a neighbouring district
died, and having been supposed to be a good man from the fact
of his regularly taking the Sacrament, &c., &c., was believed to be
at rest.

But, said the speaker, the contrary would seem to be the case,
for the soul of the deceased appeared lately to his daughter and
informed her that he, with many others, was in a place whose in-
habitants did not indeed suffer any pain, but were distressed be-
cause it was absolutely impossible for them, although urgently
longing to do so, to go into some higher and better place from which
their conduct on earth (in his case the love of money and using on
his own account cash entrusted to him for the use of the church)
absolutely debarred them. They, he said, were anxious to repent
and so escape, but the evil they had done while in the body so

68

closely clung to them that this was impossible. Other people-
he said (since deceased), came amongst them and did not remain long
there, but went up higher, disappearing ; he mentioned as having
so done the Rev. Mr. M — - who died in Samoa some years ago.
All the above information was not furnished as Shakespeare put it,
but, he told us, by the soul of the deacon entering the body of his
daughter then very unwell and making her his mouthpiece ; what
we should call talking deliriously.

Such experiences of sick Samoans are indeed very common ;
the spirit of the deceased relative being firmly believed by them
to enter the body of the invalid and then compel him or her to state
whatever they wish the family to know. Quite recently in my
own experience a Samoan woman being taken suddenly ill and talk-
ing this way the relatives were at once sent for, and on asking the
spirit (i.e., the invalid) why she had taken possession of the body of
the invalid, she, professing to be the soul of an old woman who died
some years ago, said that she was angry with the invalid for some
neglect of duty on her part, not weeding their relatives' graves
in this instance, and had come to fetch her away from life/and went
on to say that she came with the best intentions in the view of
restoring the sick person to health. At this a chorus of voices
arose from the relatives present to the effect that they were thank-
ful for this, but hoped she would depart as soon as possible. This
declaration, however, did not suit one of the chiefs present, and rising
he informed the visiting spirit that " a fig for her best intentions,
and that if she did not immediately leave the body of the invalid
he would take drastic measures to have her dragged out by the

scruff of the neck." The name of the chief is T— - M , and

of the invalid T . But this did not please the other friends

present who begged him to be conciliatory and not enrage the
spirit. Ultimately by persuasion and by using medicines suited
to the case, they said she departed, i.e. , the patient talked rationally
again.

But sometimes, they assert, the spirits of the dead can neither
be induced or compelled by persuasion or threats to vacate the
bodies of the living thus possessed, and death will ensue unless they
are driven out, for they generally cause sickness to increase. In
such cases certain persons, women and men, profess to be able by
anointing the body with certain herbs or by administering them
internally to expel the unwelcome visitant ; when the sick person,
that is, they say, the visiting spirit, always makes the strongest
objection to their use, asserting that it is quite unnecessary
that he or she is much better, &c., even though almost at the point
of death, in order that the use of the necessary exorcising remedies
may be prevented. I have dwelt on the above lengthily because
similar phenomena appear in the case of " mediums " and throws
some light on the old-as-Moses belief that certain persons were
or could be influenced by a " familiar spirit." I know what I now

69

write is somewhat disagreeable to advanced thinkers, some of
whom seem to have no belief in the existence of " familiar spirits "
or of Moses either, although he warned the Israelites 3,500 years
ago to have nothing to do with them, and with the greatest respect
for the majority of the Church of England clergy with some of the
latter either I am stating facts and not romancing.

PROMINENT PERSONALITIES

The Chinese residents, now fairly numerous, began to come
here in the seventies. Mr. Ah Sue, then having much property,
leading the way and establishing himself as a storekeeper at Mata-
fele, but having been unfortunately burnt out twice in the eighties
when he was uninsured, his losses have weighed him down. A man
who had always been most friendly to Europeans. It is supposed
that the fire on both occasions was caused by incendiaries.

John Davis, formerly in the Sydney mint, established himself
in Apia as a photographer in the seventies He died in 1903.
Latterly he was Postmaster. His numerous friends here subscribed
a few shillings to mark the grave where the old man is buried ;
but there is no tombstone.

About the year 1867 A. Poppe succeeded Th. Weber for three
years only in the conduct of the Godeffroys' business ; a strict
disciplinarian and a man of the highest probity.

H M. Ruge in this decade began, under the auspices of a
powerful Hamburg firm a struggle with the Godeffroys here and in
other islands for the commercial " pride of place " held by them,
but unsuccessfully, and with disastrous results to himself. Both
he and Mrs. Ruge died within a few days of one another in 1890.
A very estimable family. He had formerly conducted an extensive
mercantile business in South America. Few men that I have
met at the islands possessed more fascinating manners than fell
to his share. To him is due the credit of commencing the planting
of the Vaiala and Matautu road with shade trees (candle-nut) on
both sides.

Towards the end of the seventies my friend H. J. Moors, now
carrying on one of the largest mercantile businesses in Samoa,
arrived here from the United States.

Dr. Bernard Funk, the oldest medical practitioner in Apia,
made his bow to the invalid public here about the same period,
1881, and since then has won golden opinions by his medical success.
In obstetric cases especially he is the man.

Some years earlier P. H. Krause had settled amongst us,
also from the colonies. A very pushing colonist ; deceased in the
Tongan Group. He made several thousand pounds in business,
Th. Weber having previously given him a start, as he did many

70

others, by appointing him manager of one of the large German
plantations, a position held by him for several years, but the proverb
that riches " take to themselves wings and fly away " was unfor-
tunately verified to a considerable extent at least in his case.
A very good friend as I often found.

The great firm of Sir William Me Arthur & Co., then of Auck-
land, established itself in Samoa in the seventies, and continued
in business until the year 1902 when it was closed up, principally
through the heavy losses incurred by them in the cause celebre
referred to in a former article amounting, it is said, to over £50,000.
Their withdrawal from the island trade affected unfavourably a
good many people besides themselves and, from a political point of
view, paved the way to the subsequent annexation by Germany
of Western Samoa. Captain S. Lane of the " Maile " was in their
service for several years. In the nineties that vessel was lost off
the Xew Zealand coast when he, his son, and all on board perished,
the ship never having been heard of after leaving port.

He was much respected and, although the firm he represented
was never popular here, gained un versal respect by reason of his
sterling worth.

In 1875 Samoa was visited by the first German ship-of-war,
the H.I.M. Frigate " Gazelle." From that time till annexation,
German ships-of-war visited frequently Apia and Tonga, and to
most experts it appeared to be a foregone conclusion not only that
should the Tripartite Government, established on I4th June,
1889, by England, Germany, and America be found a failure,
Samoa would fall under German sole control, but that Tonga also
would then most probably be annexed by Germany. As regards
Tonga, events proved the contrary, and it was the nearest miss
possible, and had not Sir Arthur Gordon, Lord Stanmore, taken
Mr. Baker in hand some years previously it is almost certain that
the German flag would now be flying in Tonga.

William Blacklock, U.S. Vice-Consul General for several
years also came here in the seventies. His was another personality
whose influence, like Weber's, operated always powerfully on cur-
rent political events. A very clever man of business and exceed-
ingly popular. Although born in Melbourne he is an American
citizen, but can also claim, having been born on British soil, the
privilege of British nationality.

He and H. J. Moors, although in some matters opposed to each
other, were, as regards political affairs, entirely at one, excepting
perhaps in the 1898 fiasco when events proved the judgment of
the latter to be the soundest and best, although it is a question
whether Mr. Blacklock's opinion regarding the events which led
up to, and in effect caused, the 1899 war had it been followed,
would not have prevented those hostilities. I did not think so
at the time in the early part of 1898, but have reconsidered the
matter since with quite another conclusion.

SHIRLEY BAKER.

What the Rev. Shirley Waldemar Baker did in Tonga, and
the rock on which he split to pieces is best related as follows : —

Leaving his own department he sought to advance the political
interests of the King, or what he thought would advance them.

Further, working on the same lines, he taught the Tongans
that it was not in their interest that the large sums of money given
by them for religious purposes should pass out of their hands into
those of foreigners, i.e., the Sydney Wesleyan Conference.

That in order to prevent this the only course to be taken
was to make the King the head of the Church and the Treasurer,
and retain in Tonga all the collections or, at least, so much as the
King should require to be so retained.

And that all the appointments to the Ministry should be in
the gift of the King or of those Ministers whom he might nominate
to be controllers of such appointments.

Further, that the Tongan Church should break off its connection
with the Wesleyan Conference, and form a distinctly separate
church to be ruled by the King and not by the said Conference.

All of which came to pass with the result that the Wesleyan
body in Tonga became at once a divided church, the members of
which presently began to hate one another with that rancour
peculiar to all religious disputants. As lay foreigners in Tonga
with few exceptions take no extraordinary interest in church
matters these proceedings did not much disturb their equanimity.

But unfortunately for him Mr. Baker turned his attention
again to matters strictly political, and brought in array against
himself nearly all the British residents on the ground that he was
endeavouring to influence King George against England and pro-
mote in the Group the influence of another Foreign Power, i.e.,
Germany, whose ships-of-war were then, from time to time, visiting
Tonga. As about that time King George made the same arrange-
ment with the Power mentioned which Mamea, in 1878, made with
the U.S. Government, viz., the giving Germany a bay in Vavau,
as the Samoan Government had given the bay of Pago Pago to the
United States ; the opposition which he received from the British
residents in Tonga certainly appeared to have some solid basis.

And although Sir Arthur Gordon, the Governor of Fiji, who
visited Tongatabu in 1878 did not say so ; such thoughts most
probably occurred to him.

In consequence of the division of the church very serious
troubles arose.

72

The King demanded from all the Ministers that his authority,
and not that of the Wesley an Conference, should be recognised.

Man\T of the native clergy refused to do this, and a religious
persecution ensued, not indeed like that of the famous Inquisition,
but still bad enough.

Some were exiled or had to leave their work, others were other-
wise ill -treated, and some had their lives shortened by the steps
taken by the Government ; all of which, rightly or wrongly (I had
left Tonga some time before these events) were set to the account of
Mr. Baker.

And so in the eighties a gang of men waylaid him one evening
when taking his customary carriage drive and endeavoured to
assassinate him ; the shots missed him, but one of his daughters
with him in the carriage through her attempt to shield him with her
own body fell out of the vehicle heavily on the ground and received
spinal injuries which confined her to her bed and room for several
years.

Further complications ensued and five or six men were ap-
prehended on the charge, taken out to one of the islands in the
harbour and there executed by shooting.

I have also heard that it was the intention of the Government
to execute at the same time a good many more Tongans on the
ground that they were accessory to the crime, but that prompt
action on the part of a leading European gentleman there prevented
it.

As a matter of course such occurrences attracted the notice
of the Governor of Fiji who visited Tonga, interviewed Mr. Baker,
and requested him to absent himself from the Tongan Group for
I think two years, which he did ; the Rev. Mr. Watkin taking his
place as director of the King's church.

Subsequently Mr. Baker took up his residence in Auckland;
I dined with him there in 1894.

A year or two afterwards the Bank of New Zealand of which
he was then one of the Directors, being a large shareholder, was
compelled to go into liquidation with very serious consequences
to himself.

He then returned to the islands, but his friend old King George
was dead, and all his former native supporters, or nearly all, deserted
him in his hour of distress.

About the same time Mrs. Baker, devotedly attached to him
died and from thence forward, until his death in 190 — , troubles
thickened round him.

From the native opposition to his measures he had little to
fear, but the opposition of the Europeans certainly told.

In the Times, London, in January, 1904, just after Mr. Baker's
death, a letter appeared from a correspondent stating that his
political opponents in Tonga were beachcombers. As the word
is offensive the reader will please observe that all his adversaries

73

.were men who possessed advantages coming to them from
good descent, or education, or wealth, or social position, and whose
characters could not, at any rate, be attacked on moral grounds,
lor his chief opponents in Tonga, during the seventies were Walter
Parker, deceased, and his brother Samuel, belonging to a first-
class English mercantile family who brought to Tonga in the sixties
a capital of several thousand pounds which they invested in a large
sheep station at the island of Eua near Tongatabu ; Robert Hanslip,
highly educated, the son of an English lawyer ; the Payn Bros.,
deceased, speaking French fluently, and belonging to a very good
family in the Channel Islands ; P. S. Bloomfield, the son of an
American clergyman ; and William Young, an English University
man and a finished classical scholar. The persons above mentioned
attacked Mr. Baker because they considered that his actions were
unsuitable to the position of a clergyman, and they regarded him
as unpatriotic.

The reader must not suppose that any animus exists against
him in what I have written above ; I have endeavoured to state
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ; and as
partial proof of this I will now sketch some of his good qualities
to serve as a set off against the bad.

The lives of men like Shirley Baker are public property, and it
is to the public advantage that they should be criticised.

However bitter might be the attacks of his enemies, he ever
in times of their sickness or of that of their families gave his medi-
cal advice, always most valuab'e, freely, and did his best for the
sick persons ; nothing true in my knowledege can be urged against
his moral character.

He was also, without being a total abstainer, strictly tem-
perate.

Neither was he revengeful ; no man can attack him justly on
that score. I repeat that when some of his bitterest enemies had
sickness in their houses he did his best successfully to help them.

He was also a very kind-hearted man, much more so than
some of his opponents. I believe that he was always ready to
help anyone in distress. *

He was a worker in the hive of men, and no drone, rising long
before daylight and continuing work in his study till eight or
nine o'clock. After midday he indulged in, a siesta, and then laboured
on till the middle of the night.

Probably, if judged by the rule of " charity " he may in the
unseen world find a better record than that which men have as-
signed to him here.

The great Dr. Johnson, who liked (I don't), what he called
" a good hater," had he been Baker's contemporary, would probably

74

have snubbed him ferociously on this account, but whether
he would have been right in so doing is quite another matter, lor
unless a much superior man to Dr. Johnson, — viz., Paul, the
Apostle — was wrong " the greatest of all virtues is charity," and
that Baker, with all his faults, possessed to a greater extent than
his enemies.

INTERESTING PERSONALITIES OF TONGA.

Another personality in the Tonga Group was the Rev. Dr.
Moulton, a brother of one of the revisers of the New Testament,
lately deceased, who turned with great success his valuable ener-
gies and ripe scholarship to the advancement of the Tongans, not
in political, but in educational and other useful matters. As the
only personal recollections of the Wesleyan clergy in the Tonga
Group possessed by me are of himself and his opponent, Mr. Baker,
I have to pass them by in silence, always excepting the Rev. Mr.
Minns, of Vavau, whose acquaintanceship was a pleasant episode
in my visits to Vavau. Moses David, who died in Sydney in 1906,
lived there for some years. He, a Polish Jew, came first to Samoa
.and then migrated to the Tonga Group, accumulating much pro-
perty at the islands ; he was very popular, although he often by
his success stirred the bile of his opponents in business. I remem-
ber Captain Turnbull telling me that when David commenced
storekeeping in Apia close to him, the rush of business to David
was unprecedented, crowds of natives hourly entering and emerg-
ing from his doors (he undersold), and that at last, Turnbull said,
it made him so angry that he could not stand it any longer, and
bolted and double bolted and kept bolted those windows in his
store which commanded a view of Moses' premises.

It is strange that nearly all the Gentiles, excepting England,
France, and America, still curse the Hebrews ; for their covetous-
ness, forgetting that long before, and ever since, Isaac of York
had his teeth extracted by our Sovereign King John for the pur-
pose of extracting Isaac's cash ; " the Jews have frequently been
compelled to purchase life at the price of their hoarded gold "
(Beeton) ; and so naturally have been driven into the regarding
money as a sine qua non in all cases of desperation.

The Jews have proved themselves to be very good British
citizens, and it is to be feared that many a " good Christian," in
my experience at least, never sniffs at turning an honest penny,
even though ill-natured people hint that the interest he charges is
not only stiff, but also savours of what financiers call compound
interest. Another matter, the care the Jews take of their chil-
dren and which their children take of their parents may be well
imitated by many Christians in Australasia, and through the ages

75

rings the warning threat, always fulfilled, of the Hebrew prophet
" all that devour Jacob shall offend — evil shall come upon them."
The Sanfts and Woolf grams, from Germany, were the pio-
neers in Vavau. Subsequently the Parsons went there under the
auspices of McArthur & Co., of New Zealand. Some members of
the family are still in the group. The Wesleyan Mission brig
" John Wesley " visited Tonga regularly under the command of
Captain Mansell, of Sydney, one of whose daughters married
Mr. Powell, formerly H.B.M. Consul here, and now Consul at
Philadelphia, U.S.A., Adviser to British Plenipotentiaries at the
Samoan Conference, Berlin, 1899. Captain John Lyons, of Syd-
ney, my old friend, traded there constantly in the sixties.

Up to 1869 no wholesale firm had established itself in Tonga,
with the exception of Lifuka, Haabai (the scene of the Port au
Prince massacre on the ist December, z8o6), where Herr Schlueter
for Godeffroys, had opened business. He, in 1870, was succeeded
by Herr Becker, who now resides in Tongatabu. Messrs. Hart-
shorn, Winter, Jones, Pashley, Cocker and the Payns had then
places of business in Nukualofa or other towns ; Hoefner,
Peterson and Middlemiss in Haabai ; G. A. Kronfeld, at present
an important broker and merchant in Auckland, was formerly in
Vavau, managing for Godeffroys, preceded in 1870 by one of my
deceased friends, J. Dixson. Herr Walter, now in New Zealand,
managed H. M. Ruge & Co.'s business in Tongatabu.

At Tongatabu Waldemar von Treskow took over my manage-
ment of Godeffroys' business there in 1879, having been appointed
Imperial German Consul, which position he occupied till he
retired on a well-earned pension.

Owen & Graham, of Auckland, began business in Tonga,
Vavau and Apia in the middle of the seventies, and, like the
McArthurs in Samoa, lost heavily, retiring from the trade in the
eighties.

In 1875 or 1876, during a hurricane at Tongatabu, their ves-
sel, the schooner " May Queen," was lost with all hands. One
of the partners and young Owen, the son of Mr. Owen, were on
board and called, with the captain of the vessel, at our office a
few hours before she left for Eua, the island to the eastward of
Tonga, about 18 miles distant, with no cargo except a few cases
of goods. The cyclone came on almost immediately after, and
the vessel was seen the next day off Houma, on the south side of
Tonga.

\Yhile in the office the skipper raised the point to the owner
that it was not safe, being the hurricane season, for the vessel to
leave port in the state in which she was, before he had put suffi-
cient ballast on board to make her secure against capsizing should
they encounter a gale, but the latter,, on enquiring and finding from

76

the masttr that this would occupy perhaps a couple of days, pooh"
poohed the thing, saying that Eua being close to there was no
danger, and they could soon run back if there were.

The captain, therefore, had to give in, and, as the vessel was
never seen afterwards, excepting during the height of the gale, as
mentioned above, it is almost certain that she capsized. In the
same hurricane Captain Carmichael, in another vessel, also from
Eua, managed providentially, by the nearest miss possible, to
escape striking a little before dark the east passage into Tonga ;
as his vessel was also flying light he saved his distance and his life
by one hour only.

Mr. J. Cocker brought his family to Tongatabu in the fifties
from Melbourne, where he and his two brothers — a Yorkshire
Wesleyan family — had carried on business in a very large way,
but came to grief by over-speculating in breadstuffs, failing for
/8o,ooo. One of them became afterwards a Doctor or Professor
of Divinity in the United States ; the other went as passenger in
my vessel from Tonga to Penrhyn Island in 1859, and thence via
Tahiti to Canada, where he became a bank manager. Cocker had
more of the milk of human kindness in him than any other man
that I have met with in the few and evil days (as Jacob says) of
my life on the earth. I feel confident that in the other world,
into which he passed several years since, the Recorder there has
noted this down " Blessed are the merciful," &c., &c.

Amongst all the personages of Tongan history stands promi-
nent the first King George, who died in 189 — , more than ninety
years old. His history shows how much a man of energy and
talent can not only accomplish himself, but cause others to accom-
plish. Xone of the duplicity which so often characterises the
chiefs of the island races disfigured his career ; a plain, blunt-
spoken, straightforward man. As I was necessarily in constant
communication with him for quite ten years, I am able to correctly
describe his character. He and his near relative Maafu, the Ton-
gan vicegerent over the portion of Fiji subject to Tongan au-
thority, filled for more than fifty years the leading positions in
both countries. He and Maafu stand forth as two giant forms in
the Tongan and Fijian history from the thirties to their death,
fighting manfully and successfully against heathenism and other
evils in that period.

Before the King came into power the three groups of Tonga,
as well as the eastern portion of Fiji, were mere slaughter-houses
of cannibalism, stained with violence and cruelties of the worst
kind, heightened by the bloodthirsty rites and worship peculiar to
heathenism. Both men reformed this and brought in, the King in
Tonga and Maafu in Fiji, a complete change. King George first
turned his attention in the forties, or earlier, to the bringing under
one head and rule (his own) Haabai, where he was born, Vavau,
and Tongatabu, and succeeded.

77

It must be stated that in Tonga the chiefs always hold extra-
ordinary power. Mariner tells us that their influence was be-
lieved in heathen times to extend to the other world as well ; the
lowest orders of the people (Tooa) not being supposed to exist
there at all, in fact, to have no souls.

In 1859 I called in at Tongatabu on my way from Apia to
Penrhyn Island, and stayed there a fortnight, making the ac-
quaintance of the then Governor Setereki, a very superior man.
One or two occasions when walking out with him I noticed that
nearly every man we met, not a chief, sat down on his haunches
the moment he approached or passed him, and learned that such
was the custom with all high chiefs, every commoner being ex-
pected or required to do this when they were met by them.

King George, I believe, gradually did away with this custom,
being offensive to him and to other chiefs.

One of my friends, the late Mr. Moss, Secretary to the King
for many years, exercised always his influence with him in the
interest of and to the good of the whole community. A position
of this kind with the sovereign of tribes just emerging from bar-
barism is most important, although sometimes, as in his case, a
thankless one. His widow, an estimable lady, is with some of his
children now living in Australia.

CITIZENS — DESIRABLE AND OTHERWISE.

In 1872 the U.S. ship-of-war " Narraganset " arrived in
Samoa, and her commander made an arrangement with one of the
high chiefs of Tutuila by which the United States obtained a
sp:cies of sovereignty over the harbour of Pago Pago.

Steinberger, an American political adventurer, visited first
Samoa in 1872 reconnoitering, and returned in 1875 with some sem-
blance of recognition by the U.S. Government. According to Dr.
Reinecke — vide his work on Samoa, page 33 — he was of Jewish
descent. He brought with him his yacht, the " Peerless," one of
the fastest vessels of her size in the Pacific, and became Prime
Minister of the then de facto Government. Having obtained
complete influence over the chiefs in power, he at one time seemed
to be likely to form a stable government.

But in the beginning of 1876 Captain Stevens, of H.M.S.
" Barracouta," made him prisoner on the representations of the
U.S. Consul Foster, and he was deported to the United States.
On the 13th March, 1876, a serious affray occurred at Mulinuu
between the men belonging to the " Barracouta " which vessel
came here in 1875, and the Taimua (members of the de facto Go-
vernment).

78

Captain Stevens took Malietoa Laupepa with a guard of
honour to Mulinuu, under the intention of inducing the Taimua to
accept Laupepa as their Sovereign ; an ill-advised step, as the
sequel showed, for the chiefs resented this, and suddenly in an
unprovoked manner fired on the guard of honour.

Fortunately the latter perceived the movement just in time
to prevent themselves from being all shot down, but several of
them were killed and others wounded, not, however, before they
had destroyed many of their assailants.

This occurrence not only occasioned the loss of life of many
brave Englishmen, to say nothing of the Samoans then killed
through their own folly, but was the ruin of a valued and coura-
geous officer, Captain Stevens, for the authorities in England
disapproved of his action, and, although it is stated that other
causes compelled him to resign his commission, it is an open secret
that the Mulinuu affray was the real cause. He, sad to relate, died
suddenly in the United States in great obscurity.

Many very undesirable colonists arrived from California in
1876, and the first and last case of lynching in Samoa took place
then, 1876 or 1877. A man named Cochrane of mixed blood
murdered one of his friends, Fox, without any quarrel or cause,
while they were both drinking at the bar of a public house, kept
by a coloured man — William Henry — situate where the present
Central Hotel is.

Being arrested he was brought to trial before Consul Foster;
U.S., at Mulinuu, as he claimed to be an American.

