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High Commissioner's Court - Limited National Authority - British severely Handicapped - Irresponsible Nationality - Armed Return Labour - Consular Case - Scullery Fight - Britannia's Care for her far-off Daughter - Consular Arbitration - Convenient Witness - The Sliding Rock - Yankee Man-of-War's Men on Shore - A Restaurant.

TO-DAY I made my first acquaintance with the High Commissioner's Court for the Western Pacific, the terror of British evil-doers in the islands, and consequently much abused. I sat as one of two assessors appointed to assist the Deputy-Commissioner in a case brought on behalf of a mob of island labourers on a plantation owned by a British subject, who on receiving an adverse decision in a case of debt, had bolted and left the poor fellows without wages or means of subsistence. In a former trial the lands he claimed were seized to satisfy the debt, and ever since there has been scheming and appealing going on in all sorts of ways to recover possession, even to the extent of attempting to induce the Samoans forcibly to put in the agent of a syndicate which had acquired the debtor's claim. The natives, however, were too sensible to try such a move, in spite of an offer of five hundred dollars and a guarantee of indemnity. This trouble was continually cropping up during the whole time of my sojourn in Samoa, and has since my departure re-appeared in the Deputy Commissioner's Court, with what legality I fail to see, for it amounts to an appeal to a lower Court to invalidate the decision of a higher one.

The High Commissioner's Court exists under the authority of an order in council, and extends its reach over the whole of the Western Pacific not occupied by civilized powers, omitting, for some extraordinary reason or another, the New Hebrides group. Deputy Commissioners are appointed to reside at various points to carry out the duties and enforce the regulations issued from time to time from headquarters. The Court has authority only over British subjects, and cannot interfere with natives or foreigners, no matter what injury the latter may inflict on the former.

With regard to Germans and Americans, redress from them can be sought in their respective Consular Courts; 'but there are many of the former nationality in the islands who are ignored by their country, and consequently by their Consulate. And also, as there are many foreigners who have no national representative, and some of them, taking advantage of the mixed nature of American nationality, are citizens or not just as may suit their case, the Britisher is placed in a position of immense disadvantage. He ,,an be called to account for misdeeds or claims by any of these men irrespective of nationality, whilst his own complaints can only be lodged against bona fide Germans and Americans.

Besides this drawback the British trader is severely handicapped, although in a very good public cause, by regulations issuing from the High Commissioner's Court, forbidding, under penalty of prosecution, the sale to natives of many articles which men of all other nationalities freely traffic in, such as powder, liquor, guns, dynamite-articles which the natives of the Pacific greatly covet.

The regulations with reference to the foregoing articles, although perfectly righteous in principle from a trading point of view, are very one-sided, and have engendered in the minds of British residents in the Pacific a strong sense of harshness and injustice and, it cannot be denied, naturally, in these days of severe competition.

It must be a most annoying experience to a British trader to see his former clients all trooping off with their produce to the foreigner next door, let him be nondescript or represented, who is under no restriction as to what he sells, and in consequence ruins him by taking all the trade. It was stated that all other nationalities were going to follow on the same line, which then would have brought things into a proper and fair state; but up to this time the desired end has not been arrived at.

As an instance of how irresponsible nationality is taken advantage of, I may cite what occurred not long ago in Savaii, where a Swede and a Frenchman supplied the natives of a disaffected district with some five hundred stand of arms, which enabled them to rebel against the King.

There was no white law that could touch these men, and forcible interference from the King would have plunged the whole group into war; but whether these men had representatives or not, it was not a very difficult matter to make a good guess as to which importer, for whom they virtually acted only as agents, supplied them with the arms.

