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Visit from Malietoa's Chief Adviser - Business before Politics -Benevolent Tekori - A quid pro quo in Ambush - King wishes an Interview - Seat of Government - Building - a Sign of Peace - A Heathen Star - Samoan Parliament - Introduction to Royalty - Malietoa le Tupu o Samoa - His Men - Kava and Smoke - A Samoan 'Pooh Bah' - No Money - No Taxes.

IN answer to the letters I had brought for the King and Government of Samoa, informing them of my arrival and its intended purpose, I received a visit from the King's chief adviser, a very intellectual looking man of advanced age, named 'Tekori.' It was from him that I had hired my horse for yesterday's trip, so before we entered into public matters we squared up the account between us. He would not let me pay the full price agreed upon, returning me half with much talk, of which I did not understand one single word.

Of course at the time I was not acquainted with the manners and customs of the country, and permitted this refund, not wishing to offend the gentleman. As I afterwards discovered, it was a very bad move; for unwittingly I had put myself into the old fox's hands, who, having conferred a favour, was, according to his custom, put quite at his ease in demanding one from me in return; nor was it long before he did so.

After we had finished our private affairs I was officially informed that his Majesty, King Malietoa, had read his letters, and would be most happy to see me at my convenience. Accordingly I started off the next morning for Mulinuu, the seat of Government, to make my first official acquaintance with the people to whom I was accredited.

The Government buildings, differing in nowise from ordinary Samoan houses, I found were situated in two long rows, running the entire length of a narrow peninsula, which forms the leeward or west end of Apia Bay. In public offices one generally looks for something above the ordinary style of house; but here the distinction was noticeable in the inverse ratio, for they were one and all inferior looking in every way to the tenements in other parts of the town, and in some cases were mere temporary shelters, the whole surrounding districts being very untidy. This was public property, and had so often changed hands during the wars, that, although peace had been for some time proclaimed, no one felt quite at ease, or cared to embellish a place, or to go to work erecting good buildings on a site, from which he might be turned to-morrow. There was very evidently no real sense of security of tenure or visible sign of a Government that had time or money to devote to public works.

Building good houses, no matter where, in Samoa has always been the best sign of genuine peaceful intent, and says a great deal more than can be told by word of mouth; and so long as the people are content to live in makeshifts, and neglect appearances in their villages, so sure is it, in spite of what any native may say, that a repetition of disturbance may break out at any time.

About half-way along the peninsula, on the seaside, looking right across the bay, a break is made in the line of houses, permitting the formation of a large public square, in the midst of which is erected the Government flag-pole, on whose summit was flying the Samoan standard-a red flag with a white cross, bearing a five-pointed star in its upper canton. It must have been an oversight on the part of the Christian flag-inventors when a heathen star was chosen for the Samoan symbol.

Arriving at this square, I was met by old 'Tekori,' my friend of yesterday, who, after a great handshaking, escorted me smilingly across the green towards a house in which I could see seated a large number of men in solemn conclave, without any movement amongst them but the monotonous swing of the fly-flaps with which each individual was armed.

Arrived within a few yards, three of these men, who I afterwards discovered were leading chiefs of Malietoa's Government, came out from the house, advanced, shook hands, and ushered me into the centre of the room, where I was formally introduced to his Majesty, who rose and received me in a very friendly manner, bidding me welcome, and requesting me to take a seat by his side on the mat.

I found him to be an intellectual and pleasant looking man of about forty years of age, with a very agreeable and subdued manner of address, without the slightest suggestion of the savage about him. He also gave me the idea of a studious man, in which, as I afterwards found out, I was not mistaken. His distinctive name, 'Laupepa,' signifying sheet of paper, would point to that inference, but I never could satisfactorily ascertain whether it was given him on that account or not. As a fact, he was educated at the London Mission College at Malua, and wished to lead a peaceful life; but his high birth would not permit it. By force of circumstances he was obliged to put himself at the head of his family. It was only late in life that, in a great political crisis, he consented to be tattooed, to unite his people, some of whom refused to serve in a cause the head of which did not possess a warrior y s first qualification.

