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MY CONSULATE IN SAMOA
A record of four years' sojourn in the Navigators Islands, with personal experiences of
King Malietoa Laupepa, his country and his men
MY CONSULATE IN SAMOA
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. Explanatory - Interview with the Governor of New Zealand - Accredited to Samoa - Arrive in Auckland - Awful Tales of Samoa - Sydney, N.S.W. - The John Wesley - The Loafer Brigade - Unemployed in Botanical - Scene in Hyde Park
CHAPTER II. The John Wesley in Trading Trim - Heavy Weather - Off Port Stephens - Gale subsides - Ablutionary Difficulties - Mixed Nationalities - The Inevitable Deported One - Sunday Island - Arrive at Tongatabu -Leave for Samoa - Metis Rock - Arrive at Apia
CHAPTER III. Going into Harbour-Visitors on Board-Supercargo's Martyrdom - Call at British Consulate - View of Apia - Roman Catholic Mission - Visit to Consuls - Opinions of Residents - Samoan Idea of the Franchise - Talking Men
CHAPTER IV. Description of Group - Savaii - Mountain Streams - Food-trees - Productions - White Traders - Beachcombers - Having a Baby - Savaii Squires -Monkey Jack - Upolu - Daybreak from the Lagoon - Harbours - Tutuila - Leone - Roman Catholic Church - London Mission Premises - Blow-holes - Massacre Bay - Manua-a Group - The King of Manua-a - Manono and Apolima
CHAPTER V. Trip on the Western Road - Asaga - Public Works - Old Fort of Tamuafa - Vaitele - Malietoa's Forts - Destruction at War-time - Political Town Alliances - Agreeing to Differ - First Experience of Kava-drinking - Kava : its Introduction to Samoa - Chewing the Kava - A Drinker's Inside - Unrequited Attention - Ceremony of Presentation - Beachcomber's Improvement on Native Style
CHAPTER VI. Visit from Malietoa's Chief Adviser - Business before Politics - Benevolent Tekori - A quid pro quo in Ambush - Kino, 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
CHAPTER VII. Municipality of Apia - Rowdy Half-castes - Municipal Convention - Magistrate - Native Ideas of Municipality - Police Incidents - Attempted German Autocracy - One-sided Disqualification - Factious Opposition - Restrictions on Liquor - Munitions of War - Hell of the Pacific reformed - White Agitators - Those Tyrant Consuls - Board Members - Indignation Meeting - Hunting up the Demagogues - Pernicious Visitors - New Zealand and Samoan Information
CHAPTER VIII. Malua College - London Mission Students - Truculent Pastors - Clerical Court - Johnny Upolu: his Case - Samoa annexes the Ellice Group - Stop at Saliemoa - Beautiful Coasting - Arrive at Falelatai - Palolo - Bathing Embarrassments - Unnecessary Apology
CHAPTER IX. A Row in the Dark - Canoe Company - No Palolo - Extempore Regatta - Omahs - Nearly Capsized - Goodbye for the Time - Remarks on Receptions - Advisership again - Consult the Consuls - Talolos
CHAPTER X. Good Work for a Philanthropist - Official Botheration - Pressing a Princess - Start Across the Island - Bush Track - Monkeydom - Ready-made Board-tree - Tongan Traces - Malietoa - Difficult Descent - Pigeons' Playground - Arrive at Lotofaga
CHAPTER XI. Beautiful Lagoon - Community of Property - Begging - Political ditto - Effect of Sun upon Scenery - Tipping - On the Track - Ambassador to America - Arrive at Falelatai - Palolo again - Return to Apia
CHAPTER XII. Meeting with Malietoa - Lauati the Talking Man - I am considered Native Property - Tuiatafu on my Objections - Samoan Oratorical Perseverance- A Tongafiti - German Official Recognition of Malietoa - Twenty-one Guns for the King - Mad after Two Years - Dulness of Life