Further, an encouraging sight to British merchants it is to see German island labour-which they are not permitted to import themselves until, as they are told, regulations are promulgated concerning employment of labour in countries, like Samoa, not under British rule-departing on a return voyage, each savage shouldering a rifle and with a boxful of cartridges, for selling which they themselves would be fined and perhaps imprisoned. Such, however, is the case, and just before the departure of a recruiting ship, dozens of these half-wild fellows are to be seen parading the beach carefully nursing their guns, as proud as they well can be, enjoying in anticipation the fun they mean to have, no matter where they are landed.

This afternoon, the 10th December, the monotony of a very quiet and dismal fortnight was varied with another new experience, illustrative of the unpleasant things that have to be endured by an unfortunate Consul in such places as Samoa, to the loss of his dignity before a native population, by putting him in a ridiculous position.

We were sitting quietly upstairs, when up rushed the black boy Caesar with a great clatter, shouting out excitedly, 'White woman he come! White woman he come!' and then immediately proceeded to dig himself into safe quarters in the farthest-off corner of the room in a. state of great alarm, whilst down below hysterical sobs and gurgles were heard, most evidently approaching nearer and nearer our devoted selves.

There were no means of escape, or we should both have availed ourselves of them; but as it was, we kept an eye to the veranda, down the posts of which we could slide if the approaching scene proved to be too terrible.

Suddenly a tall gaunt-looking female with her hair all in disorder, perspiring profusely from the effect of a run from the German Factory here, and with the marks of three finger-nails all down one side of her well-seasoned-looking face, staggered in tragic style into the protecting presence, demanding at the top of her voice sanctuary and justice under the shadow of the.Union Jack. For quite ten minutes, in spite of all requests to be calm and reasonable, supplications, threats, warnings, and explanations, irregularly punctuated with many gulps and sobs, poured out without a pause from this new subject of interest.

After a time we gathered that this forlorn damsel was cook at the German Factory, and having had a difference with a Teutonic lady there in the kitchen, had received the worst of the debate, and rushed off to throw herself into the unresponsive arms of her country's representative, much to his embarrassment.

With a crash she hurled a big bundle of dirty papers on the table, calling out at the same time in a loud tone, 'There are my letters! I demand protection from my Consul !!!' and thereupon, to our great relief, subsided into a neighbouring chair.

It was not so easy to know, on the spur of the moment, what to do with such a trumpery case as this scullery squabble; but, racking his brains for a while to discover some plan for shunting this wretched business, the Consul at last said :

'Oh! yes, yes! It is, of course, a German case. You go to the German Consul; he is a very nice kind man, and will see you fully avenged upon your brutal persecutor.'

It was of no use; she positively refused to have anything whatever to do more with Germans, or to move an inch outside the house, and seemed greatly refreshed by indulging in another ten minutes or so of continuous condemnation of everyone and everything connected with the Teutonic nationality; again demanding what this time she termed her 'rights,' for the protection of which she supposed Consuls were paid.

During her halt to get breath for another tirade, one more bright idea for transferring this fair lady's championship to other shoulders struck the British Lion. 'Yes, yes !' said he; 'perhaps you are right. It is, of course, a police affair. Just the very man to settle this matter is to be found a little farther down the street. I mean the Magistrate. He is an Englishman, and will do anything in the world for a countrywoman in distress. Go to him. You may say that you have seen me. Good-bye.'

It was of no more use than before, but was the signal for an unfathomable flood of tears, accompanied with the most heartrending howls and piteous inquiries addressed to the wide wide world for information Why she had ever left Sydney? and what was to become of, a poor woman when an unsympathetic brute of an official threw her back to the tender mercies of her enemies, who had decoyed her from her happy home and half murdered her for nothing ?'

Nothing would stop her, nor would anything move her, until at last, to prevent her taking up permanent quarters on his floor, the Consul suggested that she should find some other billet.

She would not move, however, without him, and loudly and to-the-soul-appealing was the instance of the tender regard Britannia has for her forlorn daughters heresoever they may be, as instanced by her representative being seen touchingly and sympathetically shepherding this fair old one of the dishevelled locks in her interesting progress the whole length of the beach in search of a refuge.

