The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-12-19
THE DAILY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1888.
sAMoANs as FIGHTERS.


The Samoan natives appear to have
really earned some credit as valiant in
warfare. BY the late mail per Zealandia,
we hear of stiff fight, and the taking
and retaking of forts, with hand-to-hand
struggle, axes and dubbed rifles, and all
the desperate determination of Fair
Oaks or Gettysburg. 1t seems little
odd that while we haoles were killing
our Thanksgiving poultry, our Samoan
neighbors, nine thousand strong, were
killing each other in such a bloody
struggle. 1t is interesting and not alto
gether unsatisfactory, to be reminded
that our Polynesian friends, with all
their gentleness and good humOr; can,
when duly reused, play the man, and
hold their own, not so far behind other
fighting races of mankind. It is pleasant
to recognize strong elements of manhood
wherever we see them, even though we
do not know how we'll or i'll directed those
forces may have been. It is the more
so, when we know these qualities to have
been displayed by the same race of peo-
pie as the native Hawaiians, with whom
we are so closely and pleasantly asso-
ciated. Even though it be probable that
their energies will not in the future be
called out in physical warfare, it is
satisfaction to feel ourselves associated
with brave and valorous people, and not
with lean and cringing Bengalese. It is
no new thing, however, for the PolYnes-
ian to display this quality. He is habit
ually brave and daring, when the occa-
sion calls. When Cook tried to abduct
their King, the men of Kona, so gentle
hitherto, surprised the Overbearing
whites by their unfinching and daunt-
less resistance. The Hudson's Bay
Company in Oregon used to count on
kanakas as among their best recruits for
fighting Indians No boatsteerer lays
his boat up more intrepidly to lance the
maddened whale, than the kanaka. The
Maoris of New Zealand made themselves
respected by their valor in conflict with
the white man.
1t is also satisfactory to note that the
Samoan warfare, as reported, is not
stained with either treachery or cruelty.
It seems to have been fair and manly
battle. The wounded were not des-
patched but cared for. No doubt this
civilized style of fighting is largely owing
to the comparatively thorough diffusion
of Christian ideas. But still more is due
to the natural kindness of the Polynesian,
so far superior in this to most of the I'M
civilized races. 1t was the same DISPOSE
ton which led the stern and still heather
Queen Kaahumanu to dismiss unhurt
her defeated foe and subject. For such
people we can be somewhat hopeful,
notwithstanding some less encouraging
elements of character.
Upon the respective merits of the two
contending parties in Samoa, we do not
here undertake to decide. Tamasese
seems to have tolerably strong follow
ing, although he owes his kingship orig
inally to German force. Mataafa, on the
other hand, seems to represent the na-
tional interest in the place of Malietoa.
exiled by the Germans. Neither party.
unhappily, seems competent to maintain
good, honest, and secure government.
such as the developing commerce Of the
South Pacific demands and will exact in