Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-06-23

months after our arrival there was no
cessation to the intense heat; and 1t was
both depressing and wearing TO New Eng
landers. During those months the people
here consoled us by saying: "Wait until
April when the trades set in, and then all
will be fine and enjoyable" Well, we
have waited, but it was not until within
the last ten days that wo experienced ia
vorable change and thus far this has been
as we might say spasmodic, but really
feel that the worst of the heat is over for
this season.
Men and women who come to Samoa in
these later days usually have a mission or
duty to prompt them, and when that mis-
sion has ended, or that duty has been per-
formed, they hasten to other scenes and
surroundings. This is SO as a general
proposition; but like all other rules, this
has an occasional exception. For here we
find Mr.. Robert Lewis Stevenson located
some three miles back of Apia-hs house up
on the side of the mountain moro than
mile beyond any but native houses; and not
to be approached by full milo otherwise
than on foot or on horseback. Here Mr..
Stevenson lives with his large and interest
ing family in a modern house which he
erected since he came here at an expense of
several, perhaps ten, thousand dollars.
Then here in the town or municipality of
Apa may be found quite a number of for
eigners OF various nationnlites, thrifty
business men, who will tell you that there
is no place under the sun equal to Samoa in
respect TO climate, and that they would
rather live here than anywhere else As Il
general thing this class are ''od residents. y
There are but a few business resi-
dents here who have not married
native women or half casts, who will not
bear transplanting in tho nortu, and the
result is that when a man thus marries here
he remains thereafter by force of circum-
stances. Remove a Samoan from these
islands and he is unhappy under tho most
favorable surroundings, and pines to return.
Both men and women are bright rs a rule;
the men are said to be good Ia kers, some
of them natural orators, opd are line phys
lcal specimens. They still adhere TO some
OF the former native practices, such as that
OF tattooing the bodies Of the males, from
the hips to near the knees, for instance y
young man who fails to submit to this pain
full process is not brave man-so they
thought formerly and SO think now;-and
this Notwithstanding the fact that they have
all been Christianized since about 1880.
There area bout 50, 900 natives on the en-
tire groun of isIonds Sometime over
three. fourtbs oro protestonts and the
rarainder Roman 1,otbolics Tbo, boye
tba Rihle HMM hool,. Lool, Of scrin,
ture selectiors n dicticnorv and cramnor
and soma otba,. ho,l.e I'D ,onor, /, ,hoir
lnnguoge Tho, reorire that oil If tine chill.
dren shall o.tsnd schooI and MI laorn f.
read and ,vrite md son,ethir, r,oro. and in
the line n, raligious t,,oinirF anJ nroctice
foo +bev oS ,,,o,,l, oro o,,o,,,lor,, bo'
vond anv b,yo h,fp-o soo, rio SoIIho,l
ia mora richly md ,rnI, ,bsor,ad oyon in
tbia town of Ania v.rors tho,, con 'oin IittI,
IN tboir odvontorro l., +hot ra,or, rron, ,he
eromnIo or Tho foroior ,,o,,,Intior than il
orv tow in Nav [rcrIord ynrtrro r.
so+ IL. e,ia al go, i',',,aS 600,
orb boord ho,a No rao.ar, 60 Io,,rt IL Tho,
tbo-o is eoorooI,, no,j,.o Lo',s, fo,,,i,,, i,
oil +b.s, isIands ,,narn fan,n,, ra,iaia,,s 10
votlons are not held at least once a day every
| day in the year. Still in material things. auC
worldly affairs. business. etc. so far as
| can Judge, they have made no very valu
able prooress They are n very
cleanly people: they do not seen
| to have nny special bssetting sin. unless
| as it is claimed bv soma thew have a veal,
ness in tho direction of recognizing the prop
erty rights OF others. But in reference t.
| this alleged characteristic | am not satisfied
| TINT they will not ,verage fairly you will
mankind In general But IL the CHARGE b.
true. as claimed than I sbonld ne inclined T,
attribute if not TO wickedness. Int TO tn
fact that among Themselves thev have II,
individual pr,nertv RIGHTS IA a genera
propositiop The head of tina family or O
the village is sunnoaod To own evervthin,
that every nembar of the family or yillar
has. They have an occasional war betwee,
The ruling king and soma osniripg chief VIII
wants 70 change nleces With the king an,
they still adhere to at least one of the prac
tees of barbsrism. that is to decanitate tn
vanouished and carry his head on n pike O