The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-13
Led0G lara te Jdfne Samoa
A fGgai fadsee Il OL0a
IT'S shameful in the Samoan maid
To sell herself for the white mans trade

Leagc lara te Jafne Samoa
A tGJd9 tadsee Il Ol0a
IT'S shameful in the Samoan maid
To sell herself for the white mans trade
l translate with delicacy A senseless
chorus follows, chosen for the sound of
the words; the other verses of the song
scarce support the moral promise of the
first, and become indeed extremely skit-
fish. Yet the music is solemn, wild and
melancholy, and as the gig approached on
the dark waters the song OF her oarsmen
sounded like dirge.
1t was no light task to get ourselves and
our effects on board, so wildly the
schooner bounded upon the surges, so
violently the frail gig was dashed against
her sides.
The mate stood by the main rigging,
holding up the lantern.
Don't you want your lantern?" he
cried. The lantern was ours; the Nuku-
mono (true to the South Sea character) had
none.
NO" We cried.
For moment more we saw the schooner
lighted up from water line to truck in the
midst of the night, and slashing at the seas
with vast deceptive show of expedition
The next, the mate ttrue to the South Sea
character) blew out the useless light, and
the picture vanished. The outline of the
Isle still stood plain before US OH the starry
sky, but the schooner went out like a
dream and in moment.
As We had stepped into the kicking skiff
the isle had fallen out of all proportion
the mountains dwindled into little hills
and the intervening distance seemed to
double. But the lights still shone clear on
the water level, and for one of these. that
III the priests house, We set the boat 5 head
Presently after, by the sudden hugeness
OF the seas in which we labored
We knew we were above the bank-a
- shn hat oh
sensible upon the surface. 4 little further
IN, and the men raised o song: but the
clrcumamblent night perhaps cowed them
and they let IL die and sang no more. For
a long While We pulled, silent ourselves, in
the midst OF vast silence. Then the
voice OF the island rose; q sullen clamor of
SURF, that sank again, rose again louder
and longer, and became permanent and
ceased 10 he remarked. For the dweller in
the Islands discounts and dlsregards that
eternal voice of the breakers. 4 while
again. ana We passed the heads into the
outer harbor. The clean smell OF the sea
was gone, and there fell upon the boat in
stead sitting. aorid exhalation of wet
forest; rotting leaf and marsh; for il had
ralned ali day in Pangopango, and the
lnlsts were shaping and fever was brewing
In the z!ens.
The starlight was very bright, but
showed not far: the immediate sea heaved
pam. NCt' 'hS Hllts ana AuTbHeT waters
hung Indecipherable, and the gulph of the
har6or yawned before Us like cave. We
began once more 10 speculate on the situa-
ton 81 Whale rock, speaking low in the
dark boat. Ii was over therel No, il was
nearerl And even as We talked the reef
Itself gave tongue; a wave burst with q
sound like cannon's, and the mountain
answered. am sure we all turned pale,
so pat the sound fell in. as though the am
pushed monster overheard, 50 hoarse
boding ana sudden was It's voice. Bat
that was the end Whale rock had sa-
luted US on our departure she saluted Us
again on our return; thenceforlh held her
peace.
About 10 AZ night, after seven and thirty
hours Foyaelng, mostly sterniorem0st, We
ser foot on shore. But the Nukunono her
self piled outside Intellectually TIL Monday
morning. RoBEsr LOUIS STEvESsox.