In a day or two I was introduced to another phase of unpleasant Consular work, one of the many ultraofficial tasks that fall to the difficult lot of the Consul in Samoa, but which cannot very well be avoided, viz., arbitration in land disputes. This, a case between a Briton and a German, had already been the subject of professional arbitration; but the award, although agreed to be final, was not acknowledged by either party, and had at last been referred to the good offices of the respective Consuls of the disputants.

After a long time spent in consulting deeds and paper measurements, nothing remained but to go on to the ground itself, discover a certain doubtful point, and make a final award. In verifying various landmarks I was particularly struck by the facility with which interested witnesses discovered just what suited their case. One man in particular recognised two different trees wide apart at two different times for the same point.

The only reward that a Consular arbitrator ever gets in Samoa is unstinted abuse from the loser, even to the extent of actual accusation of dishonesty; but if the decision is given against his own countryman in favour of a foreigner, the vituperation knows no limit.

An amusing case of intended arbitration occurred some time later in a boundary dispute between a Frenchman and some natives. Having no representative, he asked the Consuls to take up the matter, who for the general good consented, but did not, however, go beyond the Frenchman's first statement, given in the following words: ' Gentlemen, this is the plan of my ground. If on your going over it your measurements agree with my plan, I shall agree to what you will say; but if not, I shall not agree to what you will say.'

Christmas Day now soon came round, when, in the company of three young Englishmen lately arrived on a visit to spy out the land, G. and I made a pilgrimage to the Papasea, or sliding-rock, a stock show-place of Apia, and the first thing that strangers are usually shown.

Everyone, on the first mention of the 'sliding-rock,' naturally imagines that it is the rock itself that slides in some manner or another, but such is not the case; it is the individual who slides over the rock, which operation at first sight seems to be a service of danger, but is easily and safely performed even by ladies. It is nothing more than a rock inclined at a sharp angle, over which a small stream flows, and is situated in a dense bush gully deep set in the hills. The performer, lying in the current, permits himself to slide on his back over the rock into a deep pool below. I can't say that there is much joy to be derived from this operation, it being apparently to everyone more of a matter of duty, without undergoing which it is an understood thing that no one is properly graduated in Samoa; nor has any visitor acquired a right to say that he knows Apia until he has gone through this qualifying ordeal.

It had rained early in the morning, which did not make the bush any the more pleasant for travelling, and our bearers with all picnic necessaries had been sent on before us.

Travelling single file through the thick wet bush, which soon thoroughly moistened us from head to, foot, we trudged on straight inland for about two hours, rising the whole time until we came out on the edge of a mountain spur under the shadow of three large trees, which had they been arranged by man's agency could not have been better placed for forming a little amphitheatre of clear space at their feet, affording a view of Apia and the sea.

Ever so little to the right or to the left the bush obstructed the view, but just where these trees stood there was a natural opening giving a curious sort of leafy frame to a very lovely view beyond. Whilst loitering here enjoying the landscape, we heard seven guns fired, and knew that either a German or American man-of-war had arrived.

From this a steep descent brought us to the course, still in dense bush, of a beautiful little stream, which, tumbling over a smooth dark rock in a fall of about thirty-five feet, was introduced to us as the Papasea, or the sliding-rock, over which we immediately proceeded to plunge, and found it to be not so terrible an operation after all.

Having taken our first degree, we repeated it many times until sufficiently cooled, when we tackled the contents of the baskets, and in about an hour set off on our journey home, having passed a very pleasant Christmas Day, in spite of the complete reversal of climatic conditions and the absence of plum-pudding.

On arrival at Apia, we found that the American man-of-war Richmond had come into port. I don't think that the most lively denizen of these lively isles could with any degree of fairness have complained of being dull next day. If he did, it was entirely his own fault, as there was quite enough and to spare of diversion for the whole term of the ship's stay. For two days the liberty men had charge of the town, and did just what they darned pleased;' the police were withdrawn, and the whole place was delivered over to the most awful riot both day and night, during which it was not safe to go about. After the first burst, however, the men quieted down somewhat, and things went along smoothly again.