He was attired, as were nearly all the rest, in a white shirt, and wore a lava-lava of tapa, or native cloth, very full round the waist, secured there with a white girdle of finer stuff, a dress invariably worn on State occasions, and one that admirably suits the light-bronze faces of these people. A good many of them wore necklaces of the scarlet fruit of the ' pandanus,' and nearly all were seriously puffing away at their ' seluis,' or short cigarettes of tobacco wrapped up in a piece of dry banana-leaf, duplicates of which were to be seen carried behind the ear, handy for future use.

On looking round I found that there were quite fifty of these dignified gentlemen present, with each of whom it appeared de rigueur that I should shake hands. It was impossible not to be much impressed with their gentlemanly manner and bearing, not conventionally so, but perfectly natural. Without the slightest show of servility, there appeared in their address, humble though dignified, an earnest appeal for goodwill towards themselves, and for assistance in something that they greatly desired, but were conscious of their inability to effect without kindly help. There was not one unhandsome face amongst them nothing whatever of the Papuan about them; and they were really as fine a body of men as one would wish to see.

Seated cross-legged on the mats for some length of time in dignified silence, which it appears is a conventional preliminary to all Samoan meetings, the time hung heavily, until his Majesty's scribe commenced a speech of which I could not understand one word, and managed by signs to tell them so.

Of course I had expected to meet an interpreter there. A messenger was then despatched to find one, and in the meantime Kava was produced from a neighbouring house.

I wished in my heart that they had kept it away, for I had no very pleasant recollections of my first bowl, when I registered an inward vow not to encourage what, at the time, I thought to be so very repugnant a practice.

Little did I think then that it was in the remotest degree possible that I should ever be able to overcome my dislike to the beverage or its process of manufacture, and take to it as regularly as any Samoan; yet such was the case, and in no very long time either. During my whole stay in Samoa, I don't think I met one white resident of more than two months' standing who had not in a greater or less degree become a convert to the use of the national beverage.

Not wishing, to offend, especially at the first start, I dubiously swallowed the nauseous draught, then hastily continued my previous occupation of exchanging smiles with my dusky friends, or rather exchanging for theirs what I intended for smiles, the pleasant appearance of which I was rather doubtful about. I soon recovered my peace of mind, however, and was patiently awaiting the arrival of the interpreter when my martyrdom began again.

I was in the full swing of an animated bout of pure English and dumb-show for the benefit of a splendid fellow who had monopolized me for some time, when a very lovely young lady, probably the one who had made the Kava in the adjoining house which had so nearly proved fatal to me, came gracefully in, stooping low before the assembled chiefs, and sitting down in front of me, from behind her lovely ear produced a 'selui' (native cigarette) which she lit up, and after puffing, it into a comfortable state of glow between her own sweet lips in the most bewitching manner in the world, presented it to me, and retired in the same -stooping position as when she entered.

If there is one thing more than another that I can't do with any degree of comfort, it is to smoke it has the most baneful effect upon my constitution possible. And what was to be the result of the mixture of the two abominations in my system? I could only have the most horrible imagination.

I should have liked to decline the obnoxious weed; but presented to me with such ceremony, I felt constrained to accept it, not knowing how great or little importance these people attached to the acceptance or refusal of tobacco from their hands, and which might have made a great difference in my future relations with them.

A non-smoker, I have always observed, when he does venture on a weed, labours over his contract to a most unnecessary degree; and so it was with me. I managed two strong pulls at my smoke, and that was enough. On top of the previous atrocity I had swallowed, the sensation was simply dreadful. Not even the presentation to the exalted position of heir-resumptive to the Samoan throne would have induced me to take another draw-and position was what I had then come about.

