Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-09-14
THE SAMOAN WAR.
Native COnfeste In Auslralla--How
!. Dead Foemen are Treated.

;. Dead Foemen are Treated.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Of June
18th, contains the following from cor
respondent: "Since the date Of my
last letter the war between the Samoan
tribes has been carried on fercely by
both sides. The rival chiefs have col
lected their followers from the utter
most parts of their dominions, and are
now bent on nothing short Of absolute
conquest. For native war, the present
has been an unusually vigorous and san
guinary struggle. The Maleatore, or
larger party, has landed about 1000 men
in all on this island, and has complete
mastery of the sea. This smaller, or Ma
Masanga, is acting on the defensive, and
ostensibly guarding its own territories
from the invaders. Both parties have
built large forts of wood close to the
town of Apia, and from these desultory
fire is kept up night and day. The forts
are each some twenty feet high, formed
Of slabs Of cocoanut trees, and are
bullet-proof The rival forts are not
more than fifty yards apart, and might
easily be stormed by a few determined
men; but in truth very little valor has
been hitherto displayed on either side.
Every man is so afraid of losing his
head that discretion rather than temerity
characterizes all their tactics. As late
as yesterday an attempt was made to
surprise fort while the defenders we're
sleeping or eating, or, at any rate, not
at their posts. The attacking party en-
tered their trenches and found three
men, whom they killed and immedi-
ately beheaded. They could not, how
ever, hold what they had gained, but suf-
fered themselves to be afterward driven
out, with a loss Of two killed and several
wounded. Persons who have seen the
native in times of peace, or are ac-
quainted with him. only through the me-
dium Of missionary works, would be
sadly disappointed if they saw the same
native in time OF war. Semi-nude, with
a tiara of pearl shells round his fore
head, his long hair dressed in the most
fantastic fashion, or flying loose in the
wind, his body redolent and shining with
oil, and a trusty musket of Yankee or
English pattern, the Samoan is a very
different creature from the enlightened
and docile convert that two generations
of missionaries have depicted Nay,
with faces painted, partly blue, partly
black, while patches of the native brown
are here and there visible, these doughty
warriors as they chant their heather war
songs are much more like emissaries of
the Prince of Darkness than Christians
on the road to civilization. One Of their
most barbarous customs is that OF be-
heading their dead foemen. AS soon as
a man has been, killed in battle or else
where, he who dealt the fatal blow en-
deavors to possess himself of his adver
sary's head. For this purpose every
fully-armed warrior carries an ak, in ad-
dition to his other weapons After the
head has been separated from the body
it is carried round by a party of men,
with a drum or other musical instrument,
who utter in loud voice the name of
their chief Thus, yesterday, three
CHASTITY heads we're carried round the
houses of the white residents, amid
loud cries of "a Maleatore! Ma
leatorep' The grim trophies are then
laid at the feet OF the chief, and after
having been exhibited to all the allies in
succession, are finally handed over to
some women belonging to the tribe of
the unfortunate deceased, who give them
burial. The desire on each side to
possess so many of its adversaries' heads
as possible is very strong, and urges the
young chiefs on to deeds of daring.
Many one, indeed, has lost his lite in
trying to get his enemy's head, and
thereby becoming separated from his
party. Each side counts its dead by
the numbers of heads taken or lost and
it would seem that unless a head be
taken, the loss of life matters but lit
tie. As regards the white population |
resident in this group, the war affects
them solely through their trade with the |
natives. All trading for island produce
is now practically at an end. Where, a
few months ago, it was possible to earn |
a comfortable living by copra or cotton,
it is now impossible to procure even the
necessaries of life.. Food is getting |
scarce in the ranks Of both armies, and |
consequently the natives cannot afford |
to sell what they have not in sufficient
quantity for themselves, Unfortunately, |
there is no prospect Of a speedy cessa- |
ton of hostilities. The news received
from Sayan and other parts of the group, |
show that active preparations are being |
made to carry on the war for long |
time to come. Hence, peace need not
be looked for for months, or even years
mot, in fact, until one side or the other
10 tboran0hlv exhausted