CHAPTER XIII. Sports-Club and Spear-Wrestling - Tiga-tia - Surfriding - Pig-hunting - Pigeon - catching - A Pigeon buys a whole Family - Sport in Earnest - Indoor Games - Introduction of Cricket - Becomes a Disease - German Objections - Cricket Processions - Two Hundred a Side - Political Cricket - Warlike Cricket - The Electric Circus - Consuls at a Discount - Topsy turvy Natives - Samoan Imitation - Chance for Salvation Army
CHAPTER XIV. 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
CHAPTER XV. Rumours of War - Native Signs - Indication by Visitors - Old-hand 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 - Threatened Bread Famine - Left in Charge
CHAPTER XVI. Fale o le Fe'e - The Devil as Food - Pineapple Obstructions - Ferocious Mosquitoes - Ready-made-Board Tree - Musu-oe - Banyan, its Growth - Tongan Fort - Steep Descent - River Scenery - Philistine Judge - Awkward Travelling - The Hallowed Ground - Seeking the Oracle - Recovered Appetites - Wet Night - Return to Apia
CHAPTER XVII. Succeed to Office-Mysterious Burglary-Smart Prisoner -Cat-o'- Nine -Tails - Support in Affliction - Theftswearing - A very Precise Thief - Chinaman's Dollars - Hanky-Panky Man - A Modern Cannibal - Making Use of a Friend - Never Cannibals - Queen's Birthday - Flag-wagging - My Portrait Gallery - The German Boy - The Asteroid - Visit to Manono - Girls Deceitful Trading
CHAPTER XVIII. Corpus Christi Festival - Grand Ceremony - Why not All Roman Catholics? - Feather-Worshippers - The Rival Lady Companies - Awkward Fix - Outrage at Magia - A Stubborn King - Diamond arrives with High Commissioner - Disposal of Fine - Murder of Labourer - Emblem of Civilization - Rehearsal a la Marwood - A Grisly Farce - Royal Prerogative - Ten Years on the Roads
CHAPTER XIX. Samoan Value of Words - Samoan Parliament - No Voting - Success to the Strongest - Samoan Incapacity for Self-government - No Benefit from Treaties - No Child of mine - Preference for Great Britain
CHAPTER XX. Start on a Cruise - Lovely Morning - Saluafata - House-decoration - Papalagi - Preparations for Siva - Samoan Band - Tiny Performers - Warriors at Work -The Pride of the District - Falifa Bay - Beautiful Cascade - White Coral Church - Mistake of a New Chum - Tell-tale Girls - Native Bigotry - Start for Home - Tinted Corals - Blue Lightning - Terrible Squall - Hurricane Sunday - Awful Wreckage - A Sight for an Insurance Office - Capricious Path of the Storm
CHAPTER XXI. A Modem Pirate - Bully Hayes - Very like a Bishop Steals a Barque and Cargo - A Coolie Spec - Bankok - A Trial Trip to Hong Kong - Diamond cut Diamond - Samoa - Tried and Acquitted - Strong's Island - Bailed-up - Hayes hunts himself - Under Arrest - Crafty Mr. Pease - Manilla Courtesies -Elopes with Yacht and Wife - Fatal Difference with the Cook
CHAPTER XXII. To Mulifanua - Aoba Boys' Dance - Long Legs - Musical Instrument - War-dances - Resisting the Devil - Tapa Manufacture - Mallet Music - Samoan Music - Mat Drum - The Syrenic Accordion - The Jew's-harp, its Guile - Return to Apia - Sunday Lecture - Secrets of the Boudoir - Ladies Dressing - Horrible Hats - Male Attire
CHAPTER XXIII. Murder again - I-Ieadless Girl - Tapitouean Sign - Manual -Trial - Suspensory Arrangement - Black-faced Police -Chief Justice shows Signs - Important Arrival - Interested Philanthropy - Five Hundred Dollars' Worth - Those Consuls - Private Annexation - Colonial Misrepresentations - To Utiinapu - Bulli-ma-cou - Solafanuas-New Britain Labour-Caroline Islanders