One rather amusing thing was a body of these men going into the German Consulate and demanding dinner; and when told that it was not an hotel, wanting to know 'Why they hung out that black fowl as a sign if it was not a restaurant?' The sign was the German eagle, the Consular coat of arms.

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Rumours of War - Native Signs - Indication by Visitors - Oldhand Prophecies - A Well-informed Man - Signs of Peace - House Construction - Trades Unionism - Stone House - Building Material - Primitive Man - Dragging the Log - Lady Thatchers - A Nailless House - Tropical Shower - Probable Volcano - Left in Charge.

EARLY in February we heard some very disquieting rumours of the likelihood of war once more breaking out, but although there had been plainly visible a more than ordinary amount of uneasiness in the Samoan Government, no reliable information could be obtained that it meant anything more than the usual Parliamentary squabbles over trifles.

However, we determined to take a short cruise in the neighbouring country, and see what the natives were about in their towns. Whether they were building new houses and keeping up their cultivation, which would be confirmative of peace, or whether they were indulging more than usual in 'Fonos' (councils), a sure indication of some disturbing element abroad, either local or widespread; and if it should be the latter, these 'Fonos' would be assembled generally in all the towns.

One can at all times make a very good guess at what may be in the wind by ascertaining who has been or is visiting in the neighbourhood, for the presence of certain people is quite sufficient indication of mischief. A great many of the alarming rumours which crop up every now and again have their origin with the old hands, who from their long residence pose as oracles, and authoritatively utter, for the benefit of more recent arrivals, certain information of what is to happen in the future. If any doubt be expressed they get annoyed. These men acquire their initial facts from their Samoan wives' relations, who are always visiting, and always ready to give any sort of news that they think will interest the old man; and if they have heard no news, they will soon invent some. To this the recipient adds his own experience of natives, perhaps forty years old, and the result is some alarming rumour which does not lessen in intensity the further it travels.

I heard one white, long-timed sojourner in the Pacific take a judicial oath that nothing happened in Samoa that he did not know of through his wife's relations.

We were to have made up an official party, but the others hung back on account of the threatening weather, so G. and I rode out alone. We had not gone more than ten miles before it was evident, according to all recognised native signs, that no disturbance was contemplated in the immediate vicinity of Apia. New houses were to be seen going up all round, and with the exception of the necessary artificers and individuals required for the domestic duties of the houses, the towns were almost deserted, the inhabitants being back in the bush cutting building material for their edifices, or working on their plantations; and not a single 'Fono' had lately been held, nor was there any rumour of such for the future. All was, indeed, very satisfactory for the cause of peace.

I had, during our travels, the opportunity of inspecting the various buildings in course of construction-some of which were of large size-and found in them a new and very interesting study. The Samoans are strictly conservative in their ideas of constructing houses, which are built of one universal pattern throughout the whole group, and at first sight put one in mind of exaggerated beehives. The shape is that of an oval, more or less flattened at the sides; they sometimes approach the complete circular tracing, but never entirely. The rounded ends are carried in the same horizontal parallel curve of gradually lessening diameter right to the top of the roof of the flat-sided or centre part of the house with a correctness which, for natives without the aid of mathematical instruments, is truly wonderful. The beams forming the ends and supporting the curved roof are not made in one piece, or of wood naturally bent, but are honestly carpentered out of the log, each one being made up of eight or more different short pieces spliced into one another and bound with sinnet.

