The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-01
HOW

first master of style in English
a lone grave on the very summit of gAloans
Vaea, overlooking his own mourning home.
From the top of the mountain, standing
on the little mound-like space that crowns
the summit, and in the center ST which
is the newly-made grave, doubly repellable
in the jet black of its dark Java soil,
drenched in rain, his late home and its
surrounding grounds in which his heart
was so wrapped up, seem TO be Immediately
underneath, like houses at the base of
a towering cliff They appear to be a
cluster of little buildings on a painted
ground work like the little wooden houses
and the stuff, green painted trees. that
somehow will get scattered about the nurs-
cry floor.
Mr.. Stevenson's home was, to use the YER
nacular of the place, in the bush" /. e.,
in the woods or country. Every little plot of
ground-if these volcanic bouders covered
with accumulated vegetable mould and
tropic vegetation be called ground-has
its particular name Mr.. Stevenson's place
is called Nailima. The place, containing
upward of four hundred acres. but small
part of which is cleared occupies the bench
land at the foot of the mountain, sweeps
on to the river-as the mere brooks are Dig
nified in this country OF small streams-and
on the side reaches up to the top of the
mountain. The house itself is, of course, of
wood as are all the houses in this country.
Large and irregular in form, it was built
at different times by successive additions,
two stories in height and surrounded on
three sides by the verandas so necessary in
the tropics. A good roadway of recent con-
struction leads perhaps half way up the
hillside from Apia to Vailima; the remainder
of the way is mere bride path, over
rugged boulders in places, along the length
of which all the timbers employed in the
building of the really very roomy house and
all the mass of handsome furniture which
fills it-some being glorious old carved oak
England and la
boriously transported on pack horses and
carried by hand
is the dining roo.:,, a noble apartment of
full fifty-three by thirty. feet lighted by
the great staircase leading 10 the second
story. All around, hanging ON the walls,
occupying, every corner. are spread the
curios and art treasurers of every country,
.alofas" of touring friends authors, globe
trotters and artists, who have wandered
through these. paradise-like scenes. 50
stony under the gloss of verdure on the
surface.
when presiding host His entertain
ments We're frequent and lavish both to
natives and foreigners. Recently he gave
a feast in the native fashion to some chiefs
and their followers who had constructed
d3r MN lnis ,o w9e asehue perhaps quarter
to juncture with the line where in time
is to pass the public road across the island
when it shall be built. They were political
prisoners recently pardoned, to whom Mr..
Stevenson had done many kindnesses while
in prison. Unable otherwise to attest their
gratitude, they made this needed piece of
road as an "alofa' in attestation of their
gratitude. Perhaps next after his literary
fame no one thing so possessed Mr. Steven
sons mind as the desire to see the link
competed, to connect his home with the
country OF interiaced boulders Ind tropic
roots is no light work. Work was COM
mence ee in this ; mile or 50 Of roadway the
never to pass over it in a carriage as he
hoped. STOPPED as he was, he. sat horse
well and was a bold and good horseman.
SAMOAN FESTIVAL.
He had just completed his orty-fourth
perhaps, the largest feast over which he
ever presided, Nov. IA, his birthday.
1t was large scale. There were from
$50 to 300 persons present, all Samoans-
many being chiefs-wth the exception, per-
haps of dozen white persons, mostly
officials in addition to his own family.
The feast was spread in the afternoon, at
O'Clock, in the Samoan fashion. In all
the preparations for these festivals, which
involved great labor, he had the voluntary
assistance of scores of Samoans, who were
glad in this or any other way to manifest
their affectionate regard for him. AS is
the custom in this country, a framework
grape arbor, and this was quickly rooted
over and part of the way down the sides
feet in length and twelve feet in width,
reaching from near the front verarda
down and off from the front of the house.
thickly carpeted over with banana leaves.
Along the center, the whole length. upon
this verdant carpet. occupying half the
width, was piled, in one long heap as is
the native fashion, vast quantities of deli
c caSi SO tempting to the samoan.appetite;
flowers spread over It; vans, taro. palu-
coccanuts by the hundreds. thousands
might say: countless tins of salmon and
many other such esteemed delicacies On
either side. on the banana leaves. the guests
sat i'm long rows, Turkish fashion, the high
est in rank toward the head where Steven
son, the picture of qualification, sat with
sleeves and bare feet, as was his delight
with wreath of small flowers around his
neck. As each guest arrived an "ula. or
wreath of flowers and red berries was hung
about his neck in accord with the ways of
this land OF flowers When one set of feast,
ers had eaten it gave way to another, until
perhaps twenty-five or thirty pigs and heaps
Of edibles had disappeared-much going into
the convenient basket which Samoan es-
teens it necessary to take with him to a
feast.
After the - ast silva" or native dance,
with all the adjunctS of bodies bathed in
cocoanut oil, men with blackened faces and
real funny man. continued until near dark
to delight the simple minded natives and at
intervals TO throw them into .roars of APP
plarse and screams of delight.
l have been a frequent guest at Mr.. Ste
vensons. and was. / may say, perhaps the
special guest at the last entertainment he
ever gave, or at which he was present. 1t
became to all the company unexpectedly
impressive; 1t soon became memorable to all
of us. in so brief time after the shadow
of death fell upon him and overwhelmed
the same company, the same scene, in
mourning.
Mrs. Stevenson. Mrs. Strong and Mr.. Os-
bourne American citizens. and had told
me- at dinner party some ten days or 50
beforehand. that we must have d genuine
American Thanksgiving dinner on the 18th.
, In due time the occasion arrived. 1t was in
exquisite taste, made rather a family af-
fair. but was beautiful and in substance
and service elegant to the last degree. There
were bat five guests outside Of the family.
and of these three Americans-Mr. W.
l.. Chambers. of Alabama, member of the
Land Commission, my son and myself The
only other person invited was Mr.. Haggard
of the Land Commission. brother of II.
Ryder Haggard. but he WAS not we'll enough
to be present.
A THANKSGIVING DINNER.
The feature of<the dinner, and it was a
feature in other respects than in merely pre-
serving the traditions of the day. was the
surprising presence of the traditional tur-
key, with the regulation cranberry sauce.
Where and how turkey and such a one,
could be had on this island l am at loss
TO know. Mrs. Stevenson during the din
| ner. after causing all to declare the per-
lection of the cranberry sauce, confessed
! that she hal irnDroyieed if from a native