I was much too confident in my attempt to appear sociable at all points, basing my ideas of the immediately destructive effect of tobacco upon the strength of the ordinary British article, of which I thought I could stand a puff or two without exposing my weakness.

This material was, however, a nefarious manufacture of their own of prodigious virtue, which took all the presumption to pass myself off as a practised smoker fairly out of me.

When I recovered my breath, and wiped the moisture from my eyes, I found that my position as centre of interest had increased in extent, but whether for the better or the worse I could not gather.

The King, however, seeing my embarrassment, signed me to put away the deadly 'selui,' and I was not long in obeying his Majesty's first command.

An interpreter shortly afterwards arrived, and my business began. The King's chief talking-man uttered a long string of compliments and fulsome thanks to Sir Arthur Gordon for sending me, and to myself for having come, to help so insignificant a people in their struggle to qualify themselves as a nation before white men (sic), and to 'become as civilized and as enlightened as they through communication with friendly Powers. The letters they had received were then produced and read, and by general consent proclaimed to be highly satisfactory and encouraging to the Samoan future, to which they all looked forward with the most patriotic hopefulness.

They were glad to meet me there that day, which they said was but preliminary to my official recognition, which would take place after my position was properly fixed by the entire parliament in a sitting soon to take place.

I noticed throughout the proceedings that there was not the slightest apprehension of the possibility of my declining the appointment, and the assumption appeared to be that they were in receipt of a very useful sort of present that they had been promised, and of which they intended to avail themselves when it suited them.

This did not, however, suit me, for not a word was said about remuneration or duties, so I made a few inquiries anent these subjects.

Concerning the former, I could get no straightforward answer except that they were very poor, but would see what they could do when their assembly met; whilst as to the latter, there was no difficulty in deriving full information -I was to do everything. Pooh Bah in 'The Mikado' had no offices at all, compared to mine.

I inquired whether they had any Government funds, and was answered 'No; but they would soon get some.' How were they to be got?' ' By taxation.' 'Had they any system of taxation in force ?' 'No; but they had discussed the matter often.' 'Would the distant provinces consent to paying taxes?' 'They did not know, for at the present time they were not all of one mind. The people in some parts were suspicious, as the taxes raised formerly had been kept and spent by the officials, and also had been paid away to white men who had told them lies.' ' Had they tried to collect taxes since the last peace ?' ' No; they had been waiting for Sir Arthur Gordon's promised man to come and show them how to do so properly.' ' Had they any published and recognised law?' 'Yes; but up to the present time they had ruled themselves mostly according to native custom. They were as yet not sufficiently wise to carry out the laws the whites had recommended for them.'

After a lot more conversation of the same tenor, I again underwent the ordeal of shaking hands all round, and left them to themselves, saying I would write to them as soon as I had made up my mind on the matter, a remark they did not appear to understand. decisions, for want of proper appliances, just as they pleased; but there were in the community many whites of no nationality whatever, or with no representation, who were responsible to no one, and acted accordingly.

A particularly rowdy half-caste population had sprung up, who led the natives into, all the vices of their beachcombing progenitors; the sale of liquors of the vilest and most maddening description was permitted, without restriction, to natives and whites, amongst whom were many men whose very existence depended upon disorder, and who occupied their whole time in fostering it. It was, according to report, a very pandemonium, and at that time well deserved the name of the 'Hell of the Pacific !'

Under the convention the Government of Samoa gave up all jurisdiction over the town, harbour, and neighbourhood of Apia, within certain defined limits; the power to be invested in a Municipal Board consisting of the Consuls and their nominees, one apiece.

This Board was authorized to levy rates and issue licenses for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the government of the municipality, police, etc., and for carrying on the necessary public works, such as gaol, roads, and bridges.

A magistrate was to be appointed, who, within certain limits, could impose fines and imprison for breaches of the regulations, and who also had charge of the police and prisoners, superintending all public labour. At his court, always sitting, investigation

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