When beginning to build, the centre part is first put up - that is comparatively plain work; but that finished, the scientific portion commences. A most bewildering sort of scaffolding is now erected at either end, evidently constructed in accordance with some acknowledged rule for building. From this, facing outwards towards the end part of the house, project poles, slanting upwards towards the roof, or rather towards where the roof is going to be, beginning at the roof-plate, and fixing with their ends the position for the curved roof-beams. These beams are not placed horizontally, but spring from the roof-plate about five feet from the ground, supported 'by posts at intervals of about six feet, the centre of them rising higher and higher, according to the height required. By what rule all this is engineered is difficult to ascertain, but it must be something beyond mere rule-of-thumb, from the regularity of the work. A house may have one or two posts, which, with transverse beams attached to the side-plates, support the roof, and preserve the strength and shape of the house. The skeleton finished, thin rafters are fastened with sinnet vertically from crown to roof-plate, and on these is secured the thatch of sugar-cane leaves, forming a lasting covering sometimes two feet thick, which, barring accidents, such as extra strong winds, does not require renewal for at least seven years. Sometimes the ends of these houses are covered in permanently with woven bamboo or other material, though, as a rule, a house is left open night and day all round; but when any necessity arises, such as too much rain, sun, or wind, it can be completely closed in with cocoa-nut mats hung all round, arranged and worked exactly as venetian blinds are at home. The floor is made quite level, and composed of a considerable depth of jet-black water-worn volcanic pebbles, over which are spread the mats to sit upon. There is always one circular fireplace in each house about two feet in diameter, and often two of them; they are not used for cooking purposes, but merely for keeping up a light.

House-building in Samoa partakes quite of the nature of a ceremony, and is by no means to be indulged in cheaply, even though the party erecting the house may be a high chief, and by custom entitled to the free work of the people. Each stage of the work has to be settled for at prescribed periods, or the architects will at once stop work, leaving the unfinished house to stand as a monument to the implied meanness of the owner-a stigma which no Samoan can ever endure, even if he has to go begging all round the country and ruin all his relations to get the requisite coin. Terms must be made with the artificer who commenced the work, for strict Samoan custom forbids any carpenter from taking up work that a former one has deserted in disgust (very similar to trades' unionism). Feasting and Kava drinking goes on the whole time, and the finale is a presentation of fine mats to all concerned. Carrying and plaiting the thatch on to reeds about five feet long is especially the women's work, who also fetch the stones for the floor, but the men fix the former and spread the latter. On the cross-beams fastened to the centre poles are placed all their riches in mats, siapos, etc. also, during the day, the sleeping apparatus; whilst all round the outside edge of the house, more especially at the two ends, are placed the boxes and chests of the family, all carefully locked, containing their finery and smaller articles of value. Outside the house, to the depth of twenty or thirty yards, a space is kept quite bare of grass or weeds, mainly for the purpose of drying clothes upon. The duty of keeping this in order devolves upon the women, who generally devote an hour or so to the work morning and evening.

There is, some distance away in the bush behind Apia, the remains of a stone house said to have been built by the devil. Some of the rocky uprights are certainly standing there, and the usual 'trace' of a Samoan house can be easily determined; but whether it ever had a roof, or was merely a sort of Pacific Stonehenge, cannot be determined. At all events, of the roof (if ever there was one) no remains of any sort of stone that might form an arch are to be found. Some travellers have reported the stone pillars as having been hewn, but that is a mistake; they are merely flakes split off the rock not far off, without the faintest sign whatever of any sort of working. A description of the house and the journey to it will be found in the next chapter.

