Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-05-03
TEHE CRUISE OF THE RICHMOND.
Crossing the Linc-Visit from Neptune
"A Week ~ NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Easy
Society MISUNDERSTANDING Native
6irss - The Chaplain who Wa
ShOctked-A CFaler-EHarbOr-Tho Dis
liked Governor.


shockcd-A Craser-zzarbor-The Dis-
liked G:oveKnor.
The following extract from private letter Ne
ceiyed in this city gives an interesting account
OF the late trip Of the U. 8. steamer Richmond
from Panama to Japan:
U. 8. FLAGSHIP ''RIcHMoND,"
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN. March 6, 1882
AT last we are on our own stamping ground.
having arrived here on the LIST day Of spring,
out found the weather still quite wintry. Per-
haps had better GO back to Panama, where
wrote my last letter. and follow the track the
Richmond made in coming to this place. Just
before we left several cases Of yellow fever ap-
peared on shore. One American. captain Of a
whaler. died at the Grand hotel. where most of
our ofrcers were before the arrival Of the Rich
mond. We were all glad to give Panama the
last salute. There Is good deal Of the shark
ABOUT the people there, especially when q ship
Is gong where it Is necessary to lay In Q large
supply OF stores. When we
CROSSED The "LINR"
Neptune came on board and collected a tribute
OF hair from the faces of those who had never
before been within the limits Of his domain.
The distance from Panama 70 Tahiti was too
long for steaming, so we made the trip most OF
the way unjer sail. The wind for the FIRST three
"Cchc was HUH very USuC I'd nOlniOS. 30 we
had a pretty lazy time Of it. Later we ''struck"
the trades" and then made better time. One
good feature abont the trip was We had very
little rain. We lea Panama October 18th, and
were Al days going to Tahiti The place has
changed considerably since was there In the
Resaca. eleven years ago. Too many small
frame houses from 'FrIA1o" have been imported
to take the place of the large, matched bamboo
structures, each Of which gave shelter to several
families, and which gave the place . character
Ia
while we were in port. there being seven men
of-war there at the same time That was dol
lars and cents In the pockets Of those who had
provisions to sell. At Papeite there is public
square, with music stand in the center. One
Of the French ships had a band. which PLAYED
alternate nights with ours on shore. The natives
are all very fond Of music. and seldom have
such treat. If there ever was q happy-gO-
lucky, free-and-easy, contented people, they
must have been made of such stuff as is to be
found In the natives of the Society islands.
when the band was playing the crowd would
SKIP and hop and dance round and round the
music stand. Each looked out for himself ana
no Introduction necessary. To be whirled round
the square in Papeite about 10 pm, on moon
light evening. by crowd of laughing, joking.
| rolcking native girls. is somewhat trying to the
nerves OF Sunday-schoOl teacher. It was too
much tor our chaplain; he gave it up, and went
on board ship. Others did not leave 80 quickly,
and will look back to Tahiti as place remarka-
contrast it offers to other places where they are
no better. but so different. One is reminded
here OF the story of the old king who could
make his life what he wished by getting the
shirt OF happy man. He sent agents In every
direction to find q man who was perfectly happy.
They had hard luck. but at last discovered the
individual; but. unfortunately for the old king
he didn't have shirt to his name.
After short stop Of eight days we left Tahiti
under sail for Samoa. The wind did not come
nyyr WON nypd fool In,, A.~i~
the pricipal port Of the Samoan islands. Ali OF
the people at these islands are not satisfied with
the political status of some Of the native fami-
Hes Like people who are in higher stages Of
civilization, they sometimes fight and-get
whipped. At these islands, for several years, 1t
has been dog eat dog, and still no dog is salts
fed. Nature provides food tor the gathering,
almost. and the native will not till the soil for
the benefit of the foreign white man.
Perhaps you may have seen some people who
seem to enjoy the independence that being able
to live without hard work gives themI That
feeling is born with the people here. and seems
to be the correct thing where nature furnishes
the grub free. Another idea that enters the
heads of some is that they are superior to their
ncighDorS. 1t Is giving expression to this feel
ing that gets some of them into difficulty.
Various ore the means taken to make good
their positions. The present king and about
one-Guarter Of the natives got the mysterious
force welded by the foreign cOusuls on their
quarters are left cut in the cold. so to speak,
and do not know how they will get in without
fighting. There has already been considerable
fighting by the 'outs" in various parts of the
world, and it looks as though these islands will
soon see some more of it.
1t was very
HOT AND UNCOMFORTABLE
at Apia, without any Of the fun of Tahiti to
take the "cuss" off. We were there two weeks,
and glad to leave. The large commercial house
of Goddefroy & Sons gave us a fine entertain
ment on New Years day. There was pigeon
shoot, but the Dutchmen did not get to the
front. The three first belonged to this ship and
had the good luck to kill the most birds.
From Apa We went to Pango-PangO, an island
Of the group, about 100 miles from Apa, and
selected at one time as the stopping place for
the steamers that run between Frisco" and
Australia, and where there is now pile Of gov
eminent coal, some OF which we wanted.
CURIOUS vOL.cANo-HARBOR.
The harbor of Pango-Pango is the most per
fectly protected Of any among the Pacific islands.
It is the crater of an extinct vOlcan0-about
two miles long and half mile or more wide
1t Is and-l0cked, with little island In the mid
die Of the entrance. The sides are nearly per-
pendicuar. and from 200 to LOO feet high. As
you enter, when just within the old crater on
the right, on little piece Of ground. like shelf,
collection of native huts. Further In, on the
left, on a little more extended piece Of ground,
is another collection Of matched roofs (tOO hot
for sides to their houses here), and ut the ex-
IRENE inner end another little village. Perhaps
there are $50 people. all told. Two years ago
these people had q fight, and were captured.
About year ago they were allowed to 60 home
and start q new set Of houses (the old ones hay
ing been burned) and begin life anew. have
seen several places where nature has exerted
herself to produce remarkable effect, but the
growth Of vegetation that covers the sides Of
| that old volcano is ahead of anything have
seen up to date Where the rock is $500 feet
high and nearly 'up and down" the face is COM
pletely covered with all the shades Of green
known to the tropical sun. The people lost
everything when they had their last fight. Or
anges, bananas, bread fruit, yams cOcoanuts,
pine-apples, &c, grow wild and the people can
have fish for the trouble Of spearing them. 1t
is too hot to need any clothing; SO it is hard to
tell who Is the best off, one who has nothing or
one who has something to look out for. While
| there the king sent new governor to the island.
We received him as such. because he was sup
ported by the cOnsuls, but the natives said as
soon as we left, II the governor did not go too.
there would be fight. They do not like to be
sl,,,lla 1od0 bof% o<h