The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-04
SAMOA NOT A PARADISE.
a FEU WHOLESOME Truths FOR
PROSP ECTITE EMIGRhNTS.
Ajimen to which tho Islanders are Liable
SteinbrrRer's Great Mission and What
tho white Colonists Think Of II.

S,einbrrRer's Great Mission and What
tho White Colonists Think OF II.
Correspondence, orms San Francisco ch,orck
PoRT OF AHA, Nov. 5.-l have seen
several communications IN San Francisco
papers from this place, aud am sorry 10 say
that some OF them ure far from the truth and
sro calculated to do harm. They have been
written for the purpose OF inducing people from
tho States TO come to these Islands and locate,
that the poor starved landshalks already here
and unable to get away might plumber them. |
think that few statements Of facts would be
OF bene0t to the people who have read the
above communications and have formed the
impression that Samoa Ia n paradise. In re-
gard to the delightful climate Of the islands
have to say that elephantigsis. which Ia the
here TO IN alarming eXteut, and a fearful thing
II Ia indeed. There are but few furci lners that
have lived here any length III time hat are OK
empt from ". and those who 90 not have
II take quiniue regular. which IL con-
sidered preventive. as chills and feyets
are the commencement 81 this horrible
disease, Of which there has been no RENE.
dy discovered as yet. On the island OF
Upoli alone | know personally OF ten
white people who have biz legs ana arms, aud
some have both. know of several cases that
the limbs are crown to such an enormous cx-
tent that they would not lie recognized as be-
longing to the human body II detached. lm
agino n YOU can a human nnltle extending from
the heel 10 the roots Of the toes and the ~ ~
tho leu me suring more than the waist. have
seen several such cases; Tnis Il one, Of the
beauties Of this delectablc climate. 1t rains
almost every day In tho wear on some portion Of
the Island. There are many swamps, and chills
DisGusrED EMiGRANrs
The number Of emigrants to these islands for
tbe last year. outside OF Government oDici us,
that have been induced to come here by the
above reports. amount' to about eight from tho
figures | have Mt hand. But one ~ the eight
now remains on tho islands. Three went back
on the same vessels they cauc on. one OF the
eight worked his esHgc and am OF the oriu-
ion that the one remaining wid soon he glad To
get away, In the same time anuuher ~ others
have worked their passage away, mud some have
Themselves
Portable quarters, In order To leave the country.
leave the Islands as sailor, cooks, or ~ any Cd-
plCity to get away. one uIan, "a cooper 10y trade,
and I'D tn be u very good workman. after trying
devise Witlout money, OF which he, like the
majority here. md none. and failing, gave NJ In
despair, aud then Ia "a o. OF desperation shot
himself through the heart. That Is the way he
left this paradise OF the South Pacific, AMI
think IL Is safe to sW that thee IL not a white
man on tho whole group ot Islands owning
prOperiy that would not b. glad TO sell at great
sacrifice and get away.
swiNDING SCHEMES
The Samoan Islands aupear to he the unfor
tunnte group In the south Pacific t. which nil
the swiudhng AMI hllhusterlng schemes from
the United states are directed. The first was
tho |, lInesinn Land nd Commercial COMPANY,
which was uudouhteuN got az Tor grand swim
die. but resulteit di.e.trously Jor the company,
and they failed Vet it seriously damaged the
islands, and has placed them Ga a condition tlat
they VIII not recover from Tor years. The next
and most gigantic swinGlr % all "a the nllhus-
.
unfortunately under the shadow OF the United
81 ties flag. II Is great mystery to tto natives,
and bas been to foreign residents until recently.