When a house is to be built for a chief, all the villages in the neighbourhood acknowledging his sway are put under contribution for the various materials required. After arranging exactly what each is to supply, working-parties go into the bush in search of that which they are told off to furnish. Each log for posts, etc., is felled and squared-up on the spot, and, when ready, the working-party harness themselves to it, and with loud shouts and all sorts of pantomime drag it from the bush to the building site. All engaged in the work are dressed most fantastically, wearing every kind of bush ornament procurable. They crown their heads with heavy garlands of bush creepers, thickly studded with the brightest-coloured bush flowers. Some make themselves very graceful hats from the young banana-leaf, others render themselves more ferocious-looking than they are in reality by indulging in huge turbans constructed from the withered leaf of the same tree. Sashes and necklaces in every conceivable fashion of every obtainable bush material adorn their dusky bodies, and for the time the native. 'siapos' or the European waist-cloth is replaced by thick girdles of long leaves. Altogether their appearance is most weird and strikingly primitive. I don't know anything to compare it to. Meeting such a party for the first time away in the bush, one feels inclined to remark to one's self: 'I have at last met with specimens of the original man; but how amiable he is .There is nothing savage about him but his appearance.' In fact, from the jolly crowned Bacchic appearance and the boisterous good-nature of the crowd, one feels greatly tempted to lay hold of the rope and give a hand in the work. With yells and songs the log is dragged along, the leaders continually shouting out words of encouragement, and every now and then suddenly darting out from the rear, dancing furiously and brandishing in a most dangerous manner their wood-cutting axes. Arriving in the vicinity of the building site, the pace increases, as also does the hauling song; the leaders dance round and round their men more and more frantically, throwing their axes high in the air and dexterously catching them again as they fall.

The party at last breaks into a regular run, when with one great shout, more like a huge sigh than anything else, the work is finished and the log delivered over into the builders' hands. The bush crowd disperse to their homes, and all is quiet once again. The fetching and weaving of the thatch is peculiarly the women's department. Early in the morning all the women in the town assemble, and in single file off they go to the sugar-cane patches, where each one cutting as much as she can carry on her back, they form up again and troop off to the town, laughing, joking, and singing; and if ever they come upon a flower, it is more than ten to one that it is transferred to their hair.

The ladies, like the men, on these occasions love to dress after the Adamite plan, in nothing but the natural products of their native bush; and very charming nice-looking girl looks when so simply arrayed. To new arrivals this costume appears somewhat pronouncedly scanty; but it is natural, and suits every requirement of the climate and the people.

After the thatching stuff is brought home, the women, and sometimes the men as well, weave the cane-leaves loosely on to reeds about three or four feet long, the ends of the leaves hanging downwards. The lengths are then damped and pressed with heavy stones for one or two days, and when ready are fastened to the rafters with sinnet, commencing at the eaves, one length overlapping the other, until the whole roof is covered sometimes to a thickness of two feet. Such a roof is calculated to be good for seven years. The roofing is essentially the men's work, but that finished, the women appear once again on the scene, when, after making their cocoa-nut-leaf baskets, they go down in a troop to the sea-beach, returning loaded with small black volcanic pebbles, which are spread to a considerable depth to form a floor. The ground-plan of the house is then fenced round with large stones, and nothing more remains than to make venetian blinds of cocoa-nut leaves and hang them all round the house from the caves, when the tenement is complete. Of the woods, employed in house-building, that of a species of breadfruit is preferred above all others, as being vastly more durable. There is not one single nail in a purely Samoan house, all the joints and fastenings are made with sinnet or native string, manufactured from the cocoa-nut fibre.

The shipping arrivals about this time became of great importance, for the stock of flour on the beach had almost run out ' which meant, if not semi-starvation, still, for Europeans, a great deprivation; and on our baker giving notice that he had only one day's supply left and intended to keep that himself, we went all over the town in search of biscuit, and could buy none. Here was a pretty mess, which lasted for quite a fortnight, when the anxiously-looked-for relief arrived in the shape of a vessel from New Zealand, and the baker set to work again to the satisfaction of all, including the Samoans, who are very fond of ' Papalagi felour,' as they call bread.

On the 23rd a Yankee three-masted schooner arrived from San Francisco, on board which, on her return voyage, the British Consul whose place I was to take determined to secure his passage, and from that date to the 13th March, when the Freemont took her departure, we were busily employed arranging matters for the new administration of the office.

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