Mr. Davis, photographer, deceased, who arrived here in 1872,
was appointed his advocate ; Mr. Hetherington Carruthers was
Crown Prosecutor. Cochrane was found guilty, there being several
witnesses of the crime, and was sentenced to be sent to California
for trial there. He was put on board Mr. Parker's vessel, the "Ada
May," then lying in the harbour and nearly ready for sea.

But the public foreseeing that he would never be brought
to justice under this arrangement called a meeting in the night
at the International Hotel, and by unanimous vote by ballot,
it was decided that he should be taken out of the vessel, brought
on shore and at once hanged.

Three or four boats, full of citizens, put off directly and took
him out of the vessel. They found him lying down, dressed,
handcuffed, with stockinged feet but without boots ; on his re-
questing to be allowed to put them on he was bluntly told that
" where he was going boots were not required."

Brought on shore, a clergyman of the Protestant Church,
Dr. George Turner, deceased, was sent for, and half an hour was
given him to prepare for his dread journey ; after which he was
blindfolded, a rope put round his neck, and led from the public
house where he had committed the murder across the road to a
cocoanut tree, growing exactly in the middle of the spot where

79

Mr. Davis' house now stands, and run up to the top of the tree
with a heavy thud so that the knotted rope (round his neck) caught
the jugular vein, and dropped thence about six feet.

Life was soon extinct, but he remained hanging till ten o'clock
next morning when he was taken down and buried.

Judge Gorrie from Fiji came afterwards and made enquiry
into the matter, but as no reliable evidence could be obtained to
prove who hanged him no further proceeding could be instituted.
The Judge, however, informed the citizens that if anything further
of this kind happened he would take steps therein which would
be of an extremely disagreeable nature to the parties concerned,
adding as a rider that he regretted very much that he could not do
it in this instance.

Dissensions were always existing in the seventies between
Malietoa Talavou, the Taimua, and the Puletua party (of which
Malietoa Laupepa was the head). The latter in 1877 endeavoured
to wrest the power out of the hands of the Taimua, and a bloody
fight ensued ; had it not been for the intervention of H.B.M. Consul
Liardet, to whose house and grounds the beaten Puletua party
fled for shelter they would all have been massacred by their op-
ponents.

In 1878 the Taimua faction, being then in possession of Mulinuu
and of the Government, despatched as their Ambassador to the
United States the chief Mamea, a man of great ability ; and the
possession by the States of Pago Pago harbour was then confirmed
to them by a treaty made with the States by Mamea representing
the de facto Government of Samoa, viz., the Taimua.

Towards the end of the seventies my friend H. J. Moors, now
carrying on one of the largest mercantile businesses in Samoa,
arrived here from the United States.

A. H. Decker, deceased in 1895, for several years a coadjutor
of the manager of Godeffroys' firm, Samoa, and afterwards at the
time of his death, one of the auditors of the Municipal accounts,
arrived from Hamburg in 1869. Captain Decker, his father, had
charge of several of Godeffroys' largest ships for many years.
Herr Riedel, of Hamburg, lately manager of the D.H. & P.G.,
married one of his daughters.

Mamea returned from the States in the middle of 1878. A
very large taalolo was then given by the Government at Mulinuu
to the captain and officers of the United States frigate which ar-
rived at the same time. Nearly 4,000 Samoans were present, a
very imposing gathering.

Towards the end of 1879 another United States politician
arrived (General Bartlett) and joined himself to the Tumua, the
opponents of Malietoa Talavou.

Shortly after his arrival Consul Theodore Weber and Captain
Deinhardt, H.I. M.S. " Bismarck " went in December. 1879, w^tn
a body of armed men to Faleata \vhere the Tumua were encamped,

80

disarmed them, and then induced them to recognise Talavou as
their King ; a very dangerous expedition but successful ; force
here accomplishing what persuasion failed to do in the Barracouta
tragedy. A large barque having been chartered the Tumua troops
(from Savaii) were at once put on board of her and she was towed
to Savaii by one of the German ships-of-war lying here at the time.
By the advice of the three Consuls a Government was then formed
of which Talavou was King, and Laupepa Vice-King, and Mataafa
Premier.

About the same time Sir Arthur Gordon (now Lord Stanmore)
came again from Fiji, and then recommended the formation of
Apia into a Municipality, and the making it a neutral ground on
which in times of war both the belligerent parties could meet in
perfect safety.

Great credit is due to -Sir Arthur for this measure, it has been
of incalculable benefit to both whites and natives ever since.

Mr. Hunt from New Zealand had been endeavouring to obtain
a footing in the Councils of Talavou with much success, and as this
appeared to be dangerous to the public peace Sir Arthur shipped
him off to Fiji in rather a summary manner ; for the Gordons,
now, as in former times, stand no nonsense from their henchmen.

Mr. Hunt endeavoured to obtain damages for it but without
avail.

On the other hand I am informed that the proceedings incident
to this occasioned Sir Arthur so much annoyance and expense
that he rather regretted that he had deported Hunt. And it is
quite certain that one at least, the only survivor, of the three
Government officials who recommended Sir Arthur to make the
deportation has regretted doing so ever since, not so much in the
interests of the person deported as in that of the deporter and the
public generally.

" Belling the cat " when the cat is the public should be left
solely to men who aspire to be leaders of a " forlorn hope."

Si

AN IMPORTANT DECADE- THE EIGHTIES.

During the eighties many important changes happened in
Samoan affairs.

The Municipal Council established by the advice of Sir Arthur
Gordon in 1880 consisted of the three Consuls and three citizens
of the Consuls' nationalities, one of each being chosen by each
Consul. Previously, in 1880, the King had appointed as his Ministers
three foreigners — English, American and German — nominated by
the three Consuls, but this plan proved abortive, the King declining
to pay their salaries or indeed to be guided to any appreciable
extent by their advice.

The above system continued to work fairly well until 1886,
when the Government barque began to enter troubled waters. There
was a Magistrate receiving 81,000 per year. Mr. Carruthers was
the first gentleman appointed. The first Treasurer, appointed
yearly, was August Godeffroy, succeeded by H. M. Ruge and E. L.
Hamilton. As the whole yearly income of the Municipality did
not exceed 85,000, made up from store, property (I per cent,
on the value) and profession and trade taxes, the Treasurer's duties
were not onerous. During Mr. Ruge's term of office he planted
both sides of the road at Matautu with shade trees (candle-nut)
and had he lived would no doubt have conferred this public benefit
on the west (Matafele) end of the town. This may seem to some
a trifling matter, but in this climate its value cannot be over-
estimated. Gavan Duffy did a similar thing on a grand scale for
the city of Melbourne in the matter of parks and domains there.
Those were happy times, having as will be perceived many ad-
vantages in the shape of light taxation, but not being without
disadvantages, the principal of which consisted in the fact that
Europeans had always, under this system, to run the risk of having
their throats cut or their property destroyed, the latter actually
happening in 1899, during native wars and dissensions.

The Samoa Times, a weekly newspaper, was started at the
close of the seventies by W. Agar, the representative of Mr. Griffiths
of Levuka and Suva, Fiji, but he unfortunately died two or three
years afterwards, and the paper was discontinued in consequence,
reviving however after a short interval under the auspices of S.
Cusack, followed by R. T. Chatfield, J. H. Denvers and W. A.
King, now the proprietor of a Fiji newspaper. Latterly the Times
was incorporated with the Weekly Herald, a paper started some
time before by J. H. Denvers in opposition to it.

82

The paper was very useful, like all well-conducted journals,
but could not have paid its way had not job printing come to its
assistance.

From 1873 to 1877 S. F. Williams, a son of J. C. Williams,
took his place. During his continuance in office there happened
the Barracouta tragedy and the Steinberger deportation. Stein-
berger and his associates moved briskly round at the period
mentioned, endeavouring to verify skilled chemists' assertions
that it is possible to set the ocean on fire, but it came to nought ;
excepting, indeed (a very important exception, though), that the
United States acquired through it the valuable harbour of Pago Pago.
Williams was succeeded by Lieut. E. A. Liardet, R.N., 1877 to 1878.
He also took part in the general melee while in office ; going to Fiji,
F. Cornwall was Acting Consul for three months.

At his death, on the loth February, 1878, Sir Arthur Gordon
for the short space of a month remained here, when A. P. Maundslay,
coming from Tonga, acted as Consul for three months. This
gentleman belonged to a wealthy English family, and has written
one or two books of travel which have pleased the literary public.

R. S. Swanston, previously referred to, then acted as Consul
for about a year, succeeded again in July, 1879, by J. Hicks Graves,
subsequently in 1883 appointed H.M. Consul at Madagascar.

In March, 1882, Lieutenant W. B. Churchward. I4th Regiment,
the author of " My Consulate in Samoa," who served in the Maori
War, was appointed Consul, and continued in office until November,
1885, when W. Powell took the reins of office.

In 1886, 1887, Messrs. Coutts, Trotter, W. H. Wilson, and
H. F. Symonds, a relative of Sir George Grey, followed ; the latter
dying in Tongatabu in 1887, very much regretted.

In September, 1888, Colonel H. W. R. de Coetlogon arrived
and acted as Consul until the arrival of Mr. Cusack-Smith, now
Sir T. Berry Cusack-Smith, K.C.M.G., in May, 1890.

All the above officials had their hands full, for the eighties
especially were the scene of much racial hatred, even now occasion-
ally effervescing, and of struggles by political parties to wrest the
power from one another. In 1881, Tamasese, Senr., was made
Vice-King, continuing in this office until 1884.

Matters continued fairly quiet until 1885 , when Malietoa Lau-
pepa. acting on the ill advice of one of his officials, William Coe, the
son of U.S. Consul Coe, previously mentioned, wrote an insulting let-
ter to the German Consul-General Stuebel, resulting in the removal
of the King from his high office and the appointment by the German
authorities of Tamasese, Senr., in his place, in 1886-7, to which
appointment U.S Consul-General Sewall objected But the
appointment was confirmed and the German ships-of-war here,
five, gave him a royal salute of 21 guns. Previously, on the i6th
April, 1886, Mr. Gruenebaum, the U.S. Consul, protected the

Samoan flag at the U.S. Consulate by setting the American flag
over it. This caused some delay in the proceedings regarding
Malietoa, a conference on the subject took place at Washington
between the Three Powers in the year 1887-8 without result,
America standing alone and in the minority.

In the middle of 1887, Malietoa having been deposed and
Tamasese being King, Herr Brandeis was made Premier, Mr. Martin
acting as Magistrate ; the last-named gentleman, a man of con-
siderable ability and much liked by all who knew him, had been
one of the unsuccessful cotton pioneers in Fiji, mentioned
previously. After remaining in Samoa several years he went
in 189- to Bolivia where his brother occupied an important
mercantile i>csition.

Herr Brandeis began his career as Prime Minister with a very
fair prospect of success, being popular with b<5th foreigners and
natives and thoroughly understanding his arduous work, for
which he was completely competent, but no irian however well
qualified could possibly make headway against the difficulties
environing the position.

These were greatly increased by the native dissatisfaction at
the deportation by Germany to Jaluit, on I7th July, 1887, of
Malietoa Laupepa, to which event I shall now devote a few lines.

Tamasese for some months before his retiring from the
Malietoa Government and his going to Aana (in 1884 I think)
had not been on good terms with his chief ; his setting up a rival
standard therefore in Aana, to which action Herr Brandeis had
prompted him, did not at all surprise the public, and it soon became
evident to everybody that Tamasese was the German candidate
for the Kingly office. Events pointing in the same direction
rapidly developed themselves until in the early part of 1887 Malietoa
was proclaimed by the German Consul as an enemy of the German
Emperor. Troops from the Imperial warships were landed and
Malietoa fled to the mountains attended by his chiefs and retainers.
In a few weeks, it being apparent to him that resistance was useless,
he came in, surrendered, and was deported to Jaluit in a German
ship-of-war on the I7th July, 1887.

Immediately following this began the Tamasese-Brandeis
Government which continued in a flourishing condition for many
months when an apparently small cloud of hostility appeared on
the political horizon. I well remember the circumstance. Brandeis
gave a very large beer supper in honour of the Government at his
official residence Mulinuu, at which the de facto King and nearly
all the Apia foreign residents were present. In the midst of our
supper, about 10 p.m., a messenger arrived from the int€rior bearing
the unwelcome news that Malietoa's forces (but numbering only
about 500 men) were shadowing the town at a short distance inland
of Vailima, and the entertainment broke up unsatisfactorily. On
the day following Tamasese's men went out to drive back the rebels,

84

but returned in the evening bearing, deadly wounded, several of
their number. Skirmishes of this kind continued for several
weeks, until in September, 1888, Mataafa, bearing the name of
Malietoa, came to the front, and consented to head the forces
arrayed against the de facto Government.

Mataafa, a Roman Catholic chief, is a man of great ability ;
he, in the words of the Irish poet re St. Patrick, is " a gintleman,
and comes of dacent people," deserving to rank with King George
of Tonga and Maafu amongst island worthies. His conduct on this
occasion was patriotic ; he put his life into his hand, knowing this
well, when he accepted the call of the Malietoa chiefs to lead their
troops on the above occasion. I have always understood that
his ghostly advisers, recognising this fact, counselled him to keep
aloof from the fray.

Brandeis' fall arose from various causes besides the above,
one of which was the brutal oppression exercised by some of his
native officials and magistrates over the people set under them,
in some cases I was told fining men twenty or thirty dollars each
for civil offences which should have been rated at perhaps half
a dollar to one dollar : tying up horses too near the road, &c.

Brandeis himself was not responsible for this, for as he did
not desire it, so he could not prevent it. Although apparently
at the time a trifling matter, it was the last straw which broke the
camel's back.

It was a warning to all governments of native races to beware
how they handle them in financial matters ; tax them fairly by all
means but do so in an unobtrusive manner, and show them (for as
regards cash, they are not devoid of common sense) that they have
not to pay any tax which the white settler has not to pay, or is
exempt from.

A PERIOD OF UNREST.

Going back to 1877 again, for it is necessary to travel backwards
and forwards as a weaver plies his web in the " plain unvarnished "
tale of the past that I am writing, I find that in that year Mr. Car-
ruthers, a very clever lawyer, first stepped into the Samoan forensic
arena and has (though I don't say so because he has always been
one of my best friends) been most u^sful to the public in that
department. Born in Melbourne, the son of the Rev. — Hethering-
ton, for many years Minister of the largest Presbyterian Church
in Victoria. His name Carrvithers falls to him through his having
become, some years ago, the heir of a large entailed property in
Scotland to which the condition is attached that its possessor shall
always assume this name. On arrival here he resumed the practice
of the law and thence played a prominent part and occupied
important positions in the history of Samoa.

In 1880 he was appointed chief Magistrate under King
Malietoa Laupspa and filled that onerous office for several years
during which he succeeded in putting down much lawlessness,
inaugurating in fact during his term of control a very much better
state of things than that which had previously prevailed in Apia
and its suburbs.

As he had carefully studied the Samoan customs connected
with land-ownership he was able to give valuable assistance to the
foreign land claimants before the Samoan Land Commission where
he represented the D.H. & P.O., the American Land Company,
F. Cornwall, and nearly all the large land owners.

His knowledge of the language, the family histories, and the
customs of the Samoans enabling him to meet them on their own
ground and expose all dishonest claims by the natives, he succeeded
in establishing the claims of his clients in nearly every case, and so
it turned out that it was largely due to a British lawyer that the
German land titles, of which so much political capital was af terwards
made, were confirmed. He was elected a member of the Municipal
Council shortly after its creation, and served every term but one
during its existence, several times acting as chairman when the
office of President was from time to time vacated. After the hoist-
ing of the German flag he was nominated member of the Government
Council and still retains that position.

In agricultural matters Mr. Carruthers stands at the head
of all pioneers for as long ago as 1899 he showed by the successful
way in which he handled his cacao plantation that cacao planting

86

was a good investment ; no cacao in fact, as far as i know, having
been produced in Samoa before he gathered at Maletu in 1898 a
valuable crop from the eight to ten acres he had planted there.

The war began as said in September, 1888, Tamasese entrench-
ing himself strongly at Mulinuu ; Mataafa (Malietoa) occupying
Apia and the suburbs, surrounding Tamasese in fact. The latter
received the moral support of the German authorities now pro-
claiming Mataafa to be a rebel ; and thus giving his adversary
an enormous advantage. The other two Powers stood professedly
neutral but Consul General Sewall and Vice-Consul General Black-
lock from the first threw their weight as far as officially possible
into the scale and turned it. In October, 1888, Tamasese retreated
from Mulinuu to Luatuanuu and sorne highly interesting but very
bloody hand to hand conflicts took place there outside and within
the forts. At this time Dr. Knappe was German Consul and
Colonel de Coetlogon British Consul. Herr Marquardt, resident for
many years amongst us and who has filled several important
positions, was, when the revolt against Tamasese previously men-
tioned began, in 1888, Military Instructor of the troops under
appointment from Mr. Brandeis. He informs me that this very
important event leading as it did to the ultimate dispersal of the
Tripartite Government began and was reported to him at the dinner
I am about to mention, and not at Herr Brandeis' Mulinuu Bier-
abend. It has nothing to do with the narrative and so the reader
must pardon my mentioning that at a public dinner given as a
send off to his predecessor, the gallant colonel, having just arrived,
was present, and in his speech, replying to some oratorical flattery
tendered him by one of the speakers, informed us that that was all
very well but " that in his experience it was better by a lot to be
presided over by the devil we know than by the devil we don't
know," and the truth of this pertinent remark was amply veri-
fied by the experience of the public (not to say the writer) during
the one year and eight months in which we were favoured with
his presence ; if all Britishers were like him fear of invasion at
home and in the colonies would be absurd, for every man there
would arm.

In December, 1888, the natives were ordered to disarm, which
they declined to do, and further complications resulted.

On the iyth of that month an arrangement was made between
Tamasese and the German authorities by which the former under-
took to bring down his forces to Vailele, there meet troops from the
warship " Olga," and then combine in an attack upon the Mataafa
forces for the purpose of disarming them, according to the Govern-
ment proclamation. But Tamasese did not come down that night,
and when the " Olga's " men about 160, reached Vailele they were
confronted by a force of perhaps 2,000 men, well armed, desperate
and furious at the command to give up their weapons. One word
followed another, and in the darkness of a midnight as black as ink

8?

the unequal contest began, resulting in the death of several officers
and thirteen of the marines. Forty more were wounded, but the
Samoans must have suffered a much greater loss.

On this occasion Mataafa could have destroyed the whole force,
not a man would have remained alive had he not held in his hand.

A friend described to me the peculiar sensations ordinarily
attending hair-breadth escapes of this kind related to him by one
of the wounded sailors there as felt when one of the Samoans
approached him in the dark for the purpose of getting his head
as a trophy believing that he was a corpse (or that the coup de grace,
as the French say, would benefit him, for even between deadly
enemies there is often some such sympathy). The cold steel of the
large knife as it rubbed along his neck made him feel very un-
comfortable he said, but the native found out his mistake and
spared him.

From that night, the iyth December, to the iyth March
following, the war continued in a fitful manner, Tamasese's power
daily waxing weaker and weaker. Mataafa Malietoa's forces
occupying the suburbs were shelled from time to time by the
German warships but without their receiving much damage as
they always took care to vacate spots where the shells ordinarily
fell.

Samoa now began to excite public interest in Europe and the
United States, in consequence of which several more ships-of-war
were sent to Apia, so that on the I5th to iyth March, 1889, when a
hurricane took place, there were in Apia harbour three German,
three American, and one English war vessels all conning the situation
and one another with not very friendly intentions, just as was the
case ten years afterwards in the same month.

On shore the three Consuls fulminated official and non-official
missives towards and against one another ; for a short time Apia
was placed under martial law by the German warships, and the
situation generally was disquieting and disagreeable to everybody
in town except Irishmen who, so far from disapproving this sort
of thing, are never so happy as when they are in the midst of a row.

This was particularly the case with our then worthy Consul
who never at least while he lived amongst us belied his country's
traditions in that particular.

As Tamasese was shut up in Luatuanuu all dangers from the
collision of the two rival armies ceased, but thousands of armed
men of the Mataafa Malietoa troops hovered round Apia and its
suburbs waiting for something to turn up and for emergencies.
Nothing however of this kind occurred until the hurricane, par-
ticulars of which will appear in the next article, was the means of
practically ending the war between both parties. Tamasese
died two years afterwards in April, 1891.

88

THE " CALLIOPE " HURRICANE.

The 1889 hurricane. I must prelude by saying that this
event has been by some much underrated. It was a very severe
storm, and although the wind was of less violence than the sea, it
was bad enough. As regards the waves which then rolled into
Apia harbour they will never be forgotten by those who saw them ;
it is wonderful that the only vessel which lifted her anchors and put
to sea, the " Calliope," escaped being driven on the eastern reef
and dashed to pieces. The night of the I5th March was, in its
early part remarkably calm and gave no sign of what was coming,
although the barometer fell very low. It is a singular fact that in
Samoa the glass sometimes gives no warning until the hurricane
reaches us. This was the case, as noticed by me, in 1883 in a very
severe cyclone at that period where almost at the height of the gale
the barometer showed 29.80. In Tonga, on the contrary, the
reverse is the case, for when there the glass falls to 29.50 a hurricane
is certain to follow, though not perhaps for some hours.

While I was in Tonga — ten years — there were three severe
hurricanes (always foretold some hours before by the glass falling
below 29.50 of its normal rate 30.05), but in a fourth which lasted
only two hours, from I to 3 p.m., the barometer fell half an inch
— five-tenths — in half an hour, being 30.00 at noon and 29.50 at
12.30, coming on not many minutes afterwards.

In Apia, in the last few years the glass has not been much of
a guide as regards the weather ; in fact one year i e ently it went down
to 29.60 with no bad weather attending it, and with really stormy
weather has sometimes not gone much below 29.80.

At 6 p.m. on the i5th March the sea in the harbour was smooth
as glass. At 6 a.m. next morning a furious cyclone was ravaging
land and sea, continuing all that day, the i6th, and during its
whole night. Just before daylight H.I.G.M.S. " Eber " foundered,
taking down with her 71 men. Almost immediately after her
sister ship, the " Adler," was lifted like a cork on one huge billow
and deposited in safety on the Matafele reef. Twenty-five of her
men lost their lives also, but not all by drowning. Eight o'clock
arrived and then it was evident from the dense volume of black
smoke enveloping the " Calliope " that her engineers were having
a lively time of it, especially when it was seen that in the teeth of
the furious gale, the gallant ship slipping her anchors was bound to
sea, " all hands on deck " ; inch by inch literally she gradually
passed the " Trenton," both crews cheering one another. The mixed
blood of Celt, Saxon, Dane, Norman and Roman, a priceless heritage

89^

from more than a thousand years, boiling up in their veins as
they scented the peril and with that strange pleasure which only
those who have been in such dangers can know, met fiercely the
angry elements, until a cloud of rain and sleet and mist hid her
from our view,

" He that outlived that day and came safe home
Standing a tip-toe when that day was named,"

leaving us until her return four days after in total ignorance
whether she had escaped the reefs or not ; indeed for two or
three days after there were reports that she had not. If it
should be demanded why the other vessels did not do the same
the reply is that they were not able. The " Trenton," " Vandalia,"
and " Nipsic " were not able to hold their own with full steam up
and anchors down ; much less make headway against the sea with
anchors catheaded. The " Olga," I believe, was in the same
condition. Moreover the commander of the " Calliope " — Captain
Kane — was but just in time for essaying the dangerous venture ;
another hour or two's delay would have rendered 'it impossible,
for the sea kept increasing all that day.

Besides it is to be remembered that such risks are not approved
by the various Admiralties, and failure with the certain loss of
vessels and all on board means the court -martialling and severe
censure of the manes of all captains whose ships are lost under
such attempts.

The " Eber " sunk, the " Adler " stranded, four vessels re-
mained afloat all dragging their anchors ; the U.S.S. " Xipsic "
was the first to come to grief, but in a good place somewhere opposite
to the Tivoli Hotel on a sandy bottom, from which subsequently
she was got off and taken to Honolulu for repairs, but some of
her crew endeavouring to get on shore as soon as she touched
lost their lives.