CHAPTER XXIV. Utumapu again - Regions Below - Light v. Gloom - Fall-climbing - Razor-edge - Stone-heaving - Nineteen Hundred Feet of the Wrong Height - Terrible Travelling - Tropical Freezing - Eagle Mosquitoes - En route to the Silver Thread - Beautiful Bush - Banyan Trees - Head of the Silver Thread - Half-way Down Fix - Stinging Tree - Foot of the Silver Thread - Camp out
CHAPTER XXV. Consul in Office-Liability to Insult-Rights of the Britisher-Piratical Visitor-Consuls under Review Wild Female - British Fetishism - Arrogant Consul Family Biography - Half-caste Quandary - Consular Mild Deceit - Beauty in Tears-Swimming on Shore - Mr. B. Brown - Wife-retrieving Bureau - A Rara Avis - Marriages in Samoa - Attempted Matrimony at Long Range
CHAPTER XXVI. Roman Catholic Talolo - Brilliant Processions - Master of Ceremonies - Privileged Samoans - The Kava-chewing - Delicate Work - My Share of the Feast - Furious Cannonade - High Mass and Processions -Protection v. Free Trade - Cunning Councillor - Fish Robbery Falelatai - Origin of Names of Islands - Woman's Rights - Back to Apia
CHAPTER XXVII. Savaii Squires - Sail for Savaii - View of the Island Monkey Jack - Two Sorts of Patriarchs - An Awful Liar - Spanish Mike - Bad Travelling - Heat in the Scrub -'Latomai' - Pala Pala - Sufferings of the Boys - Lalatele - Fagamalo - Return to Pala Pala - Awful Back-track - In the Bright Lagoon - Manono - The Lovely Salu - Offer of Marriage - Moonlight - Arrive Home
CHAPTER XXVIII. Bad News from Tutuila - Manuma v. Lei-Old Grudges - Title Names - Declaration of War - Malietoa and the Consuls - Arrival of H.M.S. Miranda - Distinguished Old Soldier - Reception Fono - Words upon India - Battles in Tutuila - Entrance to Pango - Fagotogo - Butcher's Bill - Armed Natives - The Two Maugas on Board - Both Sides of a Big Gun - Very nearly a Fight on Quarter-deck - Return with Hostages
CHAPTER XXIX. Troublesome Inquirers - Taupo Visitors - Kava - Duties of Taupos - Severe Boudoir Discipline - Taupos Political Valuables - Bread-fruit - Odoriferous Food - Bananas -Yam-growing - Taro - Pork a General Lever - Pig related to Man - Fat Pigeons - Fishing on Reef - 'Peasoopo' - Tinned China man - Dogeating - Samoan Cookery
CHAPTER XXX. The Maid of Matafangatele - 'May' Meeting - Use of Consulate - Picturesque Camping - The Tamaitai Dressing - Umbrella Tree - Missionary Gathering - Food Offerings - Fale-tele - Village Procession - Distribution of Food - Pretty Ceremony - Appearance of Consulate - Ornamented Orange Trees
CHAPTER XXXl. Faithless Faa-Piu - Burial Ceremony - Samoan Hades - Spirit Journeys - Unburied Spirits - Extra Pressure - Deputations - Extraordinary Performance for a Government - Samoan Diplomatic Cunning - One-sided Agreement - Another English Petition - Paltry Charges - Kidnapping a King - Weber again - Flag-Hoisting - Nice Picture for a Friendly Consulate - Pulling down the Samoan Flag again
CHAPTER XXXII. Convict Importation in the Pacific - Arrival of a Stranger - Speculation in a Smithy - A Pool of Blood - Double Murder - Watching his Eyes - Discovery of Plunder - German Difficulties again - Partial Confession - False Accusation - Murderer commits Suicide - A Recidiviste - Four Years' Labour - Samoan Petition for my Stay - Official Leave-taking - Malietoa's Farewell Banquet - Farewell Dinner at Apia
CHAPTER XXXIII. Description of the Samoans - Disposition - White Intrigue - Adverse to Bloodshed - Respect for Property - Tattooing - Costume - Novel Use for the Union Jack - Outraged British Sentiment - Success of Trade - Women's Dress - Headdress - Hair-dressing - Language - Final Remarks