The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-04-06

full retreat, and matters were going
very bad with them, when the Tua-
masaga warriors, intent on removing
the imputation of cowardice which
the Savaiian people had laid against
| them rushed from inland, and ID a
very short time altered the situation.
| The remainder of the Savaii people
returned to the attack, and sharp
/ struggle between the rebels and the
| Government party took place. Inc
rebels fought with courage engen-
| dered by desperation, and 1t was ap-
| parent that they were making endea-
! vors to use their weapons so that every
| shot fired would have effect. They did
not fire until the enemy were within
| short range, and, judging by the APP
/ pearance of the wounds on those VINO
! were brought to Apia, they were eyi-
! IDENTIFY careful to fire low. After hard
/ struggle, in which the loss on both
sides was for Samoan fighting) COM
| paratively heavy, the Government
/ party obtained possession of the MagIa
! fort belonging TO the enemy, the lat
/ ter retreating to another earthwork
| known as the FaIeolo fort. The attack
| on this position was maintained with
vigor, and the defence was an eX-
| tremely stubborn one. Prominent
| among the warriors was Tamasese on
| the rebel side, and Suatele (WhO was
| leading a party from Safata) on the
side of the Government. After con-
| tinuation of hard fighting, the rebels
retreated from the Faleolo fort and
| took up strong position on the high
| ground at Tifetife. Night coming on,
| darkness brought cessation of hos
| tilities. Arrangements were made for
sending the wounded of the Kings
party where medical assistance could
| be procured. Two boats left for Faa-
saleieaga carrying several of those
who had sustained injuries, the rest
| of the sufferers being brought to Apia.
1t was ascertained that nineteen had
been killed and over thirty wounded,
which IS quite large number when
one takes into account how few are
really struck in the progress of a Sa-
moan fight. OF the killed, eleven
belonged to the Government party,
while the remaining eight were sup
piled by the rebels. Of the wounded,
over twenty belonged TO the Govern
ment, and about twelve to the rebels.
1t was found that ten heads had been
taken, of which number six belonged
to the attacking and, four TO the de-
Tending party. Although the list OF
casualties on the Government side
was much greater than that of their
enemy, the former obtained decided
The extra number of killed and
wounded is due to the fact that Malie-
toa's followers were fighting in the
open, while the rebels had the cover
of the earthworks Of their sO-called
forts. From the result of Monday it
was very evident that so far as Aana
was concerned the end was near. The
rebel party was greatly discouraged,
and their supply of ammunition was
of
tinued to arrive in the rebel camp
from Atua, telling them to be strong,
as very soon the Atua people would be
taking a prominent part in the strug-
gle. On the evening of Monday
large boat went down the coast flying
a white flag. Although the boat con-
tanned over fifty people it was thought
to belong to one of the missionaries,
and was not overhauled. 1t has since
been asserted that this particular boat
(which went to the rebel CAMP took a
supply of ammunition from Atua.
The rebels on Monday night evidently
became convinced that their position
was not at all safe one, as if de-
feated at Tifetife, the majority of their
number would be sacrificed, so they
decided upon evacuating the position.
On Tuesday morning when the Tua
masaga men rushed the enemy's fort
they found only four men, who had
evidently remained with the inter
ton of firing occasional shots, so that
their opponents would imagine the
fort was still occupied, and by Ills
means afford their comrades the cp-
portunity of escape. Two of these
brave fellows were killed and decapi-
tated, whilst the other two managed
to escape to the bush. The rest of the
rebel party had left during the night,
and for the next two days conflicting
rumOrs reached Apia as to their
whereabouts. While one party as
serted that they had gone to Manono,
another would maintain with equally
as great an appearance of accuracy
that they had crossed inland to Lee
faga, while yet another asserted that
they had retreated to Lavatii (below
Mulifanua), and were erecting fortifi-
cations there. On Tuesday night
some influential chiefs were in Apia,
endeavoring to obtain terms for the
rebels, which would seem to indicate
that the latter were tired of the hope
less struggle, although people arriv-
ing from Aana readily asserted that
they were in no fear and Intended
to pursue their tactics of the past
week, i. e., by retreating and erecting
forts until they were able TO effect
junction with the people of Atua. The
most startling rumors were contin-
ually arriving as to the manner in
which the Government party were
behaving. One rumOr asserted that
Mr.. Frost, trader at Fasitoo, had
been killed, and Messrs. Frings q Co.
dispatched q messenger with Ger
man flag to hoist on the station where
Frost was doing business. 1t trans
pired that the Samoans were about to
take. away and kill an old Line ISL
ander employed by Frost, and wheG
the latter tried to prevent them they
pointed their guns at and threatened
| to shoot him. He managed, however,
to save the life of his servant, although
at the expense of all his pigs and
fowls. 1t was also rumored that Mr..
f. CORVALLIS property had been des-
| troyed by the Samoans. All these re-
| ,,OrtS u,ora readily haliavad on apoount