The unlucky " Vandalia " followed about 3 p.m. of the
and settled down on the shore reef perhaps fifty yards from the
beach not far from the present Court House, but in such a position
that her decks were swept fore and aft by the heavy seas breaking
there ; in smooth weather there would not have been perhaps
more than six inches of water on her deck ; as it was, no living
creature could stand there, and all on board had to take to the
rigging, and as the gale lasted for more than twelve hours after
she stranded (not subsiding till after daylight the next morning,
Sunday I think) nearly all on board perished, falling from the rigging
one by one, being numbed with cold and wet, for it rained incessantly
during the whole of the gale, into the seas breaking around her
and then being carried out in the heavy current which at such
times always sweeps past Apia and Mulinuu and thence into the
ocean. More than one hundred men thus perished.

90

At 7 p.m. the "Trenton" grounded close to the Vandalia
on her west side, but in an excellent place, and only one man on
board lost his life by the falling of a block from aloft on his head,
a fate which once nearly removed me from this sublunary world.

H.I.G.M.S. " Olga " alone remained. The commander wisely
.slipped his anchors, but then not knowing what to do wandered
about the harbour as best he could in the dark in more senses than
one, and finally decided to save his men and perhaps the ship —
both of which happened — by running her ashore at a spot nearly
opposite Mr. Decker's store at Matautu, with no casualties of any
kind as far as the " Olga " was concerned, but running against and
sinking a small schooner of about 40 tons lying off Matautu, on board
of which there happened to be, by accident, only two persons,
one of whom, Mr. Ormsby, connected with the McArthur firm went
down with the schooner ; the other, the harbour pilot Mr. Douglas
escaped in a semi-miraculous manner. When the schooner sank
he struck out vigorously for the " Olga " ; over her side by the
merest accident there happened to be a rope dragging in the water,
of this he caught hold and shouting for help was luckily overheard
and hauled on board. His services were very useful then to the
commander as he was able to point out the best spot on which to
beach the vessel. She was afterwards got off with very little
damage.

The Samoans behaved splendidly, using their best efforts
to save both friend and foe ; risking in some instances their own
lives to do so. As said before the whole Apia district was in the
hands of the Mataafa Malietoa troops.

Seumanu — deceased — and other chiefs whose names I cannot
call to mind especially distinguished themselves by their efforts
to swim off to the stranded ships — fruitlessly — and connect them
with the shore by lines.

Their efforts in this direction were so marked in the case of
the three American ships that the U.S. Government afterwards
sent them some very valuable presents.

Dr. Reinecke, in his work " Samoa," pages 64-6 gives the
Samoans full praise for their behaviour in endeavouring to save
lives of the shipwrecked sailors of both nationalities. As the gale
happened so soon after the Vailele conflict between the Samoans
and Germans some amongst the latter were apprehensive of difficul-
ties, but nothing of the kind happened ; indeed the friendly feeling
shown by the natives towards the shipwrecked Germans created
a good impression in their favour which has lasted to the present
day.- Long may it continue, fostered as it is by the wise attitude
which the authorities here directed by the advice of Governor
Solf have uniformly assumed towards the Samoans.

Hurricanes are always important, but this to our community
was especially so, not only from its tragic result but because it
was the primary cause of the annexation by Germany and America
of the group ten years afterwards.

Had it not happened it is almost certain that the Tripartite
Government, under a Samoan King, would, for good or for evil,
have continued to the present day and probably for many future
decades.

ARRIVAL. OF R. L. STEVENSON.

A few days after the cyclone, Admiral Kimberley of the U.S.
Navy used his efforts to bring about peace between Tamasese and
Mataafa, and was successful. Much credit is due to him for the
skilful manner in which he accomplished this. After some pre-
liminary measures, he arranged a meeting with Tamasese, at
Luatuanuu, of his flag captain to be accompanied by the Captain
of the " Nipsic " and Vice-Consul Blacklock.

At the last moment ex-Consul Hamilton, who had promised
to act as interpreter at the meeting, could not go, and the Admiral
consequently asked the writer to take his place.

On our going up in one of the " Trenton's " boats, Tamasese
received the deputation in a very friendly manner, listened carefully
to the Admiral's proposals, and finally promised to give the matter
his full consideration and return a speedy answer.

This came down from Luatuanuu in a few days, and Admiral
Kimberley had the satisfaction, before he left for the States, of
having been the means of establishing full peace between the rival
parties.

In June 1889, the three Powers held at Berlin a conference re
Samoans affairs, concluded on the I5th of that month.

One of its results was the restoration of Malietoa to Samoa
and to his throne. A German ship-of-war brought him back
from Jaluit (Marshall Group in 4 deg. north) towards the end of
1889, his exile having lasted two years.

Malietoa Laupepa was " born to greatness " and had " great-
ness thrust on him," to his disadvantage as well as that of others.

He was not fitted to rule.

Had he been a minister of religion his career would in all
likelihood have been a successful one, barring perhaps at the outset
a few indiscretions springing from that species to which most high
chiefs in Samoa fall victims.

But that would only have been at the beginning, Laupepa
being irreproachable in that particular.

Laupepa immediately after his return voluntarily abdicated,
appointing Mataafa his successor, without consulting the Consuls

92

of the three Governments who had reinstated him. An ill-judged
step which soon produced evil consequences.

No doubt it was done in good faith ; Malietoa felt deeply
grateful to Mataafa for having been the means of bringing him back
from exile, but a very little consideration might have shown him
that the Powers must first be consulted on the point. As it turned
out, the " abdication " had the effect of exciting hopes in Mataafa's
mind which at that time couM not possibly be realised, and so
when the Powers refused to accept it, Mataafa several months
afterwards left Mulinuu and went to Malie, a few miles to the west-
ward, where he began to take measures which afterwards brought
about in 1893 a new war between him and Laupepa.

English frigates then took the matter in hand, and Mataafa,
having retired before the King's forces to Manono was there made
prisoner by them, and, in 1893, with twelve chiefs, deported in a
German frigate to Jauit. U.S. Vice-Consul Blacklock assisting
in the matter. jf^

The Malietoa troops, I am informed, behaved very disgracefully
on this occasion. When Mataafa surrendered at Manono, one of
the articles of the agreement was that the women should be pro-
tected. They were not ; for after Mr. Consul Blacklock had left
the shore and the ships-of-war had sailed, the soldiers treated the
wcmen shamefully.

Surveyor Maben was, at the time, Secretary of State to
Laupepa, and had it not been for the vigorous way in which he
began the war against Mataafa, it is probable that the latter would
have been victorious.

Mr. Maben was here for several years, and held an appointment
for some time as Municipal Magistrate, which he had to resign in
consequence of his having unwisely abused one of the High Con-
tracting Powers in a caustic letter to a high official who still more
unwisely printed it. Being like Captain Dalgetty of Scotch ex-
traction his remarks on such subjects were always sententious and
often satirical, and it does not become any official to indulge in
satire ; but humble individuals like the writer are encouraged
occasionally by the public to use the privilege, for as Shakespeare
says : "its prosperity lies in the ear of him that hears it, never in
the tongue of him that makes it."

While Mataafa was at Malie, Lady Jersey, a very talented
woman, the wife of Lord Jersey then (1892) Governor of New South
Wales came down to Samoa in the " Lubeck," steamer, and while
here — four weeks — was taken down incog, to Malie by R. L. Steven-
son, a great admirer of Mataafa, for which this lady was rapped
afterwards on the knuckles by some ungallant members of the
British Government on the ground that Mataafa was fostering
rebellion against Laupepa.

Surveyor Maben was succeeded by W. Cooper, an experienced
New Zealand lawyer (brother of Judge Cooper there), who held

93

the office for more than ten years. Mr. Cooper, living no\v \vith his
family at Avondale, near Auckland, where he was born, made many
friends in this place, and is very much respected by all who are
acquainted with him. When he left Samoa everybody regretted
it, and an exceedingly pleasant send off was given him. Being a
very clever writer his articles in the Samoan Weekly were savoury
morsels to the public maw.

The Samoa Times, at that period, was carried on by R. T. Chat-
field, who had purchased it from S. J. Cusack (deceased) hardly
known to me. Mr. Chatfield, if I mistake not, had been educated
at Eton ; a great loss to Samoa when he and his family left it and
returned to New Zealand, having sold the paper to J. H. Denvers.

Edgar Reid, one of the oldest and most respected settlers
in the islands, came here in the eighties. He has now shifted his
camp to Pago Pago.

Another of my friends, G. E. L. Westbrook, who, like the
author, is of a literary turn of mind, and has written two or three
dainty articles on the islands which have appeared in Cassell's
Magazine, London, came here in the early nineties.

During 1889 R. L. Stevenson, the celebrated author came here
from Tahiti. After a few months he made a trip around the islands
and returned from Jaluit in 1890 purchasing at Vailima, four miles
inland from Apia, on the mountain side, a property of four hundred
acres, where he died in October, 1894. The land belonged to W.
Johnston, deceased, a very old and much respected settler of
Scotch extraction. One of his sons — deceased — was clerk in the
British Consulate for eight years. Several other members of his
family, children and grandchildren are living in Samoa in good
positions.

Mr. Stevenson with wife and her family settled at Vailima ;
his mother, now deceased, came out from Scotland shortly after,
she was with him when he died. The estate possessing in itself
many natural attractions was greatly improved by him, and his
residence, for he was exceedingly hospitable, was the resort of
many visitors to the islands, especially the officers of H.M.'s ships-
of-war, at that period constantly visiting Samoa.

I suppose that his expenses must have run up to more than two
thousand pounds annually, or about the amount which his work
as a writer brought him in.

SAMOA UNDER THE BERLIN TREATY.

Before going on with the main subject it is necessary for me
to refer to the Manono incident in 1893 re the women there.

What happened then, at that small island, would most probably
take place in England and Australasia should they be successfully
invaded.

I therefore advise the women there to stir themselves, put
their shoulders to the wheel and help " our Bobs " to contend
successfully, first, against the accursed greed of the merchants,
warehousemen, manufacturers and other large employers of labour
in those countries of that ilk who, to save a few pounds a year, pre-
vent their men from drilling for a few weeks a year, and, secondly,
against the cowardice of the men themselves who determine to
escape danger by allowing the brave soldiers and sailors in our
Army and Navy, fighting for them and their hearths and homes,
to run the risk of being annihilated in their overweighted struggle
should invasion come.

For what would follow is clear enough as regards the women.
Let them remember Cawnpore, and before it is too late, bring
pressure on their fathers and brothers which will compel the men
to learn to use the rifle and so save themselves from the dreadful
excesses sure to be perpetrated by a conquering army should fire
and sword (as appears at present extremely likely) go through
England and her colonies ; for I cannot believe that they would
regard this with indifference.

Stevenson had a very frail constitution with weakness of the
lungs, but the faculty told him that should he survive forty he
might live many years longer. Fleeing therefore from death by
travel as did another great writer, Sterne, he chose Vailima, 600
feet above the sea, where being far inland the saline atmosphere
incident to the sea level is much less marked in that particular
than that found on the mountain side where sometimes at night
the cool land breeze from the south lowers the temperature to 58 F.,
and it is almost certain that had he not overworked himself he would
there have attained a good old age.

His manner of life, I am told by Mr. Arthur Aris King who lived
at Vailima for some months (a nephew of John King, the sole
survivor of the Burke and Wills exploring party in 1860) was to
rise early and after taking a cup of coffee commence writing at seven
or earlier. His breakfast having been sent up to his study at eight,
he Went on working till ten or eleven, taking then a rest, generally

95

employed by him in weeding a plot of ground in the garden specially
reserved for him. Lunch followed twelve to one, with some music
in the afternoon followed by more work ; dinner at seven then took
place ; afterwards cards and conversation till ten, when he retired to
rest. But if, during the night, some new thoughts occurred to him,
probably often the case, he then, like the poet Pope, immediately
rose, lighted the lamp, and noted them down, a very fatiguing prac-
tice for the brain, rather than trust his memory till the morning. He
was, it seems, somewhat quick-tempered, though not by any means
ill-tempered. He used tobacco in the form of cigarettes, and was
not a total abstainer, whisky being his favourite drink, but he
never exceeded in its use.

His death came suddenly ; on the fatal day he had experienced
his usual health when, at six or half-past six in the evening, while
making with his own hands a salad for the dinner, he stopped short
and turning to Mrs. Stevenson, who was standing by, told her
that he felt a pain in his head ; walking to an easy chair in the room
he sat down and became immediately unconscious. One of H.M.'s
ships-of-war was lying in the port, and its medical officer who hap-
pened at the time to be staying at the British Consulate with Consul
Cusack-Smith, was sent for ; he, with the local physician Dr. Funk,
went up with all haste to the house, but nothing could be done
to help him, and he passed from amongst us at eight that night.

The funeral — of a private nature — took place next day. He
is buried on a spot on the summit of the mountain above his resi-
dence, 1,200 feet above the sea — which, it seems, he had directed
to be used for that purpose should he die here. Two heavy blocks
of concrete cover his last resting-place, on one side of which is
inscribed in letters in relief in the Samoan language : 0 le oli'olisaga
o Tusitala (The grave of the author). The words " oli'olisaga,"
now meaning a chief's grave, had in old times a peculiar signification.

When a great chief making a journey in time of war or pesti-
lence or other distress reached happily, after encountering many
dangers and difficulties, his final distination he said "O le oli'oli-
saga " ("At last I am safe"). 0 le mea e te alu i ai, &c., &c., verses
16-17 from the Book of Ruth, and on the other side also in relief :
1850 Robert Louis Stevenson 1894.

" Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie,
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me,
Here he lies where he longed to be,
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.''

I think that as the Samoans had a great affection for " Tusit-
ala," as they called him, he chose the above verses from the Book

96

of Ruth to show them that he desired to be buried in their land and
among them.

Stevenson, like his Scottish compatriots, was deeply reverent,
especially in the matter of religion, although, like Dr. Johnson, he
had his likes and dislikes ; sometimes, as is the case with most of
us, set on a wrong basis.

His was a short life — 44 years — but one in which his work
has done much not only to please but to instruct many, and that
is the object best worth pursuing in life.

Taking up the thread of my story Mataafa and the twelve
chiefs mentioned remained at Jaluit for several years from 1893 to
1898. They were brought back by a German ship-of-war and landed
in Apia on the iyth September, 1898, just after Malietoa Laupepa's
death.

Directly following the deportation of Mataafa in 1893 new
troubles arose, and Tamasese, Junr., the son of the former de facto
King, set up in. a quiet way a rival standard to Malietoa at Aana,
necessitating in August, 1894, further interference from British
ships-of-war ; two of which went twenty miles up the coast to
Lunlufi and shelled there the rebel forces, but with not much effect,
and in fact, up to the time of Malietoa's death, on the 22nd August,
1898, the natives of Aana and some other disloyal districts refused
to pay taxes ; although, as I remember, they condescended in 1896,
through the efforts of President Smith Dargitz, to pay a poll tax
of one dollar per head on male adults into the King's treasury,
but entirely out of deference to the President, absolutely ignoring
the King's right to tax them.

I return now to the Berlin Conference, I4th June, 1889. By
its Final Act, containing eight articles it was provided that the
Government should be administered by King Malietoa under the
Three Great Powers.

That a Supreme Court should be established under a Chief
Justice to be named by the Three Powers agreeing, or failing this
by the King of Sweden and Norway. That a Municipal Council
should be established consisting of a President (to be appointed
by the Three Powers agreeing, or failing this by the Executive of
Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Mexico or Brazil) and of
six members to be elected by the taxpaj^ers of the district of Apia.
That three Commissioners, to be named by each of the three Sig-
natory Powers should be appointed to investigate all claims of
foreigners to land in Samoa and report thereon to the Supreme
Court, to be assisted by an officer to be styled " Natives' Advocate."

That the Municipal Council should elect a Municipal Magis-
trate and fix his salary. The Act also, in Article VI., appointed
the taxation necessary for paying the expenses of the Government.

The Chief Justice's salary was fixed at §6,000 in gold per annum.

The President's salary at 83,000 in gold.

97

The Commissioners were to receive 8300 per month and their
fare to and from Samoa. The salary of the Natives' Advocate,
ultimately fixed at $150 per month was to be named and paid by
the Samoan Government.

The salary of the Municipal Magistrate was to be named
and paid by the Municipal Council ; this was fixed by the latter
at £75 per month.

In the middle of 1891 the Chief Justice appointed by the King
of Sweden and Xorway, Mr. Cedercrantz, arrived with his secretary
Dr. Philip Hagberg, and soon after Baron Senfft von Pilsach,
the President of the new Municipal Counci1 came here ; both most
estimable men and suited in every respect for their high positions.

Judge Cedercrantz remained here until 1893 when he returned
to Europe having been appointed to a much higher position there.
Baron von Pilsach also went home about the same time and now
fills a first-class post in the Foreign Office at Berlin. It was a plea-
sure to come into intercou se with both these gentlemen. Dr.
Hagberg remained here for a few months only, but still long enough
to make himself respected.

The three Land Commissioners, Messrs. Haggard (British)
Ide (American) and Eggert (German) followed them and began
their work in the middle of 1892. R. L. Skeen, a young lawyer
from New Zealand, of Irish descent I believe, at least judging by
his style, which, like that of all Irishmen, leaves no just fault to
be found with it, acted as Secretary to the Land Commission,
in a most able manner throughout for which he received the thanks
of the Commissioners and of the public. Afterwards he succeeded
Mr. Cooper as Municipal Magistrate till 1900. He is now, I am
pleased to say, Chief Justice of Tonga.

E. W. Gurr, another young New Zealander, now occupying
a most important position as Secretary of Native Affairs in the
neighbouring U.S. colony of Tutuila, was made Natives' Advocate.
His work also, like that of his colleague Mr. Skeen, gave general
satisfaction.

The Land Commission originally fixed for a term of two years,
sat nearly three years till the end of 1894 cr, I think later still.
The last decision of the Supreme Court on land claims appears in
a number of the Royal Gazette dated November ist, 1906, and is
dated from the Court as made on the ist August of that year, 1906.
The unanimous approval of land claims had to be confirmed by the
Court as also undisputed claims ; as I remember when the Commis-
sioners were not unanimous the Supreme Court had to decide.
This was the case with all Municipal : egulations which the three
Consuls did not unanimously aprove.

The expenses incident to the Land Commission as well as
their salaries and travelling expenses did not fall on the Samoan
Government, but were paid in equal shares by the Three Powers.

The fees paid by claimants were moderate, each deed of land
costing only from three to four dollars including a sketch survey
on each plan.

And the decision of the Supreme Court being final precluded
all further litigation on the deed issued by the Chief Justice except
in cases where the plans of adjoining land clashed.

At first everything moved in an easy groove. The taxation
was not excessive ; the European taxes were always paid punctually
in the Treasury ; and the expense of collecting them was not great ;
all official salaries being moderate, but, when the Mataafa revolt
took place in the year 1893, the recalcitrant natives would not pay
their share of the Government revenue, disputing the authority of
the King or even of the Three Powers to collect revenue from
thsm, and consequent on this the King's Government Treasury
became bankrupt ; not able to pay the salaries of Government
officials, a very serious position and calling for strenuous efforts
on the part of those concerned to put their shoulder to the wheel
and help to push or drag the government chariot out of the impecu-
nious condition in which the natives had left it.

This was principally the duty of the President of the Municipal
Council, and he, having taken counsel with the Chief Justice,
looked round and found that not only was the Municipal Council
in funds but that it actually had more than enough to meet the
liabilities of the King's Government.

This knowledge came to him as a matter of surprise, but he
wasted no time in acting on it (and, why not ? I should have done
precisely the same), transferred the balance at the credit of the
Municipal account to the King's Government account so as to be
able to draw against it and thus meet the expenses incident to the
Samoan Government.

But the Councillors and the public made great objections
to this, and called one or two stormy meetings protesting against
it. The local paper took it up, against the President of course,
and much was said and printed at the time which had better been
left over.

I do not remember how the Consuls acted ; they, I think,
came in as mediator and recommended the referring of the point in
dispute to the Powers. This was done, and the latter decided
in the middle of 1893 that the Municipal Council should appoint
a Collector of Customs, fix his salary, and assume the control and
collection of the import and export duties. Further that if the
Samoan Government should receive yearly from all sources less
than 815,000 then the President should pay into the Government
Treasury one-third of the total sum of said duties provided such
payment did not exceed annually S8,ooo.

But the bitter feeling roused and clamorous claptrap arising
out of it caused, I have always understood, both the Chief Justice
and President to resign their positions and return to Europe.

99

The officials taking their places at the end of 1893 were Herr
Schmidt Dargitz as President, and Mr. Ide as Chief Justice ; the
latter having resigned his position as one of the Land Commis-
sioners.

At the same time two auditors were appointed by the Chief
Justice — as then directed by the Powers — to audit every three
months the accounts of the Samoan Government.

The writer was one, continuing to hold this position together
with Messrs. Ertel, Siemsen and Decker — deceased — and Aspinall
till the end of 1895, when he resigned to take another Government
post.

When Dr. Hagberg left Samoa J. H. Denvers took his place as
Clerk of the Court in the beginning of 1893 and held that appoint-
ment up to the time of the 1899 disturbances. He had had a good
education and was a clever writer conducting subsequently (as
said before) the Samoa Herald.

Judge H. C. Ide, a man of great impartiality and good sound
sense, continued to be Chief Justice until W. L. Chambers succeeded
him in 1897.

The Collector of Customs was J. B. Hay from New Zealand ;
he had served in the Maori War in the Commissariat Department,
a genial, good fellow. Some of my clerical friends object to such
people and say that the only way to obtain salvation is to make
yourself as disagreeable as possible, on the plea of religion, and above
all things to shun the acquiring the reputation of being liked by your
fellows. Mr. Hay, like myself, looked in another direction, and
taking precisely the opposite view of the case was popular.

One great drawback incident to German annexation in 1900
was the breaking up of all these little friendships by the scattering
of the British settlers.

After President Schmidt's arrival in 1893 the Government
machine had a very even course. He, like Consul Cusack-Smith,
was of a thoroughly genial nature, and the gatherings round his
festive board were always very enjoyable. A man whom to know
was to like and respect. This gentleman left us in 1897 and was
succeeded by Dr. Raffel. Both men filled the position of President
in a most creditable manner, as their predecessor Baron von Pilsach
had done. I have to remark that the office of President was an
unpopular one, really I do not know why, neither I believe did its
decriers, but the least slip or apparent slip by its possessor was
invariably made the most of by party politicians. As all three
Presidents were exceedingly affable and pleasant in their manners
that may have been the cause as inducing their ill wishers to suppose
that they could assail them with impunity ; people of the latter
class not perceiving that very often the silk n glove merely covers
the mailed fist so necessary sometimes in affairs of this kind, and
indeed it would appear to be impossible for officials generally to
please everybody however much they may attempt it.

100

But however unpopular the office may have been none of the
Presidents were so personally, the public assigning them in that
particular at any rate the praise they had fairly earned. All three
men now occupy good positions in the German office of state.

Making a slight digression which I trust the reader will pardon
I must remark that island rangers, like all colonials, are somewhat
lacking in " reverence."

Many years ago Sir Hercules Robinson (deceased) delivered
in Sydney, whe i he was Governor of New South Wales, an
eloquent address to the University Graduates there, in which he
pointed out to them that although they possessed many excellent
qualities, they were deficient in one, without which the others
counted for little, viz., the above, and unfortunately the same
remark not only fits the case of Australasians male and female,
but that of some of their island compatriots.

In May, 1890, Consul T.B. Cusack-Smith (now Sir T. B. Cusack-
Smith, K.C.M.G.) arrived, Mrs. Cusack-Smith with their infant
daughter following him a few months afterwards. He resigned his
office in March, 1898, taking the position of Consul-General in
Valparaiso.

He and Mrs. Cusack-Smith soon became exceedingly and
deservedly popular through their making every effort to further
both the interests and pleasure of the British and general public.
No Consul has ever been amongst us who made the Consulate
what they did, sparing neither expense nor trouble to that end.
He and his wife were the leaders in every philanthropic and social
movement.

But on the igth November, 1894, death struck her down by
fever, making a fearful gap in their happy household. " Omne
capax movet urna nomen." ' No name escapes death's ballot."

" How lov'd, how honour'd once avails us not,
To whom related or by whom begot."

And so she died and with her for years at least his life's pros-
perity. After time had lessened the force of this calamity he again
did his best to further the general interests of the community,
and in 1897, when Her late Majesty had accomplished the 6oth
year of her reign, took steps to celebrate the event by instituting
a committee to have a suitable tablet commemorating the occasion
placed in the English Church, Apia. This was done, being paid
for by funds collected there in the offertory taken in a Thanksgiving
Service on the 2Oth June, 1897, the anniversary of the Queen's
Accession.

