Chapter 2

LONDON: PUBLISHED BY CHATTO AND WINDUS: IN ASSOCIATION WITH CASSELL AND COMPANY LIMITED: WILLIAM HEINEMANN: AND LONGMANS GREEN AND COMPANY MDCCCCXII

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

CONTENTS

A FOOTNOTE TO HISTORY

EIGHT YEARS OF TROUBLE IN SAMOA

CHAPTER PAGE I. THE ELEMENTS OF DISCORD: NATIVE 5

II. THE ELEMENTS OF DISCORD: FOREIGN 15

III. THE SORROWS OF LAUPEPA (1883 _to September_ 1887) 27

IV. BRANDEIS (_September_ 1887 _to August_ 1888) 53

V. THE BATTLE OF MATAUTU (_September_ 1888) 70

VI. LAST EXPLOITS OF BECKER (_September--November_ 1888) 83

VII. THE SAMOAN CAMPS (_November_ 1888) 103

VIII. AFFAIRS OF LAULII AND FANGALII (_November--December_ 1888) 112

IX. "FUROR CONSULARIS" (_December_ 1888 _to March_ 1889) 128

X. THE HURRICANE (_March_ 1889) 142

XI. LAUPEPA AND MATAAFA (1889-1892) 156

ISLAND NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS

The Beach of Falesá:

I. A SOUTH SEA BRIDAL 193

II. THE BAN 206

III. THE MISSIONARY 228

IV. DEVIL-WORK 240

V. NIGHT IN THE BUSH 258

THE BOTTLE IMP 275

THE ISLE OF VOICES 311

A FOOTNOTE TO HISTORY

EIGHT YEARS OF TROUBLE IN SAMOA

PREFACE

An affair which might be deemed worthy of a note of a few lines in any general history has been here expanded to the size of a volume or large pamphlet. The smallness of the scale, and the singularity of the manners and events and many of the characters, considered, it is hoped that, in spite of its outlandish subject, the sketch may find readers. It has been a task of difficulty. Speed was essential, or it might come too late to be of any service to a distracted country. Truth, in the midst of conflicting rumours and in the dearth of printed material, was often hard to ascertain, and since most of those engaged were of my personal acquaintance, it was often more than delicate to express. I must certainly have erred often and much; it is not for want of trouble taken nor of an impartial temper. And if my plain speaking shall cost me any of the friends that I still count, I shall be sorry, but I need not be ashamed.

In one particular the spelling of Samoan words has been altered; and the characteristic nasal _n_ of the language written throughout _ng_ instead of _g_. Thus I put Pango-Pango, instead of Pago-Pago; the sound being that of soft _ng_ in English, as in _singer_, not as in _finger_.

R.L.S.

VAILIMA, UPOLU, SAMOA.

EIGHT YEARS OF TROUBLE IN SAMOA