IL was dinicrt to understand how lie could
come here under the protection Of the United
states nag. backed toy man-of war. and III he
the bearer 81 dcsia'Ch from l.e-ifpn Grant
To the Samoans, stating that the United States
did not want the islands, neither did they WISH
to extend prOtcctoratc over them, but recon-
meuded Col. StoinperGcr as valuable assistant
g. the SamOIus in inning government An
other thinr that foreigners could not under
| ~
such "a IN IN 90 as - and recommend him as a
valuable a-s.t,ut q, forming p Government
man wtihuu sufjcteuf dignity To command the
respect of the loves, samoan on tbs island, and
one whom ~ foreigners. from al nations. can
not help tut despi e, aud the Amcriri an citizens
have to acknowledge To other foreign residents
here that this m N IL an Amer can. or a least
came from America He mas taken the oath Of
aileg nee, or an oath To support tho samoan
Government, and T. Therefore recognized
genuine heather. what the oath VS.. or
how ad,ninistered, have not been IN
formed, but presume II was done by anolnt-
ing him win cocoauut oil and tumcric.
lining his bead aud dressing him w IN the
native lava Iva. have not head Of his being
tauooed yet. When that Is done he will be a
kanaka In every sense Of the word, nni will
have to change ut fc,y 81 lil hI,its - become
achict among them. lie viii have TO rJforlu Ia
regard to
DHUNKENNEss NND LIcENrIoUsNESs
TO become a chief. for he Ia moro addicted to
those vice than the native samoan. AS for
boastin- ard lyin,, he compares very fayofably
with the natives, aud that is : wing much III
the Colonel, for the Sanioans u-'i,ih oat.ile a
white MN bv odds. | have seen ~ some of The
papers "tnal hc has the hearty support OF the
mis-ionaries.' viii explain Just NOW far that
istr4c. None ~ them ever mad AM couadrucs
In the man, hut w0Uli not oppose MIN Ia form
Inc "A government, hultug idat some GOOD might
grow out Of II; but when iepor,- came 10 them
IRON day 70 day Il the immoral conduct Of him
and his aids. such Us sruuk euu@ss, ana having
native naked n e at the Pr"miefs head
quarters, tn. very thing the mission. res have
been try ~ o. break up Tor years theb dropped
MN ana MS bogus GoVtrnWtnt, ana mutually
agreed to render him no further al or assist
ance- They also believed he u.s. ia some way
arepreseptauve ot the United - te-, uniil the
arrival Of "a ers SAYING hrw ds MOI. aud partially
eKpl lining tue grand sNincllne scheme Of winch
tue Cot mel was the head and front. Those
papers travelled from one mission ~ TO another
aries arc none II them Americans, | am gl.d TO
convinced that the United States had nothing ~
do with such diseraceful affair
tue CoLoSfLs ASSISTANTS.
The Colonel has made wise and iud cious
lclection OF assistants. q. +. Waters. tho de-
faulting Market street grocer Of san Francisco
who ma hin,scll away On me vessel for mo D.,
down, WIS selected ~ tho Colonel for the
Treasurer ~ the samoan Government; but the
should not taNc re = their own money. and
wisely appointed anatiye Treasurer. Mr. Waters
has not vet nd the pleasure Of handling any Of
the samoan coin. IL would not be dVsihls for
his creditors To be- NJ the expense OF coming
down here for settlement Just a. present;
thnk he Is u litie hLort am aware that tIe
French aud Germans resi- li.g and dons 81
ness here nave been carefully watching proceed
ing, Nud reports nave ulr'ndY gone to their
respec i've couniri. d,n'uucing the whole
snair, and think they have given tho United
States otcrnmtLt tue entire credit Of II, and
they certainly have some reason for dong so
The olOnel, although now q samoan, nevc the
less floats the United States lag from or li,
borrowed -yacht and ~isa,l launch. lie ami hi'
aias English, Scotch, rud kanNkt-, Wear United
States bn'tons, AMI the native sollieIs wear
United States oeiS and navy SHIRTS. Uncle
Sau has reason 10 feel proud that tho beautiful
United states uniform, adurn tho weii-oiled aud
VarolOOted heather Of the south Pacific
lille MIIn IL NOT IL MED