As he furthered greatly tennis, polo, and other sports, taking
always himself an active part in them, society in Apia when he left
missed him greatly.

He was the prime mover in the formation of a public Apia
Library, and always took part in theatricals and public entertain-
ments.

101

Like his illustrious ancestor, whose name appears in a previous
article, who

" Built a church in Dublin Town
And on it put a steeple."

he galvanised the community into erecting the pretty English
Church and steeple which now adorns Apia, giving £50 towards it,
and induced the L.M.S. to bring into use on alternate Sundays
the service of the Church of England ; in April, 1908, and during the
last seven or eight months only held occasionally, but renewed
in June, 1908, formerly all the services were " Congregational."
As nearly all the Consuls and their families who preceded him
and succeeded him were probably on this account mostly heathens,
as far as going to church goes, although in all other respects worthy
good people, his conduct in this matter stood out in shining contrast
to theirs. I mention these little matters giving honour to whom
honour is due. He had the faculty of drawing into his circle
capable men who assisted him in the carrying out of plans which
h? or they had initiated.

I must mention that Mr. C. M. Woodford, now H.M.'s Consul
in the Solomon Islands, took Mr. Cusack-Smith's place from January
to September, 1895, while the latter was on leave in England and
was exceedingly popular.

SAMOAN NATIVE CHARACTERISTICS.

Of all the groups that I have seen Samoa appears to me to be
not only the most beautiful but, in its history, the most attractive
excepting indeed Tahiti.

As the islanders too, as in Tahiti and Rarotonga, have generally
been friendly to the whites, and not, as in some other groups, sought
to massacre strangers visiting their shores, this fact with most people
weighs much in their favour.

But in the native character although, as I will presently set
forth, much is pleasing, there is also to be found what is extremely
objectionable.

I pass over the habit of stealing, common to the island races,
for as the Samoans only allow that a man should be justly reproved
when he is found out, and then not so much for the act itself as for
having been fool enough to allow himself to be found out, it is
rather hard to condemn them on this head, especially when we read
about what is going on in other countries. I might certainly state,
what suits the facts of the case, that with them, socialism being
the base of their social system, everyone amongst them is able to
say truthfully " What's yours is mine, and what's mine is my own,"
and therefore that it is a reductio ad absurdum to argue that a man

'102

can steal from himself but I will leave such niceties, and not like the
schoolmen of the middle ages attempt to split hairs in argument.

But it is impossible for me to leave unreproved the natives'
want of truthfulness. I sincerely trust their half-cs^ste descendants
will not imitate them in this respect.

And singularly enough this is a weakness which some of the
well-meaning but unwise writers who, from time to time, attack
the Samoans absurdly and furiously entirely overlook, but as in
this I wish to lay before the public a sketch plan, although a very
slight one of the native character, it is necessary for me to refer to
it.

It may interest the general reader to learn that in old times,
the chiefs both here and in Tonga when they wished to prevent
certain articles in their households from being taken by other mem-
bers of their tribe as allowed by the socialist custom prevailing
amongst them, at once declared them " sa " or " tapu," after
which heavy penalties awaited, whether by sickness or death,
those persons who broke the " sa " by removing or using them.

But apparently, where no "sa" existed the article was really
only held in trust by its possessor for, and on account of, the
whole community.

Possibly when the millennium comes this state of things
will take place in the civilised world and be successful ; but till then,
never.

At the same time it is evident that unless some steps are taken
to help the poor and destitute and overworked men, women and
children in England generally, and in the cities solely of several
other countries and compel the rich to ameliorate their condition,
not only will the race deteriorate, as some experts are declaring
to be now happening, but there may be an upheaval which will
overthrow society altogether.

"Slowly comes a hungry people, as alien; creeping nigher
Glares at one that nods and winks behind a slowly dying fire."

But with all their faults the islanders appear in a much more
amiable light than some of our own race who seem to think that
the world and things in general exist merely for the benefit of their
particular race, or clan, or county, or family, or their personal
selves.

There is something pathetic in the history of these island races,
whose very virtues seem to injure them, and the moralist is inclined
at times to enquire whether a day will ever come when to be generous
or kind will cease to be regarded as folly and inanity by some of
the stronger races, " the city of the terrible nations."

For the natives are passing away, and must, unless some
radical changes take place in their habits and circumstances, gradu-
ally disappear from the roll of the minor nations of the earth. There
are many causes of this, the chief amongst them being the loose
manner in which the marriage tie is observed ; a chief, for instance,

103

will neglect or discard his lawful wife for very slight reasons, obtain
a divorce, then renew the proceeding with many women, until
having reached the age of say 40 or 45 he makes up his mind to
settle down properly in life, at least as regards family matters.

But the children by the previous marriages suffer, and being
neglected, generally die off quite young or, surviving, are left to
others than their parents to be brought up. With the teachers
the case is different ; in almost every instance they have many
children, proving that sterility is not altogether causing the dis-
appearance of the race.

Withal that the Samoans are very fond of, and kind to, their
children, even taking into their family and bringing up some be-
longing to other people when they have none of their own.

The native character is made up of so many diverse qualities
that I am puzzled when regarding it.

As regards morality this is a matter in which at times their
ideas seem to be greatly confused.

In old days the younger female branches of families were
kept in strict order on that point because they knew the con-
sequences certain to attend any dereliction of their duty before
marriage, but as the tests then used in such a case are not now
applied, they have lost entirely that safeguard.

Theft with them is not regarded as a serious fault ; for as they
hold all their property in common, there should be, according to
their idea, no such thing as stealing, everything belonging to every-
body. But turning to the other side of their lives and characters
we find some extremely good points.

Their kindness to children has just been mentioned.

And not the slightest fault can be found with their behaviour
towards the aged, both as regards the looking after them and also
as regards the reverence paid them.

Hospitality with them is a sine qua non, in fact, they are too
generous in that respect, and families render themselves often
penniless for weeks in order to entertain visitors.

Again that they must help one another when in any distress
is regarded by them as an absolute duty, not to be neglected for
any consideration whatever ; neither is this indiscriminate with
them. The parents, children, and other relations have the first
claim there and must first be assisted. On this head the wife and
her family take a very secondary place ; differently from Europeans,
where marriage rights supersede all other.

Whether the good qualities just mentioned, and which no man
who has lived amongst them or otherwise become acquainted
with them will say do not exist, balance the bad, is a question
which I leave to be decided by the public at large.

Should they become totally extinct, the question arises, who
will take their place ? For whether we accept the position or not
it is absolutely certain that the climate and surroundings of Samoa

104

render it absolutely impossible for a race entirely white, without
any admixture of native blood to " swarm " here, that is, continue
to produce a race strong enough to resist the attacks of a climate
entire!}7 unsuitable for white people.

In Fiji, where the natives are also disappearing, the Indian
is taking their place, probably something similar will happen here,
by the introduction finally of other coloured races.

CONSULAR CHANGES.

Consul E. G. B. Maxse, F.R.G.S., C.M.G., succeeded Consul
Cusack-Smith arriving in March, 1898, leaving for Europe in June
of the following year, 1899.

He had been Private Secretary to Sir F. Berkeley Maxse when
Gove'nor of Newfoundland. Had served in I3th Hanoverian
Lancers, 1885-6. Had been Consul for Continental Greece, 1894.
Was attached to H.M. Legation at Athens. 1896. When he reached
Apia everything was quiet, it had not then been decided to bring
back Mataafa from exile, and the King was living.

But in a few months the situation changed, and Mr. Maxse
found himself in the midst of political entanglements, which his
predecessors had escaped. Whether he took the best way of
extrication will always be a contested point, on which it is not my
business to discourse, but no doubt he did what he thought was
the best.

He had for his opponent Consul Rose, a man of very great
ability, posted too on every particular by Consul-General Stuebel
at home, whose thorough knowledge of Samoa, where he had
resided for some time, added to his other talents — which were con-
siderable— left nothing wanting necessary to the understanding
the situation.

On the 22nd August, 1898, the King died and received a splen-
did military funeral ; all the Consuls, the Chief Justice, the
President and all Government officials being present.

As the procession passed from the house of the dead Sovereign
to his grave at Mulinuu, files of Government troops lined both its
sides firing constantly their rifles into the air as the cortege pro-
ceeded.

The Rev. J. E. Newell conducted the funeral service, the King
having been a communicant at the Congregational Church, and
hymns having been sung and valedictory orations delivered by Mr.
Newell and native pastors, the assembly dispersed after farewell
volleys had been fired over the grave. Malietoa's death unsettled
matters, but Mataafa's arrival a few weeks afterwards made them
still more unsettled, and ominous clouds began to gather on the
political horizon. But before entering on the record of the events

10-

which preceded and put an end to th2 Tripartite administration
of Samoa, I will lay before the reader the names of the United
States and German Consuls who have held office from the first
settlement of whites here up to the ist March and I7th April, 1900,
the dates of German and American annexation.

P. Chapin was the first American official, being U.S. Commer-
cial Agent from i6th May, 1853, to January loth, 1854, succeeded
by Dr. Aaron Van Camp — 1854 to 1855 — succeeded by Consul
Jonathan S. Jenkins, May i6th, 1856, to ist December, 1856, suc-
ceeded by Vice-Consul R. S. Swanston to I4th July, 1857, succeeded
on the 22nd September, 1858, by Dr. J. C. Dirickson who acted as
Commercial Agent till the latter part of 1859. There was then till
1864, an interregnum during which John C. Williams appears
to have acted in the double capacity of U.S. Consul and British
Consul. On the 3rd October, 1864, Elisha L. Hamilton took office
as Vice-Commercial Agent, succeeded a few days after, on the
i6th October, 1864, by Jonas M. Coe as U.S. Commercial Agent,
Mr. Coe held this office until the ist January, 1875, when S. J.
Foster was appointed Consul, continuing to occupy that position
until the 28th Septemter, 1876. J. E. V. Alvord assisting as Vice-
Consul from 5th May, 1876, to 7th August, 1876.

G. W. Griffin, well known as a talented author, took office
as Consul from the 28th September, 1876, to the loth November,

1876, and from the ist May, 1877, to the I4th August. 1878. He
was then appointed U.S. Consul at Sydney, X.S.W. D. S. Parker
filled the office of Vice-Consul from the nth December, 1876, to the
ist February, 1887.

James G. Colesmill acting as Vice-Consul from ist February,

1877, to ist May, 1877. On the I4th August, 1878, Thomas M. Daw-
son, who died afterwards in South America, was appointed Consul
and remained here till the 23rd August, 1882, when Dr. Th. Canisius,
also deceased, succeeded him, continuing in office till the 5th June,
1885. Consul B. Greenebaum followed on the 28th July, 1885,
and left Apia on the i8th October, 1886.

From that date E. L. Hamilton again filled office as Vice-Consul
until the igth July, 1887, when Consul-General Harold M. bewail
came amongst us, remaining here till the loth September, 1888, a
very superior man who grappled with the political difficulties of
the period.

Wm. Blacklock took his place as Vice-Consul to the igth May,
1890, when he was named Vice-Consul-General in consequence of
distinguished services. From the latter date until the 2ist July, 1891,
Mr. Sewall again was in office.

From the latter date Mr. Blacklock, as Vice-Consul-General
until the i3th August 1894, was in office, when Jas. H. Mulligan,
an experienced lawyer of a very genial nature arrived, acting as

1 06

Consul-General to December 315!, 1895 ; as he then left for the
States, Mr. Blacklock again acted until the I3th July, 1896, when
W. Churchill, a man of the most versatile talent and a linguist,
came to Samoa as Consul-General and remained till the 3rd Novem-
ber, 1897. Unfortunately after leaving here he became insane
and had to be placed in an asylum. Mrs. Churchill has written
a very interesting book on Samoa. At that date Luther W. Osborn
took office as Consul-General, a position which he occupied till his
lamentable sudden death on the 2yth October, 1901. He, like all
American officials, was of most affable manners. From the gth
November, 1901, to the 3ist January, 1902, Mr. Blacklock again filled
the office. On the latter date Consul-General George Heimrod
was sent here from Washington, and in 1907 still occupied
the Consulate, carrying out the traditions of United States
officials as regards the combining suavity of manners with firmness
of purpose.

In 1861 Theodore Weber acted as Consul for Hamburg and the
Nord Deutscher Bund, filling this office till 1870 when he was
appointed Imperial German Consul. In 1872 he returned to
Hamburg, Mr. Poppe taking his place as Acting-Consul. On Mr.
Weber's return in 1875 he resumed the Consular position until 1880,
when Captain Zembsch took his place and occupied it for several
years, a man eminently qualified for the post. Dr. Stuebel, pre-
viously mentioned, took the office in 1883, succeeded towards
the year 1888 by Herr Becker, followed again by Dr. Knappe,
subsequently succeeded by Herr Sonnenschein as Vice-Consul,
afterwards by Herr Schmidt Dargitz, and then by Consul Dr.
Stuebel. In the early nineties, 1893, Herr Biermann was Consul,
Herr Geisler co-operating with him as Vice-Consul up to 1896 ;
both being of a high stamp of efficiency. Consul Rose then came
into power, assisted by Vice-Consul Grunow, in 1897-8-9. The
latter went afterwards to Sydney to fill there an important Con-
sular position. As all the above were picked men by the German
Government it is unnecessary for me to say that they did not dis-
appoint the German Foreign Office but fully bore out its
expectations.

With regard to the Land Commission, 1892-94, the first
appointees were Herr Eggert, succeeded by Herr Greiner, both
German ; Mr. Ide, American ; Mr. Basset M. Haggard — deceased —
British.

Mr. Ide resigning, Mr. Osborn — afterwards U.S. Consul-
General — took his place ; and he in turn resigning Mr. W. L.
Chambers, — afterwards Chief Justice — took his place.

The work done by the Commission has proved of incalculable
value to property owners here, and the thanks of the community
are due to the Powers for instituting it, and to the gentlemen who
carried it out for their work therein.

107

A TRAGIC OCCURRENCE.

Resuming the narrative ; immediately after Mataafa's return,
on the i yth September 1898, steps were taken by his supporters
to nominate him as King in place of the deceased Sovereign.

Now as he had promised that he would not claim this office,
this practically meant that he would not keep his promise ; but
in his favour it must always be remembered that accordinT to
Samoan customs chiefs have to abide by the decision of their
tulafales (counsellors) in such matters, and where they refuse to do
so run the risk of being led out into the main road by the former
and there informed that they can choose any road they select
out of their district but will not be permitted to remain in it, and
this, no doubt, mutatis mutandis, was Mataafa's position at that
psriod. But whether this was the case or not his followers put him
forward, and after much arguing in the Supreme Court, the 3ist
December, 1898, an eventful day in Samoan history, was fixed by
Chief Justice Chambers for his decision on the point ; he, by the
Berlin Treaty, being the sole arbiter in the case.

The other candidate — Tamasese, son of the late Tamases^,
having withdrawn from the contest — was Malietoa Tanumafili,
son of the late King.

Judge Chambers, who, as previously said, had been one of the
American Land Commissioners, was a man of sterling integrity,
of fine abilities, and popular withal. Whatever fault his enemies
— for we all have enemies — might find with him for the manner
in which he decided the case, none can justly accuse him of acting
in an interested manner respecting it ; he certainly settled the
question according to what he believed to be right, and this being
so it is unfair to attack him on that ground, but no doubt he was
misled by his advisers and others as regards the relative strength
and merits of the two candidates.

One having at least four thousand warriors close to Apia, while
the other could not muster at the outside, more than eighteen
hundred.

One being a man of mature years, and thoroughly competent
to govern the country, while the other was a mere lad, about eighteen
and consequently being fresh from school without the least ex-
perience in what is perhaps the most important matter in the lives
of rulers, viz., the knowing how to govern men.

At twelve, noon, on Saturday, the 3ist December, 1898, Chief
Justice Chambers gave his decision that Malietoa Tanu was King.
Twenty-four hours afterwards Apia and its suburbs were enveloped

108

with the horrors of civil war. Thirty-six hours afterwards the
unequal contest had 'ended. Malietoa — Tamasese siding with him
— and the bulk of those amongst their followers who had not
surrendered at discretion in the early part of the battle, were
fugitives on board of and alongside H.B.M. " Porpoise " while the
remainder had been killed or were prisoners taken in hand to hand
combat and consequently in danger of being massacred.

Mataat'a's troops then, on Monday, the 2nd January, 1899,
took possession of the town. They looted certainly but only in
the first heat of victory, according to one account it amounted
to £1,200.

One or two ugly episodes occurred on Tuesday, 3rd January,
when, had it not been for the firmness of Captain Sturdee of the
" Porpoise " and the mediation of some peacemakers, the European
population would have been in very great danger of losing their
lives in a general massacre.

Some of the Samoans had deposited for safety their property,
fearing looting, in the L.M.S.'s premises at Apia ; the Mataafa
chiefs hearing that arms had been thus secreted there by the
fugitives (and so they were although neither Captain Sturdee nor
the missionaries knew anything about it) demanded the right of
search. Captain Sturdee wisely refused this, and 60 or 70 men from
the warship faced for some time outside the mission house the
Mataafa forces gradually increasing and in the worst of tempers.

But, by some means or another, I cannot exactly say how the
danger was averted — I think the Consuls came to the rescue —
but it was a near miss.

It was found afterwards that one of the refugees had secreted
two or three rifles amongst his belongings and then deposited them
with other property in the rush on the mission premises, there being
no time for examining the heterogeneous mass of mats, clothes and
other native property thus kindly protected by the Mission.

Probably some of Mataafa's men were aware of this.

In any case this fellow endangered the safety on that day
of the whole of the European community.

After a few days matters settled down a little, and Mataafa,
with thirteen chiefs formed a Provisional Government which was
at first sanctioned in the interim by the three Consuls.

Order was well kept, all looting was stopped, and it seemed
as if peace generally would be maintained until the Powers would
be communicated with and steps taken for the erection of a Govern-
ment approved by them.

But unhappily new troubles arose two or three weeks after
this in manner following : According to the Berlin Treaty, the
office of Chief Justice when vacated by him had to be filled by the
President.

As Chief Justice Chambers with his family had been compelled
to secure their safety by taking refuge on board the " Porpoise,"

109

the President, Dr. Raffel, declared in a Proclamation that the
office of Chief Justice was vacant, and being so, that he was Chief
Justice, and was alone authorised to carry on the work of the
Supreme Court, being supported in this by Consul-General Rose,
and the Mataafa Provisional Government. Against this Consuls
Maxse and Osborn protested, being supported by Captain Sturdee
of the " Porpoise."

Chief Justice Chambers protected by troops from the " Por-
poise " landed, broke open the doors of the Court House, which
had been locked by the President, and held a brief session there,
to demonstrate that he was still in office. As a report was cir-
culated to the effect that the Mataafa troops would come from
Mulinuu in force to prevent this Captain Sturdee notified the
Provisional Government that in this case he would bombard
Mulinuu where the chiefs were assembled.

But fortunately Mataafa did not interfere. This unpleasant
incident had the effect of reviving the civil war, Consuls Maxse
and Osborn declaring that Malietoa Tanu had been validly elected
King, and that consequently Mataafa was a usurper.

However no open hostilities between the two native parties
took place till the arrival of U.S. Admiral Kautz from the Philip-
pines on the 6th March, 1899. In fact the Malietoa party were
not till then in a position to fight, being outnumbered on all sides.

The Admiral on his arrival took charge and counsel, the result
being, first the order to Mataafa to vacate Mulinuu.

This he did.

Then to vacate the Apia district.

This he refused to do.

Meanwhile the ceremony of crowning Malietoa Tanu as King
was performed in Apia by the English and American forces.

And so on the I4th March, 1899, the Admiral having given 24
hours' notice to that effect bombarded with the English ships-of-war
Mataafa's forces inland and the Apia district, declaring the island
to be under martial law.

This state of things continued until Saturday, the ist April,
1899, when the Admiral despatched by land to Vailele a small
force of English and American officers and men assisted by perhaps
fifty Samoans to attack a force of about fifteen hundred men
most of whom were in ambuscade, while they were in the open.

The party reached Vailele without having seen any of the enemy,
and were returning to Apia when, being inland and close to Fagalii
perhaps a mile from the beach, on a road affording every shelter for
ambuscades, one of the officers saw a native some distance from
them off the road and immediately ordered him to be fired at :
this was done, I do not know with what effect, but immediately
afterwards the enemy rushed on them in force, the Malietoa troops
at once, so I am told, took shelter and ran off, the Gatling gun
jambed and became useless, and they were at the mercy of their

no

assailants. Retreating as best they could to the beach at Fagalii,
boats from the ships-of-war came to their assistance, when the firing
was heard.

It is stated by some that 38 Samoans of the Malietoa party
lost their lives on this occasion ; this I believe to be a mistake, but
Lieutenants Freeman, Lansdale, and Monaghan, with several
sailors were killed, and the whole party would have been mas-
sacred had not the Mataafa men held back their hand.

A monument on which is the following inscription has been
erected to their memory over their graves at Mulinuu, and is kept
in order by the British and U.S. Consulates from funds subscribed
by the officers and men of the ships then in harbour.

IN MEMORIAM.

P. V. Lansdale, Angel Hope Freeman,

Lieut. U.S.N. Lt. R.N., " Tauranga."

J. R. Monaghan, John Long,

Ensign U.S.N. Leading Seaman.

N. E. Edsall, Albert M. Front,

O.S., U.S.N. Leading Seaman.

James Butler, A. H. J. Thornberry,

Cox, U.S.N. A.B.

John E. Mudge, Montague Rogers,

Pvt. U.S.M.C. O.S.

Thomas Holloway, Edmund Halloran,

Pvt. U.S.M.C. O.S.

of of

U.S.F.S. " Philadelphia." H.M.S. "Royalist."

KILLED IN ACTION.

April, 1899.

On the reverse side of the monument is the inscription : —

" Erected by the officers and men of the U.S. Flagship ' Philadelphia,' and
H.B.M. Ships 'Tauranga,' • Royalist,' ' Porpoise' and 'Torch.' "

It was brought from Sydney in H.M.S. " Pylades," Captain
Tupper, and erected in July, 1900. The bodies having been removed
from the place at Mulinuu where they had originally
been buried to the spot selected a funeral service
was held there, conducted by the Rev. W. Huckett, attended
by the Governor and staff, Captain Tupper and the
officers of the " Pylades," the Consuls and all Government
officials. The " Last Post " having been sounded, and the farewell
volley fired over the graves, the meeting dispersed.

At the distance of about a bowshot to the east of the spot is
another monument over the graves of the German officers and men
of H.I.G.M.S. " Olga," killed at Vailele in December, 1888, bearing
on it their names. Close to a Mission (R.C.) Church in Tutuila
are the graves of those persons belonging to La Perouse's ex-
pedition who were massacred there more than a century ago.

in

On them a memorial was placed in 1883 bearing the following
inscription : —

Morts pour la Science et la Patrie
le ii Decembre, 1787.

" ASTROLABE."

Vte de Langle, Capne de baisau, Commandant
Yves Humon \
JeanRedellec ; Matelots
Francois beret
Laurent Robin j
Louis David, Canonnier servant
Jean Gerauld, Domestiqne.

" BOUSSOLE."

M. de Lamanon, Physicien et Naturaliste
Pierre Talin, Maitre Canonnier

Andre Roth , Cano,mier,a servants.
Joseph Raye )

Erige en 1883.

ADVENT OF DR. SOLF.

Norman H. Macdonald, land surveyor and planter, from New
Zealand, where he was born, had resided amongst us for several
years. He, with A. Haidlen, land surveyor, also of long standing
here, are the two lay appointees of the Land Commission which
sits to adjust any disputes arising from land questions, and to settle
native titles. Both men are very useful members of our community.
Mr. Macdonald (with his partner, a gentleman in Xew Zealand) has
purchased much landed property here, and is an authority on all
points relating to Samoan lands. I neglected to mention earlier
that he was one of the party, acting as guide, which met with the
reverse at Fagalii on the ist April, 1899, when so many were killed
there, a plan of which, showing the spot where the combat took
place, has been made and lithographed by him, on which is marked
the route taken by the party going and returning, and where the
officers and men were killed.

H. E. Rea, a sailor by profession and holding a certificate,
also assisted the English and American forces at the same time,
piloting the war vessels into several harbours in the group. He
has lived amongst us for the last twenty years.

