The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-09-20
SAMOA AND ITS HURRICANE

, The currency or The ISLANDS consisted az
Chilean god and silver. Eugash money.
though ontainabIe At 4 premium Ess
never Drzt N circulation. because tss hotel
and store keerers bought * I'D 70 pay
for goods shipped 70 them from the Brit
ISIS colonies.
No large wild animals exist on the IS
/ lands, b1- some Little distance inland
from Apia, snakes Of the boa species aTe
found. part sc1larly in the hflly districts
AZ the sugrceS OF the rivers and IN the
vtslnstE o. tne cak2-acts. where there = a
dense growth Of very tail and sturdy
rress. SCORPIONS ami ceaiipe9es Of large
size are numerous. every horse at Ap44
was infested With them. Their sting.
though NOT exactly deadly poisonous.
may nevertheless prove of 4 grave natIrs
- proper reT17sziles are not resorted to 81
once. Moody thinks Of retiring al uight
before ars< carefully o9erhAuling the bed
clothes and many people prefer sleepxng
in baTamocks with the lighrest possible
covering. for the nights are never really
chilly as they are in some parts of the
tropics. During the day il IS intensely
hot, even IN the rainy season. and moth
dng bu, light. white clothing IS ever worn
on the islands.
The samoans.
The Sazrloarss, who are Of dark brown
color. are a warlike race, dssdaining work
Of any KIM. the foreigners on the islands
could no more hire native 10 perform
manual labor for wages than they could
persuade him 10 don trousers. shoes. or
Ia fact anything. All work on the plan
fati0Tls - consequently performed by
blacks, imported from the New Hebrides,
Solomon and other groups OF islands
VITA The exception % ioin-clo1h. caliea
"lavva-lapTa." the male Samoans STROBE
around IN pliris naturalibals.' not even
protecting their heads from the fierce
rays OF tho sun. They tattoo the whole
upper body ami even the legs down 10
the knees. Both men ana women are
very proud TO possess red hair, the more
frey the color, the better they ike il.
To gain tnis effect trey cover the hair
with a certain kind OK white clay, found
on the islands. which they apply ia
moist state and let the sun and air dry il.
After several days the hard substance is
removed and a fresh mixture pat. on I'M
I'll finally the hair attains the desired col
or.
The women of the tribe wear short
calico skirts. barely reaching the knees,
and a cummeround twaist-belD OF some
bright color. Very few don chemises,
the breast and arms are left completely
uncovered.
A number OF the young girls were be-
ing taught the rudiments OF education by
the sisters OF the French mission. On
Sunday afternoon they could be seen NOV
ing in a long procession toward the mis-
sion chapel, accompanied by their teach
ers. VINO had prevailed upon them TO
adopt the proper form OF dress prescribed
by civilization.
The boys Of the tribe are from earliest
youth taught the use of the rife and shot
gun by their elders. and like the children
OF the Dutch Beers in South Africa. they
become expert markSmen as they grow
mp, and swell the ranks of the fighting
forces. Anything the Samoans aim at IS
sure 10 drop. / have often watched them
bringing down unerringly the wild pigeons
that abound on the islands, from the
highest tree tops.
The natives manufacture very pretty
finger rings out OF tortoise shell orna-
mented with motheT-of pearl and gold AMI
silver designs. These rings together with
JaVeiius and other weapons, they sell 10
travellers. They also offer for sale curios In
the from of red and blue coral, shells and
scorpions and centipedes preserved in
Was nled With alcohol. The women are
very expert in making hats from the
hhres Of cOsoanut palm fTonds. which,
after being bleaehed in the sun, are braid
ed and plated
From he same material they also
Weave strong bat pliahle mats, on which
they sleep GA the floors OF their hats
These hats and mats also meet with
ready purchasers among the foreign resi-
dents and net tho natives handsome sums
The Samoans live in cu1e matched nuts,
ana their household goods are az the most
primitive form. No liquor Is allowed TO
be- sod Ia the natives, aud most of the
money which they obtained from their
sales when / WAS there was immediately
invested n the nearest bakery for fresh
lr4Es p ~
fond. Il was Il common sight 70 see them
leave town for their camps carving
twenty ar thirty loages apiece in their
FannicIs.
Local Troubles.
Nheu I arrived al Apia. IN January
iSo. ] learned that serous trouble had
Recently occurred between the natives az
ing Mafaafa's tri,,a and fhe Germans.
since the h8nishmcut from Sam0a of the
Old king. Mahe,oa. hy the Germans. who
were iu favor of Tsmassrc deceased
April, 1870 ruling over the islands fire.
qgent bloody conflicts took rlt>sa between
tire natives of the iatter's party ard those
who adhered 20 MaAafa. Who wa. IN a.
rect fne ~ following the exile king ana
who's" warriors consequently waeei BIT
tor war against their opnre~sors. ier
Garmtns- The natives of S4vaii Who
supported Taalts"se. were friendly TO-
ward the Germans, aIt those % Ipaiu
committed e3nstaHs open tieprcdatlous
'Vo1 the5r plantations In TIC vicinity ~
Npia
A. the ti'ue -tferred 20 above The com
frtH.irr ~ t9e ti"rTnan squadron az Ap5a
haa ty request ~ ipr- knappc She Ger
Tn'n soas5l. o-san4zea an armed heat
exposition for the purpose of subdsfing
th~ natives Early one morning marines
f'".h 81" German squadron attempted -
iANA H1 e @.Ftn = Nvae "a IN the neiEhtgr-