The bombardment and hostilities continued until the I3th
May when, in the U.S. sloop-of-war " Badger," Mr. Eliot (now Sir
C. N. E. Eliot, K.C.M.G.), Baron von Sternberg and the Hon.
Bartlett Tripp arrived, the Commissioners sent out by the Powers
to investigate matters. These gentlemen soon put things on a right
footing, and left again in the " Badger " on the i8th July, having,
in the short space of six weeks, done more to restore security to the
islands than the military and naval authorities would have ac-
complished had they remained on the spot bombarding until now.

112

Dr. Raffel having sailed for Europe on the 22nd February,
Dr. Solf was appointed as his successor, and arrived in Apia on the
3rd May, 1899.

On the I4th March, as said, active hostilities on the part of the
Admiral against Mataafa began.

As the war was now no longer confined to the natives, but
engaged in by two of the Tripartite Powers against the natives, the
condition was a serious one.

The Admiral, fearing that the Mataafa troops would attack
the settlement, posted his men along the main street of Apia in tents
and other camp arrangements.

The civilians on shore were advised to leave Apia proper and
take up their quarters at Mulinuu, which the majority did, herding
there together with black boys, natives, and other nondescripts
in the barracks set aside for their accommodation.

Two or three of the ma' ines having been shot while on guard
on shore, as far as I can learn, from shots from the ships or from
their own comrades, and in one case I think by a misdirected
shell from one of the vessels, the Admiral notified the inhabitants
of the town that on the slightest sign of an attack by Mataafa on
it he would sweep the town with grape from end to end so as to
exterminate the attacking forces, and on that account many per-
sons left their homes and took up uncomfortable though safe
quarters in the barracks mentioned. This disagreeable state of
things continued till the arrival of the Commissioners.

On the 1 4th March, 1899, the Admiral having begun the
bombardment, counselled all the settlers in the suburbs of Apia to
vacate their homes and come in to the town and occupy the quarters
at Mulinuu, above described, which they did, whereupon the
Mataafa forces plundered every house within a radius of four miles
from Apia.

As the writer remained at his house in the country for fourteen
days after the commencement of the bombardment he had an
excellent opportunity of witnessing the looting.

The Mataafa troops began this, destroying and plundering the
furniture and other property in all deserted houses owned by Euro-
peans ; subsequently when the former left the district, the Malietoa
troops took a hand in the matter and cleaned up what was left,
not much certainly, but still that little was thankfully appro-
priated by the loyal troops.

As the German settlers generally sympathised with Mataafa,
they supposed, when they left their homes according to the Ad-
miral's direction, that the placing German flags on their houses
would induce the Mataafa men to respect their property, but the
latter took a different view of the case and plundered the residences
of friend and foe in a really disinterested manner. This noteworthy
example was followed by the Malietoa troops who took what was

"3

left of the property belonging to their sympathisers, the English
and Americans.

As the value of the property thus looted and destroyed
amounted to many thousand pounds the King of Sweden, on the
Powers' application to him to decide which was liable to the settlers
for the damage they had certainly received through the Admiral's
bombardment, he decided that England and America must do this,
and in 1905-6 amounts totalling more than £12,000, about half the
value of the loss, were paid by the two Powers to the English and
German settlers.

On the loth June, 1899, th? Commissioners abolished the office
of King and transferred his powers to the three Consuls.

On the 1 4th June, 1899, Dr. W. H. Solf was appointed President
by them.

One the iyth July, 1899, Consul Osborn was appointed Chief
Justice by them.

On the 26th June, 1899, H.M.'s Consul Maxse and H.I.G.M.
Consul-General Rose left for Europe.

On the i6th June, 1899, Mr. Hamilton Hunter, now C.M.G.,
arrived from Fiji, having been appointed Acting-Consul, and
continued here till the igth August, 1900, when he received the
appointment of Agent and Consul for the Tonga Group.

The Commissioners before leaving induced the natives to give
up to them their arms, and the Powers subsequently, eighteen
months afterwards, paid fair value for them.

The Commissioners having left and also the ships-of-war,
no further difficulties or dangers occurred.

The Municipal Council continued its usual work under the
direction of the President, and it was generally supposed that the
Tripartite Government would continue for many years to come.

But at the end of November, 1899, the Union steamer " Mana-
pouri " arrived from Auckland bringing telegraphic news of an
arrangement between the Three Powers by which Germany and
America were to divide the spoil, the former annexing Upolu and
Savali, the latter Tutuila and Manua.

This was a severe blow to the New Zealand Government who.
for many years, had cast wistful, longing eyes in this direction,
but the Boer War had begun and Imperial British interests could
not be sacrificed to the whims of the colony.

Another thing, it is necessary in matters of this kind that the
country acquiring such possessions should be able in time of war
to protect or hold them, and looking dispassionately at the case
how could Xew Zealand or all Australia hold Samoa or any other
outlying possession should war break out at the present time
involving them ? The thing is absurd. Colonies in which nine
men out of every ten not only do not know the difference between
a rifle and a fowling piece but will not take the trouble to learn
must, instead of whimpering like spoilt children because they cannot

114

annex every island in the Pacific, put themselves in a position
to defend their homes and hearths at home, substituting this for
the mere blather which is made in Australia and New Zealand
to take the place of manly conscription, necessary there if it is any-
where in British dominions should their coasts be invaded.

In regard to the attacking of the Mission House by Mataafa
men on 3rd January, 1899, the following account has been supplied
by Mr. F. Marquardt who was thoroughly conversant with the
incidents, and though differing somewhat in detail from that given
a few pages back, yet is substantially the same : — " The saving of
the British sailors stationed at the London Mission premises under
command of Lieutenant Gaunt (Captain Sturdee being also present)
was not the act of any of the Consuls, but simply due to the inter-
ference of Dr. Raffel. While the Mataafa men were surrounding
the Mission House, ready to attack the British force, Dr. Raffel
appeared on the scene, and it was only by his coolness and great
authority, as well as stern demeanour, that the natives were kept
from attacking the detachment. Dr. Raffel, after quieting the
greatly excited Mataafaites, escorted the small force, including
Captain Sturdee and Lieutenant Gaunt, to their boats, then awaiting
them at the beach. Both of these gentlemen thanked Dr. Raffel
in the most profuse manner for the manly way in which he had
acted, whereby he had probably saved the detachment from a
serious catastrophe."

CHIEFLY PERSONAL.

The islands have not been bare of specialists in philology and
natural history. Prominent amongst them are Dr. Schultz, the
Chief Justice and late Acting-Governor ; Herr Kubari, deceased ; and
Herr von Buelow, still living. The first-named's book on Samoan
proverbs, and Herr von Buelow' s often-recurring articles on Samoan
folk-lore and history, printed in the Globus and Samoanische
Zeitung are extremely attractive and instructive.

Should either collect into a volume the old myths and traditions
of the Samoan and other island races while it is still possible, it
would be a great boon to those students who take an interest in the
subject. And, unless this is done speedily, the opportunity will
be lost, for only a few of the oldest Samoans can supply such matter,
the rising generation knowing but little respecting it.

In the works of Dr. A. Kraemer and Dr. F. Reinecke, Dr. G.
Turner, the Rev. J. B. Stair, Captain Bougainville's interesting
voyage round the world, Mrs. Consul Churchill's book, and some old
missionary records will be found valuable particulars respecting
Samoa.

These books, though perhaps high-priced (for the
publishers incurred great expense in collecting the varied

information which they contain) are very valuable re-
cords of island history. Any detractory remarks re
some important personages, also referred to by me, will
no doubt be removed from them in future editions. Their history
not merely of the islands themselves as so much " mount and stream
and sea " but of the numerous foreigners residing there, supplies
in both particulars a great want. Native customs and super-
stitions in the different groups are described in a very lively manner,
and as the editors added to their own notes some made by stan-
dard writers who had preceded them very little is left wanting.
The works are crammed with illustrations and form a perfect
picture gallery of the islands — men and scenery.

But the history of the islands is principally commercial —
of traders

" Wandering far away

On from island unto island
At the gateways of the day,"

and of religion in men and women who

" Through dearth and dark, through fire and frost,
With emptied arms and treasures lost,"

for perhaps all the missionaries that I have met with, Protestant
and Catholic, were men of such mental calibre and habits that they
would, had they chosen commercial pursuits, have each acquired a
comfortable competence for their old age, and, in some instances,
have amassed fortunes, but who renouncing this have done their
best to further what they believe to be right, receiving very often
from the general public, in reward " more kicks than ha'pence."

The author of this work who has lived for more than fifty years
amongst the islands and therefore ought to, if he does not, know
something about them — is amused to hear at times some of the
criticisms by hostile loungers on the workers in the mission fields
of the South Seas.

No doubt in some instances they have given cause to tourists
and others to grumble through uncouth ways and speech, but as a
writer on the islands, travelling more than forty years ago in one
of Her Majesty's ships-of-war, said in his book then published,
somewhat satirically indeed : the public are not justified in expecting
" highly educated gentlemen to come out and spend their lives
amongst half -naked savages."

But for all that many highly educated men and women, gentle-
men and gentlewomen too, if their manners are any proof of the
same, have come, will come, and are here to help forward what they
think is right ; however some may at times differ from them on this
latter point.

Herr Kubari, referred to above, died in the Marshall Group
I believe. He, like the late Theodore Weber, was a great furtherer
of German annexation in the South Seas. A very pleasant

116

companion and of genial manners. Like many more men of his class
and position he had come into the islands originally under the
Hamburg auspices of the Godeffroys as a naturalist, and to procure
specimens of natural history for their museum in Germany. Herr
J. Xiebuhr, with others of his countrymen, found also his way
here in the same manner many years ago, and being a man who
since then has wandered into almost every part of the globe, my
reminiscences would hardly be complete without him. I wish he
would publish an account of his travels. The same remark applies
to Captain Hufnagel, many years and still manager of the large
German plantation at Vailele, who has a decoration from the
Emperor, and to the present Chinese Commissioner A. Fries who
comes from the land of the brave Switzers, where

" The mists boil up around the glaciers

Like foam from the roused ocean of old Hell."

Nor must I forget to mention S. H. Forsell from Sweden
(although a comparatively recent arrival) if only for the fact of our
having been blockaded together for a fortnight on the mountain
side at Maletu during the bombardment in March, 1899, when the
guns of the ships-of-war sent forth their shells hissing over us
towards the Mataafa forces at Vailima in our rear, and we unwisely
remained there.

I have enjoyed the society of many other island rangers whose
names are not at this moment occurring to me, and indeed could I
now remember them would swell my reminiscences to an unreason-
able extent, and force the public to cry " Hold ! enough ! "

THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The Rev. Joseph King of Melbourne (who lived in Samoa from
1863 to 1874) has written a very interesting work entitled " Ten
Decades ; a Centenary Mission Story of the L.M.S.," from which I
gather much of the following.

The London Missionary Society was formed in September, 1795.
Mr. King states, giving their protraits, that the Rev. H. Haweis,
D D., the Rev. David Bogue, D.D., and Joseph Hardcastle, were
three of the founders of the L.M.S. and that on the 28th day of
July, 1796, the first missionary pioneers were set apart for their
work by an Episcopalian, a Scotch seceder, a Presbyterian, an
Independent, and a Methodist, at Zion Chapel in London.

The Revs. John Williams and C. Barff were in 1830 the first
missionary visitors to Samoa. The high chief Malietoa gave them
at Sapapalii, Savaii, a very friendly reception.

In 1834, the Rev. A. Buzacott came here. In 1835, the Revs.
George Pratt of Tahiti, and C. Wilson.

117

From 1836 to 1840, the Revs. A. W. Murray, G. Barnden,
W. Mills, T. Heath, and C. Hardie.

In 1837-9, tne Revs. A. Macdonald, George Pratt, and J. B.
Stair. The latter is the author of a very notable book, published
by the R.T.S., " Old Samoa."

Mr. Pratt is the facile princeps oi the translation of the Bible
into Samoan ; probably the most accurate of the South Sea version
of the Scriptures. "He, being dead, yet speaketh." His
Dictionary, just about to be re-published, has been much enlarged
by the Rev. J. E. Newell, who, as regards his knowledge of the
Samoan language, runs Mr. Pratt very close : while Mr. Pratt' s
Grammar of the language has been largely added to, re-written,
and re-arranged by the latter.

In 1840, Captain Croker, killed afterwards in Tongatabu,
brought to Apia in H.M.S. " Favourite " part of the bodies of the
Rev. John Williams and Mr. Harris, who were murdered the year
before at Erromanga. They are buried beneath the site of the
native church in Apia ; consecrated ground indeed ; to be re-
membered when we tread its threshold.

Between the years 1839 and 1844, there arrived the Revs.
G. Stallworthy, buried at Malua, G. Drummond, Dr. H. Nisbet,
also buried at Malua, T. Powell, the writer of many hymns in the
Samoan hymn books, and Dr. G. Turner, the author of an inter-
esting work on the islands, who laboured in Samoa from 1843 to
1882, all have joined the " great majority." His son, Dr. G. A.
Turner, Medical Missionary, also deceased, was born at Malua
in 1845 and was in the service of the Mission at Samoa from 1868
to 1880.

In 1847, tne Revs. J. Geddie, of the Nova Scotia Presbyterian
Mission, who merely visited Samoa on his way to New Hebrides,
— . Schmidt, and S. Ella.

In 1862 the Rev. T. G. Bird (he and his wife died of con-
sumption shortly afterwards). No preacher of like eloquence
has ever visited these shores. He possessed the power, obtained
by few, of holding his hearers entranced, forgetting all else, while
he described the " things unseen " and the better world, which
many hope to see, in fact, as he evidently did with his mental
eyes

— "When death shall come

And from this ill world they travel home."

From 1863 to 1878, the Rev. S. J. Whitmee.

In 1864-8-9, the Revs. G. F. Scott, — . Gee, and G. A.
Shaw, normal schoolmaster in Apia and afte. wards in Madagascar.

From 1867 to 1885, the Rev. S. H. Davies, afterwards Medical
Missionary.

In 1878-9, the Revs. C. Phillips and John Marriott, who wrote
Scripture Histories of both the Old and New Testaments, now the
text books in all Samoan schools.

118

In 1880, the Rev. J. E. Newell — before mentioned — came herej;
the present editor of the Sulu Samoa, a very useful Samoan magazine
religious and secular, published monthly at Malua. He has com-
piled a good many of the school books at present in use in the
Mission and outstations. Mrs. Newell is the daughter of the Rev.
W. Wyatt Gill, LL.D., deceased, of Rarotonga, who did very good
work in Island folk-lore, and myths and songs of the South Pacific ;
his books are much valued.

Following on came the Revs. W. E. Clarke, J. W.
Hills, an authority as a botanist on all Samoan horticulture,
E. V. Cooper, deceased, W. E. Goward, now labouring earnestly
with his wife alone at the Gilbert Group, S. A. Bever'dge, A. E.
Hunt, A. E. Claxton, V. A. Barradale, M.A., J. H. Morley, E. Haw-
ker, B.A., W. Huckett, J. W. Sibree, Pastor Heider from Germany in
1905, the Rev A. Hough in 1906, and in 1900, Mr. H. S. Griffin,
Manager of the L.M.S. Printing Press at Malua.

In 1901, the Rev. J. E. Newell, when in Germany, urged the
leaders of the Protestant Societies there, to help the L.M.S. to find
a German missionary. Pastor Heider volunteered, but his ap-
pointment was delayed for a time by the terms of his ordination,
and when he was actually appointed ; Mr. Newell's colleague at
the Malua college, which sends forth yearly many native mission-
aries to heathen islands the Rev. John Marriott died, and so Pastor
Heider took his place on the Malua staff.

Meanwhile a Wesley an clergyman, Pastor Beutenmueller,
had c me out, and when he returned home invalided, Pastor Heider
took the German Apia services, and assists, as far as his duties
will allow, the German community at those times when a German
Pastor's services are desired by them ; which as said subsequently,
is not particularly often.

The lady missionaries have been : Miss V. Schultze, Miss
Moore, Miss Ffrench, Miss Jolliffe, Miss Newell and Miss Du
Commun.

I must also state that the Misses Large, George, Osborne, Forth
and Noble (Wesleyan at Savaii) have assisted some of the offshoots
of the missions.

The Papauta High School is under the management of Miss
Schultze (German) and Miss Jolliffe (English), then solely under
the direction of Miss Jolliffe, who takes the greater interest in the
work, as Miss Schultze is absent on furlough in Germany. For-
merly Miss Ffrench, who has gone to England, was associated in
this work with the two ladies above named. The latter's knowledge
of medicine has stood her and a good many other people in good
stead in those emergencies where a doctor's services could not be
obtained.

OTHER MISSIONARY SOCIETIES.

The Wesleyan Church commenced practically its work when the
Rev. M. Dyson was appointed in 1857. ^n T86o the Rev. George
Brown (now D.D.) arrived, succeeded by the Revs. Firth, Austin,
Osborne, Wallis, J. Mathieson, J. W. Collier, A. Carne, Edin Blea-
zard (lately drowned, I grieve to say, at Katafaga, on the 6th
September, 1907, in the Fiji Circuit), and G. C. Beutenmueller.
The Methodist clergymen now here are the Revs. M. Bembrick,
E. G. Neil and G. Furlong.

The two former were born in Australia and the last mentioned
in England.

The Roman Catholic Church entered this mission field I believe
about the year 1845.

As said previously all three have done work of a
lasting and beneficial nature, and this has humanised the Samoans
besides conferring great benefits on European settlers and their
families.

For more than fifty years Divine Service has been held every
Sunday in the English Protestant L.M.S. Church, Apia (at which
Wesleyan Ministers have often assisted), as also has been the case in
the Roman Catholic Cathedral, whence its sweet-toned bells have
daily, during the same period, called at daybreak, noon, and eve,
not only the faithful but all who heard them to

"Pray, ere yet the dark hours be
Lift the heart, and bend the knee."

As this and the foregoing are merely, as the late Henry Halloran,
C.M.G., the Australian poet, says, "a Shred of Memory " (Sydney
Quarterly Magazine, 1892) fluttering in the wind, I have orfy re-
ferred specially to a few of those persons who were very well known
to me. All did good work in their respective orbits and the historian
of mission service here and in other fields

" Might relate of thousands and their names
Emblazon here on earth."

In the other life whither all are hastening, this has been already
done and will be found there by those who shall consult its records.

The Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Mission was begun in the
eighties.

Regarding educational matters I find in the Rev. A. W. Mur-
ray's work on Samoa that he and Mrs. Murray, at Leone, Tutuila,
in 1843, originated a boarding school for young Samoan women on
similar lines to that which has been revived there in the last few
years

120

The latter and the Papauta High School, established in 1892,
are doing good service.

As regards schools for foreigners' children, white and half-
caste, I find in the same book that the pioneer institution was
begun in 1856 at Apia under the auspices of the L.M.S. by Mr.
Stearns, he was succeeded by the Rev. — . Schmidt, previously
mentioned, and at his death by Messrs. T. Meredith, J. E. V. Al-
vord and others, as before stated.

The L.M.S. has long since discontinued directly or indirectly
any support of any school for white or half-caste children. Having
made close enquiry I am able to speak with authority on this point
to repress an absurd idea current that this Society is supporting
o" helping the only English Protestant school in the group, viz.,
that commenced some years ago (when the L.M.S. school ceased
operation) by three maiden ladies, the Misses Armstrong. But
although the L.M.S. does not in any way help this school there is
excellent reason for its full support by Protestants in the group, not
only because it is so ably conducted by these ladies, and the pupils
are thoroughly well taught, but because it is the only English
Protestant institution of the kind in all Samoa.

The German master, Herr Osbahr, a man of great ability, was
for a time on leave in Germany.

The Apia Catholic schools next call for a reminiscence. As I
remember the Marist Brothers, noted throughout the world for
their devotion to this species of work, commenced their labours
in the seventies, while the Catholic nuns, about the same time
(I write subject to correction in both instances) established a school
for girls. Both institutions have done excellent work, and continue
to the present day with a numerous attendance.

The German school was later in the field, beginning in a com-
paratively small way in 1885, Dr. Sieriel leading the van, followed
by Messrs. Schubert and Tandler. The German community then
combined, purchased land, built a handsome school house at
Matafele, and called to work from home Pastor Margraf as head-
master and also clergyman, but the combination of the two offices
did not succeed either with him or his successor Pastor Holzhausen,
their pious compatriots, though few in number, objecting to the
former — a liberal, broad churchman — on the ground that he was not
straight-laced enough, while on the arrival of the latter, the indif-
ferent— very much in the majority — objected to him because he
was too straight-laced. Both therefore had to leave Samoa, and the
church suffered thereby, for not any German service since then
has been well attended.

A very sensible talented lay teacher Herr Damm then came out,
followed by Herr Osbahr, both being assisted by Miss L. Schultze,
Mrs. Imhoff (nee von Woedtke,) and Miss Damm.

121

This institution being under Government control and pro-
tection is consequently of much greater importance than any other
educational establishment in the group.

The Latter Day Saints (Mormons) have also carried on schools
for white and native children for several years past.

As regards native schools all Samoan pastors (Protestant and
Catholic) instruct regularly the children whose parents attend their
churches. Consequently there is not I suppose at the present time
in all Samoa a man, woman, or child (who is over ten years of age)
who cannot read and write.

I think it proper to make a few remarks regarding the Misses
Armstrong's school, or more correctly the Protestant School, and
the German children (i.e., the Samoan children) who attend it.

Of course it would be quite in the province of the Government
to withdraw the privilege hitherto accorded this school of allowing
German native children to attend it ; but were they to withdraw
it no good results would attend such withdrawal. On the con-
trary it would enable the yellow press both in Australasia and in
England to declare with complete truth that this was done by the
Government in order that the school might be closed up.

For certainly this institution without the aid of the fees from
the native scholars attending it could not exist.

I must inform my readers, speaking with full knowledge of the
facts that at present only thirty native children are allowed to
attend it. But why the number is limited to thirty I have never
been able to find out ; to a spectator like myself it seems that there
should be no limit to the number allowed by the Government pro-
vided proper instruction in the German language be given them.

Restrictions of this kind leave a very bad taste in the mouths
of Australasians, and are certain eventually to cause reprisals on
much more important subjects.

The old proverb that " people who live in glass houses should
not throw stones " is peculiarly and strikingly applicable to this
case, and at the risk of offending the Pan-Germanic clique here and
at home, I venture to suggest that the Government reconsider the
question and allow this school to educate not merely thirty German
native children but thirty times thirty should its resources prove
sufficient for that purpose.

THE MULINUU MONUMENT.

Regarding the inscription on the Mulinuu Monument, erected
in remembrance of the German sailors who lost their lives at Vailele
in December, 1888, and in Apia harbour on the i6th and iyth
March, 1889, previously referred to, I subjoin the following trans-
lation, being an exact copy.

At the base of the memorial are placed six metal wreaths, on
two of which is inscribed in German : —
To the memory of their fallen comrades. By the Commander and

Officers of S.M.S. " Cormoran.''

Apia, 18/12/99.

Apia, 18/12/1900.

On other two the same heading : —

By the Ward Officers and Petty Officers of the " Cormoran." — Same
dates.

On the remaining two the heading is repeated : —

By the men of the " Cormoran." — -Same dates.

On its North side is inscribed in German : —
To the memory of the Comrades who died for the Fatherland, on the

Australian Station. Fallen in the battle near Apia on the iSth

December, 1888.

From S.M.S " Olga."

Lieut, z. S. Spengler, Sieger.

ist class Seamen : Oo. Paetsch, Hch. Peters, Rob. Schultz,
Herm. Tetrow, Gust. Tietz.

Seamen : Wilh. Bottin, Frz. Herrfurth, Krl. Herzfeld, Hch.
Hildebrand, Grg. Redweite, Ant. Ritthammel, Aug. Witt.

Mechanics : Hug. Goos II., Juerg. Stroeh.
From S.M. Gunboat " Eber."

Seaman Krl. Zitzke.

On its West side : —
Lost in the Hurricane at Samoa on the i6th March, 1889, from S.M.

Gunboat " Eber" and S.M. Cruiser "Adler."
Gunboat " Eber."

Captain-Lieutenant Wallis.

Lieut, z. S. Eckardt v. Ernsthausen ; ist class Assistant Sur-
geon Dr. Machenhauer ; 2nd class Paymaster Kunze ; ist class
Boatswain's Mate Johs. Dormann ; ist class Gunner's Mate Gerh.
Klee ; Boatswain's Mates : Krl. Erlart, O. Lammert, Frz. Pusch ;
Quartermaster Alb. Moldenhauer ; Musician Rud. Mohr.

123

1st class Seamen : Gust. Bathke, Wilh. Bergmann, Ed. Jacob,
Alb. Janke, Ech. Leppke, Gust. Molzow, Hch. Xoack, Eml. Rohde,
Grg. Sinner, Hlmth. Stein.

On its South side : —

ist class Seaman Ad. Tanom ; Seamen : Christ. Balke, Grg.
Braasch, Krl. Burmeister, Grg. Delp, Hch. Fabricius, Johs. Gross,
Ad. Jansen, Hch. Jost, Johs. Keitel, Ferd. Keger, Jons. Kiaups,
Herm. Klueck, Mart. Kusabs, Frz. Lewandowski, Wilh. v Mala-
ckinski, Joh. Manhold, Jul. Nagraezus, Mart. Norck, Aug. Olden-
burg, Aug. Pulow, Ptr. Rehahn, Hnry. Scharf, Wilh. Vandrey,
Aug. Wotschon.

Chief Machinist Theod. Teuber ; Machinists : Enst. Schoodt,
Oo. Hoenemann ; Machinist's Mates : Ad. Dietrich, Boleslo von
Kukowski ; Water-tenders : Gust. Bahr, Wilh. Jordan ; ist class
Firemen : Aug. Arnemann, Theod. Fick II., Herm. Linke II.,
End. Metzentien, Krl. Wontzien ; Firemen : Aug. Engel, Grg.
John, Krl. Kuhwede, Bruno Michel.

On its East side : —

Firemen : Ewd. Pahlow, Herm. Witt ; Assistant Paymaster
Krl. Bunnies ; Equipment Yeoman Karl Mueller ; Hospital Steward
Ant. Maffry ; Clerk Oo. Sagert ; ist class Mechanics : Dan. Weyher,
Aug. Mueller II. ; Mechanic Hch. Uhrhammer ; Steward Ed.
Kluge.

From S.M. Cruiser " Adler "

ist class Seamen : PI. Fischer, Herm. Wenk, Hgo. Wilhelm ;
Seamen : Hch. Ariszus, Bernh. Blaul, Charl. Busch, Friedrich
Fischer, Friedrich Jannusch, Peter Keila, Hans Lassen, Rob.
Lenke, Wilh. Loser, PI. Markus, Leo. Meisinger, Wilh. Pete s,
Alb. Remuss, Alb. Schneegolzki, Krl. Wahrenberg ; Clerk Frz.
Raschke ; Fireman Hch. Jangmann.

It is strange that the Samoans, who, of all the surrounding
groups, have always proved themselves most friendly to foreigners,
should not only on the above occasion in 1888, but in the Tutuila
massacre in 1787, in the Barracouta affray in 1876, and in the
fight at Vailele in 1899, have caused so much bloodshed.

But when the matter is considered carefully, it would almost
appear that there is much to be said in their favour.

As regards the Tutuila massacre, Dr. Reinecke in his work
on Samoa, p. 27, pretty plainly hints that the sex were at the
bottom of the disaster. But, as the event occurred more than a
hundred years ago, this must remain " not proven."

The Rev. A. W. Murray, p. 105, states that " the attack on
La Perouse's men was not made by natives of Tutuila, but by a
party from Upolu, who were at Tutuila on a visit, and who called
alongside the ships then standing off and on in the neighbourhood
of Asu. A lad in one of the canoes, a native of Tutuila, but iden-
tified with the Upolu party, attempted or was supposed by the

124

French to have made an attempt to steal something from one of
the vessels, and was fired at and wounded in the shoulder. The
wound did not prove immediately fatal, but the natives were
enraged, and, leaving the vessels, went straight to the shore and
attacked the party they found there then procuring water. As it
was low water and the boats were aground, the French were very
much in the power of their assailants, and eleven of their number
were killed. Of the remainder, 49, all more or less wounded, suc-
ceeded in regaining the ships.

"Three days after some of the assailants were seen at Aleipata,
Upolu, whither, after the affray, they at once returned, and La
Perouse had much difficulty in restraining his crew from attacking
them."

As regards the Barracouta fight on the I3th March, 1876,
the men who counselled the taking to Mulinuu of Malietoa Laupepa
into the midst of chiefs hostile to him, and in the absurd hope
that they would then acknowledge him as King, were madder
than hatters.

Respecting the Matafagatele fight in 1899, in which the Eng-
lish and American sailors lost their lives, that again was brought
about by an error. For to send one hundred white men attended
by the same number of Samoans [that, I am told by the gentle-
man who was with the party, was the exact number] into a district
and through roads abounding in convenient cover for ambuscades,
to face an enemy who had many hundred men stationed there and
in the rear, was certainly folly, as the sad result proved.

The wonder is, not that so many of the party were killed, but
that they did not all lose their lives.

125

SAMOAN CUSTOMS.

Following directly on in the current of the last article it is
proper for me to inform the reader that Mr. H. J. Moors, pre-
viously mentioned, has played, in many respects, an important
pa t in the political history of Samoa during the last twenty years.
At that time, being in Washington, he used earnestly his influence
with the Government there on the side of the unfortunate King
Malietoa, then banished to Jaluit. Subsequently in 1898, when
Mataafa returned, and the stirring events of the following year,
1899, took place he was ever found in the thick of the fray sup-
porting the claims of the candidate for kingship who, he believed,
was the most eligible, and thereby drew upon himself the wrath of
cliques professing an opposite opinion.

The following particulars respecting the communism existing
now, and which has existed for many centuries amongst the
Samoans, may not be uninteresting to the reader.

By information supplied to me by an aged Samoan the truth
of which, in a general way, has been confirmed to me by my own
experience amongst the natives (although, of course, in some
points this may be not always the rule, for to every rule, whether
in this o • in any other sublunary matter, exceptions are always
found) I learn that as regards landed possessions the family chief,
or owner of that title, viz., the person to whom it has been given
by the relations, is the sole possessor of the land, but the relations
are allowed by him in conformance with the ordinary custom to
use it for planting or other purposes, though it is always expected
that they shall previously obtain his permission to do this, but
they are not allowed to sell or alienate it. If, for example, any of
them wish to build a house on his land and he refuse to allow it
they must obey him ; but if in this and in planting, or other uses
of it, he tyrannically withhold his consent, the public generally
take the matter up and he is promptly ostracised as a mean fellow
and " sent to Coventry," perhaps in the eyes of Samoans the most
severe punishment that could be inflicted on him.

Should a person belonging to another family make a similar
application to him for planting or building purposes, the matter
then stands as it does with Europeans. The applicant must give
a quid pro quo, a return of a suitable kind whether in promised
affection or help or in the more substantial method of fine mats,
pigs, or cash, &c., &c.

But in this case refusals carry with them no opprobrium and
the public declines to interfere. The same remarks apply to other

126

property. Outsiders, people not belonging to the family cannot,
for instance, expect should they apply to those of other families for
presents of fine mats, &c., &c., that they will necessarily be granted
them ; they may be or they may not. In the latter case the public
also declines to interfere. But should one of the family, calling on
his own relations, admire a fine mat, a hog, a gun, an umbrella,
&c., &c., the Samoan etiquette is that it be at once offered for his
acceptance, and there must be no murmuring (until he has left
the p emises) should the guest take the host at his word. But
this rule does not apply to any landed property nor to those fine
mats ' ' ie o le malo," which are very valuable. Should any dere-
liction of duty on the part of the hosts in such particulars occur
and the matter be reported to the public, the offender, as pre-
viously stated, will be branded as a fellow who has no conscience.
But in such cases, and where special requests are made by friends
or relatives for presents of fine mats or hogs, &c., it is understood
that the donors in course of time will make a return call or appli-
cation to the recipients for property of equal value to that which
has been given them.

The chief or head of the family receives applications and
presents from suitors for the buxom damsels who are or ought to
be in the matrimonial market. In this instance, again, very
properly, the public never interferes.

The matter is left solely to the suitors and the head of the
family and his counsellors (tulafales). They alone arrange that
business, and if the bargain suit both parties they strike hands on
it. when, not before, the cause of all this trouble is informed of
what has taken place and is expected to be pleased. Sometimes,
unfortunately, she is not pleased, and the suitor finds subsequently
after marriage that he might have done better. But, ladies and
gentlemen, as Shakespeare says : —

" Forbear to judge,
For we are sinners all."

I could enlarge a good deal on this exciting topic, the ladies I
mean, but it won't do. The clergy and some of the laity too
would serve me as the Samoans serve, previously mentioned,
offenders, and ostracise me ; so I shall for the present at least quit
this dangerous subject.

Respecting the receiving and entertaining (malagas) journey-
ing parties, the Samoan rules are extraordinarily strict. In every
village there are or should be houses built expressly for their re-
ception and comfort when travelling, and the Samoans are always
travelling. On arrival they are at once conducted to such build-
ings, and the village or town immediately sets to work to procure
and cook food for them, the latter of a quality suited to the quality
of the guests. They may be complete strangers ; not a man in
the town may have ever seen one of them before, but that matters

127

nothing ; they are visitors, and mu^c be fed and attended to. In
old times, I am told, this custom was carried to a great excess
when high chiefs were in the party, but the church has remedied
this. But strangers are expected to leave the town early the next
morning, or, should they remain a day or two longer, assist their
hosts to procure and cook the food required by them.

When visitors of this kind have relations in the town the
matter is different. They are treated in the same manner as is
the case in Europe.

As regards " nunus " (" a gathering of people for feasting and
interchanging property" — Dictionary) the case varies again.
The visitors are entertained for three days instead of one, at the
expiration of which the town expects them to depart, and it would
be considered that they were acting in a very rude and discour-
teous way should they not then do so, or not make special arrange-
ments in the matter with their hosts.

Such, as far as I can learn, are some of the old communal
customs, still adhered to in many parts of the group, although in
places like Apia, where strangers come in every day in the week,
some of them are a good deal modified.

At the same time I must remark that I am not dogmatising
in the foregoing ; it is quite possible that in some places in Samoa
the customs mentioned may vary a little from the statements of
my Samoan informant, although I believe that generally and
taken all round it is fairly correct. Herr von Buelow, of Savaii,
and several other gentlemen in the islands are the best authorities
on the subject, and I should be very unwilling to oppose by my
dictum what they may say on the points touched on in this article.

128

THE SAMOA CONCORDIA.

On reviewing my work I find it necessary to accept a correc-
tion at the hands of Mr. E. F. Allen, master mariner and part
owner of the steamer " Maori," as to what took place on the day
of opening active hostilities against Mataafa. Mr. Allen was
on the spot at the time and saw the man killed by some of the
beleaguered natives, who in some way or another eluded the troops
posted near the beach, and coming from the inland road got on to
the verandah, and there killed one or two of our men, escaping in
the confusion back to the bush.

Resuming my narrative, Mr. Allen came here about twenty
years ago, under the auspices of McArthur & Co. When they
retired from business he started on his own account, and, being
very energetic, became a successful trader. Having established
several trading stations at Savaii and Tutuila, he pushed out fur-
ther, and initiated with Mr. Blacklock that steam service between
Apia and Pago Pago which has been highly beneficial to the general
public, and which, it is to be hoped, will be again called into use
should the negotiations re a renewal of the Californian steam ser-
vice by the New Zealand and Sydney Governments prove success-
ful.

He (Mr. Allen) and Mr. Blacklock, the former U.S. Vice-Consul-
General here, mentioned above, have (1908) formed the Samoan
Shipping and Trading Company Limited (steamships " Dawn "
and " Maori"), which is a great benefit to the residents in Samoa,
and I trust to themselves.

Ferdinand Rose, my intimate friend, who died in 1895, cut off
in the flower of his age, was, for some time, one of Baron von
Pilsach's secretaries, and afterwards occupied a similar position
with his successor in the Presidency. As party feeling re Mataafa
and the de jure King Malietoa Laupepa ran very high at the time,
he, with his superior in office did not escape attack by those who
were their opponents, amongst whom was R. L. Stevenson, the
great writer, then in Samoa.

He had visited many islands in the South Seas and filled
various positions in them.

Herr von Wolffersdorf, his friend, another island ranger, who,
like Rose, was highly educated and respected, died in 1900. Both
belonged to the " Concordia Club." Amongst other members of
the " Concordia " are C. Netzler, previously mentioned on more
than one occasion, and P. Rasmussen, both old and much esteemed
citizens. The latter married the daughter of the late Mr. Patterson,

129

of Kiue, also an old and highly respected settler ; and the
genial G. W. Partsch, who, from Hamburg (that city redolent of
memories of the time when the Three Castle Flag was seen and
respected, too, in many a sea), after wandering through Tahiti,
Tonga and various other island regions, settled here at last towards
the end of the eighties. The Concordia, established in 1893, to
promote social intercourse and general good feeling, is composed
of nearly all the Apia German residents and some persons of other
nationalities, membership being open to all respectable settlers,
without regard to nationality or creed.

As originally formed the entrance fee Mas £2, the monthly
subscription for the first ten years four shillings per month, and
during the ten years following two shillings per month, after that
period the subscription lapsed.

In return all members suffering from sickness were taken
care of by the club ; their medical and other expenses paid and £i
per week granted them until their recovery. In case of death all
the members are expected to follow the deceased to his grave.

The funeral expenses of all deceased members were to be paid
by the club, or a sum of £10 donated to their relatives for that
purpose, and their orphan children were to receive at the German
School free schooling until their education was completed.

This arrangement still holds good with the surviving original
members, about 35, but all new members now pay an entrance fee
of ten marks only, and two marks only per month, and the club
stands clear of all responsibility regarding them and their children
in case of sickness or death.

Its meetings take place monthly ; sometimes they assume the
form of a bierabend, sometimes of a conversazione, sometimes of a
bowling contest, an alley used for that purpose being attached to
their place of meeting.

An admirable fellowship, especially in its original form, which
up to the present time has well fulfilled all the purposes for which
it was created.

Connected with the club is a library of more than a thousand
books circulating free amongst its members.

Xeither must I forget another old resident, Mr. Robert East-
hope, of the " International," commonly called " Honest Bob,"
whose hostel is well patronised by strangers as also by islanders,
with whom he is deservedly a great favourite.

As before said, the island scenery is most attractive.

110

THE ISLAND OF NIUA FOU.

Samoa especially excels in this respect ; the view of the coast-
line of Upolu from the Apia harbour impresses all new-comers with
its picturesque charm.

" A thing of beauty is a joy for ever."

Ovalau, again, in Fiji, seen from the Levuka harbour presents
a landscape never forgotten by those who have once beheld it.

Taviuni, also, rising to a height of more than 4,000 feet, strikes
the tourist as a grand natural object.

So also Vanua Mbalavu after its passage is entered and the
harbour with its islands opens out before the visitor.

But, perhaps, Niua Fou, an outlying island from the Tongan
Group, half-way between Vavau and Savaii, presents more variety
of scenery than many of the larger islands. This place, about
thirteen miles in circuit, is merely a volcanic crater. Its name,
" new land " or perhaps " new Niua," is contrast with Niuato-
butabu, probably refers to its having emerged from the ocean or
having been discovered at a time when Niuatobutabu was known
or inhabited.

The latter island or group, called by Wallis, in 1767, Keppel
Island, lies about 120 miles almost due east from Niua Fou, having
good anchorage on the south-west side of the southernmost island.

The shores of Niua Fou are entirely rock bound, and in rough
weather it is impossible to land except on the west side, where a
very small sandy beach exists — the only one on its coast.

In its middle is a lake of fresh water several miles in extent,
in which are several islets.

At the east end of which is a mass of craters, at present
quiescent, but in the year 1867 one of them suddenly burst into
action, continuing so for some weeks, causing the whole island to
rock to and fro during all that time with most violent earthquake
shocks, recurring at short intervals and pouring out from its mouth
a volume of liquid lava, overflowing the northern portion of the
island, and flowing thence into the sea, forming at night, as the
fiery fluid met the breakers, a magnificent spectacle. But my
informant (Mr. Elisha H. Grey, now of Savaii, then living at Niua
Fou, one of the oldest island residents, now, unfortunately, afflicted
with blindness) told me that the spectacle gave him and those
living there very little pleasure ; on the contrary, had he been
worth a million he would have gladly paid it away for the privilege

of being removed from the island ; but there were no boats or
canoes there, and so they had to wait some weeks for the next
vessel to arrive, when he and his family at once left the place.

Since then other eruptions have taken place, during one of
which another informant, who took Mr. Grey's place, told me
that as he was lying on his sofa during one of the earthquakes
accompanying the phenomenon, he heard distinctly, from under
the place where he was lying, a huge mass of rock fall and thunder
down to unknown depths. He also quitted the island as soon as
possible afterwards.

Probably there may be no danger, and now the volcano rests
again, but it is not the sort of place that one would choose (al-
though the scenery is grandly beautiful in every part of the island)
to spend the remainder of his days in.

In old times the Tongans invariably, when coming to Samoa
in their large canoes, made it a half-way place of stoppage, being
enabled to do so by means of the sandy beach referred to, on which
they beached and hauled up their vessels.

At the beginning of 1859, being then in the island trade, I
called off the spot in my vessel and, landing there, went up to the
town, psrhaps three miles distant, while the schooner laid off and
on waiting for my return.

The road ran along the heights impending the lake, and I do
not remember ever, anywhere, having looked on a landscape of
the kind more entrancing. The hills surrounding it, perhaps six
hundred feet high, are with " living verdure clad " from their
summits to the base of the lake, while at its east end portraying a
scene in the " Vision " of Dante rise, with black, smoke begrimed
and sulphurous sides, several craters of different sizes and heights,
and, like the giants Dante saw, send forth like them from time to
time as the years roll on "a blast and peal which makes the
thunder feeble."

The inhabitants told me that some years before (in 1853,
Admiralty Sailing Directions) an eruption from the volcano oc-
curred at dead of night at the south-west end of the island under a
densely populated village and destroyed many of the dazed vil-
lagers while they attempted to make their escape.

On making the island from the southward, and when perhaps
three miles distant, we were somewhat puzzled to know, not being
able to discern them clearly with the glass, what certain black
dots in the sea could be, but after a short time found that they
were moving and consisted of the heads of perhaps twenty of the
Xiua Fou natives, who were taking their usual swimming exercise
in this way, just as we are accustomed to take our afternoon stroll
or ride. Coming on board, they gave our native sailors all the
island news. Xo bottom is to be found all round the island, but
a very small shoal in the north side close to the rocks affords a
somewhat dangerous anchorage.

132

SAMOAN POLITENESS.

The Concordia was founded by the means principally of
Messrs. C. Netzler, A. Willis, P. Paul and Tandler. They called
the first meeting. The German School originated through Messrs.
Netzler and Kopsch (formerly attached to the D.H. & P.G., now
in Germany). The former brought his niece from Sydney to assist
in the undertaking, but she could not withstand the climate, and
had to return to Australia on that account.

Another old resident who, lately, with his wife and children,
left for Sydney is Mr. Fritz Niedringhaus, who, when he left H.I.G.
Majesty's ship-of-war, started business as an hotelkeeper here.
He and his wife, a very hardworking frau, left many friends be-
hind them.

The late Mr. Matthew Hunkin was of exceedingly old stand-
ing in these seas. He settled at Tutuila in the thirties, in which
decade he married a Samoan lady of rank, who bore him many
children. Originally he assisted the L.M.S. at Manua and Tutuila
as a sort of lay preacher. Subsequently he turned his attention
to commercial matters. At one time, I believe, he acted as British
Consular Agent at Tutuila. A man of good education and of
much ability. His knowledge of the Samoan language was that
which few foreigners, not missionaries, have possessed. He died
in 1888, aged 73.

Mr. and Mrs. Conradt and children, all much esteemed, have
lived amongst us for many years ; they had previously resided for
some time in the Hawaiian Group.

The island scenery has a peculiar fascination for those who
are lovers of nature, and what has happened there during the last
hundred and thirty years has, when recalled to memory, a singular
charm in its retrospect. It is interesting to reflect that now
civilisation and great cities are found where only savage tribes
existed in 1770 and 1777, the years in which Cook rediscovered
New Holland and New Zealand, then inducing the English Go-
vernment to take steps which led to the colonisation of both coun-
tries, and of the South Sea Islands, and that what is practically a
new world has come into existence. In comparing the past
characteristics of the Fijians, Tongans and Samoans with their
present aspect towards the whites and one another it is impossible
not to be impressed with the wonderful alteration in their manners
in this particular in the last few years. And some amiable but

133

somewhat simple strangers coming amongst us take it for granted
not only that this benevolent and philanthropic style is strictly
now genuine, but that it always was so.

In Samoa the politeness which they carry to an excess in their
dealings with one another is also extended to the foreigner, like-
wise to excess, but not in old times until new-comers, formerly
" distressed seamen," mostly, had reached the bottom of their sea
chests (specially brought on shore with particular care and much
inquisitiveness regarding the contents by their native hosts) and
the latter had also become well aware of this disagreeable fact, the
politeness referred to begin to assume a form which at times
bordered on the sarcastic.

It was all very well for the Samoan chief to address such a
" distressed seaman " as " My Lord," the proper thing to do
according to Samoan ideas, when the chest was full, or, as a sort
of mild hint, reduce this down when the chest was only half-full
and he knew7 it, to " Your Excellency " or " Your Honour," but to
call a man Afioga or Susuga whose sea chest was not only empty,
but who was in such reduced circumstances that he was
even short of tobacco and was obliged to apply to his host, not
merely for food and shelter, but actually for Samoan tobacco with
which to fill his pipe, that was altogether out of the question,
except as said above in an ironical manner with a sardonic cast of
countenance.

I know that some of my compatriots, especially amongst the
ladies, will not only take all I have said for granted, but at once
enlarge on the " vile rapacity " of the Samoans ; but they must
remember that the same thing exists in our own countries, as I
hope presently to show.

The general reader will, I know, be much interested by the
description of the modus operandi regarding such points which I
am now about to unfold, and to which the remainder of this article
will be scrupulously devoted.

When, then, in past times a foreigner landed and took up his
quarters amongst them and, as was usually the case, had before
many months emptied the " basket " and exhausted the little
" store " he had brought with him, it became a matter of import-
ance to the elders of the town honoured by his presence to ascer-
tain in what way his dwelling with them could be turned to the
good account, not only of the stranger, this being thought a minor
matter, but of themselves.

Clerks were altogether at a discount in such a consideration'
not, indeed, that many at that time found their way to the islands1
but carpenters, blacksmiths, and even sailors, the latter though
not by any means to the same extent as the former, were much
prized, and sometimes rival towns vied with one another in their

134

efforts to abstract from their more fortunate neighbours the pos-
session of an experienced tradesman just arrived from foreign
parts.

Now, I am told that in May Fair, but only, while in London,
having seen this aristocratic locality from a distance, and not
being able therefore to state it as a positive fact, it is necessary,
consequently, for me to leave experienced readers better ac-
quainted with this subject than my ignorant self to verify or deny
these statements. I am told, I say, that in May Fair whenever a
debutante of extraordinary personal charms makes her first ap-
pearance in London society it becomes the primary object of her
relations and friends to take good care not only that she does not
make a mesailliance, but that she shall secure the affections and
bring into hymeneal bonds the wealthiest and most exalted per-
sonage that can possibly be hooked on to herself by her supporters.
I suppose, although, as just said, I do not know this to be true,
that there is probably something in it, for even here, at the An-
tipodes, similar customs formerly occurred ; but, not to \\eary
the reader by digressions like the above, I continue my story by
saying that when a useful foreigner settled in Samoa in the manner
described, the town in which he resided became at once the scene
of innocent though zealous rivalry amongst the families inhabiting
it to hook on to him one of the belles of the village that belonged
to their own families. Now, as polygamy had ceased at the time
mentioned, it must be evident to all that he could only marry one
of them, and so, as said, all kinds of efforts were made by each of
the various families to secure him for itself. It would appear that
the age of the foreigner was purely secondary in the affair, for it
is quite certain that even Methuselah at the good old age of 960-
would, had Samoa been initiated when he lived and he had visited
it (always supposing that he could repair guns or build boats, &c.)
have just as eagerly been sought for as son-in-law notwithstanding
his advanced age by the families where he settled and have had as
good a chance as some young spark of five and twenty. Night
after night the family elders assembled, drank their kava, plaited
their cinet, and discussed the best way in which to obtain for their
valuable daughter the beneficial alliance of the carpenter, black-
smith, or other good man, who had just arrived. It is hardly
worth my while to mention for everybody knows that just as in
May Fair th-'. young ladies themselves had no voice in the matter,
in fact, it would have been considered that they were in the last
degree impertinent, and have led up to very disagreeable conse-
quences to themselves had they made the slightest objection to
marry useful men for whom they were selected by their relations.

But if it happened, as I know actually was the case in one or
two instances about fifty years ago, the husband was lazy; did not
supply property to the family, or in other respects did not give
them satisfaction, his " missus " was promptly removed from his

135

marital care and he was left lamenting ; a warning to other mar-
ried men to take care how they acted towards the family relations.

But lest my dear friends the Euronesian damsels, for whom I
have the greatest respect, should suppose that they are referred to
in this article, I wish them thoroughly to understand that the
events described happened a long time ago, and therefore did not
affect them, at least we hope so, but their maternal ancestresses.
In every instance, and consequently this is not excepted, female
merit must receive its due reward.

As what has been said throws some light on island life I
thought it proper to devote some space to it.

THE CLIMATE OF TONGA.

It is strange how little human life is thought of by the natives,
I remember an anecdote told me by one of my friends at Haabai.
W. Young, strikingly illustrating this fact.

Perhaps two miles to the northward of Lifuka, Haabai, where
the " Port au Prince ' was taken, exists a coral shoal lying some
little distance from the shore ; and the captain of our schooner, -in
one of my voyages, by an extraordinary blunder, the weather
being fine, ran the vessel on to it. However, we got off again.

As the occurrence was plainly visible from the harbour, and
vessels did not get on to shoals every day in the week, the whole
population, not many certainly, turned out to see it, and on our
anchoring shortly afterwards at Lifuka came off with congratula-
tions. It appears that a great many years before a large double
canoe carrying more than one hundred passengers got on the same
shoal in a gale of wind, I suppose mistaking it for the harbour, for
the Haabai Group is as full of reefs and shoals as is a well-stuffed
plum pudding with currants and raisins ; the result being that every
soul on board perished except one old woman, not a chieftainess ;
now as it was known that several chiefs had been amongst the
passengers, the Haabai natives were so angry that they should
have perished while this poor creature escaped they at once clubbed
and despatched her.

At the present day when a native feels that his end is near
it appears to give him little anxiety. I have on more than one
occasion conversed with natives who knew that they would die
that day or that night, the symptoms unmistakably showing that ;
they showed no fear but appeared to regard it as a mere matter of
course and maintained the same demeanor up to their last gasp.

The custom has its advantages, but sometimes, no doubt,
when by using vigorous measures they might recover from their
sickness they assume that their time to die has come, and so, making
no effort to escape death, perish.

136

o

o

Possibly there may be something in the climate causing this
effect, for I have noticed it more than once in fatal disease at the
islands of which whites were the subjects.

Hurricanes, previously referred to, are much more frequent
in Fiji and Tonga than at Samoa, but as in other latitudes the more
seldom the hurricane occurs the more violent it is when it does come ;
that I believe is the case here. There has been, however, no gale
of more than ordinary cyclonic power (that indeed being quite bad
enough) since the year 1850 when a terrific storm occurred, extend-
ing along the north coast of the whole extent of Upolu.

One of the settlers, old Crawley, then living at Aleipata, the
east end of Upolu, told me that the force of the wind was awful,
mowing down even the cocoanut trees (which has never happened
to my knowledge in Samoa and Tonga during the last forty years
at the islands) and then carrying the trees along the ground during
the gusts with dreadful force, so that no living creature encountering
them escaped destruction.

Shelter could hardly be found anywhere, every house being
levelled with the ground. But with all that there was no great loss
of life.

Both in Samoa and in Tonga they seldom extend to a distance
of more than fifty miles from the spot where they blow with the
greatest violence. A hurricane in Vavau hardly ever devastates
the Haabai Group, and should one occur in Tongatabu that will
only be felt in a much less degree in Haabai.

From what I can learn, they have been far more frequent in
Fiji and Tonga in the last forty years than in the three or four
decades preceding that period.

As regards volcanic disturbances the bed of all the ocean
around and adjacent to the Tonga Group seems to be a network
of submarine fire occasionally even in the last ten years throwing
up islands which sometimes disappear after a short interval. The
latest island of this kind is only about thirty miles from the south-
west end of Tongatabu, having emerged from the ocean in 1907.

The Samoans had an old superstition that earthquakes are
caused by the movements in his sleep of a huge subterranean giant,
and that should he turn himself round during his slumbers the
ground above him is moved and produces the earthquake.

The scientist, Dr. E. Friedlaender, who lately visited Samoa
and whose interesting article on volcanic activity there appears in
the Zeitung of the I2th October, 1907, states it to be his opinion
that the " present eruption on Savaii will only be of short duration
and will become extinct in a few years . . . but that
the volcanic activity there will not cease with the end of the present
outbreak but that at no very distant time outbreaks in other places
in Savaii will follow."

137

However he qualifies the above by saying that " how the
volcano will further develop itself cannot be forecasted with any
degree of certainty."

Respecting the climate in the various groups that of Tongatabu,
21.07 S. is unquestionably according to my experience far superior
to that of all the other islands. In the winter months warm clothing
is required at night, the thermometer falling sometimes below 55.00
of Fahrenheit, and even in the summer the heat is seldom intense.
Eventually I believe it will be the resort of many invalids from
Australia and New Zealand. The same remark applies to Haabai,
about 100 miles to the northward of Tongatabu. Vavau, 60 miles
further north from Haabai, has a pleasant climate, but unfortunately
the harbour and town (Neiafu) are so shut in by the hills to the
eastward that the prevailing trade winds cannot reach the town,
and in the summer it is consequently exceedingly hot there ; but
on the hill over the town where the trade wind can find access the
climate is a very pleasant one : and when the wind comes in (not
often) from the south Xeiafu itself has a fairly low temperature.
In Tongatabu and Haabai some of the natives have attained a
great age. The late King George was several years past ninety
when he died, and would have probably lived for some time longer
and reached a hundred had he used proper precautions in the illness
that carried him off.

SAMOAN SUPERSTITIONS.

All the islanders are somewhat superstitious and have a great
dread of going about at night alone, especially in the bush and in
out of the way places.

Withal that, the Samoans have a strange fancy for buiying
their dead around their houses, in fact I am not aware that they
have any cemetery anywhere in the group, this custom rendering
that unnecessary.

Some of them believe that the forms of their dead friends
reappear to them ; not merely at night but in broad daylight. I
remember when being at Lepa, for a short time in 1861, a story of
this kind, which must have some stratum of truth in it however
slight.

A coloured man called Sai Sola, a ship and boat builder, died
and was buried perhaps half a mile outside the town on the hill
above it, close to the main road leading from the village into the
bush. Three or four days after his decease I came up to the town
from the westward to arrange one or two transactions arising out
of his death, when I found the place in some excitement.

133

It appears that the day after his burial two young men went
inland to dig up and bring into the village some taro, but, a little
before dusk, still broad daylight, as each was carrying his burden
they approached Sai Sola's grave, and saw deceased sitting down
alongside it, looking towards them. At first, forgetting his death,
they were about to accost him with the usual formal salutation ; it
was so evidently Sai Sola, until the thought flashed across their
memory that he was dead, then in a paroxysm of fear, they threw
down their four baskets of taro, and rushed into the town at full
speed to recount what both had seen.

And so firmly do many of them believe in the continued ex-
istence of the dead after their decease that it is a not unusual
practice with them, in time of great sickness in the family or in
other seasons of distress, to go to the graves of the dead, especially
if they have done them wrong or insulted them while on this side
of the tomb, and entreat their forgiveness there and ask for their
help against the troubles surrounding them.

No doubt things of this sort, not to be explained by the ordinary
laws of nature have taken place in the group. In a previous
chapter I gave some particulars of what most undoubtedly happened
some years ago in McFarland's store at Matautu.

When I first visited the islands I paid no attention to such
reports, and merely said, like Nicodemus,

" How can these things be ? "

But the above and some other events in which I personally
was affected have coerced me malgre gre into believing that some of
the native stories regarding the supernatural must not be summarily
dismissed as mere vain products of vain superstition.

It is singular how in almost ah1 ages the reappearance of the
dead on earth has found credence with the majority of mankind.

Even the refined cynic Lucian, A.D. 120, has deigned to en-
dorse it in one of his dialogues — wherein he makes the soul of the
young warrior who, at the siege of Troy, being the first to spring
from the Greek vessels on to Trojan soil, seeking to immortalise
himself thereby, was also the first to meet with his death wound.
The classical reader will remember that Lucian after telling us that
the young man had married a beautiful maiden a day or two before
the ships sailed from Greece then goes on to remark that directly
after his death he entreated Pluto to allow him to revisit the earth
if only for a day that he might reappear to and look upon his bride,
but that the ruler of Hades very justly explained to him that even
if it were possible to grant his request it would only cause him pain
and bring terror on his widow.

In the " Citizen of the World " Goldsmith reverses the picture
and places it in a less sombre light, to which it is refreshing to turn
from the above in its somewhat melancholy aspect. The chapter
(page 430) is too long to quote, so, to please all my readers, I will

139

merely remark that its moral is to this effect : As there are two sides
to every question so it is advisable and desirable in all such cases
not to dwell too seriously on similar circumstances ; but, in this
short life, not allow grief to be too long or too excessive, especially,
as in the case quoted by Dr. Goldsmith, with married people.

Before continuing I would like to speak on a matter which is
so important that it would be improper to be silent respecting it.

Some months ago I was present at a communion service in a
large Protestant Church here where more than two hundred
persons partook of the sacrament.

The cup (or cups — there were four) was handed round from
sick to healthy and again from healthy to sick communicants
without regard to their bodily condition, at any rate one person
suffering from it may be cancer or consumption, passed it on to
another afflicted with influenza or perhaps some yet more dangerous
or infectious disease, who also drank and passed it on and with it
his disease to his next neighbour and so on, and so on.

Surely the communicants could each bring with him or her a
spoon or the smallest of liqueur glasses and dipping the wine or
pouring it from the communion cup so avoid such danger.

But nobody cares, and so the thing goes on without stopping
because it is nobody's business to interfere, and those who, like
myself, do so, run the risk of being called foolish or impertinent
for interfering.

Perhaps, after all, taking the above into consideration that
authority in the Roman Catholic Church who originally 900 years
ago, Wheatly says, made it a church law " that the cup should
not be drank from by the laity " was right. For, as far as I know,
Samoa is not the only country in the world where the above men-
tioned dangerous custom prevails.

Revenons a nos moutons : the Samoans and their beliefs, re
psychical phenomena. Without doubt nearly all the natives in
the group believe in the possibility of the dead reappearing, and some
both young and old claim that they have had personal demon-
stration of this to themselves by some deceased relative.

Recently a young man from Tutuila stated to me that when
about fifteen years old his sister, just dead, a young girl then, ap-
peared to him at about five in the afternoon and stirred greatly his
fears. This would appear to be almost always the case, however
great may have been our affection for the deceased when living, the
prospect of meeting them again on earth in their disembodied state
is uncanny ; although Byron, when he makes Manfred call on the
spirit of the lost Astarte entreating her to appear again to him,
traverses this argument.

Instances like the above, enough to fill up several volumes, could
be easily collected, but certainly not all of equal value, some would
be strictly true, and some mere products of fear or falsehood ; but
the fact distinctly remains that real occurrences of the kind have

140

taken place and one only is sufficient to demonstrate that in the
universe there are laws relating to the soul and its sheath the body
of whose cause we are ignorant although we perceive their effect.

It would seem that most appearances of the kind take place
in broad daylight, generally towards sunset they say.

Occasionally, they say, the form of the dead will be seen by
one only of the relatives, even at times when many other persons
are present.

As said in a previous chapter, all suppose that the spirits of
the dead at times enter into the bodies of the living and make them
their mouthpieces to communicate their views and wishes on cer-
tain subjects. They stand very much in dread of a curse or ban from
near relatives, dead or alive, and perhaps it is just as well that they
do, for it makes the larrikins amongst them pause before committing
undutiful acts or using bad language.

A singular custom once prevailed amongst them, and now
exists in some places, that of cutting off one of the joints of one of
the fingers when a near relative dies. An old Samoan, well known
to me, exhibits in this way on one of his hands the record of death
of two or three of his relations.

There is a story current but I cannot vouch for its truth,
that a Samoan or Tokelau man, during the almost certainly ap-
proaching death of his favourite child, did this, going to the grave
of a relative, and that immediately afterwards the child's illness
took a favourable turn, and it recovered to the surprise of every-
body.

Occasionally, they say, supernatural noises are heard in the
bush at night when no person is there ; the sound of axes struck
against trees, &c., &c., and they all believe in the supernatural
throwing of stones towards and on to the roofs of their houses at
night

They say, too, that some women should they express a strong
wish for some article of food from the sea, shellfish, &c., will, when
they go outside their house, find in perhaps a small basket placed
close to the house, the food they longed for.

They say also that sometimes the doors of the house being all
closed, certain articles of food, good or bad, will be brought in by an
invisible hand and placed on the floor before the natives seated
there. My informants state that this took place in the year 1905
in my house in the suburbs. I was not an eye witness of this,
but the statements produced to me by those who saw it happening
on two or three successive nights convince me that the events
described actually took place. John Campbell Oman in his erudite
work on " The Mystics, Ascetics and Saints of India," describes
(see pages 61, 63, 64,) somewhat similar occurrences.

Such superstitions whether based on truth or falsehood are
not entirely without interest, and it is well to preserve their record.

141

DEMONS.

" O day and night, but this is wondrous strange."

— HAMLKT.

" Before I enter upon the credibility of these alleged miracles
I must guard my readers carefully from supposing that I think
miracles impossible. Heaven forbid. He would be a very rash
person who should do that in a world which swarms with much
greater wonders . . and as for these miracles being contrary
to our experience, that is no very valid argument against them ;
for equally contrary to our experiences is every new discovery
of science, &c., &c." — C. Kingsley, " The Hermit," page 198.

As the events which I am about to describe border on the
miraculous, I thought it necessary to preface them with the remarks
suitable to them made by a great writer — a clergyman — who
regarded what is called " spiritism " as a danger to mankind, and
therefore, 1 ke myself, with no friendly eyes, at least we have every
reason to think so.

In the latter part of the seventies, the chiefs of the Tuamasaga
district, Seumanu (deceased), Tamaseu, and others arranged a
large travelling party to the western part of Upolu.

My informant, then about sixteen years old, her cousin, still
living, and another young girl (deceased) were amongst its members.

The party called and sojourned as usual at several places
on their way down and finally reached Satapuala, Aana On arrival
they decided to hold a large night dance — poula — in that town.

On the day in question the three girls were sent back in a
bonito canoe themselves only to their relations at Fasitoouta and
the adjacent villages with presents of food, pork, &c., &c.

This journey occupied some little time during which one of
the girls left the canoe on a similar errand, so that only my in-
formant and her cousin remained in it.

A little before dusk, and as they were about to leave Fasitoo,
my narrator, on returning from one of the houses there to her cousin
in the canoe, saw, standing by it, the form of a very tall man who,
just before she reached it, moved off and left the beach.

On enquiry from her cousin who the stranger \vas, the latter
replied that his name was Siufalai, and that he had offered to take
a paddle and expedite their return to Satapuala.

Proceeding on their return trip they called at another village,
it being then dark, to take on board the other girl, but found that
she had already gone on by land.

142

Thereupon the two girls decided to go back for a short distance
and, if possible, find Siufalai to help them, which they did ; but on
calling loudly his name he did not appear, only they heard at a
very great distance the sound of two voices responding faintly to
their call ; and feeling, through the darkness now thickly enveloping
them, slightly nervous, they decided to go on at once, being
rather anxious lest they should get to the dance at too late an hour.

What made them also somewhat nervous was the fact that
their canoe travelled much faster through the water than might
have been looked for merely from the effect of their two paddles.

The cousin too began to act somewhat strangely, muttering
as if in sleep. However they both continued paddling until they
reached a spot which they afterwards found was some little distance
from Satapuala, when to their great delight they saw on
the shore the town, full of lights in the houses, and the dance, a
very large one, going on in the principal building. They saw the
forms of the numerous dancers flitting backwards and forwards
in the house and heard the singing, the clapping of hands, and
everything else usually taking place on such occasions.

Much pleased to find themselves, as they supposed, at their
destination they immediately turned the canoe's head shoreward,
reached it, and were about to land when, to their surprise and horror,
the whole scene, like a phantasmagoria, vanished, and they were
in blinding darkness. There were no houses on the spot, nothing
but a thick forest of trees.

Frightened and disconcerted they departed with all possible
haste and reached Satapuala very shortly afterwards where they
found the real dance going on with shouts and songs and laughter
just as they had seen it at the place they had left.

Immediately on leaving the canoe the cousin rushed into the
house and took part in the dance much to the surprise of her friends,
she being ordinarily the very last person to put herself forward on
such occasions.

Not long after she disappeared, and when the poula broke up,
at about 3 in the morning, some of the party found her at an ad-
jacent spring whirling round and round like a mad woman and
speaking incoherently, much knocked about and bruised and with
two gashes in her legs, of which the scars still remain. According
to the usual practice they obtained the services of a man believed
to have medicine by which persons in such a condition are restored
to sanity ; having administered which the patient professing to be
the mouthpiece of one of her relatives many years dead, her great-
" grandfather I think, declared that he was Siufalai, and had appeared
to them and gone with them to protect them from other demons
who were unfriendly to them, that boys should have been sent in
the canoe and not young girls alone, &c., &c. ; further, that they
intended to duplicate, as they had already done, all other dances

143

which the travellers might hold during their journey. This state-
ment had such an effect that the chiefs returned to Apia without
calling in at any other town en route.

The sequel to the phantasmagoria may of course be explained
by natural laws, so may the appearance of the man calling himself
Siufalai, but the phantasmagoria itself appears to have been cer-
tainly of a miraculous nature, unless we suppose with some of the
divines of the present day that nothing miraculous ever has hap-
pened, is happening, or can happen.

It is right for me to state to the reader that I believe all the
above took place as I have related, because the person who informed
me and her cousin would not, I am quite certain, make such state-
ments to me if they were not fully conscious that they were speaking
the truth.

NOSES.

If any of your readers should enquire what the above has
to do with recollections of the Pacific Ocean I have much pleasure
now in explaining the matter clearly to them.

Recently one of your contributors asked the public to furnish
him for scientific purposes solely, with some information on the
subject and on Samoan skulls, if any, which bifurcate just above
the back of the neck, and he, being extremely anxious to procure
useful knowledge of the above, is rather surprised that no person
has, up to this time, favoured him with the required particulars.

This being the case I personally have taken the matter in hand
and cautiously and discreetly at a suitable distance have inspected
the nasal appendages of many Samoans, not neglecting the Euro-
nesians. Inspect, I say, for although in some instances, I should
have exceedingly liked to examine them closely, particularly the
softer sex ; that I found to be impossible, the mere hint of such a
thing causing that peculiar expression to appear in the eyes of
those interested which you have probably noticed in the coun-
tenance of Mrs. Grimalkin when her hair was rubbed the
wrong way.

So far the result of my enquiries disposes me to believe that the
mothers at least of the rising generation did not flatten the noses
of the youngsters when they were born, for, except in some instances,
they are inclined to be aquiline, and I have noticed in one or two
a fairly perfect type of the Roman or Jewish species, somewhat
favouring the idea of certain ethnologists that the Samoans belong
to the ten lost tribes.

But here again arises a difficulty ; this fact does not prove that
past generations took the same view of the matter, and it is to be

144

hoped that further light may be thrown on the subject by sym-
pathising readers ; it was interesting to be told that in some instances
the young mothers pinch together the noses of their young hopefuls
when born so as to make them aquiline ; an argument that perhaps
their mothers having warned them not to fall into the old evil
practice which was or may have been common to their ancestresses
they go to the other extreme.

Enquiries of the sort deserve encouragement, and al-
though some may attempt to turn into ridicule those who make
such investigations the discriminating public generally will
take, it is to be hoped, a different view of the matter.

But indeed should I desire to make such an important facial
appendage the subject of a mixed chapter I find a precedent in per-
haps the greatest humorist of his day ; for he has devoted not one
chapter only of his book as I am doing, but several to this matter.

" Nihil me poenitet huftts nasi," quoth Pamphagus ; that is,
" My nose has been the making of me." " Necest cur poeniteat ? "
replied Codes ; that is " How on earth could such a nose fail ? "

In deference to some of my readers I have slightly altered
the foregoing.

It will be remembered that Mr. Shandy— the elder I mean —
spent much time, and money as well, in collecting all the books
that had been written on the subject, but the work which par-
ticularly interested him was the history of the learned Hafen
Slawkenbergius or rather of his nose concerning which to the
sentinel who questioned him as he entered the gates of Strasburg
and who " looking up ' never saw such a nose in his life/ Slawken-
bergius replying said he had been at the Promontory of Noses,
was going on to Frankfort, and should be back again at Strasburg
that day month on his way to the borders of Crim Tartary."

But to avoid further quotation I must refer the reader to the
book itself in which it is shown that, just as now, scientists are
arguing ; one section that the Samoan women formerly flattened
the noses of their children ; and the other section vigorously as-
serting that they did not ; so Sterne tells us did the two universities
of Strasburg take different sides regarding the nose of Slawken-
bergius. Lest my readers, being misled by me, should use Sterne's
unabridged edition, I inform them that Professor H. Morley has
issued in the Universal Library the book in question exbureafed
and fit to lie on any parlour table.

The Rev. Rowland Hill said once that he did not see why
Satan should rob the churches of all the best music. Morley
supplements this by proving that there is no reason why — because
" Sterne's unseemly pages form about a tenth part of the whole of
his works," his sermons excepted- — the devil should deprive us of
the most refined humour found in English literature.

145

FOLK-LORF.

The following notes on this subject have been handed to me by
one who, having been born and brought up at the islands, is in a
very favourable position for collecting them.

I must remark that all the preceding accounts supplied by me
in this work of events bordering on the supernatural I am able to
confirm by my own evidence or that of reliable persons well known
to me, except where I have stated otherwise. What follows I am
not able to substantiate by my own evidence or that of my friends,
except in one or two events at which my friend himself was present.

At one of these concerning Samu and Soisoi the following
happened at Mulinuu in the year 1888 during the Tamasese war.

Samu, making a loud cry, fell to the ground in a swoon one day
about noon. My informant and Amosa ran out of the office where
they were writing to see what was the matter. On coming to he
declared that he had seen Soisoi — then at Aana — with a bullet
wound in his chest. Next day the latter came to Mulinuu somewhat
disturbed because he had dreamed that Asi, a chief of the Malietoa
side, had buried alive Samu and himself. A few days after — the
30th October, 1888, both men fell side by side in a hand to hand
fight at Luatuanuu.

On one occasion some years ago, at Sapapalii, Savaii, Samu's
wife becoming temporarily insane (no very uncommon occurrence in
Samoa it would appear) the aitu (doctor) was sent for, but the poor
woman not only expressed her unwillingness to have the usual
remedies employed, but offered violence to those attempting it,
the result being that it required the exertions of a good many
men and women to enable the aitu (doctor) to rub over her body
the herbs useful in her complaint. On enquiry being made from
the patient for the name of the person who was disturbing her,
she declared that she was the mouthpiece of a deceased chief
whom her father had wronged, and demanded reparation, ordering
him to do this in less than a week ; which was done.

Saunoa, deceased, chief at Fusi, Safata, was credited during
his lifetime with supernal powers, being what the Samoans term a
" Taulaitu " ; a very religious man ; he preached occasionally.
All sorts of stories are told about what he could do in extraordinary
ways which I leave to others to relate to those who are curious in
such matters

A strange story is told concerning what happened 20 years ago
to a large travelling party leaving Lepa for Tutuila. Everything
being ready for the journey, the food and presents being on board

146

the boats, an old lady unknown to the people of the town called
on the leading chief and having informed him that should they go
on their journey they would, when close to Tutuila, meet demon
boats ; be driven back from that island and never afterwards land
again, she suddenly disappeared. The chief rejected the advice
and started with several boats, but has not yet returned.

There is another story current regarding another beneficent
old lady whose name is Saumaiafe or Togo, said ordinarily to frequent
Lemaf a, on the road from Falef a to Falealili and Lepa. She is said
to meet, sometimes appearing as a woman at other times as a man,
in the daytime, travellers on that rather unfrequented road, talk
with them, and set them right when in doubt which way to take.
I heard this story (before) from an old Samoan woman who stated
to me that she, many years ago, had met such a person there and
had been directed to the proper road.

As regards photographs — some of the natives strongly oppose
the photographing of any of their relatives when the latter are at
variance with one another, having a superstitious dread of disaster
should this be then done.

" Mauala, a chief of Malie, in Tuamasaga, was very anxious
to attend a large fono in Mulinuu. He insisted in wearing a siapo
and a fusi or belt (sash). He had asked his newly-married wife
to arrange his dress and mark out the pattern of the siapo he wanted.
But she was found to be rather slow and incompetent for the task.
' Oh ! if only my sister Tuea were alive, she was the only person who
could please me for she looked after my garments properly.' Fili,
the wife of Mauala, now grew impatient and exclaimed in indig-
nation : ' Then go and call her.' Tuea had been long since dead,
and the chief in his excitement was about to raise his cane, and let
it come down heavily upon his wife's back, when suddenly Tuea
herself appeared, but visible only to the chief himself. She smiled
kindly upon the chief and sat down beside him. The bundle of
white tappa was opened out and the marking and patching up
began before him. In about 30 minutes the work was over, when
the phantom smiled as before, and waving her right hand disap-
peared. During all this time both the chief and wife were seized
with fear, and felt as if some unknown power had held their limbs
and voices, so that they were not able to either move or speak.
The old chief never again complained about his wife's slowness,
nor did he wish to see that phantom again, for, he said, the thought
of it was dreadful, and his body felt sore (maini) ever since."

147

HAUNTED HOUSES AND DISTRICTS.

Samoa, like may other countries, is not exempt from this
superstition.

The mountains at the back of Faleula are said to be frequented
by a female demon called Sina, I think, who occasionally, according
to the native belief, showing a flaming torch, comes down to the
coast.

At Apia there is a certain piece of land on the beach which in
heathen times was never passed by canoes or boats without the
sail being lowered and a small piece of kava thrown ashore from the
boatmen as an offering to the spirit (or spirits) believed to inhabit
the spot ; he, they said, usually took at night the form of a red
rooster

As several deaths occurred at short intervals in the members of
the native family who owned and lived there, they at last sold the
land and moved elsewhere.

The explanation of that particular lies, I believe, in the fact
that a swamp is close to the land at the back, and also as far as I can
learn that a great many dead bodies were interred long years ago
under the ground around and on which are the present dwelling
houses.

The rooster I have never seen nor has anyone else known by me,
and I hold, consequently, that his existence is decidedly " not
proven," but the sad circumstance remains that several deaths
have occurred during the last twenty years of comparatively young
people who lived on the premises ; either there, or from sickness
contracted while living there, and illnesses have been very frequent.
According to various authorities inhumation does not destroy the
germs of some infectious diseases in the bodies of the dead. This
is my own report and not one that I have heard from others.

A somewhat singular circumstance happened to me about forty
years ago, when I was living at Faleula on a cotton plantation there,
in a small weatherboard house, which was situated perhaps half a
mile from the beach, and much further than that from any other
house.

Just as I was going to bed at nine or ten o'clock, seme large
object, judging by the sound, struck the inland wall of that portion
of the house where I was, (the bedroom) with a great crash, pro-
ducing a sound like that which would be made by the wings of an
enormous bird rushing against the wall, or by a number of heavy
cocoanut branches dashed against it.

148

As the night was calm and there were no trees near the house,
nor were there any cattle, horses, or pigs on the land, I thought it
strange, and so did a large dog belonging to one of my friends.
To my surprise he did not bark at all, was too much astonished to
howl, and putting his tail between his legs, ran, evidently much
frightened, cowering under the bed ; his appearance was, " on this
night only," as the Playbills say, for he always bolted off just before
dark on subsequent evenings, refusing to sleep again under my
roof.

It may have been the work of some natives seeking to annoy or
terrify me, the locality having a haunted repute ; and never hap-
pened again during the remainder of my stay there, several
months, although I was quite alone both that night and for some
weeks longer.

I mentioned previously the Samoan belief that stones are some-
times thrown by invisible hands towards houses or on to their
roofs, but I never heard of their being thrown violently into a house ;
or that any person had been struck by them.

Concerning two large houses at Matautu, now pulled down,
there are uncanny stories to the effect that in one of them the win-
dows of the store portion of the building were sometimes opened
and shut in a violent manner at night by invisible hands ; and that
in the other, further to the eastward, the form of the deceased
owner was seen by a young lady (who happened that night to be
visiting the family then residing there) to ascend the steps and come
towards her. Recognising him she was so much frightened that it
caused her almost to faint away, and she was ill in consequence
for some days afterwards.

The same young lady was the subject, at Mulifanua, of a
somewhat similar occurrence, for, being alone at night, in her bed-
room, lying on the couch, reading, her shrieks for help caused the
numerous other visitors (it was Christmas time) to rush upstairs
from the parlour below where they were enjoying themselves and
find her in an almost comatose state from which they had great
difficulty in reviving her. On coming to she declared that a deceased
native woman suddenly appeared and angrily attacked her. My
informant, the same in both instances, states that finger marks
of the unwelcome visitor were left on the breast of the terrified girl ;
that he and others saw them, but I cannot altogether accept this
portion of his story as correct as he understood it. The finger
marks on her breast or throat were there, no doubt, for he and
others, he says, saw them, but I think the girl herself must have
made them with her own hands in her terror. But that she saw
something unusual or believed she saw it is clearly proved by her
calling for help and fainting as she did.

Should I be asked whether I believe that the uncanny events
I have been describing in these articles really happened my reply
is that where they were witnessed by more than one person I

149

certainly believe so ; as also in what I have stated as seen by me or
reliable persons known to me ; but in cases which merely rest on
the evidence of ordinary Samoan superstitions, I hold my opinion
suspended ; such may be true or they may not, the reader will
be just as well able as myself to decide on that point.

On the other hand it is quite clear to me that speaking generally
some things have happened in this country (as according to John
Campbell Oman they happen in India) which are inexplicable
by any laws of nature at present known to us, and therefore require
that investigation which the Psychical Society and other searchers
after truth are now undertaking in the subject.

The statement made by some and referred to in the Weekly
Times of the 25th September, 1903, in the critique on Mr. Oman's
book is to the effect : " that the soul wanders abroad ; even takes
possession of other bodies for a time, and has been accepted by the
late Mr. Myers in his work upon Human Personality as being
capable of scientific proof."

Let us enquire further :

"Not for themselves since that were needless now,
But for our sakes who after them remain."

—Dante, Purgatory, Books X. and XI., 23, 24.

THE SAMOANS

Since I wrote the foregoing article I happened to meet a much
respected resident of Samoa, who informed me that, perhaps 20
years ago, he having some business to transact on the other side of
Upolu, left Fasitoouta for that purpose. Through some delay it
was late when he and his Samoan guide started, and darkness
overtook them on the road, a thunderstorm also came on with vivid
flashes of lightning, the result being that he decided to leave his
horse in the path to shift for itself and to proceed on foot with his
attendant. Bush paths even in daylight do not afford particularly
pleasant travelling, but on a dark night with a storm raging around
they are altogether disagreeable, as they both then found. However,
groping their way through the dark they reached, at some distance
across the island, an open space near a mountain stream where they
halted for a short time to enable the Samoan to gather leaves and
make torches, it being now almost impossible without them to find
the track. I must mention that between Fasitoouta and the town
whither they wrere bound no houses or villages existed.

During this halt stones from several directions began io fall
around them and at their feet, but not one touched either him or the
native. The continuance of this unpleasant circumstance, and the
vivid lightning, gave the place quite a weird aspect, and the native

150

was greatly terrified. The constant falling of the stones about them
both causing him to " hurry up " with the manufacture of the
torches in a way quite contrary to Samoan custom. Leaving the
spot as soon as possible, but it took some little time to prepare and
light with the few matches they had fortunately brought with them
their flambeaux, they proceeded on their journey and reached the
sea on the other side about three in the morning.

The guide then communicated the above particulars to the
townsfolk there, most of whom sat up drinking kava till daylight
discussing and asking questions about this strange occurrence.

This island race is perhaps more interesting than all its ocean
neighbours, at any rate, it runs very close the Tahitian (whence the
Pitcairn people sprang), the Hawaiian and the Rarotongan natives.

It is for scientists to decide whence it and they and other
denizens of the various South Sea archipelagoes originally emi-
grated, about which there is some dispute.

Their manners and customs, as the reader will perceive from
what has been previously said in these pages, are of a very varied
and sometimes of a singular nature, and not at all encouraging to
the British " women suffragists," nor in the least degree favouring
the latter's axiom that " any woman is as good as any other man."
The noun " woman," according to them, being of the epicene
gender — male and female.

They are superstitious, sometimes without reason, and some-
times with reason ; facts which have been enlarged on in the last
three or four chapters.

They are also firmly persuaded that " blood is thicker than
water," carrying this belief to all lengths ; relatives are ever with
them entitled to precedence. Yet withal, strangers are not ne-
glected, especially when they marry into other families, although
even then the wife of such a new comer is expected to consult the
interests of her relations quite as much as those of her husband.

The latter circumstance is intensified through the not uncom-
mon practice of a very young woman marrying a very old man ;
such unions, when I first saw the islands, being quite a matter
of cou'.se, particularly where the woman was of lower rank than her
husband. As far as I can judge the women are getting to be more
knowing now ; having doubtless not failed to profit (it is sincerely
to be hoped that it will be the same in other respects) by *VIP advice
of their European sisters.

Partly no doubt is consequence of this, and to mitigate the
evils arising from mesalliance children here take always the rank
of the mother, not of the father ; however high may be the father's
rank his children by an inferior woman cannot claim it. Certainly
now in some cases, as a matter merely of courtesy, children by such
unions are treated with respect, but it cannot be demanded by them.

As may be supposed illegitimacy here does not carry with it
any great stain, the race having only recently emerged from a con-
dition in which polygamy was almost universal amongst men of
power, or with those who had the control of large land estates.

Tattooing, much discouraged formerly by the missionaries,
is still often used by the young men. The " carpenters " who under-
stand this branch of native industry charge large sums for making
the operation which is a painful one, occupying generally some days.
Various devices according to the skill of the operator are thus
imprinted indelibly on the limbs of the subjects.

Hospitality, as already stated, is universal amongst them 5
although they have a keen eye to the " main chance," and although
the introduction of civilisation (good and bad) is not altogether
tending to support it, especially in Apia, the capital, where strangers
are arriving every day, but notwithstanding these drawbacks the
words " I was an hungered and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty
and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger and ye took me in ; naked
and ye clothed me : I was sick and ye visited me ; I was in prison
and ye came unto me," occur to the minds of those who know that
in nearly everyone of the above particulars tens of thousands of
the Samoans have to all appearance at least done that which seems
to fit with the actions described.

Those are the virtues of the Samoans. Their faults may be
written down in four words of Milton :

" Lust hard by hate."

The one is ruining them ; the other, tribal hatred, although
now kept well down by the strong arm of a powerful Government
still at times effervesces.

As regards their religion although much of it is on the surface,
there is still a suggestion of the words of the Hebrew seer about
" a nation being brought forth at once."

There is much difference of opinion on this subject amongst
those who take an interest in it, but the fact remains — undeniable —
that they have practically turned from heathenism to Christianity.
Unquestionably they are not all good people ; neither on the other
hand are they all depraved. " Media tidissimus ibis," as old Sol
told his son Phoebus. " Safety lies midway " when judging the case.

Their future will be much affected by the result of the training
schools for young men (and women, for it would not do to leave
the latter out of the question). They all marry, have children in
almost every instance, and lead respectable lives.

The ranks of the native clergy are recruited from this source
and as the families of the native pastors may be counted by hun-
dreds this is an important factor as icgards the survival of the
Samoan race.

The native clergy are on the whole I think sincere, Protestant
and Catholic, and according to what they know try to act fairly,
but of course, as with us, there are exceptions. It is supposed by
mere lookers on that the former teachers were of a better stamp
than the present. Very likely, I think.

A good deal rests with the Government on these heads. If
those in power run counter to the religious beliefs of the natives,
and attempt to draw them into materialism by discouraging or
lessening the outward forms of their religion, this will have a very
injurious effect, and certainly demoralise the race much more
so than persecution would do. But it is quite certain that the
Government wishes them well.

Some may be surprised at their having turned from heathenism
to Christianity in such a short interval of time, not much over
seventy years ; such must remember that native superstitions and
in some cases native well-grounded belief that supernatural oc-
currences actually at times take place prepared the way for this ;
and that people who believe that their dead relatives sometimes
appear to them after their decease, vide previous chapters, are not
likely to be staggered (as some of our divines now are) at what they
read about similar miraculous events in the pages of their well-
translated Samoan Bibles.

My remarks here and in other places about the Samoan
character are based on the experience of many years' residence
among them.

"THE GREATEST IS BEHIND."

The " reminiscences " close in 1900 : the annexation year.
But although this is the case, it is proper to bring in them before the
public, the leading personage in the events, which, beginning at the
end of 1899, have so largely affected since, the inhabitants of Samoa.
Moreover, my doing so will give the cue, so to speak, to any future
" recollections " of this group following the year 1900, which may
be subsequently set down by others or by myself regarding it.

I have cautiously and discreetly toned down the colours of
the picture I am about to present, for it is the furthest possible
from my wish that I should lay myself open to the charge of having
painted them with too glowing tints.

And as regards the personage they represent, it is quite certain

that

" When I tell him, he hates flatterers

He says he does : being then most flattered."

— Shakespeare.

And " flattery and fawning," my criticising friends, are one
thing, while a plain statement of facts such as is now about to be
recited is quite another thing ; a recital, I believe, which will meet
with the approval of the large majority of our fellow colonists.

153

And if some should say, as no doubt some will say, why all
this " rodomontade " about one man, they forget that public men,
who (like Seddon and Parkes for instance) devote their energies
to the benefit of those amongst whom they live and over whom
they have control expect, and it is only fair for them to expect, that
the public will acknowledge this, not with flattery, but with a just
appreciation of what they have done, or even merely tried to do,
for them.

Further it is necessary in the interests of communities that
this should be brought into relief pour encourages les antres (to
stimulate others).

" Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona
Multi : sed omnes illacrymabiles
Urgentur, ignotique longa
Xocte : carent quia vate sacro."

— Hor. Carm iv. 9.

" Many brave men lived before Agamemnon ; but all, uncared
for, are lost in the night of oblivion ; because they had no
historian."

Dr. Solf then, as once before said, arrived here in 1899 : was
then, in June of that year, confirmed as President of the existing
Municipality, by the three High Commissioners of the Great Powers,
and subsequently on the iyth February, 1900, was directed by the
Emperor to raise the flag in Samoa, on the ist March, 1900, and be its
future Governor ; which honourable office he has occupied ever sin^c.

Xow, I suppose that no one will dispute on the point that the
Samoans are a very difficult race to successfully govern.

But it is the easiest thing in the world to govern unsuccessfully.

As for instance, not long since— in Africa when the lieutenant
shot dead one of the Herero chiefs and thereby brought on a bloody
war, by which no one benefited, or, when a few years ago, some of
the chiefs broke open the gaol doors at Apia, to release people
whom they thought ought not to have been imprisoned, some of
the citizens at once exclaimed " Shoot them down ! " " Shoot them
down ! " which, had it been done by the Government, would have
brought on another native war ; when it would have been a
matter of no difficulty to bring thousands of troops here and wipe
out the Samoans from existence, and likewise benefit no one.

Dr. Solf has never worked on such lines. At the commence-
ment of his duties as Governor he had great difficulties to contend
with as regards the dominant native party to do away with the
dangerous title " King." They struggled to maintain it (the writer
was present at the interview), but the Governor by conciliatory
but absolutely firm steps carried his point and crushed under his
feet that danger.

The next difficulty was the distribution by Mataafa of fine
mats. Xow even-body acquainted with Samoan history knows
what a dangerous thing that is ; and that in the past it has more than
once caused native wars.

154

Here again, refusing to do what he certainly might have done ;
adopt the still more dangerous alternative of not allowing this
distribution to take place, he permitted it, but in such a manner
that everything went off smoothly, and, wonderful to relate, all the
actors in the scene gave satisfaction to others and to themselves.

Further, in the matter;of native taxation, he has so conducted
it that the natives again, another wonder, do not grumble ; and it
is highly probable that in the course of time it will be possible to
raise it to a point which will greatly help the Government Treasury
with the natives' full concurrence.

As regards his attitude towards those citizens who are not
Germans I am entirely confident that they will fully support my
statement that he has ever treated them in the most liberal manner.

And as regards his own nationality he has done precisely the
same.

Neither has he allowed the flag to be flouted. He deported to
New Britain one of the actors in the incident above mentioned
a very powerful chief, and then after the lapse of three or four years
tempered mercy with justice and brought him and two or three
other offenders back again to their relatives and their native land.
All very easy things to do, the critics say. Yes ! but unfortunately,
although apparently easy, those in power do not always do them :
and then trouble to you and me, my readers, confronts us.

Further, when it was discovered, some months after the High
Commissioners had left, that a large quantify of arms still remained
in the possession of the natives, he then took steps to call them
in which had the full effect without the least friction between the
Government and the natives.

As regards the previous payment made to them for the arms
they delivered up in obedience to the High Commissioners, that
again calls for notice because of the manner in which he presided
when this was carried out.

As regards reticence, firmness, tact and affability Dr. Solf has
never been lacking, nor failed in anything to be desired, and the
admirable way in which he has gained the affections of the thirty-
two thousand natives under his control, sparing no pains or trouble
to accomplish this end, should not pass unmentioned. In his
impartial and generous treatment of all nationalities and creeds,
in the easy access at all times permitted to his presence, and in
other points which I will not now dilate on, he has ever won the
confidence of all unprejudiced persons. It is not generally known,
and perhaps hardly necessary to mention in closing that I am
informed by a leading citizen, that His Excellency largely supple-
ments out of his own private means in order to benefit the com-
munity the allowance made him by the Imperial Government.

It is to be sincerely hoped that the Emperor will long require
him to continue as Governor of this the youngest but fairest colony
of the German Empire

155

CONCLUSION.

The Samoans are undoubtedly one of the finest races in the
Pacific.

Not their least praise lies in the fact that they, as well as the
Rarotongans, have constantly gladly offered themselves and gone
forth to the work of civilising their less fortunate fellow islanders
in the Western Pacific.

And however people may differ on the point whether there is
any necessity for their doing this, all must acknowledge that they
have fairly earned such praise.

On the question of their increase or extinction authorities
differ ; but here again the majority must confess that unless their
place could be supplied by another coloured race, Samoa would be
of little use to any Power occupying it, for all experience hitherto
has shown that although the climate is fairly salubrious under
certain conditions it does not suit members of the Labour party.

White men who can do their work in this country indoors will,
if careful, enjoy good health, but even on the mountain summits,
and much less at the sea level, it is impossible for them to labour
in the open air at farm or plantation work and escape elephantiasis,
rheumatism, rheumatic fever, and other complaints of that ilk ;
in other words they cannot gain their living as farm "abourers
and escape disease.

The annexation of the islands in 1900 brought about some
changes as regards the white settlers.

Several British residents then left Upolu, amongst whom were
R. L. Skeen, E. W. Gurr, both previously mentioned, and some
others.

Dr. Solf, President of the Apia Municipality, having been
appointed Governor of Samoa by the Emperor of Germany H.I.M.
William the Second, hoisted the German Flag at Mulinuu on the
ist March, 1900, in the presence of a great concourse of people.

On the iyth April, 1900, Captain B. F. Tilley, U.S.N., lately
deceased, the first administrator of the Naval Station, hoisted the
United States Flag at Pago Pago, Tutuila.

156

The "reminiscences" close, for the present at least, with
the annexation of Samoa.

As regards the value of the group to any Power occupying it
I make now a few remarks.

Without doubt Samoa has, from a point of sentiment prin-
cipally, attracted far more attention than its actual worth merits.

Strategically the islands of Upolu and Savaii are useless ;
as they possess no harbour with the exception of Asau which could
be fortified under any reasonable expenditure. Asau has a very
large reef-locked harbour, the entrance to which could be easily
made deep enough for the largest vessel ; at present there are only
eight feet of water in the channel.

But as the land for miles surrounding it is only a mass of
volcanic rocks — joining on to the volcanoes in action there, no
settlement of any commercial importance could possibly be formed
there.

The Tutuila Group again, with the important exception of the
land-locked large harbour of Pago Pago, is not of very great value
as it possesses such a small area.

As regards plantations Upolu certainly as well as Savaii offer
many advantages to settlers, but after all the area of suitable land
is comparatively small.

But with respect to climate much may be said in its favour,
for although at the sea level the heat is sometimes oppressive
(in the daytime but never at night), yet on the mountains, now being
gradually occupied by settlers, the climate is magnificent, the
thermometer often in the winter months falling as low as 54 deg.
Fahrenheit and sometimes 50 deg.

Certainly the favourable geographical position of the islands,
lying as they do in the direct line between Australia and California
has to be considered, but here again, as said above, their limited
extent tells against them.

With respect to their value to Germany it would almost seem
that surrounded as the group is by English-speaking colonies it
would be impossible to carry out Pan-Germanic views on the
linguistic point ; the English language at present at least being
quite as necessary to the Samoan settler and the rising generation
as the German language ; for, the moment the se tier leaves Samoa
for any of the surrounding countries, excepting perhaps the Bis-
marck Archipelago or New Guinea, he finds that without a know-
ledge of English or French it is necessary for him to employ an
interpreter.

'57

But Australasians must again remember what they appear
now to have forgotten ; that countries sometimes change hands ;
and that when they do, their languages also change.

Regarding the important colonies of New Zealand and Aus-
tralia in such close proximity to the South Sea Islands and therefore
mutually affecting them, it is interesting to enquire whether they
will take their place like the United States of America, &c., amongst
the great nations of the earth or retrograding, supine, despising
the warnings which history gives them regarding the fate of other
countries, become vassals of unfriendly powers ; change their
language and sink into the condition of bondsmen and slaves.

All depends, humanly speaking, on themselves ; but if they,
as many young Australians now do, suppose because a few children
are now being taught drill : and a handful of skilled riflemen amongst
them are the best shots in the world ; that therefore there is no
occasion for them to do what all other civilised nations are now
doing, that is arm themselves, all of them, to the teeth ; not merely
a few lads at school ; then this Utopian dream of theirs will find,
perhaps sooner than they think, a sad and dreadful awakening —
to action — certainly ; but then too late.

Their women should be a great factor in this matter, for not
only do they possess great influence (they are able not merely
to persuade, but to compel the men to arm) ; but further, a very
serious question indeed, it is they who will suffer most should such
evil come upon the countries in which they are dwelling. I do not
think any of the women are foolish enough to be ignorant of how
such evil would affect them, and'so shall not go into particulars.

It would be well "for Englishmen at home and Australians
abroad to imitate Germany in this particular, and do on land what
she is doing at sea ; that is find the best preventive of war to be the
being well prepared against it. Also they might, especially in
England itself, sit on the school-form and take another lesson from
Germany as regards the poor and, as she has done institute working
men's insurance companies and various other societies of a similar
nature, having a half-business half-philanthropic character, by which
the working poor in Germany are compelled or at least induced
by the Government to provide a modicum for them in their time
of need. The old age pensions lately introduced into England ;
but long ago in New Zealand and Australia ; are a real benefit to
the nation and the poor ; but the latter as in Germany ought to be
made to also put their own shoulders to the wheel in this matter,
by contributions from their wages, month by month and year by
year to such funds, especially as a time may come when war might
exhaust the national treasury. Dreadnoughts are expensive, but
are necessary to Great Britain. Her ramparts are on the deep sea,

158

and if they should be broken down, h'r empire would " go to pot,"
for she does not possess, nor at present require those fortresses on
land which are the saving clause in the case of the European powers ;
and so as said above, even national charity may be roughly thrust
aside by national dangers requiring immense expenditure. For as
Demosthenes in one of his orations (re The Fleet) told the Athenians
" Who desires to perish with all he possesses rather than give up
half to save himself and the rest of it ? "

" Coming events cast their shadows before them."

As the Emperor William truly forecasted, the great struggle
between Pamim and Christian is sure to come ; not probably in
his time nor in his son's time, but come it will : although it is satis-
factory to believe that none now living will see it.

Possibly the arming of Christendom begun (or caused to begin)
by Napoleon the Great, the most able administrator of a nation
that the world has ever seen, has something to do with " this great
event " and is preparing the way for it.

[THE END.]

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